KOGELO, Kenya (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama’s message of hope and change has inspired his half-brother Malik to launch a political career of his own, with his eye on elections in Kenya in March.

“If my brother is doing great things for people in the United States, why can’t I do great things for Kenyans here?” Malik Obama told Reuters in the village of Kogelo, President Obama’s ancestral homeland.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan legislators have tripled their end-of-term bonuses once again, sweetening the deal with extra perks like diplomatic passports and security for life as well as state funerals when they die.

Lawmakers first attempted to triple the bonus they will each receive when their five-year term ends this month to 9.3 million shillings ($107,300) in October, a move the president rejected.

NAIROBI, Jan 10 (Reuters) – Kenya’s central bank cut its
benchmark lending rate by a higher-than-expected margin on
Thursday in an effort to raise the level of commercial banks’
lending to the private sector.

Although policymakers embarked on an easing cycle in July,
commercial banks’ lending rates have remained stuck at about 20
percent, curbing economic growth ahead of a presidential
election set for March.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Tuesday he would join forces with the country’s vice president in next year’s election, to challenge another alliance headed by two senior politicians facing charges of crimes against humanity.

Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and several other cabinet ministers danced in front of thousands of supporters in the Kenyan capital to launch their electoral pact.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Tuesday he would join forces with the country’s vice president in next year’s election, to challenge another alliance headed by two senior politicians facing charges of crimes against humanity.

Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and several other cabinet ministers danced in front of thousands of supporters in the Kenyan capital to launch their electoral pact.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Western donors must lift an aid freeze on Rwanda, imposed over its alleged support for Congo rebels, to avoid damaging its economy and causing a new crisis in the region, the head of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said.

Rwanda, which relies on donors for about 40 percent of its budget, has recorded robust growth rates in recent years on the back of increased investments and consumption.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Western donors must lift an aid freeze on Rwanda, imposed over its alleged support for Congo rebels, to avoid damaging its economy and causing a new crisis in the region, the head of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said.

Rwanda, which relies on donors for about 40 percent of its budget, has recorded robust growth rates in recent years on the back of increased investments and consumption.

NAIROBI, Nov 7 (Reuters) – Kenya’s central bank chopped its
benchmark lending rate to 11 percent from 13 percent on
Wednesday, following up on an even bigger cut in September, to
support the economy as inflation comes back down.

The central bank of east Africa’s largest economy is trying
to get monetary policy back on an even keel after rapid credit
growth last year caused the shilling to slump and inflation to
soar, forcing the bank to ramp its key rate up to 18 percent.

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya Airways expects to recover from a first-half loss but full year profits will still be less-than a quarter of last year’s, hurt by the euro zone crisis and insecurity at home, the airline said on Tuesday.

The carrier, which is 26.73 percent owned by Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and is one of Africa’s largest, said earnings were mainly hobbled by lower travel demand and a jump in costs.

NAIROBI, Nov 6 (Reuters) – Kenya Airways expects
to recover from a first-half loss but full year profits will
still be less-than a quarter of last year’s, hurt by the euro
zone crisis and insecurity at home, the airline said on Tuesday.

The carrier, which is 26.73 percent owned by Air France-KLM
and is one of Africa’s largest, said earnings were
mainly hobbled by lower travel demand and a jump in costs.