Kenya National Union of Teachers, KNUT, recorded a slight decrease in membership according to records at our disposal. The giant teachers union lost close to 4,422 members between June and August 2018. This represents a 2.3% decrease.
According to the records, Rift Valley region leads with a total number of registered KNUT members at 50,341 followed by Eastern at 39,323. North Eastern has the lowest number of KNUT registered membership at 2,121.
The Union mostly represents teachers plying their trade at primary schools, across the country.
The total KNUT membership now at 188,765. There has been a long standing membership wrangle between KUPPET and KNUT on who should represent Secondary school teachers. KNUT has been drawing membership from both Secondary and Primary schools with KUPPET representing tutors in Secondary and Tertiary institutions.
Cameroon is poised to host the Total African Cup of Nations from 15 June to 13 July 2019. under the new format, to be used next year, a total of 24 teams will participate at the most popular Continental show piece. The 24 teams shall be drawn from the 12 qualifying groups; with the best two teams booking tickets, from each of the 12 groups. Kenya is at the verge of qualification after about 14 years’ absence from the finals. Kenya tops group F with 7 points.
Hosts (Cameroon), Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal and Madagascar have already qualified to the AFCON finals ahead of the remaining group matches. Madagascar will be participating at the finals for the first ever time in their history after humbling Equatorial guinea 1-0 to clinch second spot in group A. The Cartage Eagles of Tunisia defeated Niger 2-1 in Niamey, Niger, to maintain their unbeaten run and wrap up a ticket to next year’s finals. The next round of group matches are slated for 16th, 17th 18th November, 2018 with the final group matches happening in March, 2019.
Check current group standings for the 2019 AFCON Qualifiers, below:
Electricity Cost Tariffs & Schedule of Tariffs 2018:
This page shows the parameters summary document that contains the Fuel Costs Adjustment (FCC), Foreign Exchange Flactuation Adjustment (FERFA), Water Resource Management Authority Levy (WRMA), and IFLA elements and their contribution to the cost of electricity.
It also contains the approved Schedule of Tariffs 2018 which is approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Sierra Leone government has cancelled a Mega Airport construction deal that was to be funded by Chinese loans. While making the announcement, Sierra Leone’s Minister for Transport and Aviation said: “After serious considerations and diligence, it is the Government’s view that (it) is uneconomical to proceed with the construction of the new airport when the existing one is grossly under utilized.” The minister was speaking to local journalists, this week.
The project that was to be executed by a Chinese construction company is estimated to cost an excess of 300 Million US Dollars and was to be completed in 2022. The project was commissioned by the former head of state, Ernest Bai Koroma; in March this year, 2018. This cancellation comes after the Chinese got criticism overseas and locally, here in Kenya, for inflated loan costs. The Chinese are reportedly in a move to seize Zambia’s Power utility firm for defaulting on a loan facility advanced to the Zambia government. Read full details here:
A number of the Government Websites have been closed down, tonight, paralyzing online services delivery. Most websites accessed tonight returned ‘error 403- The Website app is stopped’. “The Web app you have attempted to reach is currently stopped and does not accept any requests. Please try to reload the page or visit it again soon,” read the error message on the screen.
Reports indicate that the websites have been closed down by Microsoft’s web hosting company, Azure; which maintains them. The closure has been informed by the government’s failure to pay hosting fees to Azure.
Some of the government’s website on shutdown tonight are those of: The Labour Ministry, Ministry of Energy, Lands Ministry, Mining & Petroleum and Immigration. A spot check on the Ministry of Education, though, showed that the Website is on and running. See Screen Shots, below:
The Kenya Revenue Authority has written E-mails to teachers who marked last year’s examinations requiring them to pay with holding taxes when they file their 2019 returns. The E-mail seen by our crew requires the teachers to remit 20% of their marking fees earnings to the tax collector in 2019. The Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC, paid 5% tax that was deducted from total earnings by the contracted officers. Contact KRA at any Huduma Centre close to you for any queries, assistance and/ or clarifications.
The big question, then, begs..’what is withholding tax? How can withholding tax be paid’?
WHAT IS WITH HOLDING TAX, HOW CAN ONE PAY WITH HOLDING TAX?
This is a method whereby the payer of certain incomes is responsible for deducting tax at source from payments made and remitting the deducted tax to KRA.
The percentage deducted varies between incomes and is dependent on whether you are a resident or non- resident.
The relevant rates are as follows:
Description
Resident
Non – Resident
Artists and entertainers
–
–
Management fees
5%
20%
Professional fees
5%
20%
Training fess (inclusive of incidental costs)
5%
20%
Winnings from betting and gaming (w.e.f. 1 Jan 2014)
20%
20%
Royalties
5%
20%
Dividends (nil for resident shareholders with>12.5%)
5%
10%
Equipment (movable) Leasing
N/A
5%
Interest (Bank)
15%
15%
Interest (Housing Bond – HBI)
10%
15%
Interest on two – year government bearer bonds
15%
15%
Other bearer bonds interest
25%
25%
Rent – buildings (immovable)
12%
30%
Rent – others (except aircraft)
N/A
15%
Pensions/provident schemes (withdrawal)
10 – 30%
5%
Insurance Commissions
10%
20%
Consultancy and agency(from 1 July 2003)
5%
20%
Contractual and agency (from 1 July 2003)
3%
20%
Telecommunication services/Message transmission
–
5%
Natural Resource Income (w.e.f. 01/01/2015)
5%
20%
How do I pay Withholding Tax?
Any amount withheld, should be remitted to KRA on or before the 20th day of the following month.
Paying via the Itax Portal:
Payment of withholding tax is done online via iTax, generate a payment slip and present it at any of the appointed KRA banks to pay the tax due.
