What are we waking up to this morning?

1. State approves use of personalised number plates

The Transport ministry has lifted a ban on modified number plates, handing businessmen, politicians and celebrities the freedom to pick preferred identification symbols for their vehicles. While the right to personalised number plates has been implicit since Section 12 of the Traffic Act was amended in 1977, it got legal force last Friday through a Kenya Gazette notice signed by Transport minister Amos Kimunya. - Business Daily

2. Court orders KenolKobil to stop sackings

Oil marketer KenolKobil was Wednesday ordered not to sack more than 250 non-unionisable staff after it dismissed 10 workers over a suit linked to its takeover by Swiss-based Puma Energy. Industrial Court judge Linnet Ndolo also barred the directors and managers of the listed oil company from sacking Vincent Njoroge, Philip Otenyo and Ronald Lugaba or interfering with the industrial peace of the company until the case is adjudicated.

3. Clearing agents urge KRA to auction seized goods

Clearing and forwarding agents want Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to auction imported goods seized at Mombasa port twice a month to avoid congestion. Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) said regular auctions would create space for more goods.- The Standard

4. UK company buys Kenya gold rights for Sh2.7bn

Africa Barrick Gold (ABG) has announced that it is acquiring rights to prospect for gold in western Kenya at a cost of Sh2.67 billion. The company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, has applied to buy-out Aviva Mining (Kenya) Limited’s prospecting rights in Nyanza and Western provinces where recent activity has found large reserves of gold. -Business Daily

5. New app sounds the death knell for con artists

Two young software developers have created M-verified, “a simple” application that enables users to ascertain the authenticity of documents used in sealing deals, like title deeds, logbooks and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs). - Business Daily

6. KenGen shareholders to tour plants

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) will take its shareholders on a familiarization tour on its operations to enhance their understanding on its operations and way of business. The 300 shareholders who will participate in the tour were picked on Tuesday in a raffle draw held by KenGen’s top management and supervised by Betting and Control Licensing. - Capital Business

7. KenGen eyeing solar power plant by end year

ELECTRICITY generating company KenGen plans to start setting up its first solar power station by end year as it diversifies into other green forms of energy, chairman Titus Mbathi has said. Mbathi said KenGen was eager to expand activity from just geothermal power generation to cover wind and solar after completion of studies into the country's potential in tapping these two resources. - The Star

8. Why Fuel Prices Dropped Despite Rise in International Oil Prices

Kenyans this morning woke up to another drop in fuel prices, this coming despite rice in international oil prices. As posted in the August 2012 petroleum prices press release by the energy regulator, (ERC), the Free On Board (FOB) price of Murban crude oil lifted in July 2012 was posted at USD 101.75 per barrel, reflecting an increase of 4.5 per cent from USD 97.35 per barrel in June 2012.

Wait, we had predicted an increment. So what happened? - Pesatalk