Apptivate Africa and Dime Credit Partner to Offer Innovative Salary Advance ProgramNLC Introduces Guidebook to Accelerate Resolution of Land Disputes in Kenya

NAIROBI — Apptivate Africa, a leader in workplace innovation, has announced a strategic partnership with Dime Credit, a provider of financial services, to launch an employee benefit programme that offers salary advances to workers. This initiative comes in response to the growing financial stress among employees, exacerbated by the rising cost of living. Recent surveys indicate that over 68 percent of employees experience financial stress, which affects their well-being and productivity, leading to an increased demand for financial support from employers.

According to Kenya News Agency, more than 80 percent of employees have shown interest in salary advance programmes, highlighting the urgent need for employer-supported financial solutions. The collaboration between Apptivate Africa and Dime Credit aims to address this need by providing employees with an easy process to access salary advances, thereby helping to bridge financial gaps and promote stability among the workforce.

Neil Ribeiro, CEO of Apptivate Africa, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are delighted to join forces with Dime Credit to launch this transformative employee benefit programme.” He emphasized the importance of accessible financial solutions in improving employees’ lives and reaffirmed Apptivate Africa’s commitment to enhancing the employee experience through innovative workplace solutions.

John Fernandes, Director of Dime Credit, also voiced his support for the collaboration, noting the critical nature of accessible salary advances in fostering a financially empowered workforce. Dime Credit is recognized for its commitment to providing flexible financial services, and its partnership with Apptivate Africa is expected to bring significant benefits to employees by offering financial relief and contributing to a more resilient workforce.

NAIROBI — The National Land Commission (NLC) has unveiled the Investigation and Inquiry Practitioners Guidebook in Nairobi, a pivotal tool designed to empower the commission with the autonomy to conduct independent investigations into land disputes. This initiative is aimed at facilitating the timely resolution of such conflicts, a move that is seen as crucial against the backdrop of escalating living costs and the consequential financial stress affecting over 68 percent of employees, as recent surveys suggest.

According to Kenya News Agency, during the guidebook’s launch on Friday, the document outlines objectives, methods, and procedures to effectively detect the root causes of disputes, collect evidence, and produce investigation reports. These reports are intended to support litigation, prosecution, inquiries, policy direction, and other appropriate responses, thereby addressing the financial well-being of employees through employer-supported financial solutions like salary advance programmes.

The guidebook is a response to the constitutional mandate under Article 67(2) (e), which requires the NLC to initiate investigations into present or historical land injustices and recommend appropriate redress. Otachi highlighted the commission’s role in encouraging traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in land conflicts, underlining the commission’s powers for conciliation, mediation, and negotiation.

The launch event, attended by officials from the NLC and various delegates, marks a significant step in addressing poorly investigated or uninvestigated land complaints, which have resulted in substantial direct and indirect losses for Kenyans and the government. These include expensive litigation, loss in litigation, public land losses, environmental degradation, and socio-economic impacts.

The guidebook, developed in the context of emerging technological, legal, political, social, and economic issues, aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030. It aims to provide effective neutral evaluation of site findings, land records, technical documents, and witness evidence, thereby enabling successful court and out-of-court settlement processes.

Chief Justice Martha Koome, in a speech read on her behalf, acknowledged the complexity and emotional depth of land disputes in Kenya, citing the need for the guidebook to demystify intricate land laws and regulations. The NLC, as established by the 2010 Constitution, aims to address these challenges conclusively, standing as a beacon of hope for those whose land rights have been violated.

NLC Vice Chairperson Gertrude Nguku noted that the commission has registered 9,823 present land injustice claims and admitted 1,037 historical land injustice claims. The guidebook serves as an operational tool for NLC Commissioners and their technical support team, facilitating the gathering and processing of evidence to support court processes, out-of-court settlements, and court-ordered reports.