Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, has emphasized the need for greater budget allocation to preventive and promotive health to drive Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
During her presentation to the Departmental Committee on Health, Ms. Muthoni underscored the importance of prevention, noting that every dollar invested in prevention can save nine dollars in curative healthcare.
The State Department comprises five directorates and 20 Semi Autonomous Government Agencies, each with specific missions and objectives
She acknowledged the Committee's role in aligning budget allocations with the State Department's preventive healthcare mandate.
Muthoni highlighted key focus areas under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) for the 2023/24 budget, including public health management, disease surveillance, preventive and promotive healthcare, health professions management, and strategic interventions for diseases such as malaria, TB, and nutrition services.
The State Department comprises five directorates and 20 Semi Autonomous Government Agencies, each with specific missions and objectives.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
The Central Bank of Kenya has intensified its efforts to combat illicit dollar trading, even as the shilling depreciated to a fresh all-time low against the US dollar.
On Monday CBK cautioned that unlicensed currency dealers are offering money or value transfer services in violation of its regulations.
"This is to inform members of the public that it is a criminal offence to provide money or value transfer services without a license or authorisation from the CBK."
"Such services do not enjoy the protection of the law and consumers stand to lose in case of any default by the providers of these services."
The CBK warning comes weeks after it imposed a cap on the amount of foreign exchange that forex bureaus can sell to customers, limiting it to a maximum of $100,000 (Sh15.1 million) per customer per day.
The cap by the CBK came at a time small and big businesses have turned to underground currency traders to fulfill their foreign exchange needs, The Standard has learned.
Illegal trades include buying or selling dollars without any record, and remittances through informal channels have been on the rise in recent weeks amid CBK strict monitoring of profiteers.
There has also been a rise in the popularity of the Hawala system, a traditional Somali method of money transfer that operates through a network of brokers known as hawalas, who facilitate money transfers for clients outside the conventional institutional framework.
Yesterday, CBK requested that individuals and organisations provide information regarding the identities and physical whereabouts of entities and individuals who are offering monetary or value services without proper licensing or authorisation from the CBK.
"This is to caution and, or warn members of the public against seeking money or value transfer services such as 'hawala' from unlicensed service providers."
"The CBK has a duty to identify entities and persons providing unlicensed or authorised money or value transfer services and to have them prosecuted in a court of law."
In the midst of the currency crisis in Kenya, the banking system is witnessing a surge in demand for US dollars.
Despite CBK’s strict penalties on forex market manipulation and a government-supported fuel import agreement, the local currency has continued to decline since the start of the year.
CBK Governor Kamau Thugge told the National Assembly Finance and National Planning Committee last week that the banking regulator has also written to 10 commercial banks seeking clarification on the significant disparity in their currency spreads despite the implementation of interbank market reforms.
The bid-ask spread (or the buy-sell spread) is the difference between the amount a dealer is willing to sell a currency for versus how much they will buy it for.
Dr Thugge said that CBK intends to going forward, “address any speculative activity on forex in the banking sector.”
According to CBK data, the Shilling reached a historic low Monday, exchanging at an average exchange rate of 151.1647 against the dollar. By Brian Ngugi, The Standard
During the closing session of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit in Kigali, Western Australia was announced as the host for 2024, marking the first time the event will visit Oceania.
The 24th Global Summit will be taking place in Perth in late 2024, in partnership with Tourism Western Australia.
WTTC closed its first ever Global Summit in Africa with more than 1,200 delegates attending the event in Kigali, Rwanda.
The global tourism body’s Global Summit saw speakers such as global economist and renowned business commentor Justin Urquhart-Stewart; Administrator of the United States Transport Security Administration, David P. Pekoske; and Chief Commercial Officer of Arsenal Football Club, Juliet Slot.
The most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar, WTTC’s Global Summit, was attended by more than 45 countries.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The success of this year’s Global Summit in Kigali is testament to the power of Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector. Through Rwanda, the continent has well and truly put itself on the map.
“We are so excited to be heading ‘Down Under’ next year. Western Australia and the beautiful city of Perth have always been popular destinations and we’re sure attendees will enjoy a real taste of quintessential Australian hospitality."
Tourism WA Managing Director Carolyn Turnbull said hosting the 24th WTTC Global Summit presents a significant opportunity for WA to demonstrate its growth ambition and investment opportunities to WTTC’s members, which includes the CEOs of key travel businesses such as airlines, global hotel operators and investors, and cruise lines.
“The effect of hosting this event goes far beyond the immediate economic impact generated from delegate spend; this event will open avenues for conversation around inbound trade and product investments, new inbound aviation routes and the development of high value tourism product business opportunities.
“Business delegates attending this event will be encouraged to extend their stay and explore further afield, so they can experience our dreamlike landscapes, world-class experiences, and expert tourism operators firsthand.”
During its Global Summit in Kigali, WTTC launched its Africa report highlighting some of the challenges Travel & Tourism faces in the region and the opportunities to address them.
WTTC also launched its groundbreaking Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging report which tracks DEIB in the Travel & Tourism sector and highlights effective practices and recommendations for the future.
The Global Summit was moderated by Thami Nkadimeng who was recently selected as a 2023 Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent under 40 in support of the United Nation's General Assembly resolution 68/237. Africa Business Communities
Speaking on GB News, he said: “The whole weekend is one of Remembrance and Armistice Day itself, the 11th, has recently taken on more significance and what has been planned by those that organised these marches is, well, to call that to call that insensitive would be an understatement.
“The vast majority of the British public do not think this march should go ahead on Armistice Day, and yet between the police and the government, nothing is getting done.
“Of course, Suella Braverman is very good at denouncing these marches as hate marches.
“But given we have the Public Order Act; it is not beyond the wit of man for the police and the government to actually show some courage and some leadership and to do what most of us think is the right and appropriate thing.
“And yet, I'm afraid, we're led by gutless people who are not prepared to do this and allow events to overtake us.
“Maybe that'll change between now and the end of the week, but right now, it is as if the police are saying to the Government, ‘you decide’ and the Government is saying to the police, ‘you decide’.
“The law, as it fairly clearly states, needs The Met to recommend the march should be stopped and for the Home Secretary to act.” By Oliver Trapnell, GB News
EFF leader Julius Malema briefs the media on 15 March 2023 on the party's planned national shutdown on 20 March 2023. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
The leader of the red berets instructions to party members as they canvas for support ahead of the 2024 general elections include to exercise political tolerance, run a clean campaign, and avert displays of opulence entirely.
EFF leader Julius Malema briefs the media on 15 March 2023 on the party's planned national shutdown on 20 March 2023. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has armed his party members with a list of dos and don'ts as they prepared to canvass for support ahead of 2024's general elections.
Thousands gathered at Ellis Park for the EFF Gauteng's Fighters Forum on Sunday, during which Malema instructed supporters to go out and spread the gospel of the revolution.
He called on his party to exercise political tolerance and run a clean campaign ahead of the elections.
Political parties all seemingly believe they stand a chance to get a big piece of South Africa’s economic pie, with Gauteng set to be the epicentre of the elections.
The EFF’s tactics, based on Malema’s to-do list for those who will be campaigning, is to try to do things differently.
Some of his rules include not campaigning for the EFF after consuming alcohol, avoiding vulgarities, being impolite, or even forcing voters to hear the gospel of the red berets.
And when it comes to the display of opulence, that is a no-no.“You going to buy cars, you going to buy shoes - a ground force does not display opulence.”
Malema later told Eyewitness News it was the media that exposed the public to his assets, claiming to never being a show off.
“Have I ever put a private jet? Have I ever put my picture [on] a beach drinking beach cocktails? Have I ever put food out there? No.”
And for fighters campaigning in Limpopo, he told them to be weary of 6pm, as the TV programme Skeem Saam is usually on. Eye Witness News
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