The Cabinet Thursday approved transfer of Amboseli National Park to County Government of Kajiado, a move aimed at helping local administration and community reap more from their conservation efforts.
The meeting also discussed and approved the upgrading of five Technical Training Institutes to National Polytechnics.
These are Michuki TTI, Mitunguu TTI, Ol’ lessos TTI, Nairobi TTI and Friends College of Research and Technology in Kaimosi. National polytechnics will now increase from 23 to 28.
President William Ruto chaired the cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting also approved Kenya’s Signature and Ratification of the Agreement Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Ruto also welcomed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to his first Cabinet meeting as Deputy President and congratulated him on his nomination and appointment.
In a briefing on labour migration, the Cabinet was informed that 105,367 Kenyans have secured jobs abroad since July 2023, while 16,943 have been cleared for opportunities since January this year.
Kenya has signed bilateral labour agreements with Germany and Austria. Other countries identified by the Ministry of Labour as destinations for Kenyan workers include Australia, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, the United Kingdom, Kuwait, and Northern Ireland.
These opportunities span professional, skilled, and unskilled jobs, including positions for nurses, aged-care workers, and teachers in science, mathematics, English, and physical education.
At the meeting, the Cabinet was informed that the Ministry of Labour has organised job recruitment drives in every county over the coming weeks.
The Cabinet also received an extensive briefing on the Social Health Insurance Fund, covering both successes and challenges.
They were informed that the NHIF debt to health facilities is increasingly being settled. Over the past month, Sh5 billion has already been paid to hospitals, including faith based, public and private hospitals to clear historical pending bills.
The meeting was also told that more than 14 million Kenyans have registered with the Social Health Authority.
The Cabinet was briefed on the stabilisation of the macroeconomic situation in the country following two years of deliberate fiscal management measures.
The Kenyan economy continues its strong recovery from past global and domestic challenges, achieving robust growth.
Members were informed that inflation, which reflects the increase in prices over time, had declined substantially to 2.7 percent last month, down from a high of 9.6 percent in September 2022.
This is the lowest inflation rate since 2007, during President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure.
Consequently, the prices of various types of food, particularly maize, beans, and peas, have decreased over the past year.
A 2kg packet of maize, which was retailing at Sh176 a year agois now selling at Sh124.
The Cabinet was also informed that foreign exchange reserves at the Central Bank are at an all-time high of $9.5 billion, an increase of $2.4 billion, equivalent to 4.4 months of export cover.
The meeting was further briefed that the country’s economic growth has remained steady and ranks among the highest globally, at 5.6 percent in 2023, with an estimated growth of 5 percent this year and 5.6 percent next year.
Regarding the exchange rate, the Cabinet noted that it has stabilised at Sh129 from Sh162, after appreciating by nearly 20 percent earlier in the year. This appreciation has led to reduced external debt service.
Interest rates are beginning to decrease, which will result in lower domestic interest rate costs, creating fiscal space.
On the revenue side, the Kenya Revenue Authority’s tax collections have grown by double digits.
Tax revenue increased by 11.5 percent in the year to June 2024.
The food situation in the country, the Cabinet was informed, is stable due to the government’s subsidized fertilizer program and other support measures extended to farmers.
On sugar, the meeting noted that Kenya has, for the first time, produced enough to meet local demand. As a result, no sugar will be imported this year.
This achievement is due to subsidised fertilizer provided to farmers and improved management of the sector.
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