Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano (right) and UN Tourism Secretary General Shaika Nowais at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. [Courtesy] Kenya is deploying artificial intelligence and data analytics to compete for a new generation of travellers as governments worldwide race to capture the growing market for technology-driven tourism experiences. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano told the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday that the country is using predictive analytics to understand travel patterns and intelligent platforms to customise visitor itineraries. “By leveraging AI and smart data to personalise the visitor experience and moving beyond talk to…
Author: By Benard Orwongo
Leadership from Express Kitchen, Chicken Cottage and Vivo Energy launch the new Chicken Cottage outlet at Shell Thome on Thika Road near Mountain Mall in Nairobi. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard] Fuel stations are increasingly doubling as retail and employment centres as fast-food chains seek predictable foot traffic and lower operating risk in a competitive market. Quick-service restaurant operators are moving into forecourts to position food outlets where commuters already stop, reflecting a broader shift away from stand-alone stores toward shared commercial spaces anchored by transport infrastructure. The shift is also changing how hiring happens in the sector, with service stations absorbing…
Leadership from Express Kitchen, Chicken Cottage and Vivo Energy launch the new Chicken Cottage outlet at Shell Thome on Thika Road near Mountain Mall in Nairobi. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard] Fuel stations are increasingly doubling as retail and employment centres as fast-food chains seek predictable foot traffic and lower operating risk in a competitive market. Quick-service restaurant operators are moving into forecourts to position food outlets where commuters already stop, reflecting a broader shift away from stand-alone stores toward shared commercial spaces anchored by transport infrastructure. The shift is also changing how hiring happens in the sector, with service stations absorbing…
Customers test electric scooters during a product trial. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard] Africa is accelerating its shift toward green transport and sustainable industry, with electric vehicles poised to play a central role in the continent’s economic and industrial transformation. Governments and investors are increasingly backing initiatives that combine local manufacturing, renewable energy and employment creation, signalling a new era for African mobility and industry. Agilitee, Africa’s electric mobility pioneer, will spearhead this transformation after securing a master licence to distribute, commercialise and licence Chinese EV brand Okla across Africa. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp The deal covers five new electric…
Published Date: 2026-01-27 16:47:15 Author: By Benard Orwongo Source: The Standard
KMPDU National Executive Members, led by Secretary General Davji Atellah address a media briefing on the Kiambu Healthcare crisis on October 4, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has said the implementation of agreed basic salary adjustments will proceed, ending months of delays caused by repeated calls for new multi-agency negotiations. The Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors backed the union’s position, confirming that further multi-agency engagements would only delay the process. “Funds are available to implement the adjusted salaries, and we expect full implementation by mid-February,” said KMPDU Secretary General…
Kenya has positioned itself in shaping how the world governs artificial intelligence, moving beyond technology adoption to influencing the institutions and frameworks that will regulate AI globally. The country co-facilitated negotiations for the United Nations (UN) Global Digital Compact (GDC) alongside Sweden and helped establish two key UN bodies that will oversee international AI cooperation: the Global Dialogue Mechanism on Artificial Intelligence and the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. In December, Kenya led member states at the seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) to adopt the first global resolution linking AI governance with environmental sustainability, creating a framework…
Workers at the Bomas International Convention Complex site as construction progresses toward the 11,000-capacity facility. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] Conference tourism is emerging as a key driver of the economy as the Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC) nears completion. The facility aims to position Nairobi as a hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) and cultural tourism. Cabinet approved the establishment of the BICC on August 8, 2023, as part of a plan to expand MICE tourism and hospitality infrastructure, more than 50 years after the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) was built. Construction began in March 2025 under the…
Workers at the Bomas International Convention Centre site as construction progresses toward the 11,000-capacity facility. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] Conference tourism is emerging as a key driver of the economy as the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC) nears completion. The facility aims to position Nairobi as a hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) and cultural tourism. Cabinet approved the establishment of the BICC on August 8, 2023, as part of a plan to expand MICE tourism and hospitality infrastructure, more than 50 years after the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) was built. Construction began in March 2025 under the…
Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales. [Bernard Owrongo, Standard] Volunteers in Africa are helping train the world’s artificial intelligence (AI) systems by contributing human-curated content to Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopedia. Their work ensures AI tools, search engines, and voice assistants have access to accurate and reliable information. Companies including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta access Wikipedia content through structured datasets to improve AI outputs and reduce errors. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp Analysts note that as AI becomes part of daily life, the quality of its sources is critical for both users and developers. Over 25 years, volunteers worldwide…
Okla Automotive staff at work. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard] Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers are rapidly expanding across Africa as trade barriers in Western markets push them to seek new customers on the continent. African demand for electric and hybrid vehicles has been steadily rising, driven by urbanisation, rising fuel costs, and government incentives for greener mobility. Cities such as Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Cairo are seeing early adoption of EVs in private, commercial, and ride-hailing fleets, despite infrastructure challenges, including limited charging networks. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp The market is also benefiting from a surge in affordable models from…
UDA National Election Board chairman Anthony Mwaura addresses the media as grassroots elections kicked off in five counties on April 26, 2024. [File, Standard] Over 291,000 Kenyans have registered for the 2026 United Democratic Alliance grassroots elections across 20 counties, with 8,942 polling centres set to be used in the exercise, National Elections Board Chairman Anthony Mwaura says. The registration period has generated 187,699 participants competing for positions, while 80,760 candidates face no opposition, according to data released Tuesday. Meru County leads with 32,342 registered candidates, surpassing its expected 20,860 by 11,482, with 592 polling centers preparing for contests. Follow…
A requiem mass for former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Jirongo is underway at Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM), bringing together family members, friends, political leaders and mourners from across the country. The service, marked by solemn prayers and hymns, is celebrating the life and legacy of the flamboyant politician and businessman, who died earlier this month in a road accident that is still under investigation. Several leaders are expected to pay tribute to Jirongo, remembering him as a bold mobiliser, a shrewd political operator and a key figure in Kenya’s multiparty politics. The requiem mass of the former…
Joseph Nyaga who relies on irrigation water to farm various crops in the semi-arid Kiburu area of Mbeere North, Embu County at his tomato plots recently.[FILE,Standard] A Kenyan agritech startup has secured international funding to scale technology that alerts smallholder farmers to pests and crop diseases as climate pressure deepens food insecurity across East Africa. Farmer Lifeline of Kenya won the 2025 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund backed by Qualcomm Inc., after being selected from a continent-wide startup mentorship program that drew more than 400 applications from 19 countries. The award provides funding and technical support to expand small solar-powered devices…
Kenyan Sex workers held a press conference in Nairobi demanding the decriminalisation of their work to protect them while on duty. They claim that 27 women in sex work have been murdered in Nairobi this year.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] Twenty-seven women in sex work were murdered in Nairobi in 2025, with SWOP Ambassadors recording 345 cases of violence against sex workers in the capital alone. The deaths exposed how Kenya’s laws criminalizing consensual adult sex work enable violence by denying survivors police protection and access to justice, sex worker advocates said Tuesday. SWOP Ambassadors, a sex worker-led organisation, marked International Day to…
The Nairobi Express Way from UpperHill Nairobi on April 28, 2025.[Kanyiri Wahito, Standard] Chinese investors are ramping up investments in Africa’s energy, transport and industrial sectors, with a strong focus on renewable power, electric mobility, manufacturing and digital infrastructure. Key areas attracting funding include solar and wind energy projects, electric vehicles such as scooters and delivery bikes, automotive manufacturing, real estate, banking, agriculture and transport logistics. In Kenya, Chinese-backed initiatives are targeting the development of transport corridors, digital infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and geothermal energy. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp Zimbabwe is set to benefit from a planned $100 million scooter manufacturing and…
Kenjava Mwaniki Wakagoto addressing crowds after handing over tents to 100 groups in Embu County.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] A private foundation in Embu is targeting the creation of 50,000 jobs by 2035 through a development model that links women farmers to export markets while investing in infrastructure. The initiative, driven by agribusiness, seeks to transform Embu into an industrial hub under the Embu Industrial Revolution – Vision 2035, spearheaded by entrepreneur Kenjava Mwaniki Wakagoto through the Wakagoto Foundation. The plan aims to establish more than 100 industries, each employing at least 500 young people, with a strong focus on value addition and…
Participants and organisers of the upcoming Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CAT26) during an interactive session in Nairobi on December 10, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] African developers are moving away from short-burst hackathons and adopting a slower, community-first approach that requires teams to consult residents before building digital tools. Organisers of the upcoming Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CATS26) say this shift is reshaping how blockchain solutions are developed across the continent. The summit, scheduled for February 13, 2026 in Nairobi, marks the end of a months-long hackathon that asked teams from Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and…
Environment CS Deborah Barasa and PS Festus Ng’eno after a meeting with the Saudi delegation led by Dr Khaled Asfaham in Nairobi, on December 10, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] Kenya has moved to reinforce global support for the 2026 Our Ocean Conference during bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 7) in Nairobi. Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa met Saudi Arabian officials led by Khaled Asfaham, CEO of SHAM and co-chair of the International Coral Reef Initiative, at the United Nations (UN) Complex. Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus…
Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari addresses participants during the sixth Annual Management Representatives and Auditors Conference in Mombasa. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard] The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has urged institutions to integrate their management systems and use audits to drive national development, efficiency and accountability. Speaking in Mombasa during the sixth Annual Management Representatives and Auditors Conference, Kebs Managing Director Esther Ngari said organisations should move away from isolated systems and embrace coordinated governance, safety and quality frameworks. “Auditing should go beyond compliance to drive improvement, reduce risks and promote accountability,” said Ngari, adding that strong management systems would improve…
ChinaKenya cooperation ‘Injects New Momentum’ into global south modernisation Published Date: 2025-12-03 18:59:44 Author: By Benard Orwongo Source: The Standard
Delegates follow proceedings during the forum on December 1,2025.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] Kenya and China reaffirmed their deepening political, economic, and cultural ties during a high-level forum in Nairobi that underscored the growing significance of China–Kenya cooperation in shaping the future of the Global South. Top government officials, scholars, diplomats, and industry players gathered for the China–Kenya Readers Forum on Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, an event organised ahead of the 62nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The forum was hosted by China’s State Council Information Office, the China International Communications Group (CICG), and the Chinese Embassy in…
African regulators and industry experts discuss stablecoins and trade at the Africa Stablecoin Summit 2025. [File, Standard] African officials, fintech leaders and regulators met in Johannesburg this week to discuss using digital money to make payments faster and cheaper across borders. Delegates included representatives from the governments and central banks of Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa, along with participants from the United Nations, Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The summit, called Africa Stablecoin Summit 2025, focused on how stablecoins, a type of digital money tied to traditional currencies like the…
Professor Makau Mutua takes the Oath of Office as the Chairman of the Panel of Experts on Compensation of victims of protests and Riots on September 4, 2025.[Benard Orwongo, Standard] Rights groups and opposition leaders have accused President William Ruto’s administration of using a new compensation framework for victims of police brutality as a cover-up for impunity, warning that it shields perpetrators and ignores enforced disappearances linked to last year’s Gen Z protests. The framework, launched on August 8 and chaired by law scholar Makau Mutua within the Executive Office of the President, seeks to compensate families affected by police…
Harry Hare, Chairman of CIO Africa.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] A record 1,200 organisations across Africa have applied for the 2025 CIO100 Awards, reflecting the continent’s rapid digital transformation as the technology market is projected to double to $63 billion by 2030. The shortlisted 162 organisations include major firms such as Kenya Airways, Safaricom PLC, Nigeria’s Dangote Group and RwandAir, alongside emerging enterprises, government agencies, and non-profits adopting technology to address economic and social challenges. Winners will be announced during the CIO100 Symposium and Awards, scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, to Friday, November 21, at Enashipai Resort and Spa in Naivasha, Kenya. Follow…
Ayisi Makatiani, CEO of Caava Group, Urvi Patel, Consulting Leader, Deloitte East Africa and Moses G. Kuria, Group Chief Financial Officer at M-TIBA during the InsurTech Forum Nairobi 2025.[Courtesy] Africa’s insurance industry is being urged to abandon outdated legacy systems and embrace digital connectivity and data-driven tools to cut costs, improve efficiency, and expand access for the uninsured. This was the key message from the InsurTech Forum Nairobi 2025 (ITFN), which brought together more than 150 executives, regulators, and innovators to map out practical steps for digital transformation. Currently, only 1 per cent of insurance operations in Africa use Artificial…
Strategic Nest Corporation CEO Samuel Njari during the launch of the awards in Nairobi on September 18,2025.[Benard Orwongo, Standard] Strategic Nest Corporation (SNC), a research-driven communications and public relations firm, has announced the winners of the 2025 edition of the Strategic Business & Leadership Awards (SBL 2025). Speaking during a press briefing at SNC headquarters, the firm’s CEO and Head of Secretariat, Samuel Nũjari, said the awards were designed to celebrate leaders and organizations driving impactful change across Africa. This year’s honorees were selected after months of research and community engagement, resulting in a list of top corporate leaders, outstanding…
Official Opening of an exclusive shop for female merchandise targeting women between the ages 25 to 55 at the Waterfront Mall in Karen on August 29,2025.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] Kenya has invited China to seize investment opportunities in the country’s special economic zones as a strategic entry point into Africa’s vast consumer market. On Friday, the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) showcased a range of investment opportunities for Chinese businesses, stressing that Kenya offers a gateway to millions of African consumers. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp Speaking at the official opening of Yiwu Selection Kenya — an exclusive women’s merchandise store…
Official Opening of an exclusive shop for female merchandise targeting women between the ages 25 to 55 at the Waterfront Mall in Karen on August 29,2025.[Benard Orwongo,Standard] Kenya has invited China to seize investment opportunities in the country’s special economic zones as a strategic entry point into Africa’s vast consumer market. On Friday, the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) showcased a range of investment opportunities for Chinese businesses, stressing that Kenya offers a gateway to millions of African consumers. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp Speaking at the official opening of Yiwu Selection Kenya — an exclusive women’s merchandise store…
The Nairobi Hospital held its annual Childrens Charity Heart Fund Golf Tournament at Karen Country Club on Friday, rallying support for children born with congenital heart disease (CHD). Published Date: 2025-08-05 17:52:39 Author: By Benard Orwongo Source: The Standard
From Left:France Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet,Principal Secretary State department of Energy Alex Wachira,French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships Thani Mohamed Soilihi and KETRACO Managing Director and CEO John Mativo during a site visit to National Systems Control Centre(NSCC)project site in Embakasi,Nairobi on May 30,2025. [Benard Orwongo,Standard] The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) got a boost on the national electricity transmission grid from the France government. On Friday, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, the French Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships was hosted at the site of the National System Control Centre…
From left: Erastus Muthura, Absa Bank Kenya Head of SME Banking, Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Absa Bank Kenya Business Banking Director, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, CEO, Women’s World Banking (WWB) and Elizabeth Gathai, Regional Head of Africa, WWB during the signing of an MOU between Absa Bank Kenya and WWB to promote the inclusion of more women in business across the country. [Benard Orwongo,Standard] Absa Bank Kenya has entered into a strategic partnership with Women’s World Banking (WWB) to enhance financial inclusion and empower women entrepreneurs across Kenya. The partnership, officially signed during the Women’s World Banking partners breakfast in Nairobi, will strengthen…