Kenya

Politics

The National Assembly approved Kenyan President William Ruto's nomination of Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki as deputy president after the Senate impeached current Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a 54-13 vote, Reuters reported on Oct. 18. 

Kenya: High Court Blocks New Deputy President Appointment Amid Impeachment Proceedings

Kenya's National Assembly voted to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua 282-44, Nation reported on Oct. 8.

Kenya: National Assembly Impeaches Deputy President Gachagua

Economics

Kenyan authorities requested a governance and corruption diagnostic from the International Monetary Fund, Reuters reported on Oct. 4.

Kenya: Nairobi Requests Governance and Corruption Review From the IMF

Lawmaker Mwengi Mutuse submitted an impeachment motion into Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua before the National Assembly, citing 11 grounds of impeachment, including violation of the constitution, corruption, undermining national cohesion and gross misconduct, Citizen Digital reported Oct. 1.

Kenya: Impeachment Motion Submitted Against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua 

India

After a 10-day review, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, or KAWU, officially rejected India's Adani Group's $1.8 billion proposal to manage Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nation reported on Sept. 29. 

Kenya: Union Workers Reject Proposal To Lease Airport to Indian Company

Senator for the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition Danson Mungatana introduced a censure motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Nation reported on Sept. 23.

Kenya: Censure Motion Filed Against Deputy President Gachagua 

Haiti

Military & Security

Kenyan police officers participating in the U.N.-backed multinational deployment to Haiti have complained of equipment and personnel shortages, as well as delays to officers' income, saying these issues are hurting morale, Reuters reported on Sept. 3.

Haiti: Multinational Deployment Struggling With Resource Shortages, Poor Morale

The Kenyan government is finalizing plans to reintroduce the eco-levy as part of a broader tax amendment bill to raise 145.7 billion shillings ($1.12 billion) to address a shortfall between projected government revenues and planned expenditures in the government's 2024/2025 budget, Citizen TV reported Aug. 18.

Kenya: Government To Reintroduce Some Scrapped Tax Measures

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Vehicles pass by a banner thanking outgoing Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and congratulating President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka ahead of their Oct. 20 inauguration in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 17, 2024.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: An Impeachment Case in Kenya, an Inauguration in Indonesia

Mexico

Israel

Palestinian Territories

A special session of the U.N. General Assembly is held on the Palestinian bid for full membership to the United Nations at the U.N. headquarters in New York City on May 10, 2024.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: Mexico Ratifies a Controversial Judicial Reform, the U.N. Votes on a Palestinian Resolution

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Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Burkina Faso's junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore during a welcoming ceremony at the second Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 27, 2023.

Competition against the West will fuel Russia's outreach to Africa, but jihadist expansion in the Sahel will eventually force Moscow into tough policy decisions.

What the Future Holds for Russia in Africa

Media

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What are the power dynamics and sentiment at play within Ruto's coalition?

Essential Geopolitics: Kenya's Political and Economic Outlook

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A motorcyclist looks at his phone in front of a National Electoral Council poster promoting the upcoming presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 23, 2024.

Global Elections

The Weekly Rundown: An Election in Venezuela, Economic Reforms in the U.K.

Saudi Arabia

Europe

Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference at the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Biden's exit from the U.S. presidential race will free him to pursue more aggressive action against Russia over Ukraine and increase pressure on Israel to end its war with Hamas. 

What To Expect from Biden's Foreign Policy Farewell Tour

Snapshots

Protesters participate in a nationwide rally against a controversial tax bill in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, on June 27, 2024. 

The Kenyan government axed its $2.3 billion tax plan amid mass deadly protests, but budget cuts to offset the revenue shortfall could reignite protests and potentially derail Nairobi's fiscal consolidation plans.

In Kenya, Scrapped Tax Hikes Put the Government in a Bind

Somalia

U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden pose with Kenyan President William Ruto (center), alongside his wife and children, as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House on May 23, 2024. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

For Kenya, stronger ties with the U.S. could unlock new investment and diplomatic opportunities, but bilateral relations could weaken if Nairobi draws down its police deployment in Haiti, or if Trump reenters the White House.

What To Expect From Stronger U.S.-Kenya Ties

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Malawi

Tanzania

Zambia

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South Korea

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) speaks as Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (L), chair of the African Union, listens during a joint press conference following the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in Goyang, South Korea, on June 4, 2024.

Energy

A recent summit highlights South Korea's commitment to expanding its role in Africa as Yoon looks to strengthen his country's technological future and geopolitical influence.

In South Korea, Yoon's Desire for Supply Chains and Prestige Points to Africa

Taiwan

Spain

Ireland

Taiwanese President-elect William Lai (C) on Jan. 13 in Taipei, Taiwan. Lai will officially begin his four-year presidency May 20.

The Weekly Rundown: Kenya's President Visits Washington, Lai Inaugurated in Taiwan

A protester burns tires during a demonstration in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 12, 2024, after Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his plans to resign. 

For Kenya, sending police officers to the gang-ridden Caribbean country will likely help it boost ties with the West if the mission is a success, but it risks triggering public backlash at home.

What a Planned Police Deployment to Haiti Means for Kenya

Haitian police officers deploy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on March 9, 2024. 

The government's political transition plan is unlikely to improve the gang-ridden country's deteriorating security crisis, while the potential deployment of U.N.-backed troops may temporarily make it worse.

What's Happening in Haiti?

Kenya hugs the Indian Ocean coast just to the southwest of the Horn of Africa. Its neighbors South Sudan and Ethiopia border it to the north, Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south and Uganda to the west. Kenya’s position in East Africa has long drawn interest from outsiders. The territory of modern-day Kenya and its neighbors has been home to robust Indian Ocean trading networks that date to antiquity. This geographic proximity to global trade combined with the broader Lake Victoria region’s strengths &mdash; which include relative cultural homogeneity and advantageous terrain for agricultural development &mdash; helped to yield stable population and economic growth.    Since it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1963, Kenya has struggled at times to manage its diverse ethnic populations. This has resulted in intermittent riots and other forms of unrest related to grievances of various ethnic groups that believed that they were disenfranchised from the country’s political system. Post-electoral violence in 2007-08 and again in 2017 stemmed largely from Nairobi’s mismanagement of its ethnic divisions.    Nevertheless, Kenya occupies the center of gravity in East Africa. Despite Ethiopia’s massive population advantage and economic growth, it remains relatively isolated when compared with Kenya. That allows Kenya to serve as a center for East Africa’s trade, business, security and diplomatic efforts. It also remains a robust supporter of the East African Community, which is fostering closer economic and political ties among Kenya’s neighbors.    Somalia's collapse and its struggles with state-building and militancy, especially the al Shabaab group, has spawned effects that spill over its border with Kenya. Ethnic Somalis &mdash; both refugees and Kenyan citizens &mdash; have pursued an uneasy existence on Kenya's northern coast and in various camps around Nairobi. This has posed a significant challenge for Nairobi to manage, especially as the security situation in Somalia shows no signs of dramatically improving in the years ahead.

SITUATION REPORTS

Kenya: High Court Blocks New Deputy President Appointment Amid Impeachment Proceedings

Kenya: National Assembly Impeaches Deputy President Gachagua

Kenya: Nairobi Requests Governance and Corruption Review From the IMF

Kenya: Impeachment Motion Submitted Against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua

Kenya: Union Workers Reject Proposal To Lease Airport to Indian Company

Kenya: Censure Motion Filed Against Deputy President Gachagua

Haiti: Multinational Deployment Struggling With Resource Shortages, Poor Morale

Kenya: Government To Reintroduce Some Scrapped Tax Measures

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