Kenya's President Talks to Elders About Helping Young People.
On Sunday, Kenya's President William Ruto visited a church in Bomet County with an important message for the older people.
Ruto said everyone needs to work together to help young people have good lives. Parents, religious leaders, and politicians all have a part to play.
"We can't just blame each other," Ruto said. "We all have to make sure our children have a bright future. It's up to us."
Ruto thinks young people need good advice and support as they grow up. He wants to keep them away from bad things like drugs and violence.
"We have to think about the next generation," he said. "We should teach them and guide them. We can't let them fall into traps."
Ruto also spoke...
Kenya Leads East Africa in Money Sent Home from Abroad.
Kenya is doing great when it comes to getting money from its people living in other countries. In 2024, Kenyans abroad sent a whopping $4.8 billion back home. That's about 537.6 billion Kenyan shillings!
Kenya received much more money than its neighbors. Somalia came in second with $1.73 billion, and Uganda was third with $1.49 billion.
Some other countries in East Africa didn't do as well as last year. The Democratic Republic of Congo received $1.35 billion, South Sudan received $1.14 billion, and Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi all received less than $1 billion.
The World Bank, which tracks these numbers, says money sent home is a big deal. For many countries, it's even more...
Tanzania's Top Opposition Party Faces Leadership Battle.
The main opposition party in Tanzania, Chadema, has a big choice to make. Two of its most important leaders both want to be the boss. Freeman Mbowe has led Chadema for almost 20 years and is currently the chairman. But Tundu Lissu wants to take his place.
Lissu is the vice chairman of Chadema and has even run for president. He and Mbowe don't always agree, which shows that not everyone in the party thinks the same way.
This leadership battle is happening at an important time. In 2025, Tanzania will have a big election. Chadema will probably run against Tanzania's first woman president, who is from a different party called CCM.
Lissu told everyone he wanted to be the chairman...
Kenyans in Nairobi Protest Controversial Tax Bill.
Things got heated in Kenya's capital on June 25, 2024. Many people in Nairobi were upset about a new finance Bill. The Bill wanted to raise taxes. They didn't like that idea at all.
The people went to Parliament to protest. At first, things were calm. But then some people got out of control. They broke through security and went inside Parliament. This forced President William Ruto to get rid of the Bill. He said he would not sign it into law.
The protests spread to other parts of Kenya, too. Shops and businesses in Nairobi had to close because they were afraid people might damage or steal their things. Sadly, this did happen in some places. People who just wanted to cause trouble hid...
Tanzania's Tourism Surge Points to Bright Future.
Tanzania is ready to welcome five million tourists by 2025. The country's hard work to showcase its natural beauty keeps paying off.
New numbers from the Bank of Tanzania tell a success story. By August this year, more than two million foreign visitors came to Tanzania and spent 3.5 billion dollars during their stays.
The country aims to earn 6 billion dollars from tourism by 2025. This goal fits with Tanzania's growth plans for the next few years.
British tourists show growing interest in Tanzania. The number of UK visitors rose from 65,000 in 2022 to 75,000 in 2023. Tanzania's UK office wants to push that number up to 100,000 by 2025.
Mbelwa Kairuki, Tanzania's top diplomat in the...
EAC Takes Big Step to Share Data Across Borders.
Eight East African nations want to share data more effectively. The East African Community met recently to make this happen at a workshop.
The group aims to help data move safely between countries, which is important for growing businesses and trade.
"We want the EAC to lead in digital change," said Annette Ssemuwemba, the EAC Deputy Secretary General. She believes working together will strengthen the region.
The meeting brought leaders together to agree on rules for sharing data. They want one set of rules that all countries can follow.
World Bank expert Cecilia Paradi-Guilord spoke at the meeting. She said sharing data builds trust and helps the digital economy grow.
The group...
Tanzania's Social Action Fund Transforms Rural Communities.
The Tanzania Social Action Fund acts as a powerful force for change in rural areas. It builds clinics, gives money, and helps people start businesses.
Take the story of Joyce Kimario at Makole Dispensary in Dodoma. Her clinic once ran from a tent. Rain made me work hard. The Fund built a new building in 2020. This change helped staff give better care to patients.
"We used a tent to help children and pregnant women," Kimario said. "The new building lets us work much better."
The Fund does more than fix buildings. It changes lives. Christina Mazingo, age 45, started with 42,000 shillings from the Fund in 2008. She bought chickens and sold them. Her business grew to include...
Salt Overload Puts Kenya's Health at Risk.
More people in Kenya eat too much salt. This comes from both old ways of cooking and new processed foods. Salt helps keep food fresh and adds taste, but eating too much leads to high blood pressure.
City life brings new risks. Many urban stores sell salty snacks and ready-made meals, which contain more salt than home-cooked meals. Back in rural areas, people eat less salt and stay healthier.
The World Health Group recommends eating less than one teaspoon of salt daily. Yet most city dwellers in Kenya eat much more. A study from Nairobi found that many eat half as much as they should.
High blood pressure hits hard in East Africa. It makes hearts work harder and can lead to strokes. Many...
Sugar Plant Grows to Meet Sweet Demand.
A big sugar maker in Malawi plans to make more sugar each day. Salima Sugar wants to jump from 1,250 tons to 1,850 tons of sugar made daily.
"We need to grow bigger," said Mwai Chagwira from Salima Sugar. She shared the news at a press meeting in Blantyre on Friday.
The company helps local farmers earn money. It bought 84,000 tons of sugar cane from them last year. The plant employs 216 people year-round and hires 4,000 more when plants need care.
Money flowed well for Salima Sugar in 2024. "We made good profits for the first time since we started in 2016," Chagwira said. The road wasn't easy, but the sweet results paid off.
Luke Chimwanza leads the press group that met. He thanked the sugar...
