Letter from Ashanti kingdom, Ghana
The writer says visiting the Ashanti heartland was a dream long deferred but luckily, an academic conference finally took him there last week.
By XN Iraki 19 days ago
Letter from Ashanti kingdom, Ghana
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Reintroduce ranking in national exams, but make system better for all
The Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (Kpsea) results were released recently without much fanfare.
By XN Iraki 24 days ago
Reintroduce ranking in national exams, but make system better for all
Why motivating next generation is the biggest crisis of our time?
How does a child driven to school all her life internalise walking to school, milking a cow, getting water from the river, working for a neighbour for pay or thatching a house?
By XN Iraki 26 days ago
Why motivating next generation is the biggest crisis of our time?
Let's clear uncertainties in education in the New Year
The ultimate test of any change is whether ordinary citizens benefit. In education, we could ask if graduates at any level from primary to university exhibit certain characteristics.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Let's clear uncertainties in education in the New Year
Let's declare 2025 the year of national detoxification
Festivities are expensive despite a year of savings and generosity from even the mean. One popular accompaniment during the festive season is alcohol, and suppliers can confirm that.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Let's declare 2025 the year of national detoxification
Why we need an economic stimulus package in 2025
Economic uncertainty, taxes and political pessimism punctuated this year. They are taking a toll on businesses and entrepreneurs
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Why we need an economic stimulus package in 2025
Christmas: What of other celebrations?
Why can't we try and create national holidays that capture the Kenyan spirit? For example, Hustlers' Day?
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Christmas: What of other celebrations?
Christmas rush to 'shags': We never learn, do we?
Traffic jams migrate to rural areas during the festive season as we rush to leave the city, which is not surprising.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Christmas rush to 'shags': We never learn, do we?
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US Fed rate cut: Why it matters to Kenya, the world
A rate cut could mean a stronger shilling. Importers and those travelling abroad or paying fees abroad will cheer up.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
US Fed rate cut: Why it matters to Kenya, the world
What are the economic dividends of Ruto's broad-based government?
There is an assumption among our political elites that CSs and other senior government officials represent regions or communities and tribes.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
What are the economic dividends of Ruto's broad-based government?
Mother tongues are more strategic than you think
It's almost Christmas and the village will host lots of visitors. The visits will be richer if you can talk to relatives and hosts in the language they understand.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Mother tongues are more strategic than you think
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Ruto-Uhuru meeting: What next for economy?
There was more than meets the eye in the recent meeting between President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Ruto-Uhuru meeting: What next for economy?
Syria after Assad: Should we celebrate or worry?
The long reign by father and son in Syria, spanning 50 years, came to an end as fast it began, but It ended in disgrace, the son going into exile and father's grave desecrated.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Syria after Assad: Should we celebrate or worry?
Benefits of a good health information systems; a lesson from far
A visit to a chemist in South Africa sent my head spinning. It's different from our chemists.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Benefits of a good health information systems; a lesson from far
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State's overseas jobs drive should be a last resort
Economists have many ways to measure the state of the economy.The most preferred measure is growth in the gross domestic product (GDP).
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
State's overseas jobs drive should be a last resort
Cape Town: My dream visit by the sea
South Africa has changed, but it's a place to visit. There is something romantic and fascinating about the southern tip of the continent.
By XN Iraki 1 month ago
Cape Town: My dream visit by the sea
Nightlife: The forgotten new economic stimulus
We can use nightlife to gauge economic growth. More night life could indicate we have disposable income, hopefully got through hard work not corruption or deals.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Nightlife: The forgotten new economic stimulus
Why Cape Town is a tourist magnet
The city is stunningly beautiful with Table Mountain and her sisters in the background. Add her multiculturalism and good weather, milder than Europe.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Why Cape Town is a tourist magnet
Quality will take you far, only if you have patience
Quality is one of the key building blocks of business empires. We know about it, but we never leverage it. For a very simple reason, quality needs patience.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Quality will take you far, only if you have patience
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The perils of State-induced economic uncertainty
Economic growth hates uncertainty unless it results from innovations like Starlink or Artificial Intelligence (AI).
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
The perils of State-induced economic uncertainty
Hamburg: Of snow and immigration
The highlight of my academic pilgrimage to Hamburg shifted last week to the weather and a new street.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Hamburg: Of snow and immigration
Conservation lessons from Humburg City for Kenya
We generated little waste and most of it was organic. Waste was recycled or reused, with plastic cooking oil containers becoming sugar dishes.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Conservation lessons from Humburg City for Kenya
The economic truths State will not admit amid inflation storm
Our economy has not grown as fast as expected. When will we reach the 10 per cent envisaged in the Vision 2030 economic blueprint?
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
The economic truths State will not admit amid inflation storm
A wintery letter from Hamburg
Airbus demonstrates how countries can cooperate for the benefit of their citizens, top shareholders of the now listed company are governments of Spain, Germany and France.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
A wintery letter from Hamburg
Dear Gen Zs, there's life beyond mobile phones, internet
They have no reference point; they cannot fathom an age without mobile phones or the Internet. Phone addiction has joined other addictions like alcohol, and bhangi.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Dear Gen Zs, there's life beyond mobile phones, internet
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The paradox of falling prices in a broke economy
More taxes or higher tax rates get money from us, and we have less to spend, reducing the demand for goods and services.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
The paradox of falling prices in a broke economy
Trump is back, should we lose sleep?
In the US, it all boiled down to the economy; other issues such as reproductive rights and fear of Trump II were muted.
By XN Iraki 2 months ago
Trump is back, should we lose sleep?
Trump vs Kamala: Who will take it in cliffhanger US polls?
Why can't we introduce early voting in Kenya? It would reduce crowds and make voting easier, and Americans do not take a holiday to vote.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Trump vs Kamala: Who will take it in cliffhanger US polls?
Reparations: Will it ever happen?
The members of the commonwealth were former British colonies and felt it was time Britain paid reparations for the suffering of colonies before their independence.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Reparations: Will it ever happen?
Why there's no hawking in Kyrgyzstan and Serbia
I noted there is no hawking in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek and Serbia's Belgrade - the two countries that were once under communism.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Why there's no hawking in Kyrgyzstan and Serbia
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DP impeachment: My two cents on the law, lawyers and economics
Lawyers will not admit this, but there are good incentives to prolong a case. Every case is a captive market, economically speaking.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
DP impeachment: My two cents on the law, lawyers and economics
Letter from the city of Belgrade, Serbia
The lasting image of Serbia is the Balkan wars in the 1990s as the former Yugoslavia broke up violently.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Letter from the city of Belgrade, Serbia
'Do you know someone', and difficulties that hustlers face
Hustlers know few people working in such strategic places, usually government institutions. They have to follow the queue.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
'Do you know someone', and difficulties that hustlers face
Nobel Prize 2024: Key economics lessons for Kenya, rest of Africa
Could there be another factor X beyond institutions that explain economic growth? How will AI and other emerging technologies upend economic growth models like Solow's?
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Nobel Prize 2024: Key economics lessons for Kenya, rest of Africa
Who makes it on my list of heroes?
Today we celebrate Mashujaa Day, heroes' day. Every society has had a place for heroes. Our folklore is full of heroes and so does the modern age.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Who makes it on my list of heroes?
Life is hard but hustlers have put their ingenuity into use
One mandazi seller mixed cheaper maize flour with wheat flour and then added spices. Customers queued for spicy mandazi!
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Life is hard but hustlers have put their ingenuity into use
Why Kenya won't be spared if war escalates in the Middle East
Conflicts in the Middle East have repercussions that reverberate across the globe. That is why everyone must be concerned and involved in getting a permanent solution.
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Why Kenya won't be spared if war escalates in the Middle East
Is Nairobi becoming a five-star city?
Is Nairobi slowly becoming a five-star city, out of reach for ordinary Kenyans? It has better roads, power connections, water, schools, and universities (too few!).
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Is Nairobi becoming a five-star city?
China at 75: Any lessons for Kenya?
China has used history and past experiences to fire patriotism and national pride, while we use history to mine grudges and belittle others
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
China at 75: Any lessons for Kenya?
Trees have memory that offers us lessons
As we think of reversing climatic change, we must plant appropriate trees, more at home with our climate
By XN Iraki 3 months ago
Trees have memory that offers us lessons
Sunflower farming brightens life in semi-arid Kitui village
Smart Harvest
By Philip Muasya
2 hrs ago
Will Kalonzo Musyoka fire last political bullet in 2027?
Politics
By Edwin Nyarangi
2 hrs ago