July 27, 2023

St Kitts and Nevis announces further monumental changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme

Basseterre, July 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis proudly announces further groundbreaking changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme, a move that signals the country’s intention to remain as the reference point for the international investment migration industry. The monumental changes have been made to ensure that only high net worth investors and persons who value the citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis are attracted to the Programme.

For nearly 40 years, St Kitts and Nevis has been the pioneer of the global investor immigration industry, charting new territory with forward-looking solutions based on solid legislative principles and strict due diligence policies. The Programme has allowed the nation to thrive, giving Kittitians and Nevisians the opportunity to advance without overreliance on international financial aid.

The new changes, further to those made in December 2022, are aimed at safeguarding the nation’s integrity, making the Programme sustainable and preserving the privileged status of being a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis.

“Today, St Kitts and Nevis takes another bold step in reaffirming our intention to not only offer the best Citizenship by Investment Programme in the world, but also to offer a programme held together by a tight regulatory system designed to be a best-in-practice defence mechanism against illicit actors and those who try to bypass our high-end investment and contribution options. We are continuously committed to preserving the exclusivity and prestige associated with being a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis,” said Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Terrence Drew.

“This Government has always taken a considered approach when making decisions that impact not only the people of St Kitts and Nevis, but the international community as well. We have done some deep introspection, analysed the Programme, spoken to our international partners and have decided that now is the right time to show the world, as we did in December 2022, that our citizenship is not accessible to those who do not value our citizenship or understand what St Kitts and Nevis has to offer the world. We will continue to engage with the international community to provide clarity and assurance to investors that St Kitts and Nevis is a safe destination for long term investments,” continued Prime Minister Drew.

“Since coming into office less than a year ago, I have sought to work with well-intentioned partners who share my vision of where we can take our island nation on the global stage. We have done everything in our power to protect and advocate for the good name of St Kitts and Nevis. We have continuously instituted changes that will not only alleviate the concerns of our international stakeholders and position us as a compelling emerging market destination for authentic foreign direct investment, but these changes are also aimed at ensuring that our people continue to be proud to be called a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis.”

The Government of St Kitts and Nevis has made further sweeping changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme, which include the introduction of a new investment option called the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC). The SISC replaces the previous Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) and investors contributing towards this option will be advancing St Kitts and Nevis into a Sustainable Island State based on the following seven pillars:

Increasing local food production;

2. Transitioning to Green Energy;

3. Diversifying the economy;

4. Attracting and supporting sustainable industries;

5. Evolving the Creative Economy;

6. Recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and

7. Expanding social protection and safety nets to protect the most vulnerable.

Contributions start from US$250,000 for one applicant only and increase as a spouse or dependants are added. For a family of two, the contribution amount increases to US$300,000 and for a family of three or four, the minimum Sustainable Island State Contribution is US$350,000.

The minimum amount for investing in the Developer’s Real Estate Option is now US$400,000. The property must be held for a period of seven years and can be re-sold, once, to another purchaser who wants to apply for Citizenship by Investment.

An Approved Private Home, which can be a condominium or single-family dwelling, qualifies to be sold as a Citizenship by Investment option if a minimum investment of US$400,000 is paid to the condominium owner or US$800,000 is paid to the single-family dwelling owner, by the main applicant.

Again, the private home must be held for a period of seven years and cannot be sold to another purchaser who wants to apply for Citizenship by Investment unless the Federal Cabinet is satisfied that substantial further investment was injected into the real estate by way of further construction, renovation or otherwise.

A public benefit unit in an Approved Public Benefit Project will qualify for Citizenship by Investment, if a minimum contribution of US$250,000 is paid to the Approved Public Benefactor by the main applicant. This option is limited to Approved Public Benefactors who, by their projects, maximise local employment; embark upon programmes including transfer of technology and local capacity building; transfer all real estate to the State on substantial completion; and assume all financial risks.

Investors applying for Citizenship by Investment are now required to have a mandatory interview either virtually or in person at a location specified by the Citizenship by Investment Unit and approved by the Board of Governors. Interviews will be conducted by an independent professional firm commissioned by the Citizenship by Investment Unit, who will also perform background due diligence checks, or the Unit itself.

All background due diligence checks will be commissioned by the Citizenship by Investment Unit and will be conducted by independent professional firms from the United Kingdom, USA and Europe, and in accordance with the requirements set by the Board of Governors.

Once the Citizenship by Investment application has been approved, all processes and due diligence checks are finalised and the investment is made, a Certificate of Registration will be issued to the main applicant. The Certificate of Registration must be collected in person in St Kitts and Nevis or at an Embassy or Consulate specified by the Citizenship by Investment Unit as approved by the Board of Governors.

Further, the Board of Governors have been empowered to regulate all Authorised Agents and International Marketing Agents, who must have their businesses registered under the laws of St Kitts and Nevis. Major limitations have also been included with respect to the methods by which the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is to be advertised internationally.

“In this ever-changing and unpredictable world, it is imperative that the Government of St Kitts and Nevis and its Citizenship by Investment Programme continue to adapt to the needs of our people and to attract the right kind of international investment necessary to uplift our country. While we have always been the benchmark of the global investor immigration industry, we understand that in order to remain as one of the most sought-after economic citizenship programmes in the world, we need to continue to evolve and forge a path for ourselves that is sustainable in the long term,” added Mr. Michael Martin, Head of the country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit.

The changes aim to boost international investor confidence and bolster St Kitts and Nevis’ reputation globally.

St Kitts and Nevis continues to demonstrate the traits that underpin its resilience, growth ambitions and willingness to cooperate with international counterparts. These include a competent, responsive, skilled and credible Citizenship by Investment Unit with several layers to solidify the integrity of the Unit including a Board of Governors and a Technical Committee. The country also has a stable political system and macroeconomic framework, consistency in the enforcement of law by the independent judiciary, a vibrant and resourceful private sector and a free and independent media.

St Kitts and Nevis wish to attract distinguished applicants who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments, possess substantial investment capabilities, and are committed to making significant contributions to the country’s growth and development.

The primary objective of this approach is to ensure that St Kitts and Nevis maintains the highest standards of citizenship and fosters a vibrant community of nationals who share a common vision for the nation’s advancement. St Kitts and Nevis is on a path toward sustainable growth and the changes to the Citizenship by Investment Programme show a clear direction that the country is setting itself apart.

High net worth persons looking to invest in professionally regulated projects or contribute meaningfully towards societal advancement, should choose St Kitts and Nevis.

Secretary of St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme
Government of St. Kitts and Nevis
001 (868) 467 1474
info@sknciu.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8882238

July 27, 2023

Chairman of Avia Solutions Group Gediminas Ziemelis: The challenges of factory freighters compared to P2F

DUBLIN, Ireland, July 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The pandemic years brought record revenues from air cargo. With supply limited due to the grounding of passenger planes, and demand up thanks to booming ecommerce, prices per cargo kilogram soared. According to TAC Yields figures from the Trade and Transport Group, in 2019 air cargo from Hong Kong to North America cost $3.80/kg while the price from Europe to North America was $2.10/kg. By 2022, these same services cost $9.00/kg and $4.50/kg respectively.

Unsurprisingly, this situation transformed the position of air cargo providers. Cargo revenue more than doubled from $100 billion in 2019 up to $210 in 2021 (these are the IATA’s figures) while passenger revenue plummeted from $607 billion annually down to $239 billion. Cargolux’s annual revenue grew from $2.2 billion to $5.1 billion over the course of the pandemic, and Silkway more than doubled its revenue and saw its margin transform from -10% to +30%. These huge gains, plus the long-term potential of ecommerce (which has led Airbus and Boeing to make optimistic forecasts for growth in air cargo), led many airlines to focus more on cargo.

However, increased belly capacity has led cargo prices to drop steeply once more. The IATA forecasts that year-on-year cargo yield will fall by 28.6% this year. This means air cargo, a notoriously cyclical sector, is once again entering a period of turbulence. This is the context in which airlines are deciding whether to purchase new freight planes.

New freighters vs passenger-to-freighter conversions

Airlines and air cargo providers are pursuing different strategies when it comes to building up their freighter fleets. According to KPMG’s latest report, last year, 35 orders were made for new 777-200F aircraft, 33 were made for new 777-8Fs, and 20 providers bought new A350Fs. These orders were made by both dedicated air cargo providers (Cargolux, Silkway West, DHL, FedEx) and airlines (Lufthansa Cargo, Qatar, Air Canada, China Airlines, EVA, Air France, Etihad, SIA and Western Global). Meanwhile, annual passenger-to-freighter (P-to-F) conversions have reached historic highs with volume estimated to peak at 180 per year by 2025, and then settle at around 160 aircraft per year. This compares to 70 units per year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A number of factors are affecting the choice of purchasing either new freighters or P-to-F conversions. Naturally, cost is a major one, taking into account variables like total order number, fuel burn and maintenance as well as the upfront production costs. Production lead times is another key factor, as is cargo volume and flexibility.

Factor 1: Leasing Costs

There is a massive difference in the baseline costs for new versus converter freighters. The upfront price for a brand new 777-200F or A350F is roughly $170 to $185 million, or a monthly lease rate of between $1.2 and $1.3 million. Looking at the order book of those who made purchases last year, the majority of these airlines have a significant amount of these types of aircraft in their fleet, particularly the combination carriers. In these cases, it is highly likely that the actual purchase cost was much lower than the $170 to $185 million range. Positive economies of scale will also be a factor in keeping costs down for these airlines. Nevertheless, despite these savings they will still be looking at monthly lease rates of $1 million.

By contrast, leasing a 777-300 P-to-F conversion will cost $0.6 million per month, or roughly $65 million to purchase outright. This aircraft is likely to compare well with its production rivals, but at a fraction of the cost.

Factor 2: MRO and operating costs

Airlines will make savings on P-to-Fs when it comes to MRO. With access to the second hand market for parts, maintaining these aircraft will be considerably less expensive than keeping new planes in operation.

Naturally, alongside cost savings, access to second hand parts can also accelerate and simplify the maintenance process for airlines.

Fuel burn is another consideration. Historically, we have seen significant improvements in fuel burn when new aircraft come online. When the 777F was introduced as a replacement to the 747-400F, its 6,800 kg/h fuel burn was a huge improvement on the 10,230 kg/h offered by the 747-400F. However, with the new 777X and A350 we are unlikely to see improvements in fuel burn to match the 30% reduction seen from the 747-400F to the 777F. A 10% to 15% change is the most we can realistically expect.

On balance, while improved fuel burn and (in some cases) economies of scale may be able to soften the financial blow of purchasing a new freighter, in terms of costs P-to-F conversions are a far more attractive option.

Factor 3: Delivery volume and flexibility

New freighter aircraft have the potential to offer benefits in terms of delivery capacity and flexibility. Nose loading in particular offers a huge advantage. It enables aircraft to deliver outsized cargo such as large generators, engines, trucks and specialized technology. Crucially, this outsized cargo is lucrative, offering higher profitability than normal pallet deliveries.

However, new freighters being produced such as the 777X and the A350F do not offer nose loading. This levels the playing field in terms of the advantages a dedicated freighter has over a conversion, as both are now restricted to cargo that can fit through the side doors.

How do conversions fare in terms of volume, packing density and gross payload? Let’s consider the 777-300ERCF compared to the 777F (which currently makes up half of the world’s large freighter fleet) using data from a 2022 comparison by Aircraft Commerce.

While the 777F offers a larger overall payload of 106.6 metric tonnes, in terms of volume the 777-300ERCF comfortably outperforms the 777F. The 777-300ERCF offers almost 6,000 cu ft. more in total volume than the 777F (28,739 cu ft. compared to 22,971). Revenue per payload is also considerably higher. At 6.5lbs, it is 186,804 cu ft. and at 7.5lbs it is 190,900 cu ft, which compares to the 777F’s 149,312 cu ft. and 172,283 cu ft. respectively. One important point to note with this comparison is that it is volume, not gross payload, that matters most in ecommerce express operations, which are likely to be an important growth driver in the future. And in this area, the 777-300ERCF offers a clear advantage.

Avoiding the trap of new freighter purchases

Airbus estimates that an additional 1,040 freighters will need to be added to the global cargo fleet by 2041 – Boeing’s forecasts are even more confident. Buying new cargo freighters to meet this need carries significant risk for airlines. With cargo prices having fallen significantly, the CAPEX investment in a new A350 or 777F represents a massive financial outlay at a time when prices are falling fast. Investing heavily in a new $185-million freighter might have made sense in 2021 when air cargo prices were at record levels. However, in 2023 this is no longer a prudent policy.

Furthermore, there is little to be gained in performance and capacity from purchasing a new freighter. P-to-F conversions are capable of matching new production freighters in terms of volume, and they have notable advantages when it comes to maintenance and production.

Ultimately, conversions represent a much lower financial risk, enabling airlines to sustainably ramp up their air cargo capacity. That is why we are seeing significant growth in P-to-F conversions, while the delivery of new freight aircraft has stagnated. Quite rightly, many airlines are not willing to take on the financial risk of a new aircraft as prices tumble, and see little upside compared to refurbished passenger planes.

About Gediminas Ziemelis

Gediminas Ziemelis (born April 4, 1977) is an accomplished Lithuanian entrepreneur, business consultant, and the founder and current Chairman of the Board of Avia Solutions Group, one of the largest global ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) provider, operating a fleet of 180 aircraft. He was selected twice among the top 40 most talented young industry leaders by Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Gediminas is known for his cosmopolitan mindset and exceptional management skills, which have contributed to his success in various business fields. Over his 26-year-long career, Gediminas has founded more than 100 start-ups, 50% of which are still in operation, led companies through 4 successful IPO/SPO processes, and raised over 800 million euros in global public capital and bond markets.

In December 2022, Gediminas Ziemelis was listed as the richest Lithuanian by TOP Magazine, with estimated assets worth 1.68 billion euros.

Gediminas is the largest donator of Rimantas Kaukenas Support Group, a charity and support fund, that provides help to children with oncological diseases and their families. He is also the biggest shareholder in the leading basketball club Wolves.

Media contact: 
Silvija Jakiene 
Chief Communications Officer 
Avia Solutions Group 
silvija.jakiene@aviasg.com 
+370 671 22697

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 1000831891

July 27, 2023

First person: on the frontlines of detecting and supporting victims of human trafficking in Malawi

Human trafficking is a global crime that trades in people and exploits them for profit. Growing inequalities, climate emergencies, and record displacement have left more and more people vulnerable to traffickers.

As noted by Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), “millions of victims of human trafficking are going unnoticed.”

Ahead of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July, UNODC spoke with Mr. Kondwani Kamanga, who works in Malawi’s Ministry of Homeland Security’s Trafficking in Persons’ desk to detect and support victims. UNODC works with the Ministry to help sensitize Malawi youth and citizens on how to protect themselves against human traffickers.

When I started working as the Trafficking in Persons Focal Point at the Ministry four years ago, I did not realize the scale of the problem. The level of awareness is very low in Africa.

One of my first cases was a local case, a young boy of 12. His family couldn’t take care of him, so they sent him to live with an uncle who offered to pay for his education in exchange for working in his maize mill. He was sold instead.

After a few months, his mother wanted to visit her boy. When she arrived, they told her he had fallen ill, died and was buried. She was suspicious, and her suspicion deepened as no one could agree on where her child was buried.

He had not been buried or fallen ill. His uncle had sold him to an operator of a maize mill, who killed the boy for his heart in the belief that the “offering” of the organ would help his business thrive.

This is one of the most inhumane things that I have had to address.

These experiences have changed me greatly. What might have started as a job became a passion. Addressing this crime requires a whole-of-society approach.

Detecting potential victims

At the Ministry of Homeland Security, our mandate is to provide safety and security for our citizens. [For example], just last week a young girl approached our office asking for a certification for employment to travel to Dubai. I asked her if she had a contract of employment. She said no.

I told her, you are lucky that we have met. If you had a job contract, we could have verified through our embassy whether the employer really exists or not. We would have linked you with our mission in that particular country in case you had any problems.

I showed her pictures to understand the gravity of the risks she was taking. This is what young women who travel to the Middle East without proper employment or contracts are going through. This young girl was physically abused, promised to work as a receptionist but ended up cleaning bathrooms and homes for a dozen families every day from 3am to 12am. This young girl did the same and was sexually abused by four men every day. This young girl was denied medical treatment by her “owner” and died of her injuries.

She decided to stay in Malawi.

The girls are recruited through Facebook and social media platforms, so we [the Ministry] used the same approach to identify local victims. We started a WhatsApp Group after noticing cries for help on Facebook. We asked girls to spread the word and add other people who were in the same situation.

The problem is, many of them don’t realize they’ve been trafficked and enslaved. They think of it as: my boss is doing this to me. My boss is not treating me right. They have no identification, so no legal recourse locally. They don’t understand their reality and the help they need and to which they are entitled.

Supporting victims and survivors

I travelled with a delegation to Oman. We had identified sixty [Malawi] girls in the country.

But when we met with our Omani counterparts, they told us there were 376 Malawi citizens in Oman. Seven men working in the commercial sector and 369 women working as “domestic workers”.

The Ministry put standard operating procedures in place to support returnees. We had them screened for mental health issues and psychological trauma and provided medical treatment for injuries or physical abuse.

But this is not enough. We also work with local communities and civil society to support local reintegration.

We had a young woman who had borrowed a lot of money to travel, and when she returned to her village, she had to hide from her creditors for a week. When our inspectors came to visit, he put measures in place to protect her further.

The survivors were vulnerable, that’s why they were prayed on so easily. But many of them have sold everything in order to travel. So when they returned, they are scarred, have nothing left and are even more vulnerable than before.”

How to #LeaveNoOneBehind

Government institutions need to be strengthened in terms of how to detect, investigate, and prosecute cases. Civil society also needs to be vigilant and look at how can we identify the potential areas of vulnerability. How can we cushion these levels of vulnerability and provide victims the care that they need?

We need to remember that these people are victims. Be careful not to laugh at them or stigmatize them.

Human trafficking can happen to anybody, regardless of how educated you are, how literate you are or how vulnerable you are.

At the end of the day, if I see something and don’t do anything, then who am I?

Source: EMM/ UN

July 27, 2023

Cheyech Cares For Orphans From Ushanga Proceeds

Pokot women are among the talented pastoral communities that make bead products that have attracted the Ushanga market both locally and internationally.

Among the Pokot, the income earned from Ushanga works is recognised mainly as a bank for women that their husbands cannot ask them about.

Joan Cheyech, who began the art of bead making in 2010, has come out strongly, making stunning bead products that narrate her intrigues despite being a victim of the outlawed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practise common in West Pokot County.

Cheyech, who managed to dress the former first lady of the United States of America (USA), Melania Trump, with Ushanga products during her visit to Kenya in 2018, says her dream of working for Ushanga has shifted to another level since then.

‘I saw my dream in Ushanga and realised that I would make it to the international market,’ she recounts.

Cheyech recalls how she got a two-hour chance at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi to make her sales, an opportunity that enabled her to purchase a plot courtesy of Ushanga.

‘I was given only two hours to sell my products, which included embroidered sandals, necklaces, stuff, and wooden cutlery, among others, and from the sales I managed to buy a plot at Chepareria in West Pokot County,’ she states amid smiles.

With overwhelming joy, she narrates how coming all the way from West Pokot and shaking hands with the superpower’s former first lady was such an achievement.

‘From the village in West Pokot, I shook hands with the former first lady of the USA. This is when I realised that everything is possible and got encouraged as a woman from this marginalised community,’ she explains.

Cheyech’s talent in bead work was identified and sponsored by the USAID organisation, leading her to unearth her ambitions of running an orphanage and taking care of the needy children from the region, a vision she had anticipated in life but was being thwarted by her poor family background.

‘My passion was to at least once have a chance to take care of children from vulnerable backgrounds, but because of my poor family background, I could not manage. However, things have improved following the sudden change of events owing to the little fortunes I make from the ushanga business,’ she explains.

Cheyech derives satisfaction when she sees 15 orphans under her sole care, courtesy of what she earns from ushanga sales. However, she maintains that her initiative is open to support from well-wishers who wish to join her in helping the orphans achieve their lifetime goals.

‘I ensure that the orphans are fed and go to school using the proceeds from my ushanga business,’ she narrates with tears of joy running down her cheeks.

The woman has a plan to put up a school to train young girls in beadwork technology, saying that it does not need any academic qualifications but only interest to unearth the talent.

Cheyech adds that she is looking forward to rescuing young girls from the pains of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which she recalls with regret as having suffered under its practise.

‘I have joined other stakeholders in championing the end of the retrogressive practise that may have led many women into bondage. My key intention is to rescue the young girls from genital mutilation because it is performed by old people who are less informed about the kind of torture they expose to the girlchild,’ says Cheyech.

Besides the success in her ambitions, Cheyech says that her major challenge stems from hiked beads’ prices and the scarcity of quality varieties needed to meet the competitive markets.

She calls upon both the county and national governments to support in getting links to the international market, saying that it will help them sell more.

‘These products now need the international market because they attract good sales. I call upon both the county and national governments to help bead workers access the international market,’ she appeals.

She also asks the non-governmental organisations to support the bead workers in attaining their goals, lauding USAID, which sponsored the event that jumpstarted her work and enabled her to achieve her goal.

Although Cheyech only managed primary school education, her pride is seeing every child in the community pursue their studies to the final level.

She keeps on challenging the Pokot community to give education a priority and also invest heavily in technical work, arguing that it is the best way of earning a decent livelihood, especially in this era of increased unemployment levels.

Source: Kenya News Agency

July 27, 2023

Seven Western, Nyanza Counties Partake In Self-Assessment

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism Kenya Secretariat are spearheading a pilot self-assessment exercise in seven Western and Nyanza counties to evaluate and boost service delivery.

The targeted counties are Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, and Vihiga in Western

and Siaya, Kisumu, and Homa Bay in Nyanza.

According to Paul Ong’wen from the Kakamega County Planning Unit, the initiative involves a series of focus group discussions and key informant interviews aimed at evaluating and strengthening the county peer review mechanism, a key element in fostering transparency and good governance at the county level.

Mr. Ong’weno, who made the remarks on Wednesday during the Lugari Ward focus group discussion at the Lugari ward offices in Lugari Sub County, noted that the county planning unit has formed ten separate teams meant to cover all the county’s 60 wards within three days.

He said: ‘The exercise is a kind of public participation, as the opinions of the selected representatives will help the county in planning and improving service delivery in all sectors, like education, roads, and agriculture.

‘In each Ward, selected representatives of residents, including women, youth, farmers, academia, and people living with disabilities, among others, are taking part in the exercise. They will be giving us their opinions in socio-economic and political areas for the sake of the county’s development,’ he said.

Ong’wen noted that the selected counties approved the initiative as a way of assessing themselves and improving service delivery both at the local and national levels.

A Lugari Ward resident and participant in the exercise, Mr. Joseph Ngaa, said the initiative is a milestone, especially for consumers of county and national government services.

He said the end report will enable the county government to identify where there are gaps and find ways of mitigating them for effective management of the funds available for those services.

He said: ‘It is important for the government to know where we are as a county, where we want to move, and what strategies are supposed to be put in place to propel us to where we want to go.

‘The questionnaires we are filling out for the exercise are going to give insights on the kind of services the county and the national government are providing and how effective the services are for consumers.’

The county peer review mechanism has been initiated as a multiagency tool to be used not only in the promotion and entrenchment of good governance across the counties but also as a credible monitoring tool for tracking the implementation of County Integrated development.

Plans, Kenya’s Vision 2030, and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda

and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Additionally, the Council of Governors, in Resolution 32 of the Fourth Devolution Conference, agreed to implement peer reviews and peer-experience sharing in an effort to promote good governance and accelerate development in the counties.

Source: Kenya News Agency

July 27, 2023

Garissa Governor Calls For More Municipalities

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has asked counties to create municipalities as a way of devolving services closer to the public and also to attract more investors to develop the towns.

Speaking during the swearing-in Ceremony of Dadaab Municipality board members that was held at the County Headquarters, Jama said that municipalities attract support from donors, which leads to rapid development of the towns.

‘The way forward for the counties is through the municipalities. That is where the action is supposed to take place and where a lot of funding is supposed to go. We believe that by creating these municipalities, we are also devolving counties further,’ Jama said.

Mr. Jama, who has already seen the elevation of Masalani town to municipality status, said now, with the creation of Dabaab municipality, Bura East in Fafi constituency is next on the line.

‘I feel extremely happy that we are proceeding along this course, and I have no doubt the value of what we are doing will be realised sooner rather than later. I have no doubt that money will flow there so that we can also limit the rush of people from the sub-counties to Garissa offices. We will ensure that our municipalities are going to be active and work smoothly,’ he said.

Dadaab MCA Mohamed Abdi Farah said the elevation and conferment of the area to the level of municipality will also serve as a catalyst for growth and development and the delivery of urban services that will promote the socio-economic status of the area and create numerous job opportunities for the local people.

‘Today’s event is particularly historical and close to my heart as the area MCA. It gives me a sense of happiness and excitement knowing that Dadaab will now be autonomous in terms of resource mobilisation and revenue collection and also be able to get grants and funding from the Kenya Urban Support Programme,’ Farah said.

Farah promised to work closely with the board members, encouraging them to address the challenges facing the residents, including garbage collection, roads, and drainage.

The swearing-in of the board members, which included Mr. Abdullahi Omar Musa (Chairperson), Ms.Zeinab Abdi Hussein (vice chairperson), Mr. Mohamed Abdi Ali (Municipality CEO), and five others, was presided over by Garissa Chief Magistrate Mr. Stephen Mbungi.

Among the functions that will be performed by the municipality are promotion, regulation, and the provision of refuse collection and solid waste management services. Others are the promotion and provision of water and sanitation services and infrastructure (in areas within the Municipality not served by the Water and Sanitation Provider).

The status will further attract investors, and residents will enjoy more development in infrastructure, agriculture, drainage, education, and other social amenities.

According to the Urban Areas and Cities Act of 2011, a municipality must have a population of 70,000 to 249,000. Additionally, it should have an integrated development plan and demonstrable capacity to generate sufficient revenue to sustain its operations.

It should have sufficient space for expansion as well as the capacity to effectively deliver essential services to its residents, among other requirements.

Source: Kenya News Agency