Benguela, Angola | AFP | Angolan President Joao Lourenco has named diversifying the oil-dependent economy as his top priority after he became the country’s first new leader in 38 years. And one natural and readily available resource that has been identified is fish — but a lack of equipment and …
Read More »Govt supports Muhakanizi proposals on UTL revamp
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda has stepped up the search for an investor to revamp Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL), with Cabinet approving a proposal by the Ministry of Finance to provide a range of incentives to attract competent bids. “Cabinet agreed to and approved the proposal by the Ministry …
Read More »PRESS RELEASE: AERC appoints incoming Executive Director
NAIROBI | Business Wire | The Board of Directors and Management of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) are pleased to announce the appointment of Njuguna Ndung’u as the next AERC Executive Director effective September 1, 2018. Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u is well known to the AERC network as a trainer and …
Read More »Rent law: Good intentions, bad incentives for property market
The proposed law will make rent expensive Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | John Kityo has been experiencing some tough times in renting a room for his small business in downtown Kampala. The 30-year old has rented seven different places as a result of sudden rent increments. So when Dr. …
Read More »After the gold rush: Mining boom in Cameroon leaves ‘open tombs’
Bétaré Oya, Cameroon | AFP | For a time, the land around the village of Longa Mali in eastern Cameroon was one of the most prized in Africa, and powerful machines gnawed greedily into its soil to extract precious gold. Today, abandoned with almost the same speed as it was …
Read More »Safaricom backed Little-Ride to expand to 30 countries
Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Kamal Budhabhatti is the founder and CEO of Craft Silicon, a Kenyan software company with a local base and global aspirations that is steadily making inroads in the world of financial technology as well as transport. He spoke to The Independent’s Isaac Khisa about their …
Read More »New regulations for Rwanda forex
Sector gets new information reporting and monitoring system kampala, Uganda | STEPHEN NUWAGIRA | Forex bureau operators have until June to sign on to the new Rwanda Forex Bureau Association Information System (RFBAIS), according to their chairperson, Zephania Muhigi. The new system is in line with the government’s push for adoption …
Read More »Uganda’s anti-growth tax plan
The new tax move will stifle economic recovery, kill innovation Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s government is left with just a month to announce the new budget for the Financial Year 2018/19. But it appears there is bad news as government plans to increase taxes on products and …
Read More »NSSF boss tips employees on saving culture
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Managing Director of National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Richard Byarugaba, has urged employees to save for their future retirement. He said statistics in the East African region show that Uganda has one of the least saving culture which is not good for the economy. …
Read More »Rice farmers cry out over competition from cheap imports
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan rice farmers and dealers have cried out to government to rethink a policy encouraging more rice imports, which they say is pushing them from the marketplace. In a two-page appeal published in The Daily Monitor, the Rice Association of Uganda-AU, says it is …
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