Hello and welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Evening Brief Newsletter where it is all about staying connected to power and jobs.
Situational Awareness: If you are among over 21,500 subscribers of this Newsletter and are struggling to find our emails in your inbox, check your promotions or socials tab. Once you see it, drag the email to the Primary tab to receive our future editions there henceforth.
Kenya Power Token Meter Updates
On Wednesday, Kenya Power launched a nationwide campaign to update token meters for over 7 million customers.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise, Kenya Power Managing Director Joseph Siror informed all customers using the prepaid tokens that they needed to update the devices before the end of August.
He detailed that the exercise was being undertaken to ensure that Kenyans stay connected to power owing to the anticipated expiry of the software.
According to Kenya Power, the exercise will be free, and simple.
As detailed by the utility firm, all consumers who use tokens, will receive two codes similar to the tokens input on the prepaid meter devices.
The first code will be used to reset the meter while the second code will be used to update the meters.
“Customers will receive two codes from Kenya Power when they purchase tokens. They will be required to key the codes to their meter following the steps indicated in the SMS before loading the new token.
“In other instances, the company will send the codes directly to the customers who haven’t purchased tokens to notify them to update their meters. The process is simple and free," the MD stated.
The MD also noted that normal purchases would continue as usual during the updating period. Nonetheless, all token meters have to be updated by the deadline.
Those who fail to update their meters by the deadline will be unable to load the tokens they purchase.
Customers have also been advised to load any previously purchased tokens before updating their meters as failure to do so will render them invalid.
DATA POINT
In this edition of the data point, we will highlight some of the big spenders on foreign travel.
According to a report by the Office of the Controller of Budget, the national government spend Ksh5.8 billion on foreign travel.
These figures were recorded within the first nine months of this financial year.
Notably, money used on foreign travel was more than recorded in a similar period last year. Ironically, President William Ruto has directed government agencies to cut down on the expenditure on foreign travel.
"In the period under review, the total expenditure on travel was Ksh18.18 billion comprising Ksh12.33 billion and Ksh5.85 billion for domestic and foreign travel respectively.
"This recorded 29.2 per cent growth (Ksh4.11 billion consisting of Ksh2.94 billion and Kshs.1.17 billion for domestic and foreign travel respectively) compared to a similar period FY 2022/23," read the report in part.
Here are some of the top spenders;
- Ksh1.7 Billion - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ksh 1.3 Billion - National Assembly
- Ksh 592.29 Million - Senate
- Ksh166.06 Million - Judiciary
- Ksh154.73 - EACC
- Ksh 147.66 Million - State House
- Ksh121.04 Million - Office of the Deputy President
The Transition of NHIF Employees
As the country readies for the Social Health Insurance Funds (SHIF) rollout, over 1,800 workers of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) have been directed to reapply for their jobs.
This is because the government is winding up NHIF, which will transition to the newly formed Social Health Authority (SHA).
Speaking during an interview, SHA board chairperson Timothy Olweny revealed that NHIF would fully transition to the new body by the end of November.
Therefore, being a new body, he stated that the staff would have to reapply for their jobs.
“We have staff who are the previous NHIF staff at the moment. However, everybody will have to apply for their jobs and we will recruit afresh.
“Come November for example, which is what law puts as sunset for NHIF by that time we anticipate we will have recruited our new employees,” he stated.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto's Cabinet approved the transition of NHIF with a mass registration exercise set for June 21.
Kenyans will register through their mobile phones, their community health promoters or by visiting a hospital.
"Every person resident in Kenya shall apply for registration to the Authority as a member of the Social Health Authority within ninety days upon the coming into force of the regulations, using Form 1 set out in the First Schedule and accompanied by a copy of the national identification document or any other document approved by the Authority​​.
"You require a National ID Number as an adult. For children, a birth certificate​​. Foreign residents may use their Foreign Resident Certificate (Alien ID) or a Refugee ID for refugees," SHA noted.
Here are the top five stories for the day
- Motorists to pay more for fuel after Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen proposes increase of levy.
- Government to introduce new levy to fund the school feeding programme: Here are the products targeted.
- EACC reaches out to the FBI in a plan to recover money stashed abroad.
- How the Shilling-Dollar rate dropped to below Ksh130 in the last few days.
- Details of Ruto and Uhuru's phone call revealed.
This newsletter was written by Washington Mito and edited by Brian Muuo.
Derrick Kubasu contributed to the content.
Graphics prepared by Adongo Kyalo and Ronnie Mbugua.
