Kenya parliament advances Finance Bill 2024 amid protests

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Kenya parliament advances Finance Bill 2024 amid protests
Flutterwave and EFCC set up a Cybercrime Research Centre
South African regulator blocks StarTimes’ licence renewal

Kenya parliament advances Finance Bill 2024 amid protests

Kenya’s parliament has voted to advance the Finance Bill 2024 despite widespread protests from the public. The bill, introducing new taxes, faced strong opposition from citizens worried about the economic impact.

The vote saw 204 MPs in favour and 115 against, pushing the bill to the committee stage and third reading.

If passed, the bill will go to President William Ruto for assent and aims to raise KSh 346 billion through new taxes to help pay off the national debt and fund development projects.

First introduced in May, the Finance Bill 2024 has sparked controversy due to proposed tax hikes.

Protests erupted nationwide, including in Nairobi and President Ruto’s hometown, Eldoret, with many young Kenyans leading the demonstrations against the rising cost of living.

In response to the backlash, the government withdrew some contentious provisions, like the 16% tax on bread and a 2.5% annual tax on vehicles. Despite these changes, the public continued to push for the bill’s rejection.

The protests have been largely peaceful and driven by social media, with hashtags like #OccupyParliament and #RejectFinanceBill2024 rallying support. Young professionals, including doctors and lawyers, have also joined the movement, highlighting the widespread discontent across the nation.

Flutterwave and EFCC set up a Cybercrime Research Centre

Flutterwave, a Nigerian fintech, has partnered with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to set up a cutting-edge Cybercrime Research Centre.

This new centre, located at the EFCC Academy, aims to boost the fight against internet crime and enhance secure online transactions.

The partnership was officially sealed on June 14, 2024, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Abuja by EFCC’s Secretary, Mohammadu Hammajoda, and Flutterwave’s Olugbenga Agboola.

The Cybercrime Research Center will be a hub for advanced research, training, and capacity building, helping to combat financial crimes more effectively.

Flutterwave Founder and CEO Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola emphasised their commitment to secure and fraud-free transactions, applauding the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to tackle internet fraud and other financial sector crimes.

EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede also highlighted the partnership’s importance, stating that the new centre will significantly enhance their ability to prevent, detect, and prosecute financial crimes.

The centre aims to develop and implement advanced technologies to detect and prevent financial fraud, while also providing comprehensive training for law enforcement and industry professionals.

It will offer high-end training and research opportunities to 500 youths, equipping them with vital skills for the digital economy.

South African regulator blocks StarTimes’ licence renewal

shutdown — Photo by Andrew Winkler on Unsplash

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has denied OnDigital Media’s licence renewal application. OnDigital Media runs StarSat, the South African arm of StarTimes Media.

Icasa’s letter to the company ordered them to stop operations by September 18, 2024, without explaining why or detailing how to get a new licence.

Despite the shutdown order, OnDigital Media’s CEO, Debbie Wu, has assured customers and stakeholders that the company isn’t closing down. She stated they are in talks with Icasa to resolve the issue, promising that StarSat will continue operating for the foreseeable future.

Reports say that the company is still selling StarSat decoders and hasn’t informed its staff or parent company, StarTimes, about the situation. The news about the licence renewal issues started circulating in early June 2024.

Icasa claims they sent a warning letter in mid-March to notify subscribers, content providers, and investors about the potential shutdown.

The regulator might publish a notice on their website or in the Government Gazette to inform everyone affected by the winding up of OnDigital Media’s broadcasting services.

They’ve instructed the company to come up with a plan to notify subscribers, content providers, and investors. Icasa also clarified that they can’t consider transfer or renewal applications for expired licenses.

StarTimes, a Chinese pay-TV service, owns 20% of OnDigital Media, which is the maximum foreign ownership allowed in a South African media business. If StarSat shuts down, it could hurt competition in South Africa’s pay-TV market since StarSat is one of the top three players along with DStv and Openview.

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