Insecurity in Laikipia
13 September 2021
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Laikipia insecurity crisis
The Ministry of Interior declared Laikipia conservancy a disturbed area, declaring a 6pm to 6am curfew on it and its surrounding areas. Livestock owners were given two days to remove cattle from the conservancy.
Background to the declaration
- For a better part of this year, there has been a security operation against cattle bandits in Kapedo, Baringo county. However, the operation led to the bandits fleeing to Laikipia where they have caused terror for a month now (burning of schools, houses, exchange of gun fire with police officers)
- The bandits are currently taking cover in Laikipia conservancies and are causing terror to inhabitants and property owners in villages surrounding the conservancy.
- Over 8 people have died in the past month (including 3 police officers) as a result of the violence and 6 schools have been closed indefinitely.
Cause of the violence
- Past conflicts in Laikipia have been as a result of land disputes where a section of dwellers in the area claim that the conservancy is their ancestral land and private persons have illegally acquired their land.
- The police now claim that the recent violence in Laikipia is fuelled and financed by some politicians for personal gain . Last week, 2 politicians were arrested over incitement claims ( ex-Member of Parliament for Laikipia North Mathew Lempurkel and Tiaty Member of Parliamaent William Kamket).
HEALTH
NHIF Members to use the cover only in public hospitals
If a policy by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is passed into law, then NHIF coverage will be restricted to public hospitals and all individuals on the national insurance scheme in Nairobi will have to go to public hospitals as their first point of call. NMS director of health supports the proposal and states that…
restricting NHIF’s use to public hospitals is a way to get funds back to public hospitals since the government spends billions in NHIF bills to private hospitals.
NHIF FUND distribution: (Ksh 11 billion is paid to private hospitals, Ksh 2 billion to Kenyatta hospital and Ksh I billion to faith based hospitals. )
Note: - a provision included in the policy: It will be mandatory for employers to pay the NHIF health cover for their employees (whether casual employees or not).
LEGAL
Rise in court fees
The judiciary announced that it has raised its court fees and introduced some charges effective from 1 September 2021.
below are some of the charges that have increased and those introduced.
details of the fees
Filing an application to the High Court (except for criminal matters) - now Ksh 1500 from Ksh 750.
Registration of arbitration awards for disputes at the Environment and Lands Court - Ksh 10,100 from ksh 2,250.
Court library membership and annual subscription now ksh 1000 from Ksh 500.
Death certificates now Ksh 2000.
New charges introduced
Ksh 1,500 for court collection fees on deposits and security for costs in the Anti-corruption and crimes division.
Ksh 1,550 for any appeal or review from subordinate courts and tribunals in commercial and tax cases filed at the High Court.
Notaries public annual renewal, ksh 500.
COMMERCIAL
New licensing requirements for insurance firms and re-insurance firms
Treasury has drafted new rules for licensing of insurance and re-insurance firms.
Licensing rules
- New insurance firms will have to pay ksh 300,000 as registration to acquire a license.
- Re-insurance firms will have to pay Ksh 250,000 to acquire a license.
- Existing insurance firms will will have to pay Ksh 150,000 as subscription fees to retain their license.
DATA
Kenya has been picked to be a hyper scale data centre.
The Africa Data Centre company listed Kenya as among the 10 selected African countries where hyper-scale data centres will be established.
Their CEO announced that the company was in the process of acquiring land in these countries (Including Kenya)
The expansion project by the company will be major boost to banking, insurance, fintech industries in Kenya.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Ethiopia’s ambassador summoned by Sudan over dead bodies found in river Setit
- According the Sudan’s interior ministry, 29 corpses were found on the banks of river Setit, which borders Sudan and Ethiopia.
- The bodies were of Ethiopian citizens from the Tigray ethnic group.
- Tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan are on the rise because of clashes in Ethiopia’s Tigray region that have spilled over into Sudan.
Other ConversationStarters
Manufacturing vaccines in Africa - In what seems to be a race between African countries to establish vaccine manufacturing capabilities, Rwanda announced its partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop vaccine manufacturing capacity in the country.
IFC will help Rwanda conduct diagnostic and feasibility studies on vaccine production. (Rwanda has also partnered with BioNtech to establish manufacturing capability for mRNA vaccines)
Regional trade disputes in East Africa - The East Africa Community announced a plan to launch an ombudsman/committee to deal with regional trade disputes.
- The ombudsman’s powers will include: a) Investigating unfair trade practices, b) Implementing anti-dumping measures in EAC market, c) enforcing rules of determining origin of a product (rules of origin), (d) making recommendations to government ministers for corrective anti-subsidy or anti-dumping measures
Exchanging of gas cylinders now allowed- The Energy Dealers Association (EDA) has allowed its members to exchange gas cylinders. This means that when your cylinder needs a refill, you can exchange it with a different brand as long as it is in the association.
- The exchange of cylinders has been allowed by the Competition Authority of Kenya for a period of 5 years.
African Union - The Africa Union suspended Guniea following the dissolution of government and the arrest of President Alpha Conde by soldiers from an elite unit within the army. Guniea has also been suspended from ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
Boycott of Kenya truckers transporting goods to South Sudan - Kenyan truckers called off the boycott on cargo transport to South Sudan after two-week strike. This is after the country assured the drivers of beefed-up security in the region.
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