Kenya High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kenyan Ambassador Tours the Phillipines

The Kenya High Commissioner to Malaysia recently had a visit to Manila Philippines from January 10^th to January 12^th which involved a number of fruitful meetings with key players in the government and private sector. The main highlight of the visit was to attend the New Year Vin D’honneur Hosted by H.E. Mr Bengine S. Aquino III, President of the Republic of Philippines at his Malacanang Palace. The ceremony, which is annually hosted by the President, was attended by heads of all the secretaries in various departments of the Philippine cabinet and Heads of Missions resident in the Philippines and others representing the region.

The Ambassador also paid a courtesy call to secretaries of various ministries including Mr Alberto Lim (Secretary, Department of Tourism), Mr Mario G. Montejo (Secretary, Department of Science & Technology), Mr Albert F. Del Rosario(Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs). The Philippines foreign affairs ministry expressed interest in inviting the Kenya Foreign Affairs Minister Honourable Moses Wetangula to the Philippines to further strengthen the ties between the two countries.  The two also agreed to look into joint venture trade agreement between the Kenya and the Philippines.

During his tour the Ambassador also had an appointment with Mr. Dondi Mapa, National Technolgy Officer (NTO) of Microsoft Phillipines. The two discussed various ICT projects between the two countries and how Kenya can benefit by adopting various IT policies and infrastructure implemented in Philippines. Among the IT policies discussed is sponsoring the needy Kenyan youth to study ICT courses in the university by coming up with a voucher system that is being used in the Philippines. In this system, the government issues study partial of full study scholarship to IT student then later on hire them to work in various IT projects and institution run by the government.  Mr Mapa also expressed interest in the Malili ICT Park being developed in Konza and promised to look into how the ITAP can invest into this project for the benefit of the two countries.

Finally the Ambassador had a Luncheon meeting with  Mr Albert Yuchengco, Honourable Consulate of the Republic of Kenya based residing in the Peninsula Philippines. The Ambassador conveyed his gratitude the Hon. Consulate for his service as the official representative of the Kenyan government in the Philippines. The two agreed to look into working on ensuring that the Kenyan Independence Celebration in 12^th December 2012 this year can be celebrated even in the Philippines. Previously, the National Day has been celebrated by hosting a reception at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which is the country of residence for the Kenya High Commission. Besides the Philippines, H.E Amb. Samori Okwiya  is also accredited as the official Ambassador to Kenya in Brunei and Indonesia.

IMPALA RUGBY CLUB IN MALAYSIA

It was a weekend of raw rugby action as the Kenyan Impala Rugby Club participated in the HSBC 42nd HSBC COBRA 10s rugby tournament held at the MBPJ Kelana Jaya Stadium in Malaysia  on the 12th and 13th November 2011. Impala Rugby Club is a Kenyan rugby club based at the Impala Club (a sporting/country club in Nairobi, Kenya). The club competes in the Kenya Cup as well as the Enterprise Cup.

Players of the Kenyan Impala Rugby Club participated in the HSBC 42nd HSBC COBRA 10s rugby tournament

The club was received a warm welcome in Malaysia by the Ambassador and Kenyans in Malaysia. As expected, Kenyans showed in big numbers to cheer and support the Impala as they dismantled the other teams with a powerful display of running rugby against their opponents. The event was organized by The Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (known as COBRA) , a prominent rugby club in Malaysia under the Malaysia Rugby Union. The Kenyan Ambassador His Excellency Amb. Samori Ang’wa Okwiya also graced the event to join other Kenyans in supporting the Impala Club.

Impala club player in action

The Impala club Captain presents a jersey to the Ambassador when being hosted for dinner by the Ambassador at his residence

H.E. Amb Okwiya with the Impala Rugby Team

Imapala Players attacking an opponent player

Impala player Stuart Minjire in action during the group stage of the tournament.

Kenyan fans in Malaysia who showed up to cheer and support the Impala Rugby team

KENYA ATHLETES SHINE IN PJ-HALF MARATHON MALAYSIA

Kenyan Athletes participated competitively in the open half marathon which was held at the stadium Petaling Jaya – Malaysia on 30^th October 2011. The half marathon attracted both local and international athletes, Young and old.

Kenyans participated in both the 21km and the 10km race for both men and women. Winning being their international athletic routine, the Kenyan athletes managed to sweep and win in all the categories as highlighted below:

Open 21km For Men:  1. Joseph Mwangi Ngare (1:05:08),   2. Onesmus Muasya Maundi (1:05:26)  , 3. Michael Hoywala (1:05:28).

Open 21Km for Women: 1. Esther Wambui Karimi (1:16:31), 2. Ann Mukuhi  Nihia ( 1:23:23), 3. Chelangat  Bore(1:23:38).

Open 10km for Men: 1.Mutai David Kipkoroi(31:36), 2. Elphaz Kipchumba (31:47).

The event was colorful and a jovial mood was evident among the Kenyans as the Kenyan flag flew higher.

Lamu Port-Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor to Cost Sh2.5 trillion

It will cost up to $25 billion (about Sh2.5 trillion) to complete the Lamu-southern Sudan-Ethiopia corridor, meant to improve trade between the countries.

This more than doubles Kenya’s national budget of 2011/12, which stood at Sh1.2 trillion.

The project, whose ground breaking is November, is expected to be funded through Public-Private Partnerships, government and donors.

It is hoped to be complete by 2030 to coincide with the year Kenya should have attained a medium-level economy status.

Speaking during the closing day of the two-day regional conference on infrastructure at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Lamu Project Manager, Mr Peter Oremo, said the government will seek long-term funding through infrastructure bonds.

“The project involves a huge capital outlay, which is why it will be implemented in phases. The benefits once completed are also huge,” he added.

Its components include a port, railway, highway, airport, pipeline, resort cities and support infrastructure like water and telecommunications.

According to projections, the port will require $5.3 billion, railway $8.6 billion, highway $1.6 billion, pipeline $3.7 billion, resort cities $680 million, airport $560 million, refinery $2.8 billion, while other support infrastructure, including water and telecommunications, is projected to cost $2.5 billion.

“This is the most ambitious project since the construction of Kenya-Uganda railway, over 100 years ago,” President Kibaki said when he opened the conference on Wednesday.

Regional Blocs Pool Funds for Joint Projects

African regional trading blocs will utilize bonds, donor funds and development bank credits to raise money for key regional infrastructure projects including the Sh1.5 trillion Lamu transport corridor, officials announced in Nairobi Tuesday.

Remittances by member states funds from European Union Investment Bank, Public Private Partnership engagements and donations from development agencies are other sources of Sh4 trillion ($40 billion) needed annually for efficient trans-boundary transport system.

The regional blocs are banking more on external financing to support green field (new) projects and to expand the existing ones to meet increasing trade volumes since most of the national government have huge domestic budgetary deficits to plug.

“These entities have each made separate pledges to us. I have a rough idea of what we have in hand and how much more we still need before the projects start,” Mr Sindiso Ngwenya, Comesa Secretary-General said.

He declined to divulge further details saying it could pre-empt the tripartite conference that is set to discuss the regional projects with international financiers in Nairobi Wednesday and Thursday.

The projects are meant to connect 19 countries of Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Inter Governmental Authority (IGAD) and East African Community (EAC) ahead of the planned merger.

Majority of the countries belonging to the three trading blocs are landlocked making the planned ports, roads and railway critical elements in the intraregional trade.

“The Nairobi forum is the continent’s opportunity to address the poor infrastructural link has kept intraregional trade in Africa at the lower level of 10 per cent compared to West Europe’s 60 per cent,” said Kenya’s Trade PS, Mr Abdulrazaq Ali.

The officials said contractors from the region will have the priority during the tendering process since they expect to built capacity for rehabilitating them in future.

The heads of the states from southern, central and northern Africa had given the trading blocs a total of 36 months to harmonise their rules of origin and set up a free trade area aimed at easing trade among member nations.

“For projects such as Lamu where the Kenyan Government has finalised a feasibility study, we expect the construction to start soon,” said Mr Ngwenya who also serves as the chairman of the tripartite taskforce that coordinates the development of key transport corridors of the region.

In taking control of the regional projects, the taskforce relies on the legal framework provided by the MoU signed two years ago among the regional economic communities.

“In the region, a project such as Lamu transport corridor belongs to all states that it connects and is therefore not controlled by Kenya,” said Mr Philip Wambugu, Director of Infrastructure at EAC secretariat.

Officials said Comesa Secretariat was already scouting for a Transaction Advisor to guide the issuance of infrastructure bonds among the 19 member states.

The deliberate efforts will begin soon after the Nairobi Conference to build capacity of the member state’s capital markets to permit the floating of regional bonds, officials announced.

By George Omondi

China, India Replace Britain as Kenya’s Top Sources of FDI

Kenya’s sharp turn to the East for business and development financing under the Kibaki government has toppled European countries from their long-held position as the country’s leading sources of foreign investment.

The latest economic data shows that China, South Africa, India and South Korea have risen to stand among the top five sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) for Kenya, knocking off the UK, Germany and the Netherlands who have occupied the space since independence.

The Kenya Investment Authority said the change in FDI pecking order deepened in the past couple of years as the majority of developed countries – under the shockwaves of debt crises – cut back on foreign investment while emerging economies scaled up their search for new business opportunities in frontier markets.
In the first six months of this year, China, South Africa, India and South Korea invested a total of Sh4.4 billion to make four out of five top sources of FDI for Kenya. Kenya Investment Authority data shows that most of the investment went into manufacturing, energy, tourism and construction sectors.

China has become Kenya’s leading source of FDI after it pumped Sh2.5 billion into the economy, seeking to consolidate its new-found economic clout in the country.

The Chinese broke into Kenya’s list of leading FDI sources last year with a total investment of Sh40.2 billion.

Developed economies, including Israel, Canada, Germany and Italy lost clout after each invested less than Sh500 million in Kenya last year.

Kenya’s former coloniser, the UK, recorded the largest decline in FDI flows to Kenya in recent years.

The country’s FDI in Kenya stood at Sh202 million in the first six months of the year, placing it sixth in the FDI table. That ranking represented a major drop from 2009 when it topped Kenya’s FDI table with investments worth Sh19.6 billion.

Kenya has recently made clear its intention to speed up this shift with an East-bound diplomatic charm offensive led by President Kibaki.

Since coming to power in 2003, Mr Kibaki has visited all the emerging market states that are now ranked top in the list of FDI sources but has not travelled to any of the industrialized economies that topped the list in the past save for the US.

In Kenya, the growing influence of the emerging economies is being viewed as a positive move that not only offers the government an easier foreign policy management window but also helps to expand the jobs market through establishment of new ventures.

“Developed economies usually attach strings to their FDI besides being overly risk-averse making less reliance on them for investment critical,” said Joseph Kieyah, an analyst at the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra).

Prof  Kieyah said the development challenges that Kenya faces, including poor infrastructure and lack of jobs, should raise the country’s interest in FDI flows to the labour-intensive sectors such as manufacturing.

Investment from emerging economies should also translate into affordable pricing of big-ticket public infrastructure projects and consumer goods for Kenya.

Emerging markets companies have traditionally tended to charge lower prices compared to their developed countries’ counterparts in cases where both are competing for contracts in frontier markets.

Sammy Onyango, the chief executive of Deloitte Eastern Africa, said that the low cost model – supported by cheaper technologies and low labour costs — is the magnet that is attracting many African countries to the East.

A number of Sub-Saharan African countries have in the past 10 years been spending less on building and maintenance of roads, railways and energy sources with the rising presence of Chinese firms.

“Developed economies have fully exploited traditional sectors like agriculture and are now focused on top-end infrastructure businesses for which they charge relatively higher prices,” Mr Onyango said.

More recently, for instance, Chinese and Indian firms have been establishing auto assembly plants and expanding their distribution networks in Kenya, offering new frontiers in the fight for control of the local market against their higher-priced European rivals.

This year, Chery Automobiles has announced plans to build an assembly plant in Kenya, following in the footsteps of Chinese rival Foton Motors which is building a Sh1.2 billion assembly plant on Mombasa Road, Nairobi.

President Kibaki has actively encouraged a deepening of economic ties with the emerging economies as part of a broader plan to reduce Kenya’s reliance on the West for fiscal, trade and technical co-operation.

UK companies have increasingly lost business in Kenya, thanks to the change in diplomatic stance that has favoured South-South co-operation since Mr Kibaki came to power in 2003.

For instance, the government has been buying Toyota Land Cruisers for its agencies, including the police, a business that the British — through their Land Rover brand has dominated since independence.

Since coming to power, Mr Kibaki has chosen to work with the US for security matters and looked East for economic support that comes with less conditions.

Kenya is now pursuing a new business-centred diplomacy with an eye on diversifying sources of foreign direct investment.

Early this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was hiring foreigners to head the commercial departments of its diplomatic missions across the globe.

The plan is to bring on board professionals with the right skills and networks to head the charm offensive to increase FDI flows.

“Emerging economies better understand and identify with risks in Africa that are sometimes overestimated,” Mr Onyango said, adding that double digit returns have made Africa more attractive to investors across the globe.

Samsung to be Part of Proposed Malili ICT Park

Electronics giant Samsung has confirmed that it will be part of the proposed Technopolist/ICT City that is coming up in Konza, Machakos, Kenya. Samsung is expected to set up a research facility on the premises once the place is open for business. Companies like Samsung, IBM and others are keen to establish themselves in the technopolis with particular interest in the Science Park section.

This section will also be adjacent to an International Financial Center that Treasury will set up to rival Dubai’s IFC. Universities including our own University of Nairobi are also said to be eager to establish facilities there. Going by the model seen by Star Tech, there will also be a mall which again has attracted intense lobbying and competition as to who will develop and probably be the anchor tenant.

The entire 5000 acre complex is to have to artificial rivers that flow into water reservoirs meant to serve the whole city. The Ministry of Tourism will spearhead and Hotel and Recreational facilities development with international hotel groups said to be interested proprietors of the outlets that will come up. A proposal is there to set up a stadium where European and South African teams can play friendly matches during their summer off-season tours.

Currently, geographical surveys are being carried out on scene while the National Youth Service is cutting out the roads that will be there. Government is partnering with the World Bank to do the initial assessments and possibly arrange funding. Samsung confirmed its participation this week during a function to launch the world’s first solar powered netbook.

The Kenyan Rose Flower will be Exhibited For The 1st Time At The Floria Putrajaya Flower & Garden Exhibition 2011 – Malaysia by The Kenya High Commission

Floria Putrajaya Flower and Garden Exhibition 2011

Floria Putrajaya Flower and Garden Exhibition 2011 is scheduled to start from 9th to 17th July this year at Waterfront, Precinct 2, Putrajaya Malaysia. The show hosts some of Malaysia’s most amazing floral and horticultural works of art on display. The Kenya High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has secured a stand for  the Kenyan Rose Flower Exhibition. Spread over nine days, the flower exhibition at Putrajaya is bound to please those who love gardening or enjoy flora, this will be the first time that the Kenya High Commission is participating in this international floral exhibition festival that is expected to attract over 800,000 participants locally and internationally. Kenya is the only African country participating in this years “Floria Putrajaya Flower and Garden Exhibition 2011″, “We are earnestly taking this opportunity to show case the Kenyan Rose Flower which is superior with an aim to begin exploring the South East Asian market that has for a long time not had an opportunity to expereince our Rose Flower” said the High Commissioner – H.E. Amb. Samori Okwiya.

It will be the largest exhibition of roses ever in Malaysia, Roses are chosen because they are often associated with love. It is estimated that over 100 species of roses from Southeast Asia and 300 species from the rest of the world including Kenya’s own superior Rose Floower will be exhibited. About 13 International flora and landscape designers will be participating from Kenya, New Zealand, UK, USA, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, Japan, Indonesia, Macao and Thailand. There will be 80 lots of Floral exhibitions from Bonsai, Heliconia, Orchids, 55 stalss of handicraft, Flower - 50 stalls, Food & Beverage – 40 stalls 

Some 200 activities have been planed which include, talks, workshops, performances and plant demonstrations, photography and water colour contests, stalls selling handicraft, garden bazaar stalls selling horticultural products, IMalaysia International Night Floral Parade, boats lit up by colour lights and decortated with floral designs and fireworks display

Floria Putrajaya 2011 Information:

Venue: Waterfront, Precinct 2, Putrajaya. This is near the main Boulevard road or where the Millennium Monument is located. Another landmark is opposite the Ministry of Finance building.
Admission: FREE
Opening Hours:
9am – 10pm Monday to Thursday
9am – 12midnight Friday to Sunday
Free shuttle buses will be provided from Putrajaya Sentral to the event location with frequent service daily.

Clean Sweep For Kenyans – Kennedy K. Lilan & Rose K. Nyangacha Win Men’s & Women’s Standard Chartered KL MARATHON 2011 TITLES

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon held Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 27th  June 2011 was dorminated by a clean sweep by Kenyans in all the major categories, Kennedy Kiproo Lilan of Kenya and Rose Kerubo Nyangacha, won the Men’s and Women’s Full Marathon with respective times of 2 hours 20 minutes and 8.07 seconds and 2 hours 34 minutes and 37.43 seconds.

Chesoo Jonathan Kipchirchir from Kenya took home the Men’s Full Marathon first runner-up trophy with a time of 2 hours 20 minutes and 8.82 seconds just ahead of Julius Ndiritu Karinga, also from Kenya, who clocked 2 hours 20 minutes and 13.58 seconds in third place. Rose Jepkemboi Chesire from Kenya was the second to cross the line in the Women’s Full Marathon category with a time of 2 hours 35 minutes and 11.43 seconds, while Ruth Jepkoech Kutol of Kenya finished third in the women’s category at 2 hours 37 minutes and 23.93 seconds.

Ngare Joseph Mwangi of Kenya took home the men’s half marathon title, clocking 1 hour 6 minutes and 58.12 seconds while Eunice Nyawira Muchiri, also from Kenya won the women’s category of the half marathon at 1 hour 18 minutes and 26.37 seconds.

Approximately 22,000 runners took off from the starting lines in Dataran Merdeka and Jalan Parliament throughout race day, solidifying Standard Chartered KL Marathon’s position as the largest marathon and most anticipated event in Malaysia. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Haji Salleh bin Yusup, Director General of Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, started off Race Day with a blast by firing the first gun to signal the start of the Full Marathon race.

RESULTS

Safaricom M-Pesa Partners with Western Union for International Mobile Money Transfers

Safaricom is please to announce the global expansion of its international mobile money transfer service. This service will allow people to send funds from more than 80,000 Western Union Agent locations in 45 countries and territories directly to safaricom M-PESA sunscribers in Kenya.

Safaricom has partnered with Western Union to offer this service to Kenyans abroad. The benefit of this service is that the money is sent directly into the reciever’s mobile phone, to the M-PESA account and can be used in various ways. This is the first in Kenya and in the world as no other Mobile Money Transfer service/Mobile network can recieve money from so many countries. Through the partnership with Western Union, Kenyans abroad will benefit from affordable, faster and more convinient international remittances, and the money will be available for use immediately by the recipient for any M-PESA transactions, or be withdrawn as cash at any of the 24,000 Safaricom agent’s outlets in Kenya.

Safaricom invites all Kenyans in the Diaspora to be part of this great technological advancement by taking advantage of the service.

“We are pleased to extend our service with Safaricom, and we look forward to adding additional functionality for M-PESA users in the near future,” said David Yates, Executive Vice President and President, Business Development and Innovation, Western Union.

The service will likely benefit thousands of Kenyans working abroad. According to the Central Bank of Kenya, Kenyans living outside their home country sent US$642 million home in 2010—up from the US$609 million sent home in 2009.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said, “Our customers are very proud of the revolutionary M-PESA service, and this partnership sees us pushing new boundaries to continue to keep Kenya at the forefront of the mobile world. Through this partnership, our customers and their friends and families will benefit from affordable, faster and more convenient international remittances, and the money is available to use straightaway for any M-PESA transaction, or can be withdrawn as cash at any of our 24,000 Safaricom agents.”

Western Union offers the Mobile Money Transfer Service in Malaysia with Maxis and in the Philippines with Smart Communications and Globe Telecom. Western Union also has agreements with other mobile operators and banks to introduce the service in the future.