EAST AFRICA TIMES

 By East African Times Reporter  The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has officially entered into a seven-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wellcome, a UK-based charitable foundation, and the University of Oxford.  The agreement was signed on Thursday evening, 27th, March 2025, at the Wellcome headquarters in London, marking a significant boost for medical research and training in Kenya. Under the partnership, Wellcome and the University of Oxford will support research activities with a funding commitment of up to GBP 91 million (KES 15.2billion) over the next seven years.  KEMRI's Acting Director General and CEO, Prof. Elijah Songok, signed the MoU alongside Dr John-Arne Røttingen, Chief Executive Officer of Wellcome, and Prof. Gavin Screaton, Head of Medical Sciences at Oxford’s Nuffield Department. Prof. Songok highlighted the strategic importance of the KEMRI-Wellcome-Oxford Programme, emphasizing its contribution of over 30 percent of KEMRI’s r...

By Elijah Odanga  Dear Kenyans, we are gathered here today to introduce you to the Boda Boda and Tuk Tuk Transport Cooperative Union of Kenya, a national unity of over 35 transport associations, over  410 transport saccos, and countless welfare groups across the  country. The informal transport sector, representing over 2.3 million Boda  Boda and Tuk Tuk operators across Kenya, has for long been represented from a divided front giving opportunity to  incompetent factions to speak for us leading to us not realizing  the full gains of our transport economic activities. As more transport groups continue to join us, with the aim to  promote the social, economic and security interests of our  members. The Union shall; 1. Act as the official representative body of boda boda and tuk  tuk operators, coordinating activities and engagements with  members. 2. Facilitate digital registration of all operators and promote  the adoption of systems...

 By Jameson Mutua  Local consumer products manufacturer and distributor Tropikal Brands Afrika Ltd has launched a personal care range of products infused with natural ingredients to meet growing demand. Under a USD 3 million investment outlay, Tropikal Brands Afrika has unveiled the personal care range of products under the ALO brand name. Speaking at the ALO  launch, Tropikal Brands Afrika Managing Director Mr Davis Mukuria said the newly introduced product line includes Body Lotions, Shower Gels, Body Sprays, and Roll-Ons, all formulated with quality ingredients. Mr Mukuria said the launch of the new ALO personal care products marks a significant milestone in Tropikal Brands Afrika’s journey toward delivering superior, nature-inspired personal care solutions that resonate with the modern African consumer. As part of the firm’s local agricultural value chain promotion strategy, Mr Mukuria said Tropikal Brands Afrika has developed a line of goat milk-enriched ALO Body Lot...

  The Washington Post has revealed the involvement of a Turkish arms company in escalating the armed conflict in Sudan by sending secret shipments of drones and missiles to the Sudanese army. According to records, Baykar, Turkey's largest defense company, made a $120 million arms deal with the Sudanese army, which included eight of its signature TB2 drones and warheads. The shipments were delivered in September 2024, with a team from the company ensuring the deal went smoothly. The Washington Post reported that it had obtained a collection of text messages, phone recordings, photos, videos, documents, and financial records documenting the details of the arms deliveries to Sudan, partially verified through phone data and satellite images. These pieces of evidence reveal Baykar’s role in the armed conflict, which the United Nations has labeled as the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe. Neither Baykar, nor the Sudanese military or government, responded to requests for comment. The...

By James Mutua  The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has announced plans to develop 2,820 affordable housing units under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. The project will be implemented on 23 acres of NHC-owned land at Stoni Athi Waterfront City in Machakos County. Speaking at a Public-Private Partnership Investor Conference organized by NHC in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Alice Wahome, emphasized the acute housing deficit in Kenya, estimated at approximately 200,000 units annually. She noted that rapid population growth and urbanization continue to drive this demand. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and NHC’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (2023-2027), Kenya’s population is projected to increase from 50.8 million in 2022 to 55.8 million by 2028. Additionally, the labor force aged between 15 and 64 years is expected to rise from 30.4 million in 2022 to 35.1 million by 2028, further intensifyi...

 By James Mutua        Karura Community Sacco Chief Executive Officer Mr. Gitonga Kigo addressing the press  during the Sacco's Annual General Meeting. The Sacco launched  KCS Wallet Account, which allows users to store funds until needed. Karura Community  SACCO (KCS Sacco) , Kenya’s fastest-growing savings and credit cooperatives, celebrated a significant milestone during a highly successful general meeting led by its Chief Executive Officer, Gitonga Kigo. The meeting, attended by SACCO members and stakeholders, covered key achievements, new initiatives, and strategic developments aimed at enhancing financial services and community support. Strong Financial Performance and Member Benefits Reflecting on the past year, Kigo expressed satisfaction with the SACCO’s financial growth, highlighting impressive returns. The SACCO declared dividends of 15% and an interest rate of 8%, a testament to its solid financial position. “We are happy because every...