Peter Munya

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, William Ruto, Cyril Ramaphosa

Intrigues big and small – every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Ivory CoastOuattara irked by his advisers

KenyaRuto unhappy about secret meeting between Kindiki and Kenyatta

GhanaRamaphosa angry with John Dramani Mahama

Kenya
Khat fight invigorates Kenyan politics

Fierce competition in the trade of a natural stimulant widely consumed across the Horn of Africa has prompted several government officials to take action. As cartels advance their interests, President William Ruto is under pressure to intervene.

Kenya
KTDA endeavours to sell surplus stocks to world's tea giants

Kenya's leading tea consortium is in talks with the major international brands to persuade them to buy surplus tea stocks that have been piling up in Kenyan warehouses for almost two years following the authorities' introduction of a floor price.

Kenya
Ruto's clan determined to bag tea sector

The appointment of a new director of Tea Board of Kenya illustrates how the president's Rift Valley clan is advancing its interests. Meanwhile, Deputy President Gachagua is keeping a tight grip on the Mount Kenya region, where most Kenyan tea is grown.

Kenya
Gachagua seeks to revive glory days of Kenya's coffee sector

Kenya's deputy president has been tasked with overhauling the coffee sector, which is vital to the economy of his native region. He wants to create new institutions to revive a once highly lucrative crop that has been in a slump for decades.

Kenya
Ruto retains Kenyatta's coffee task force

The team put in place by the previous administration to reform the coffee sector has managed to survive the post-election transition, thanks in large part to the intervention of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Kenya
Struggling livestock farmers count on Ruto to honour election pledges

Kenyan pastoralists are calling for an appropriate legal framework to take advantage of new free-trade measures adopted in 2021 by the regional organisation IGAD.

Kenya
Ruto consolidates his bastions and chips away at Odinga's with his new government

The new Kenyan president is seeking to consolidate his support in the regions that have supported him the most, while at the same time leaving a fair share for his main allies. The goal is to maximise his chances of re-election in five years' time.

Kenya
Odinga and Ruto swamped by allies demanding government posts

The two main presidential candidates are struggling to meet the demands of their many allies and lieutenants for future government jobs - a crisis that has blown up just two weeks before the general election.

Kenya
Kenyatta cosies up to tea farmers ahead of elections

The government is increasing subsidies to cushion tea producers from the current economic turbulence. The tea sector is vital to the economy and a key source of votes, which the presidential camp and its allies cannot afford to do without.

Kenya
Kenyatta's tea price hike favours foreign producers

The commitment to increase the price of Kenyan tea agreed with the main producers' consortium, the Kenya Tea Development Agency, has given neighbouring countries a comparative advantage. Unaffected by these measures, foreign companies in Kenya are selling their stocks more easily, while Kenyan firms' stocks are piling up.