In a tax alert dated February 2022, PwC says “Tax law must be validly enacted and enforced. Failure to which creates an illegality. Where tax laws are prescriptive, there is no room for intendment or inference.”

In its Judgement issued on 31 January 2022, in a case pitting KRA, who were appealing an earlier ruling of the tax appeals tribunal, against W. E. C. Lines (K) Limited (WEC Kenya), the court declared the regulations “null and void” owing to procedural invalidity in their enactment.

The court found that the VAT Regulations, 2017 were never tabled before the National Assembly as required by the Statutory Instruments Act, 2013 in section 11, which states that “Every Cabinet Secretary responsible for a regulation-making authority shall within seven (7) sitting days after the publication of a statutory instrument, ensure that a copy of the statutory instrument is transmitted to the responsible Clerk for tabling before parliament.”

The appeal was against a case in which KRA was ordered by the Tax Appeals tribunal to pay WEC Kenya Ksh 6.4 million in VAT refunds.  The Kenyan limited liability company is the sole shipping agent of WEC Lines BV (WEC BV), a Dutch company engaged in the maritime transportation of goods. WEC Kenya represents WEC BV in operations related to its shipping business in Kenya.

WEC Kenya filed a VAT refund application for the period February 2015 to January 2018 attributable to zero-rated exported services supplied to WEC BV. KRA rejected the respondent’s application on 18 April 2018 citing the following on grounds that the services provided by WEC Kenya were consumed in Kenya, given that the company provides services to the clients of WEC BV located in Kenya.

KRA further argued that Regulation 13 of the VAT Regulations, 2017 which deals with exported goods and services, did not apply to the services supplied by WEC Kenya. KRA argued that the standard rate of tax, 16%, applied on the supplies made by WEC Kenya as opposed to the zero rate.

The Tribunal ruled that, as defined by the contract between WEC Kenya and WEC BV, the Dutch company was the sole consumer of the services provided by the respondent, on the basis that there were no agreements between WEC Kenya and the Kenyan importers.

While upholding the tribunal’s ruling, the high court indicated that there was no dispute that the respondent was an agent of WEC BV. As such, any contract made by WEC Kenya and third parties as contemplated by that agency relationship is, in fact, a contract between that third party and WEC BV. Therefore, there was no exclusive contract to speak of between the local importers of goods and WEC Kenya. As such, no services were offered from WEC Kenya to the importers.

PwC further says the judgement underpins the Privity of “contract is a sacrosanct legal doctrine that has not always been considered by the KRA when making decisions affecting taxpayers or when arguing its case before various tribunals.

In their interpretation of the ruling, PwC says “neither the KRA nor any third party has the jurisdiction to rewrite contracts between freely contracting parties. It follows, therefore, that parties are free to constitute the rights and obligations within the wording of their contracts.”

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She also holds a number of board positions at organisations such as ABSA Bank Kenya PLC, TradeMark East Africa
Ltd, Jambojet Ltd, and British Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a Trustee on the boards of Vodafone Foundation UK and M-Pesa Foundation, and was previously a non-executive director on the board of WPP Scangroup from 2017 to 2020.

Patricia is passionate about creating opportunities that improve people’s lives and is currently Re

gional Director at the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Development Economies – Seed, a Stanford Graduate School of Business initiative that builds a network of globally-engaged leaders from Silicon Valley to sub-Saharan Africa.
Stanford Seed aims to tackle global poverty by supporting the scale-up of small and medium-sized businesses in developing economies and has led to revenue growth, regional expansion and job creation for more than 200 companies.

In 2020, Ms. Ithau was awarded a Kenyan Head of State Commendation (HSC) – Civilian Division for her work in supporting enterprise development in the country. She holds an MBA in Strategic Management from the United States International University – Africa, and a B Com from the University of Nairobi.

She also completed an Advanced Management Program at Strathmore Business School/IESE Business School, Barcelona, a General Management Program at INSEAD – CEDEP, and a Certificate Program in Scenario Planning at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

Patricia is an accredited executive coach and a certified emotional intelligence practitioner, working with business leaders to encourage a holistic approach to leadership and organisational change.

Patricia Ithau said: “WPP Scangroup is Kenya’s foremost marketing and communications network. I’m so excited by the opportunity to lead a company that prides itself on delivering outstanding work and creative innovation for clients. The company provides brands not only with unparalleled access to regional expertise, consumer insight and talent, but also the global reach they need to grow via the wider WPP network.”

Richard Omwela, Chairman of WPP Scangroup, said: “Patricia is an inspirational business leader in Kenya and beyond, and I’m delighted to welcome her to WPP Scangroup. She has extensive experience of transformational change that delivers sustainable business growth, and an inclusive leadership approach that will support
our people as they create extraordinary work for our clients.”

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The competition, which will run from February 9, 2022, to May 6, 2022, aims to equip mechanics with engine oil knowledge, vehicle diagnostic and servicing skills. The program also seeks to empower mechanics in the automotive informal sector by creating opportunities for growth and skills development.

Mechanics from all over the country will be competing for the grand prize, a brand-new Toyota Hilux single cab pickup worth Ksh. 3.2 million. The second and third finalists as well as the regional champions will be awarded Ksh. 750,000, Ksh. 500,000 respectively, while the 20 regional winners will each receive Yamaha YBR 125G motorbike to help further grow their businesses.

“We recognize the immense potential of Kenyan artisans, especially in the automotive sector, and we are pleased to support them to grow their skills as they provide better services to their clients. This will, in turn, improve their earnings leading to better lives and a greater contribution to the economy”, noted TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Managing Director Eric Fanchini when he received the grand prize from Toyota Kenya.

On his part, Toyota Kenya Managing Director, Arvinder Reel said, “Toyota Kenya is honoured to be part of such partnerships that seek to empower young people. We are more excited that this allows us, through our “Toyota Service Technician for the 21st century – TST21” training at the Toyota Kenya Academy, which is tailor-made for the automotive informal sector to further enhance skills for mechanics across the country.”

“In addition to getting a chance to win the grand prize, the participants will further hone their automotive servicing and repair skills which will help them set up their own start-ups, become self-reliant and create opportunities. “Added Managing Director of TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Eric Fanchini

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The telco will pilot an IoT (Internet of Things) powered Telematics solution which integrates with the vehicle’s on-board computer, collects information on several parameters that are accumulated and recorded at the end and start of each trip. This provides insights into journey duration, vehicle speed, route information, fuel consumption and driver behaviour.

“As part of our journey to becoming a fully-fledged technology company, we are in the process of testing new IoT solutions which will allow systems, processes, machinery and ‘things’ to become truly interconnected and interoperable. This technology delivers a clear overview of what is happening in every part of an ecosystem, without disrupting operations. The Telematics offering which we are piloting at the East African Safari Classic Rally allows for visualization of information relating to vehicle performance and efficiency, vehicle status and driver behaviour; providing key information to better manage any fleet”, Said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

The telematics pilot is part of a sponsorship deal that has seen Safaricom commit KES 1 million in support of Raaji’s quest for a podium finish at the East African Safari Classic Rally.

“We are grateful to Safaricom for their sponsorship and honoured to be piloting their new smart vehicle tracking system. As far as our team’s ambition for the rally is concerned, firstly we want to ensure the car is in one piece after each leg and secondly to be among the top finishers”, said Raaji

The team has posted some impressive results in classic rallies including finishing first in their category (2 litre), and 6th overall in the 2015 edition of the East African Safari Classic rally and a third-place finish in the inaugural Mini Classic rally. In the inaugural Rift 1000 Classic rally run over 3 days, Raaji and his team emerged overall winners and in the recent Mini Classic held in the Amboseli, they finished 4th overall and 1st in their category.

Last week Safaricom also announced a KES 6 million sponsorship for the East African Safari Classic Rally through its M-PESA platform. The Telco is also backing reigning African Rally Champion Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo as he targets a podium finish at the event.

The rally will begin with scrutineering at the KWSTI in Naivasha where the event will be flagged off. The action then proceeds to Sarova Woodlands in Nakuru, Coverdale in Nanyuki for two days, Kilima Camp in Amboseli for three days, Salt Lick Lodge at Taita Hills, before concluding at Ocean Sports in Watamu, where the Prize Giving Gala will be held.

Raaji’s Best Classic Rallying Results

• 1st Overall and 1st in Class in the Rift 1000 Rally 2016
• 3rd Overall in the inaugural EASR Mini Classic
• 4th Overall and 1st in Class in the 2021 Mini Classic
• 6th Overall and 1st in Class (2 litre) in the 2015 East African Safari Rally, (first ‘non-Porsche’)
• 1st in class in Classic Category in the 2017 RSC Rally

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Showmax bundles the best of African and international entertainment with Live Sports from SuperSport. Customers will be offered data deals bundled with a 60-day Showmax subscription instead of the usual 30-day subscription in this partnership. Customers will choose from two mobile bundles:

• Showmax Mobile (60 days) + 1GB Safaricom data for KES 389
• Showmax Pro Mobile (60 days) + 3GB Safaricom data for KES 1299

This deal is valid from 1 February to 31 March 2022 and is exclusive to Safaricom customers.

As part of its local-first strategy, Showmax tailors the content, apps, packages and partnerships to what is most important to subscribers in different countries.

“We’re always looking at ways to make it easier for fans to watch Showmax,” says Nathan Hanley, Chief Expansion Officer – MultiChoice Connected Video. “Our partnership with Safaricom gives our customers the convenience of a single payment for both entertainment and data to make streaming quick and easy while giving them an extra 30 days of watching,” he added.

This bundled deal with Safaricom makes it easier for Kenyan streaming fans to pay for Showmax and data via M-Pesa in one go.

“As a digital-first company, we want to avail affordable devices and data bundles and leverage our extensive 4G coverage to enable Kenyans to access a new world of content from the comfort of their phones. Through this partnership, our customers can now enjoy their favourite shows on Showmax using bundles that provide value and convenience,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO – Safaricom PLC.

Showmax recently launched the local Original drama series, Single Kiasi, starring Gathoni Mutua, Minne Kariuki and Faith Kibathi as three friends navigating life and love in Nairobi. This comes hot on the heels of Showmax’s first Original Film in Kenya, Baba Twins, a comedy-drama about a young couple who suddenly find themselves expecting, as well as a second season of the Showmax Original and Kalasha Award-winning Crime and Justice, a co-production with Canal+.

Showmax includes popular Kenyan content, like the latest seasons of Kina, Njoro Wa Uba and Selina, and famous drama sets in Kenya’s tumultuous music industry produced by Enos Olik popular local reality shows This Love and Sol Family.

International shows feature the best of HBO, like Succession and Insecure. Kids’ favourites include Paw Patrol, Henry Danger and DC Super Hero Girls, first on Showmax. Hollywood blockbusters include Wonder Woman 1984, Miss Juneteenth, and the new Guy Ritchie movie Wrath of Man.

Showmax Pro features the AFCON tournament and the English Premier League, Serie A and La Liga matches, plus a wide range of live sport from SuperSport, including the Winter Olympics, pro boxing, international marathons and IAAF athletics on top of the entire Showmax entertainment catalogue.

How a customer can access this service

1. Visit www.showmax.com/safaricom or dial *544*20# and select Showmax
2. Select either a Showmax Mobile (2 months) + 1GB data or Showmax Pro Mobile (2 months) + 3GB data
3. Create an account or sign in using your email address and password
4. Enter your Safaricom mobile phone number and click on next.
5. Enter your M-Pesa PIN on your phone to approve your payment
6. You will receive an SMS confirming payment
7. Start watching

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The Group is the only new entrant among the top ten leading banking brands and has entered the arena with an impressive Brand Strength Index (BSI) of 90.8 compared to the strongest banking brand that scored a BSI index of 94.

It tied with the top four banking brands with a similar brand ranking score of AAA+, the highest rating that a brand can attain. Brand Strength Index (BSI) is calculated by assessing a brand’s marketing investment, Stakeholder Equity and Business Performance. Based on the BSI, a brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating of up to AAA+, similar to a credit rating.

According to the Brand Finance Banking 500 2022 Annual Report that was released this week, Equity Group is among the few banks from smaller and emerging markets to join a total of 30 new entrants into the top 500 banking brands.

While Equity was ranked position 338 overall among the top 500 banking brands, the report shows that it is not only a new entrant but also the leading bank in Sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa, in the league.

The report quotes David Haigh, the Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, “As banks continue to battle the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of a solid brand is more significant than ever.

Banking products are becoming commoditised, and banks will need to continue differentiating themselves from other competitors in the market through the use of their brand, particularly in the face of an emerging threat from challenger brands and decentralised finance in the future.”

Speaking about the achievement, Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group Managing Director and CEO said, “The ranking of Equity as the 5^th strongest banking brand in the world is a strong validation of our twin-engine business model that has positioned Equity as a social banking brand, driven by our vision of championing the social-economic prosperity of the people of Africa.”

Dr Mwangi noted that against a background of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent disruption of global economic activities with the resultant social impacts, Equity Group Holdings had demonstrated resilience in the execution of an offensive and defensive strategy, a versatile business model, leadership agility, and innovation and diversification all aimed at supporting customers and the community to survive, recover and thrive post the pandemic.

“It is a moment to celebrate Africa’s rise and showcase Africa’s capacity to develop its own local and regional manufacturing and supply chains to replace the broken global supply chains as a result of the COVID-19. The commitment to the digitisation of our services continues to drive the Group’s growth in both customer satisfaction and as the leader in Kenya’s global financial sector. The Bank’s investment in digital banking has resulted in the digital bank handling 97% of all transactions with mobile channels processing 90% of digital transactions. This approach has given our customers the freedom, choice and control to access banking services anytime anywhere and has taken convenience and customer experience to a different level,” said Dr Mwangi.

He further added, “As a result, we have seen mobile, internet and e-commerce becoming the preferred channels of choice for payment processing and lifestyle fulfilment with 74% of customers opting for cashless transactions.”

Dr Mwangi further noted that “We have proven that a shared value business model is both purposeful and profitable. Doing well can go hand in hand with doing good. Our corporate social arm, the Equity Group Foundation has scaled its operations to reach a spend of USD $513 million in social investment programs, reaching 37,000 secondary school Wings to Fly scholarships; 17,000 University scholarships under the Equity Leadership Program; 3,000 TVET scholarships and nearly 700 Global university scholarships; while 54 Equity Afia clinics are now operational with 572,707 unique patients visits. To support global initiatives which combat climate change, Equity has planted 7.1 million trees and financed and distributed 303,000 clean energy products.”

Equity Group was the most valuable bank in the Nairobi Securities Exchange with a market capitalisation of Kshs 199.9Billion as of 31^st December incorporating a brand premium driven by superior customer experience, innovation and a technology-enabled business model which drove earnings and potential long-term benefits.

The Group is currently rolling out an audacious post-COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program across East and Central Africa which entails supporting 5 million SMEs with loans of up to Kshs.500 billion to accelerate growth in a post-pandemic economy. of the program aims to create 25 million direct jobs and another 25 million indirect jobs.

The initiative is in partnership with governments of the 6 countries of its operations and will centre on the promotion of cross border trade under the East African Community and African Continental Free Trade Area protocols.

The program has won the support of the United Nations (UN) under the Sustainable Development Goals initiative, of a variety of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), the Mastercard Foundation under our Young Africa Works partnership and with other Private Sector business actors. The Group partnered with governments of Kenya and DRC to organize a 15-day Kenya-DRC Trade mission in November-December last year coming on the back of hosting a South African Business Trade Mission and has invested Kshs 300 million to facilitate the various trade missions.

Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes nearly 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 500 most valuable and strongest banking brands are included in the annual Brand Finance Banking 500 ranking.

Across the banking sector, the key drivers of a strong brand are strong stakeholder perceptions of its range of products and services, the quality of its digital platforms, strong customer service and overall accessibility to customers.

Brand Finance is the world’s leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy with its headquartered in London and has a presence in more than 20 countries.

Equity Group ranked in the position of 39 globally on return on assets, position 71 on return on capital, and position 149 on soundness (Capital Assets to Assets ratio), in the Top 1,000 World Banks 2021 report by The Banker magazine, further consolidating its position among global banking giants.

Kenya continues to boost its international financial centre pedigree with two banking brands in the top 500 Global Banking Brands while Egypt and Morocco have three each, Nigeria has five and South Africa has seven.

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The event was graced by the Innovations Brand Manager Victoria Mbugu. Also present were loyal consumers of the brand, and Western Region distributors.

It was dance and laughter during the launch of East Africa Breweries Ltd (EABL) new variant under Gilbey’s Gin Trademark called Gilbey’s Mixed Berries at a Kisumu hotel on Tuesday.

The event that was graced by the Gilbeys Brand Manager Victoria Mbugua was also attended by the brand’s customers alongside the Western region distributors.

Customers were offered a free taste of the new brand as cool music rented the airwaves.

“We appreciate the unwavering role distributors have and continue to play in providing our customers with brand experiences that lead to happiness and wellness. These are long-term investments for us,” said Mbugua.

Customers were offered a free taste of the new brand as cool music rented the airwaves.

Gilbeys Gin is one of EABL’s most consumed spirits and the launch of the mixed berries flavoured variant which mainly targets women drinkers and cocktails lovers is targetted at cementing the brand’s position in the market in the face of rising competition.

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But how did Club Da Place get here to a place where they can afford to put up shows for their fans on Sundays?

Sundays were for a long time lazy in Kisumu with very few entertainment options available other than chilling at Dunga Hill Camp. That was before Henry McKenzie, Dj Gordo and Dj Ves came up with with the twin concepts of Thirsty Thursdays and Kikao Sundays, both of which have become an instant hit with Kisumu revelers.

Here are some of the photos from yesterday’s Kikao Sunday:

Despite being out of town and with an access road in a pathetic state, the guys behind the events at the club have made Kikao Sunday a success by leveraging on social media influencers and good experience for revelers.

Dj Ves who was recently just a newbie in Kisumu is cutting a niche for himself with this flagship event and is now one of Kisumu’s most sought after Djs.

Missing a Kikao Sunday event is missing out.

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Here are some of the photos from Strathmore University’s event on Friday.

Martha Ogonjo, the Events and Protocol Manager at Strathmore University was well pleased with Homeland Event’s delivery.

” We are very grateful for the excellent work that the team from Homeland Events did. More so, for accommodating our real-time changes during the setup. We do not take it for granted. “

That same evening, KPA was hosting the Corporate Golf Tournament at Karen Country Club and here are some photos from that event:

Homeland Events CEO, Mr. Eddy Anayo is confident that they are ripe for the Nairobi market.

“Being able to pull off two events of this magnitude within just two months of our entry into this market is proof enough that we are indeed a force to reckon with in the events industry. We are grateful for the organizations that took their bet with us despite being new in this market, and we are glad we did not disappoint them.”

Eddy says that players in the events industry in Nairobi should be ready to hear and see more of Homeland Events.

“We are currently in the process of planning several international and local conferences which we will deliver between November and June 2020. We also have a couple of corporate events lined up for this last quarter, university graduations and so much more.”

Homeland events also boast of some of the latest gear in sound and audio-visual equipment is one of the few event firms in the country with the latest models of Absen P2 LED panels. They are hoping to get a share of Nairobi’s concerts business too which is currently dominated by Mo Sound and Homeboyz Entertainment.

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The following boy conception tips will work magic for you.

1. Timing

Dr Landrum Shettles, a leading specialist on matters of influencing gender, through research, discovered that a boy sperm is weaker, smaller and faster than their female counterparts. He suggests having intercourse as close to ovulation as possible to give the boy sperm a better chance of fertilizing the ovum.

For some women it is never easy knowing when they are ovulating, but this should not make you despair. You could try the ovulation tests kits in the market, keep a calendar, download a cycle tracking app or just watch out for the changes in your body.

2. Pleasure spasms

They say alkaline secretions are released into the vagina during female orgasms. These alkaline secretions give boy sperms an increased chance of survival. To up your odds, it is advisable for the woman to orgasm before the man. This is still a Shettle method of gender selection.

3. Positions

Dr. Landrun Shettle, of the shettle gender selection methods says having sex in positions that allow deep penetration increase chances of having a male child. This methods are meant to aid ejaculation as close to the cervix as possible, to make it easy for the male sperms to swim in. Doggy Style, standing up and straddling are the major positions associated with aiding conception of a male child. If you desperately want a male child, then this should be enough motivation to say goodbye to the good old missionary for a while.

4. Hurry hurry might just have a blessing

Research done by Amy Bell of the babble website revealed that most mothers who conceived male children did not plan to get freaky. It was an impromptu act that bloomed into a son. This is what one of the women with a son said to her:

“Basically, a boy can be conceived with little time, absolutely zero romance, and the high possibility that you could get caught in the act.”

5. What has he under

Biologically, sperms are stored out of the body because they cannot tolerate excessive heat. Some people say female sperms have a higher tolerance for heat as compared to their male counterparts. The underwear your man wears will determine the sex of your child. If he wears boxer shorts, there is a minimal chance of heating as compared to when he wears tighter undergarments. You might not want to joke with underthings!

6. Eat like a man

Following some diets has been termed by gender predicting experts to increase chances of having a boy. The diet you embrace should be one that harbors an alkaline ph in your body. They advise packing the menu with salty foods, red meats, eggs, peas, raisins, mushrooms, beans, bread, and fish. However, the boy producing menu should shun acidic foods in quest of a more alkaline environment for the boy-bearing sperm to thrive. It is advisable to take high portions of food, with large quantity of sugar: and to never miss breakfast.

7. Caffeinate him

Based on his research, Dr. Shettles says that you’re more likely to conceive a boy if your man drinks a strong cup of caffeinated coffee just before intercourse. How this work, even Shettles himself is not sure. That’s for you to find out yourself.

8. Dose of bread

It is advisable to forbear sex for several days before ovulation but indulge in it as close to ovulation as possible. This gives the boy sperms a better chance of meeting the ovum first.

9. Cough syrup it in

Experts say that cough medicines with guaifenesin can help to thin mucus membranes in the cervix, to aid the sperms swim in smoothly. And by now, we already know who the fastest swimmers are.

10. Got the bucks?

Ever heard of in vitro fertilization? Well, it is the scientific method of joining the sperm and ovum in the lab, before the zygote is implanted in the woman’s uterus (in layman’s language). It is a complex medical procedure that comes with a whopping price tag.

There you have it, just spilled the beans for you. Crossing fingers for you as you start this blue journey. Lucky struck!

Follow me on Twitter @FaySayo, Follow this blog @IamOminde 

The post 10 sure ways of conceiving a baby boy, I bet you knew nothing about number 3! appeared first on Biz Post Daily.