Kenya's anti-tax protests escalate amid Internet disruptions

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Victoria from Techpoint here,

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Kenya’s anti-tax protests escalate amid Internet disruptions
uLesson: Workplace toxicity allegations and defences
CBN gives IMTOs naira access

Kenya’s anti-tax protests escalate amid Internet disruptions

Yesterday, June 25, 2024, protests against Kenya’s Finance Bill 2024 got violent, with reports of Internet throttling and disruptions adding to the chaos.

Kenyans, rallying under #RejectFinanceBill2024, took to the streets, and sadly, the protests have resulted in deaths and raised concerns about digital rights and freedom of expression.

NetBlocks, a global Internet monitor, reported that Internet disruptions are affecting Kenya and neighbouring countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, likely limiting the protests’ coverage and keeping the full extent of the unrest from being seen.

The Communications Authority of Kenya initially denied any plans for an Internet shutdown, calling it a “betrayal of the constitution.”

However, yesterday, many users reported slow and unreliable Internet service. Safaricom, Kenya’s biggest telco, blamed it on an outage in two undersea cables but warned customers of continued slow and intermittent service.

Digital rights advocates and civil society groups have expressed deep concerns about the potential Internet and media disruptions.

uLesson: Workplace toxicity allegations and defences

An image of Sim Shagaya placed in front of a hallway leading into a building with uLesson inscription on the wall

Three months back, we saw a bunch of posts accusing uLesson CEO Sim Shagaya of layoffs without notice and more. So, Oluwanifemi jumped into investigating the whole thing.

Here’s an intro into the matter: A number of former employees allege a toxic environment at uLesson with bullying, verbal abuse, micromanagement, discrimination, and false accusations.

They blame Shagaya and top execs for stifling dissent and claim disagreeing with Shagaya could cost you your job. Some say Shagaya continually uses harsh language and doesn’t trust experienced leaders.

On the flip side, the founder and current high-ranking employees have defended uLesson, painting it as a supportive workplace with a respectful culture. They emphasise collaboration and easy access to leadership.

Now, do you want to dive into the matter? Check out Oluwanifemi’s latest report where she unpacks the controversy. Read it here.

CBN gives IMTOs naira access

CBN building — The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. [PHOTO CREDIT: Ehud Kaduna]

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new rules to make it easier for international money transfer companies (IMTOs) to access naira funds directly from the CBN or through Authorised Dealer Banks (ADBs).

This allows IMTOs to handle foreign exchange transactions in the market.

The guidelines stress the need for specific compliance steps to ensure smooth operation of this initiative.

The circular mentions that transactions completed before noon on any trading day will be settled the same day.

Prices on the CBN portal will be based on the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Fixing (NAFEX) rates, a widely accepted market standard.

These changes underscore the CBN’s ongoing efforts to stabilise the FX markets and boost remittance flows through official channels.

What’s more, IMTOs must submit daily reports to the CBN detailing the sources of their funds.

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