Kenya's sugar imports increased ahead of the festive season

Sugar being offloaded at the Mombasa port. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By GERALD ANDAE

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Summary

• In May last year, the country opened a duty free window for imports, flooding the market with cheap sugar.
• The move was occasioned by the shortage of the commodity
• Sugar imports from Uganda have been going up in the recent months following improved production in the neighbouring country.

Makueni civil servants ordered to publish daily duties on WhatsApp

Logo of WhatsApp. PHOTO | STAN HONDA | AFP 

By PIUS MAUNDU

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Summary

• The directive is expected to take effect in 2019.
• Mr Maalim instructed heads of departments to ensure that all civil servants under them sign clock in and clock out registers to identify those absconding duty.
• The administrator decried the sleaze among civil servants, which he vowed to curb through the new staff management approaches.

Mauritius PE firm behind buyout of retailer Tumaini

A Tumaini Supermarket outlet. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By ANNIE NJANJA

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Summary

• The Adenia deal is the latest among the 24 PE deals announced in 2018, the largest share in the region, compared with 18 in 2017, according to East Africa Venture Capital.
• Tumaini said in an earlier correspondence with the Daily Nation that Sokoni has provided new capital that will be used to expand the business.
• Tumaini is estimated to have more than six branches in Nairobi, most of them in the city’s outskirts such as Rongai and Utawala.

I&M to repay Sh3.6bn bond on March 19

I&M Holdings is set to repay its Sh3.6 billion corporate bond within three months. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

In Summary

• Corporate bonds, once used widely by companies to raise funds for expansion, have fallen out of favour following defaults running into billions of shillings.

By VICTOR JUMA
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Banking group I&M Holdings is set to repay its Sh3.6 billion corporate bond within three months — a move that will further reduce corporate debt securities listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Optimism grows on setting up of one-stop building approval centre

An excavator at the Southend Mall along Lang’ata Road in Nairobi on August 30. The structure was demolished after it emerged it was sitting on riparian land. A one-stop shop building plan approval agency would curb such scenes, experts note. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

In Summary

• Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) say the tedious and complicated approval process makes construction expensive while hurting employment prospects for skilled and unskilled artisans.
• Building experts, the county and national governments as well as construction material dealers and banks are also counting losses as the impediments have caused foreign-based investors to divert cash to more favourable markets.

By JAMES KARIUKI
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Optimism is rife that the setting up of a one-stop building plans approval facility in 2019 could eradicate graft blamed for the Sh36.3 billion loss of opportunities reported this year.

In separate statements to the national government, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the

Coast hotels cash in on domestic tourism boom

Tourists on the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach on December 30, the last Sunday of 2018. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NMG 

In Summary

• Most of the hotels in the region operating at 100 percent bed occupancy.
• Hoteliers say the occupancy rates are overwhelmingly local tourists.
• SME owners along the beach have complained of dwindling business compared with last year.

By DIANA MUTHEU
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By WINNIE ATIENO
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Hotels at the Kenya's Coast region are enjoying a tourism boom over the festive season, with the biggest support coming from domestic tourists who have thronged the sandy beaches to usher in the New Year.

A spot-check shows most of the hotels in the region are operating at 100 percent bed occupancy ahead of the New Year.

Hoteliers say the occupancy rates are overwhelmingly local tourists.

The growing numbers of domestic visitors are attributed to improved infrastructure connectivity, including the Madaraka Express SGR train service between Mombasa and Nairobi.

"International tourists slow down at this season as local tourism grows. The domestic tourism comprise 60 to 70 per cent of the guests.

"In Diani, Kwale County, the airport is very busy flying in local tourists boosting the sector," the Kenya Tourism Federation chairman Mohamed Hersi said.

In an interview on Sunday, the hotelier said seven flights arrived at the Ukunda airstrip ferrying in domestic tourists to usher in the new year.

"Many local tourists are also thronging the beaches in Diani and Mombasa, we are very optimistic that the sector will continue to thrive in 2019," he added.

Entertainment activities

The beach hotels have lined up major entertainment activities for their guests as they enjoy brisk business

At the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa revellers will be entertained by different musicians, including the Sauti Sol band and Gilad, who will grace the New Year's Eve party at the facility.

Members of the Sauti Sol band arrive at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort and Spa on December 30, 2018. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NMG

In Kwale, Kaskazi beach hotel sales manager Daniel Ogechi said they are expecting more than 400 guests.

"We will have a Beach Party and a live band to entertain guests. We are expecting 400 guests, majority of whom are locals... We have also lined up a number of children activities," Mr Ogechi said.

Sarova Whitesands general manager Siddharth Sathe lauded Kenyans for embracing domestic tourism and promoting the sector.

Mr Sathe said the hotel has enjoyed 100 percent occupancy during the December holidays and situation is still the same as the new year draws in visitors from all parts of the country.

"We also have international guests camping at the hotel, domestic tourists at the hotel form about 70 percent. The hotel has been full over this festive season. Our establishment is supported by domestic tourists,” Mr Sathe said during an interview with the Nation.

He said security has been beefed up at the hotel.

"With the help of police officers and other internal security procedures, within and around the hotel has been secure," Mr Sathe said.

Security officers patrol along the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach which is a usually packed during the December holidays. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NMG

Public beach

At Jomo Kenyatta public beach, one of the most crowded seashore during this festive season, police officers were seen patrolling to ensure security as the beach goers enjoy themselves.

Juma Masika, a lifesaver, said safety measures are very well stipulated at the beach.

“We have not witnessed any deaths at the beach. There are strict regulations placed prohibiting the visitors at the beach from indulging in activities that may lead to loss of life,” Mr Masika said.

However, small and medium enterprise (SMEs) owners along the beach complained of dwindling business compared with last year.

“Last year, we did not have empty chairs or sparsely populated areas at the beach. This year, the number of visitors is lower compared to last year. This is due to economic challenges in our country,” Mr Mbaraki said.

Musa Moses, a boat rider, said visitors are complaining of not having money.

“People will come at the beach, but they will not spend money on most of the facilities. For example, the for the boat rides we depend on international tourists,” he said.

Tourists at the Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach in Mombasa, December 30, 2018. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Morocco arrests Swiss citizen over suspected links to murder of two foreign tourists

Xinhua 

Moroccan security services have arrested a Swiss citizen over suspected links to the previously arrested people following the murdering of two foreign tourists in a mountainous area in central Morocco, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.