Kenya’s vibrant and diverse cultural landscape has become an integral part of everyday life. The Kenya Music Festival, for instance, is one of the country's largest and most influential cultural phenomena. It is an annual extravaganza that brings together thousands of participants from schools and communities nationwide.

But it is more than just a showcase of talent; it's a dynamic platform where creativity, learning, and ideas converge. Amid the drumbeats and the dances, it is fertile ground to introduce and teach essential financial concepts by leveraging the power of culture to inspire and educate in a way that resonates deeply with the Kenyan spirit. 

Even so, the Kenyan financial services sector is at a crucial crossroads, where weaving financial literacy into the everyday lives of our people is not just an honourable pursuit but a vital necessity for sustainable growth. 

As our economy advances, the call to equip Kenyans with the knowledge to navigate their financial journeys grows louder.

By embedding these lessons into our cultural pillars like the Kenya Music Festival, we’re not only seizing an opportunity but also crafting a uniquely Kenyan path to prosperity.

Here, where the rhythms of our heritage meet the realities of modern life, we have the power to strengthen the economic future of every mwananchi. 

This is exactly what we at Jubilee Life Insurance sought to bring to life during the recent 96th Kenya Music Festival extravaganza held in Eldoret last month.

In a dynamic partnership with the Kenya Music Festival, Jubilee infused the event with essential financial principles like saving, investing, and understanding insurance, as part of our strategic focus on empowering Kenyans through financial literacy. 

We aimed to transform financial literacy from a mere concept into a vibrant, relatable, and impactful experience that resonates deeply with every Kenyan, ensuring that these lessons are not just learned, but lived.

However, government support is essential in scaling these efforts.

The Kenyan government, on its part, has shown a solid commitment to promoting financial literacy through various initiatives, such as the National Financial Education Strategy 2020-2024. Yet, for these initiatives to truly take root and flourish, collaboration with private players, educators, and cultural institutions is vital. 

With Kenya's gross domestic product projected to grow by 5.5 per cent in 2024, and youth unemployment rates still hovering around 13.7 per cent, the urgency of equipping our young people with financial knowledge cannot be overstated.

Partnerships between financial institutions and the Ministry of Education could be a game-changer. Picture financial literacy modules being introduced in schools, taught not just through textbooks but through the rhythms of our music, the movements of our dance, and the stories in our drama.

It’s about making learning come alive in a way that’s uniquely Kenyan, ensuring that financial wisdom is passed down through generations, not as a dry obligation, but as a vibrant part of our culture.

This approach is especially crucial in Kenya, where the uptake of insurance remains worryingly low at 2.4 per cent as of 2023, according to the Insurance Regulatory Authority.

Moreover, by demystifying insurance and financial services through culturally relevant platforms, we can break down the barriers of misunderstanding and suspicion that often keep people from embracing these vital services. As sector players, it is our responsibility to take bold steps toward enhancing financial literacy among the younger generation. - The writer is the CEO of Jubilee Life Insurance, The Standard

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to deliver its verdict Friday over an alleged coup attempt, with 51 defendants, including three Americans, facing charges and all but one risking the death penalty.

Armed men on May 19 attacked the home of then-economy minister Vital Kamerhe before heading to President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices, waving Zaire-era flags. An army spokesman later said that security forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set on Friday to deliver its verdict over what the army says was a coup attempt, in which defendants, including three Americans, risk the death penalty.

Fifty-one people face charges over the incident, which began in the early hours of May 19 when armed men attacked the home of then economy minister Vital Kamerhe, who is now national assembly president. 

The group then went to a building housing President Felix Tshisekedi's offices brandishing flags of Zaire, the country's name under ex-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was overthrown in 1997.

Shots were heard near the building, several sources said at the time.

An army spokesman later announced on national TV that defence and security forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".

The alleged plot was led by Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a "naturalised American" and who was killed by security forces, army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge has said.

"I was forced to carry an arm," Thompson said. France24

By JULIUS MBALUTO 

The High Court of Kenya has sentenced the Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to six months in prison for contempt of court. He was sentenced after the Inspector General failed to honour court summons to appear before the Court six times.

After the sentencing, the Judge ordered Acting IG Gilbert Masengeli to surrender himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons to start his sentence. The Judge also asked Cabinet Secretary for Interior Kithure Kindiki to make sure that the Acting IG Gilbert Masengeli serves his sentence.

In his sentencing, the Judge said:

“Gilbert Masengeli is sentenced to six months imprisonment. Masengeli is ordered to commit himself to the commissioner-general of prisons to ensure that he is committed to a prison facility to commence serving his sentence of the imprisonment imposed. In the event that he does not submit himself to the commissioner general of prisons, the cabinet secretary for interior must make sure that all steps that are necessary and permissible in law are taken to ensure that Masengeli is committed to prison to commence serving the sentence imposed on him,” 

The Acting Inspector General of the police was summoned to court to explain the whereabouts of three individuals Jamil Longton, his brother Aslam Longton and Activist Bob Njagi who were abducted by individuals believed to be police officers on August 19, 2024, during the Gen Z protests. In his ruling, Justice Mugambi had accused the Acting IG Gilbert Masengeli of failing to abide by the constitution as a State Officer. 

The Falklands Government has said they are proud to have Senior Magistrate Malcolm Simmons represent the Islands at the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association Conference, which took place this week in Kigali, Rwanda under the theme of “Environmental Justice”.

Reports on the ending of the event 8/12 September, CMJA members have committed to advancing environmental justice and other forms of justice in their respective countries, in the wake of climate-related challenges the world is facing today, that directly impact other aspects of life. This means allocating more resources and time to address urgent issues affecting citizens such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution from legal and judicial perspectives.

Addressing members of the media, Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo, Chief Justice of Rwanda, and Justice Lynne Leitch, President of the CMJA, who co-chaired the conference which was opened by President Paul Kagame, said that the Kigali Conference was a major success and came up with key resolutions that will guide member states on the next course of action.

“We have had very good discussions about the theme we had but also about other issues and subjects that are of interest for us, particularly relating to environmental justice, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. We agreed to go back to our countries and ensure that our citizens receive justice as they should and in a timely manner,” Dr. Ntezilyayo said.

The Chief Justice said that they leave Kigali understanding that there cannot be environmental justice in the absence of environmental laws, independent and efficient judicial institutions entrusted with environmental issues as well as all matters of justice and each country will do what it can, within its means, and collectively, they can make a difference.

On her part, Justice Leitch said that the Kigali Conference, which followed the 2023 Cardiff Conference was attended by 317 delegates from across the Commonwealth, representing 44 jurisdictions, who discussed the way forward on some of the pertinent issues the Commonwealth family is facing relating to the environment and the role magistrates and judges can play.

“The Commonwealth shares common values for respect of the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary, and our association which represents magistrates and judges across the Commonwealth was formed to promote education within the Judiciary, enhance the administration of justice across the Commonwealth,”

“We also have a duty to promote respect for the independence of the Judiciary and I can say our meeting here in Kigali was already a success before it even started because of the large number of delegates who have attended from so many jurisdictions,” Justice Leitch said, commending Rwanda for successfully hosting the meet.

Finally Chief Justice Ntezilyayo pointed out that, “we can’t deliver justice without having the trust of the population. We will continue to be guided by those principles and to implement them in our daily activities as Judicial officers”

For his part, senior Magistrate underlined “it is an honour, as resident judge of the Falkland Islands, to attend the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association Conference in Rwanda. It is an important opportunity for judges from across the Commonwealth to address common challenges”. Merco Press