President William Ruto has banned the importation of shoes for Kenya’s security agencies, mandating that all footwear must now be sourced from local manufacturers to boost domestic production.

• Annual shoe production in Kenya has jumped from 5 million to 11 million pairs, with a target of 20 million pairs annually.
• The initiative involves the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and the Kenya Prisons Service.
• This policy is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on shoe imports and strengthen the local leather industry, supported by the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) project.

The National Land Commission (NLC) has mandated that all Kenyan government agencies develop comprehensive 20-year Land Use and Management Plans (LUMPs) to govern public land.

• All public agencies must prepare and submit these plans for approval.
• This initiative by the NLC aims to combat land grabbing, encroachment, and underutilization of public assets.
• The new guidelines require plans to include land inventories, environmental safeguards, and dispute resolution mechanisms, with plans subject to NLC approval within 30 days of submission.

The Kenyan government, through the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), is intervening to purchase over 60,000 bags of Mwea rice from farmers before the upcoming harvest.

• 60,000 bags of Mwea rice are targeted for purchase.
• Key organizations involved include the KNTC, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), and farmers' cooperatives.
• This initiative aims to free up storage space and improve farmers' cash flow, with purchases expected to continue until mid-August.