Smart Times

  Nairobi, Kenya June 30 ...The Energy and Petroleum Authority is set to announce new reviewed fuel prices in the country  This comes after president William Ruto signed the Finance bill 2023 into law paving way to new increase in other taxes  the new taxes comprises of 16 per cent Value added Tax from 8 per cent, currently a litre of petrol in the city  goes for sh 182,Diesel sh 167 and kerosene retailing at sh 161  The new finance bill 2023 is set to take effect beginning 1st July 2023 as the government says by increase  of the petroleum products it will help the government raise more money which will be directed to other projects across the country

Nairobi, Kenya June 30 ...The Belgian national joins Safaricom from MTN Group serving as the operation executive since August 2022 Wim have worked in the telecommunication industry across multiple markets in the Sub Saharan Africa for over 25 years, Prior his appointment he served as the CEO MTN Uganda, a role he held since 2016, in addition Wim was also the CEO MTN Cote d'Ivoire and later joined Airtel Africa briefly between 2015 and 2016  Wim has also held senior roles in other telecommunication companies serving as the CEO at Sentel GSM in Senegal, Managing director in Chad and General manager at Telcel Gabon "As Wim joins us we have planned for a seamless transition to ensure that we maintain our momentum so far in delivering our vision to transform lives through a digital future for all Ethiopians "said Safaricom on a statement in Facebook its page. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in General Engineering and a Masters degree in Nuclear and Solid state physics both fr

Nairobi, Kenya June 27...Absa Bank Kenya partners with Visa to introduce Absa Mobi Tap solution, a market-first payment solution that allows small businesses to accept card-based payments . The new solution will see customers simply tap their debit or credit cards on an Android phone or tablet to make a payment, in addition merchants will only be required to download the Absa Mobi Tap app from  Play Store To process the payment, the merchant will enter the transaction amount, then the customer will tap their contactless card on the back of the smartphone and enter their PIN if required and complete the purchase "As a digitally-led bank,we are excited to introduce another first-to-market solution that provides merchants with an innovative and cost-effective solution for their day-to-day business, The new solution will enable businesses to accept contactless payments in a faster, easier, and more secure manner, facilitating the adoption of a cashless society for the benefit of all.

Nairobi, Kenya June 26...Absa Bank Kenya kicks off  a 150,000-mangrove tree reforestation initiative at Jomvu Kuu and Majoreni Forests in Mombasa and Kwale Counties. The initiative undertaken in partnership with the Environmental Interaction Organization, Kenya Forestry Services, and Bidii Creek Conservancy aims at preserving and safeguarding fragile ecosystems along the coastline. Absa Bank Managing Director. Abdi Mohamed, while speaking during the commissioning of the initiative at Tudor Creek said that the initiative aligns with the bank sustainability agenda and complements the ongoing government 15 billion tree planting agenda. “As an active force for good, we care about the communities around us and the environment in which we operate. We recognize the critical role that mangroves play in maintaining bio diversity, mitigating climate change, and protecting coastal communities from natural disasters. Said Mr. Mohamed Mombasa County Forest Conservator Benjamin Muindi said, "Tr

The meeting brings together National and County Governments and development partners to advocate for increased Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) for sustainable health financing toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakumicha said that the government aims at improving the use of available resources as a strategy to achieve more resources for health. In addition  ,the Ministry is looking at shifting focus from investing in curative care to Primary Health Care During the national high-level dialogue, the COGs and other stakeholders will put forth several recommendations including streamlining services at National Health Insurance Fund and instituting funding mechanisms for the different levels of health facilities in the country The high level meeting is set to discuss the improvement of health sector in the country and ensure good quality healthcare services to its citizens 

   Nairobi, Kenya June 24.. . A woman on board towards Mombasa via train gave birth at the middle of the journey "We are delighted to say a mother who welcomed her bundle of joy on board the madaraka Express passenger service train to Mombasa" said Kenya railways on a statement on Facebook Dr. Indanyenyi Luseso onboard performed the delivery,assisted by Fauziya Lugogi a nurse at Kenyatta National Hospital, after arrival the mother and her newborn were rushed to Mariakani subcounty hospital for further medical assistance  Testimony Madaraka the name of the newborn was given by the mother as she said that giving birth on a train was something she did not expect to happen The Authority confirmed that the mother and the newborn are in good good condition  

  Nairobi, Kenya June 23 ...The Kenya internet Governance Forum (Kenya IGF 2023) brought stakeholders and different people from different sectors in a hybrid forum on discussion of the future of internet in the country and its impacts   "The internet we want empowering Kenyans"  theme of the years forum to ensure good use of internet and safety as well while promoting research,education,social media interaction and connection among people in various places, in addition the emergence of Artificial intelligence (AI) was discussed as many people have been left worried amid the performance of it as people worried that they might lose there jobs  as the new technology being rolled out  While delivering keynote speech mercy ndengwa said " At meta we have tools and resources on account safety accessible for everyone on platform" since there have been increased in cyber threats being experienced in the country thus there is need to curb the incidents to ensure online safety

Nairobi, Kenya June 23 ... Airtel Kenya announces plans to expand its network coverage to meet the growing demand for data services in the country. The new expansion will add 349 sites currently being deployed by the close of the year and an additional 300 sites in the pipeline representing the company's commitment to enhancing connectivity and improving service quality. Currently, Airtel Kenya’s network infrastructure spans over 3200 sites, covering an impressive 89 per cent of the country across all 47 counties. Mr.Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, while Speaking during a press conference held at the Airtel offices in Nairobi said “At Airtel, we are driven by a relentless commitment to continuous expansion and innovation. Our goal is not only to exceed customer expectations in the present but also to propel them into a future they have only begun to imagine" Recognizing the challenges faced by customers in areas with poor network connectivity, Airtel has embrac