Mitumba at a Crossroads: Balancing Trade, Industry and Sustainability in East Africa’s Clothing Sector
Across East Africa, markets like Gikomba in Nairobi and Owino in Kampala hum with early-morning bargaining and the crackle of plastic-wrapped bales of second-hand clothing. Known locally as mitumba, these garments, sourced from donation bins and unsold stock in the Global North, have become indispensable to traders and consumers.
The High-Stakes Game: Inside the Rise, Risks, and Rewards of East Africa’s Exploding Sports Betting Industry
Gambling is no longer just a vice whispered about in backrooms; In East Africa, it has gone digital, mobile, and mainstream. With smartphones in hand and sports on their minds, millions of young people, many from rural areas and fueled by poverty and unemployment, are turning sports betting into a booming industry.
The Great Migration: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of East Africa’s Labour Expatriation
Labour expatriation has become a defining force in East Africa’s economic story. At its best, labour migration fuels economic growth – remittances sustain households, diaspora investment strengthens industries, and cross-border knowledge transfer enriches both home and host economies. However, the steady outflow of human capital leaves gaps in critical sectors, while many migrant workers face weak labour protections, limited bargaining power, and exploitative work conditions.
The End of the Beginning: Kenya’s M-PESA Revolution Enters a New Phase
Starting as a simple tool to transfer money and buy airtime via text messages, Safaricom’s M-PESA ushered in a financial revolution that took all of East Africa by storm. The service has transformed into Kenya’s financial backbone with 59% of the country’s GDP flowing through it, unlocking financial services for millions along the way.
Unlocking Excellence: The Progress and Future of Customer Service in Uganda
In the Pearl of Africa, a silent revolution brews – not of politics, but of expectations. A growing middle class, one of the world’s youngest populations and an increasingly connected society; have fuelled expectations for fast, reliable and consistent service. However, while the country has made significant economic strides in recent years, the quality of customer service remains inconsistent.
Left Behind? The Challenges Holding Back East Africa’s Musical Success
African music seems to be taking the world by storm. So far, promises of East African music becoming a powerhouse on the world stage are yet to come to fruition. As Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz secures his biggest hit in years, Komasava, by tapping into South Africa’s breakout genre, Amapiano, this begs the question – is there room for an authentic East African sound on the global stage?
The Economics of Enjoyment: An Analysis of Uganda’s Entertainment Economy Across Its Nightlife, Festivals and Weddings
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘enjoyment’ as ‘the action or state of deriving gratification from an object.’ However, in East Africa, the term ‘enjoyment’ has been defined in popular discourse as more than just a state of being – it is a lifestyle, a philosophy, and, as this report explores, a serious economic force.
A Borderless Africa Beckons: Transforming Regional Integration through Visa Reform
African leaders have flirted with the idea of letting citizens move freely across the continent for years – some even daring to dream of a single African passport. However, the vision has often been easier to discuss than to implement. Some African countries have taken bold steps toward ‘borderless travel’ - turning talk into action in a way that could boost intracontinental trade.
Preparing for Peak Season: A Strategic Guide for the East African Tourism Industry
From early June to late September, East Africa enters its peak tourism season – a time when the region’s landscapes transform into a stage for nature’s most breathtaking spectacle, and travellers from around the world fill safari lodges and coastal resorts. For local businesses in the tourism industry, this annual surge presents both an incredible opportunity and a formidable challenge.
