East Africa | - Part 5

Abraaj Group says plans to buy Kenyan coffee chain Java House

NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – The Abraaj Group (Abraaj or the Group), a leading investor operating in growth markets, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase, through its Funds, 100% of Java House Group (Java House or the Company), East Africa’s leading coffee-led casual dining chain, from private equity firm Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), and the Company’s founder and chairman, Kevin Ashley. Java House Group was established in Nairobi in…

Kenyan President Pledges Investment Plan in Hunt for Votes

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s ruling Jubilee Party pledged to transform East Africa’s largest economy into a middle-income nation by 2022 by boosting investment in public infrastructure and technology and offering increased financing for small businesses. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s party also said it will increase the number of poor and elderly on free health care and offer free education to some primary and secondary public school students. The number of elderly receiving state grants would…

Protest-Hit Ethiopia Region Plans Oil Company to Calm Unrest

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ADDIS ABABA (Capital Markets in Africa) – A central Ethiopian region that’s seen almost two years of sporadic anti-government protests is planning a new private oil company and is in talks to import Middle Eastern crude, part of an economic initiative authorities say will address some of the roots of the unrest. Oromia Petroleum Share Co., the planned venture, will import the oil via Djibouti, process it at a new large-scale refinery and distribute it…

Kenya to Lower Growth Forecast as Drought Cuts Food Output

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya will cut its growth forecast to reflect the impact of a drought that slashed agricultural output in East Africa’s biggest economy and left the country short of its staple food, Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich said. Economic growth will probably be 5.7 percent this year, compared with an earlier estimate of 5.9 percent to 6 percent, Rotich, 48, said in an interview Wednesday at his office in the capital, Nairobi. The…

Kenya Electoral Body Fires Procurement Officer as Vote Nears

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya’s electoral body fired its head of procurement as it seeks to source ballot papers less than two months before the country’s presidential elections. The Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission “has relieved the procurement director, Mr. Lawy Aura, of his duties,” the Nairobi-based body said on its Twitter account on Tuesday. “We are addressing the delayed sourcing of ballot papers.” The dismissal comes a week after the body placed…

AfDB Plans $1.1 Billion Loans, Grants to Drought-Hit Countries

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South Sudan (Capital Markets in Africa) – The African Development Bank is considering providing $1.1 billion of loans and grants to countries affected by drought and famine. The funding will be discussed at a meeting of the Abidjan, Ivory Coast-based lender’s board on Wednesday, Gabriel Negatu, the bank’s head for East Africa, said in an interview in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The money will be provided to war-torn South Sudan, where a famine was declared in February, as well…

Kenya Budgets Increased Spending Ahead of General Elections

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NAIROBI (Capital Markets in Africa) – Kenya plans a slight increase in government spending ahead of general elections in August as concerns increase that it could be taking on more debt than it can handle to finance its budget. Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich told lawmakers the government planned to increase spending to 2.287 trillion shillings ($22.2 billion) in the fiscal year that starts in July, a 2.6 percent increase from 2016-17. “We shall continue to progressively reduce…

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