Musings From Abroad

US faults Kenya’s financial management system portal

Published

1 month ago

April 9, 2024

The United States has faulted Kenya’s Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis), arguing that the system can be hacked and changed, which could cost taxpayers billions of shillings.

In a new study, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) says that Ifmis faces several risks that have been brought up by American companies that do business with Kenya or want to do business with Kenya.

“US companies have expressed concerns about Ifmis due to insufficient connectivity and technical capacity in county government offices, apathy from county government officials, central control shutdowns, and security gaps that render the system vulnerable to manipulation and hacking,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in the report.

Kenya is not a member of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement or an observer to the WTO Committee on Government Procurement, according to a study by USTR.

To stop graft, Ifmis was made to keep track of all financial transactions by recording who logged in, when, what computer was used, and what action was taken. It is the computer program that the government uses to keep an eye on the country’s money, from making plans and budgets to buying things, paying bills, keeping records, and giving reports.

It has, however, been at the centre of some of the biggest theft rings and graft scandals in Kenya’s history, both at the national and county government levels. This has made people question how well it works to hold people accountable.

A group of top officials from a Ministry of Health office tried to steal Ksh30 million by tricking Ifmis in 2016. This case revealed a complex theft ring involving dishonest government officials and dishonest suppliers.

In Kenya, more than 700 million online crimes were reported in 2022. The amount of money made was about 69% more than the previous year. System weaknesses were the most common type of online crime in the United States.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Hailiang, Shinzoom to establish vehicle battery installations in Morocco

Published

12 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Hailiang and Shinzoom, Chinese car battery makers, will establish two separate operations in Morocco as the country strives to adapt its burgeoning automotive sector to rising demand for electric vehicles, Moroccan officials announced on Tuesday.

Tanger Tech, the Moroccan northern industrial zone’s development authority, said Hailiang intends to establish a $450 million copper facility on a 30-hectare plot of land. Shinzoom, a subsidiary of Hunan Zhongke, plans to invest $460 million in an anode plant spanning 20 hectares, according to a statement.

In April, the Moroccan government approved Chinese electric battery company BTR New Material Group (835185.BJE)’s plans to build a factory in Tangier to manufacture crucial component cathodes.

Another Chinese firm, CNGR Advanced Material (300919.SZ), plans to develop a cathode plant in Jorf Lasfar, 100 miles south of Casablanca, where the government has set aside 283 hectares for electric battery sectors.

Last year, the Moroccan government and China’s Gotion agreed to examine establishing an electric vehicle battery plant in the country, with a potential investment of up to $6.3 billion. Last month, Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour told Reuters that the Gotion project was moving forward, with conversations over its footprint and location.

Morocco’s strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and existing automotive sector cluster all attract Chinese enterprises.

In 2023, the automotive sector topped Morocco’s industrial exports with $14 billion, a 27% increase. Morocco is home to Stellantis (STLAM.MI) and Renault (RENA.PA) production factories with an annual combined capacity of 700,000 automobiles, as well as a network of local suppliers.

Musings From Abroad

Prince Harry, Meghan treated to street-style dances in Nigeria as their trip winds down

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

On Sunday, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were treated to street-style dances in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, where they announced a partnership between their Archewell Foundation and the non-profit Giants of Africa, which utilizes sports to empower young people.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are making their first visit to Nigeria, where they were welcomed by the country’s chief of defence staff. The couple watched basketball practice at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School on Lagos Mainland, where Harry participated in ball-bouncing drills and shot a hoop.

“What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing,” he said. “The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together and creates community and there are no barriers, which is the most important thing.”

The couple watched basketball practice at Ilupeju Senior Grammar School on Lagos Mainland, and Harry stepped on the court for some ball-bouncing drills and to shoot a hoop.

Former Toronto Raptors star Masai Ujiri, president of Giants of Africa, wished Meghan a happy Mother’s Day and said his organization was uniting communities and uplifting young people through sport, especially. Archewell Foundation and Giants of Africa will construct a basketball court in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.

“Talk about full circle again – never did I think we would be able to be here all those years later supporting the expansion of this incredible organization,” she said.
Harry and Meghan were set to round off their Lagos trip by attending a reception for a local charity. The couple live in the United States with their two children after Harry gave up working as a member of the royal family in 2020.