A new report by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has raised significant concerns about the Kenyan government’s flagship Hustler Fund, labeling it a loss-making scheme. The report, titled ‘Failing the Hustlers’, indicates an alarmingly high default rate and questions the fund's actual impact on economic empowerment.

• For every Sh500 loaned through the Hustler Fund, an estimated Sh340 is lost due to a 68.3 percent default rate.
• The KHRC states that despite over Sh53 billion having been disbursed by September 2024 (as per the report's findings), there is no measurable impact on enterprise development or job creation.
• The report estimates the true cost of the fund to taxpayers to be 71.5 percent, factoring in the high default rate, government borrowing costs through Treasury bills, and a 3 percent operational cost.

The Ministry of Health in Kenya has issued a 30-day ultimatum to all pharmaceutical companies, requiring them to upload data on certified products to the Social Health Authority (SHA) system or face delisting. This directive aims to combat counterfeit and substandard drugs by integrating the Pharmacy and Poisons Board into the SHA network.

• 30-day deadline for pharmaceutical companies to upload certified product data.
• Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the integration of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board into the SHA network.
• The new online catalogue will serve as a centralized database, allowing health workers to cross-reference drugs in real-time via the Practice 360 mobile application.

Starting August 4, Kenyans can now log in to their iTax portals using their National ID numbers, a new option introduced by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to simplify tax returns and improve compliance. This comes as an alternative to the previously sole method of using Personal Identification Numbers (PINs).

• The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) implemented the change in response to taxpayer feedback.
• The new login method aims to make access easier and more convenient, as ID numbers are more frequently used and easier to remember.
• The iTax platform is crucial for filing returns, making payments, and various tax-related transactions in Kenya.