Terrorists outgunned Kenya army

Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery during a Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security hearing into the Garissa attack at Continental House in Nairobi on April 30, 2015. DIANA NGILA |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Mr Nkaissery was explaining for the first time, how one of the worst terror attacks in the country that led to the death of 147 people unfolded, and the lapses that helped increase drastically the casualties.
• Yatta MP Francis Mwangangi asked the CS to confirm whether the government had transferred a problem to another area.
• Meanwhile, drama unfolded during the meeting as MPs clashed over a claim by Mr Mwangangi that there were terrorism sympathisers in the committee.
• Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba challenged Mr Nkaissery to state what the government was doing to ensure terrorist attacks do not lead to a religious conflict, given that the terrorists were only targeting non-Muslims.

By JOHN NJAGI
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A special unit of the Kenya Defence Forces was overpowered by two machine gun-wielding Al-Shabaab terrorists during the attack on Garissa University College.

Kenyan woman cherishes the good life but is afraid of death, poverty, illness

Consumer Insight research Manager Ruth Ruigu releases a report that reveals the trends among modern Kenyan women at Gracia Garden hotel on April 30, 2015. JEFF ANGOTE |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Of the married women, 29 per cent said they valued a successful marriage and raising their children well. On the other hand, single women (27 per cent) said they valued higher education, while another 20 per cent said they valued owning a car.
• HIV was rated second among the things women fear most (43 per cent) followed by poverty (35 per cent) and life threatening illnesses (30 per cent). Women from Nairobi fear poverty and life-threatening illnesses more than their counterparts in other towns.
• “A majority of women surveyed said they earned a personal income,” the study says.
• The various themes of the study were generated from interviews with experts and focus group discussions. The findings were later tested through a quantitative study via face-to-face interviews with 1,304 women in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and Nyeri.

By CAROLINE WAFULA
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Money and marital bliss rank highest on the list of what the modern Kenyan woman desires, according to a new study by Consumer Insight.

Kenya pours billions into army and police

A Kenya Defence Force soldier patrolling Burgabo inside Somalia. More money will be pumped to strengthen national security in the next financial year, according to Budget estimates tabled in Parliament Thursday. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP. 

In Summary

• The enhanced allocations signal the government’s commitment to ramp up security in the wake of terrorist attacks in which more than 150 Kenyans have been killed and which have led to a sharp decline in tourism.
• According to the Budget summary for 2015/2016, the government has focused on stimulating growth in agriculture, tourism and manufacturing which were hit hard by insecurity and erratic rainfall last year.
• Road construction will be allocated Sh58.5 billion out of which Sh5 billion will go to an annuity designed to attract investment from the private sector. Road maintenance will get another Sh26.6 billion while Sh42.3 billion will be spent on foreign funded roads.

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More money will be pumped to strengthen national security in the next financial year, according to Budget estimates tabled in Parliament Thursday.

Former US President Bill Clinton jets in for three-day tour

Former US president Bill Clinton (left) received by Deputy President William Ruto at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on May 1, 2015. PHOTO | DPPS 

In Summary

• The Clintons will travel to Samburu National Park on Sunday to see work in progress on the prevention of elephant poaching.
• These visits are part of a larger trip by the Clintons that will see them also visit, Liberia, and Morocco.

By PIUS MAUNDU
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Former US President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, arrived in Kenya on Friday for a visit to charity projects in the country.

28,000 hotel workers at Coast laid off on tourism downturn

Corporate News

Tourists arrive in Mombasa last month. International visitor arrivals dropped to 1.35 million last year from 1.52 million in 2013. PHOTO | FILE 

By MATHIAS RINGA

In Summary

• The Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha) says about 10,000 permanent hotel workers in the region have been sent home on unpaid leave.
• Kudheiha says other permanent workers have had their salaries reduced by 30 per cent as hotels grapple with lack of business due to low international tourist numbers.

At least 28,000 unionisable hotel workers at the Coast have been laid off following the tourism downturn, a trade unionist says.

Barclays in deal with Chandarias to offer insurance

Corporate News

 

Ayisi Makatiani (pictured) and Darshan Chandaria have signed a deal with Barclays Africa to offer insurance. PHOTO | FILE 

By EDWIN MBUTHIA

In Summary

• Barclays Africa signs deal with Ayisi Makatiani and Darshan Chandaria to launch a life insurance firm.
• The global firm is initially targeting 500,000 customers through its sister company Barclays Bank of Kenya in the bancassurance model which allows lenders to sell insurance products as agents.

Barclays Africa has entered into a joint venture deal with local businessmen Ayisi Makatiani and Darshan Chandaria to launch a life insurance firm.

Survey ranks bankers among Kenya’s highest earners

Politics and policy

The average monthly wages for those working in financial institutions stood at Sh125,356 last year. PHOTO | FILE 

By KIARIE NJOROGE, gkiarie@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• The Economic Survey 2015 shows average monthly wages for those working in financial institutions such as banks, insurers, and asset managers stood at Sh125,356 last year, up from Sh121,817 in 2013.
• Financial institutions have adopted technology to reduce the number of workers performing routine tasks such as clerical duties, leaving them with a leaner workforce whose compensation has risen in line with improved profitability.
• Workers in the electricity and gas sector were ranked second, drawing an average monthly wage of Sh103,936 last year, up from Sh93,805.

Workers in the financial services industry are the highest paid in the private sector with those working in the agricultural sector among those paid the least, according to the Economic Survey 2015.

The survey shows average monthly wages for those working in financial institutions such as banks, insurers, and asset managers stood at Sh125,356 last year, up from Sh121,817 in 2013.