President Uhuru Kenyatta today  launched a new credit facility for Micro, Small and Medium (MSME's) enterprises dubbed Stawi.

Stawi is a mobile loan product that will allow MSME's to access unsecured credit of between Shs 30,000 and Shs 250,000 at an interest rate of 9 percent per annum.

The Central Bank of Kenya has partnered with NCBA Bank, Cooperative Bank, Diamond Trust Bank and KCB to offer the scheme which is aimed at improving access to credit for MSME'S.

MSME's have for a long time been locked out of the formal credit market because of the informal nature of their transactions and lack of collateral for secured loans.

Speaking when he unveiled the facility, the President expressed optimism that the lending service will help boost enterprise in the country by making access to credit cheaper and faster.

 “Stawi will offer a longer repayment period to small business borrowers, thus making it easier for them to better manage their cash flows; and, therefore, grow their businesses to the next level," President Kenyatta said, noting that MSME's account for over 80 percent of all businesses in the country.

He noted that despite their crucial role as the bloodline of Kenya's economy, the over 7 million MSME's in the country are mostly unlicensed and are therefore unable to access capital from the credit infrastructure as currently set up.

The President said that lack of access to affordable credit is partly to blame for the estimated 90 percent of start-ups that collapse within three years of their set up.

He therefore challenged more financial institutions to innovate new approaches of supporting MSME's instead of categorizing them as highrisk borrowers.

“I thank the banks that heeded my call and offered this solution (Stawi). We have over 7 million SME’s. Let us engage them and provide cheap loans for them to grow. If you say you can’t offer them services because they are high risk, what happens when their businesses collapse?” the President challenged.

President Kenyatta said MSME's have the potential to contribute more than the current 30 percent of the country’s GDP if fully supported adding that failure to support the mostly youth managed entities risks creating social instability.

“It is better to find mechanisms and ways to lend to those young men and women who are interested in making something positive out of their lives, interested in employing their fellow young men and women, because if they are positively engaged, if they are part of our economic prosperity even your businesses are secure,” the President said.

He said the government made a deliberate decision to prioritize the development of MSME's as part of the Big 4 Agenda because it recognizes the potential of the sector to transform the lives of many Kenyans.

The President said the Big 4 Agenda priority areas of agriculture, housing and manufacturing are opening numerous new opportunities for MSME's to thrive.

He however noted that the sector faces a range of challenges that require effective policies to deal with and directed the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives to hasten the review of the current MSME policy framework so as to align it with the Big 4 Agenda.

“I am affording the ministry a bit of time so as to allow it to consult widely and ensure that inputs from relevant stakeholders are taken into account, in accordance with the constitution,” the  President said.

As part of elaborate state efforts to boost MSME's, President Kenyatta announced plans to set up Biashara Centres across the country. The centres, which will be modelled on the current huduma centres, will offer trade facilitation services in a one-stop-shop arrangement.

The President said Biashara Centres will make it easier for small business owners to access services provided by various government agencies under one roof.

“I am happy to note that the first Biashara Centre was launched a week ago at Kariobangi in Nairobi; and is fully functional, providing services related to taxes, standards, technology and finance,” the President said.

Trade CS Peter Munya, Central Bank Governor Patrick Njoroge and United States Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter also spoke at the launch event.

INNA & VINKA released their new single, “Bebe”, to a global audience and premiere events across Africa, Europe and the USA.

“Bebe” is an instant smash hit, a song composed with French, Swahili, Luganda and English lyrics, written by Inna and Vinka, Marco & Seba, Theea Minculescu, O'mara Nicholas Bonique and Shena Skies.

The track was produced by Marco & Seba, with whom INNA has collaborated with on some of her biggest global mega hits: ”Ruleta”, ”Nirvana”, ”Yalla”, and also ”Hot”, ”Sun is Up” or ”Gimme Gimme” and consulting producer Benon Mugumbya, the super-producer behind Vinka’s previous myriad of chart topping smash hits.

The “Bebe” music video is set in an urban, stylish setting with cool very well-defined characters, and the two artists express their style and strong personalities through their outfits, style and the track’s message.

The music video was directed and shot on location in Bucharest, Romania by NGM Creative (Bogdan Păun and Alexandru Mureșan) and produced by Loops Production.

The styling was done by RDstyling, the make-up artists Andra Manea and Anca Buldur and the hairstylists Adonis Enache and Ana Lăzărescu provided the glamourous sparks to Inna and Vinka’s looks with Gucci, Anna Kiki, Jimmy Choo and r13 the brands behind the clothing, shoes, eyewear and accessories.

Watch "Bebe" music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEWx6H8gZH8

 “I composed ‘Bebe’ in a spontaneous studio session, the melody was ready immediately, the same with the chorus and the entire concept, it all came together very well and then I continued to work on the song with Vinka, Theea and Marco & Seba. I love the result, Vinka fits perfectly into the song’s vibe. Enjoy!”, says INNA.

 “When my Tsunami MGMT team brought me the opportunity to work with the amazingly talented INNA I was excited beyond words! Even more so when Inna and I got together in studio in Bucharest and it was just an instant connection" says Vinka

Adding "The magic then happened naturally with the fusion between EDM Dance Music coming together with influences from the African continent and then merging French, English, Swahili and Luganda. INNA was really interested to work Swahili and Luganda lyrics into the song and the magic between Inna and me was instantaneous, she’s is such an amazing talent.”

Vinka spent her time in Romania not only to shoot the music video for “Bebe”, but also to participate at ‘The Artist Awards’ alongside Inna, hosted in Piața Mihai Viteazu in Romania, the first edition of the awards celebrating talent, the most relevant artists and content creators.

Vinka was one of the standout stars on the red carpet over the two says of awards with her amazing style and completely African designed wardrobe. Vinka was thrilled to take part in the two-day event and is looking forward to returning to Romania.

Vinka is a multi-talented Ugandan-born star singer-songwriter and dancer. Within a very short period Vinka exploded onto the music scene with her Uganda label Swangz Avenue, topped all the major charts and became the leading female artist in Uganda with a string of chart-topping hits behind her. In 2019 to date Vinka released ten smash hit singles that went straight to number one on a myriad of charts across the African continent.

With another historic campaign Vinka released a new chart topping single on the 1st Friday of every month to date in 2019 and released 11 number 1 singles to date in 2019 with one single set for release still in December 2019.

Some of her chart-topping hits in 2019 include ‘Chips na Ketchup’, ‘Overdose’, ‘Love Doctor’, ‘Sweet Love’, ‘Mpoozi’, ‘Amaaso Remix’, ‘By the Way’, ‘Sure’, ‘Koona’ and ‘Only for You’.

To top 2019 off Vinka signed a worldwide exclusive multi-year global management deal with leading Pan African Talent Management Company Tsunami MGMT, inclusive of a major content deal with the leading Pan African content team Rockstar Television and The Rockstar Group and a major multi album record deal with one of the biggest record labels on the planet, Sony Music Entertainment, as the 4th major Pan African signing for Sony Music to date in this kind of deal alongside other Pan African megastars such as Wizkid, Davido and Alikiba.

Vinka is now part of a larger stellar family that includes African stars such as Lira, Amanda Black, C4 Pedro, D’banj, Kwesta, AKA, DJ Maphoriza and the global family of megastars such as Beyonce, Adele, Usher, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Christine Aguilera, P!nk, John Legend, Khalid, Mark Ronson, Nicki Minaj, Stevie Wonder, SZA, Diana Ross, Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris, Future, Travis Scott, Camilla Cabello to name only a few and Vinka is the 1st Pan African female artist signed to this type of deal.

With an impressive string of hits, numerous awards under her trendy belt and the clubs of Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East already at her feet, INNA is a fierce musical phenomenon.

The most exciting new voice in the dance world, the Romanian has blazed through the global charts with hits like “Hot,” “Sun Is Up” and “Déjà vu,” collaborating with the likes of Pitbull, Flo-Rida, Daddy Yankee, Juan Magán, JBalvin, Yandel and reaching the top slots in dozens of countries, from her native Romania to Japan, Mexico, Turkey, Argentina, Spain, Finland, Poland and the U.S.

With looks and dance moves that match her musical talent, INNA has won multiple MTV Europe Awards, Romanian Music Awards and RRA Awards and in 2012 became the first and only European female artist to reach 1 billion YouTube views, in addition to boasting 12 million Facebook fans and over 600,000 Twitter followers.

 INNA is a brand ambassador to many top brands such as Coca-Cola Romania, Clear Turkey, Huawei Romania, AVON Romania, LIDL Romania and Jaguar Romania. Currently #78 on YouTube’s Artist Chart, INNA has more than 3.7 billion views on YouTube, more than Wisin, Akon, Sean Paul, Madonna, Lana del Rey, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Will.I.Am.

Recently, at Milan Fashion Week, Romania was represented at the event through INNA’s track, “Iguana”, the theme song for the Versace spring/summer 2020 show, and became a viral moment, when Jennifer Lopez came out on the catwalk wearing an iconic dress.

Fast rising Kenyan rapper, singer and producer and one third of AD Family Boutross  is gearing up to release his new double CD mixtape titled "6ixviewsii8k”(8^th Nov 2019).

Popularly known as the “Shrap God”, Boutross is known for hit singles including “Wrong”, “Bank” and “Tergat Gang”, the acclaimed collaboration with Octopizzo and Barak Jacuzzi.

Boutross mixtape launch concert will be held Saturday 9^th Nov 2019 at the Deepwest Lounge, featuring special performances from Karun, Nvirri The Storyteller, Kristoff, Nameless, TNT, EA Wave, Wakadinali, Xenia Manasseh, Barak Jacuzzi and DJs including Coco EM & Mawinch, plus many more!.

Ahead of the concert, Boutross says, “I am bringing together my friends in music and some of your favorite Kenyan artists who I have also collaborated with on the mixtape for the event. I can’t wait to see all my fans at the launch, we have prepared a musical performance like no other.” 

He adds, “This project is special to me and am excited to drop it after working on it for two years now. Hope you all love it. Shrap to the world!”

The mixtape titled "6ixviewsii8k” is a grand project that features over 19 collaborations with Nameless, Barak Jacuzzi, Wakadinali, Karun, Groove, TNT, Mastar VK, Kristoff, Monski, Kay Green, Dope-I-Mean, Maandy, Zikii, Nviiri The Storyteller, Ex Ray (Boondocks Gang), Asum Garvey, Shappa Man, Raj and Javan. 

Mixed and Mastered by ABH Sound. It will be exclusively available on Boomplay Music for one week after its release and live on Apple Music and Spotify a week after. So far, Boutross has released 7 singles off the EP and some videos including “Wasoro”, “Wrong”, “Bank” featuring Barak Jacuzzi and “Omoka” with Wakadinali and Mastar VK.

Boutross is one of the pioneers of the Shrap sound in Kenya – a fusion of Sheng’, rap and popular music. In 2018, he was among the 100 artists and top 10 selected on Mr. Eazi’s Empawa Artists program. Under the project, he released the hit single “Wrong”.

As he prepares to release the new project, he has been on a campus activation tour over the past few weeks which has seen him perform at Riara University, JKUAT Karen, Catholic University and Daystar University. Currently, he is also working on a new EP which will feature collaborations with artists from across the continent.

Nigerian artists Wizkid and Tiwa Savage who are currently among the top artists in Africa are expected to grace the Wasafi festival 2019 slated for this weekend in Daresalaam.

In a recent interview with Wasafi media, Diamond Platnumz revealed that there will be alot of surprises when it comes to performances as several artists from within and outside Tanzania are expected to take part.

He also noted that the event is set to kick off in the morning to midnight with several activities including dancing and music competition.

Diamond charged "We want to make sure that by midnight (12am) all the perfomances are over and we head over to the after party" 

The 'Kanyaga' hitmaker also revealed that the proceeds from the event will go towards assisting Children who are to undergo heart surgery at Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institution (JKCI).

"I want to declare here that 20 per cent of the money to be generated from the final show will be channelled towards helping to cover medical bills of the sick children at JKCI," said Diamond promising to personally assist 10 Children.

It is still not yet clear if there will be artists from Kenya to perform at the festival.

The Oscars Award Academy has disqualified Nigeria’s ‘Lionheart’ from the Oscar race in the Best International Feature Film category.

The 2018 film was directed by Nollywood actress and director Genevieve Nnaj

The movie is said to have violated an Academy rule that entries in the best international feature film category must have a predominantly non-English dialogue track.

Lionheart is largely in English, with an 11-minute section in the Igbo language.

It is also reported that the film had not been vetted by the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee in advance of the October 7 announcement of qualifying films.

Nnaji who also starts in the movie has sharply reacted to the move .

"I am the director of Lionheart. This movie represents the way we speak as Nigerians. This includes English which acts as a bridge between the 500+ languages spoken in our country; thereby making us #OneNigeria" said Nnaji

Adding "It's no different to how French connects communities in former French colonies. We did not choose who colonized us. As ever, this film and many like it, is proudly Nigerian. @TheAcademy"  

American filmmaker and film distributor Ava DuVernay also criticised the move stating "To @TheAcademy, You disqualified Nigeria's first-ever submission for Best International Feature because its in English. But English is the official language of Nigeria. Are you barring this country from ever competing for an Oscar in its official language?"

In the movie, Nnaji Gennevive Nnaji plays a woman who tries to keep her father's struggling company afloat in a male-dominated environment by stepping  up to the challenge to work with her crude and eccentric brother when her father, Chief Ernest Obiagu is forced to take a step back due to health issues.

Thrift Social Nairobi has postponed the upcoming Neon & Leather edition earlier slated for November 9th to Sunday, December 8th.

The series to be held at The Waterfront Karen Mall, will feature Nigerian Pop sensation Rema, soulful singer Bensoul, fast rising star Xenia and acclaimed mood setters TAIO, Hiribae and Mix Master Lenny. 

Due to unavoidable travel constraints for the visiting headlining act, the market was forced to reschedule the experience with advanced tickets effectively carried forward to the latter date. 

The social event series was founded in 2015 by brother and sister combo cum style entrepreneurs, Oliver Asike and Velma Rossa as a platform for the exploration of fashion, visual art and music in a bid to inspire innovation in Kenya’s vibrant and multi–faceted creative industry.

The market invites fashion and style enthusiasts to shop from a curated selection of the city’s cutting edge vendors, attracting a plethora of creatives from fashion enterprises, designers, photographers, stylists, models, art directors and other fashion actors in the Kenyan fashion ecosystem.

The upcoming edition marks an end to a stellar year for Africa’s biggest thrift market after a flourishing partnership with Nataal Magazine, a London based digital and print platform revered for inspiring artists whose work is shaping global African creativity today.

The collaboration will be the third of its kind after the successful Made In Kenya and Tie & Dye editions that saw British Urban Jaaz queen IAMDDB and BET Award winner Sho Madjozi headline the series alongside some of Kenya’s celebrated and rising acts from Sauti Sol, Nyashinski, Karun, Wanja Wohoro to DJ fully Focus among many others.

The afternoon long market is an immersive, arguably unprecedented experience that strives to foster opportunities and possibilities within our creative ecosystem.

The Rockefeller Foundation has announced the Food System Vision Prize – inviting organizations, universities, institutions, companies, cooperatives, and partnerships from around the world to create compelling and progressive visions of the world’s system by 2050. A Prize of

$2 million will be distributed among 10 winners.

“Today’s food system is failing communities around the world, increasing diet-related disease and accelerating the effects of climate change,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation.

Adding “Yet, we have more knowledge, technology, social intelligence, and human capacity than ever before – all of which must be harnessed to transform our food system so that it nourishes all people, grows the global economy, and promotes a thriving environment.”

The Rockefeller Foundation, partnering with SecondMuse and OpenIDEO, aims to amplify the discourse on the state and the future of the world’s many food systems, and to empower communities globally to become protagonists in their own food future.

Creating a new Vision for the future of our food system requires a culture of collaboration that rallies industry, policy, academia, and society to look beyond silos to act as one.

“We’ve been conditioned to envision a bleak and dystopian future, but this doesn’t need to be the case,” said Dr. Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President of the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation.

Adding “To make the systemic changes necessary to fix our food systems by 2050, we need strong positive visions to progress from hope to action.”

The Challenge

Food System Vision Prize participants – Visionaries – will be tasked with imagining a hopeful, inspiring Vision for their chosen place that reflects the views of multiple stakeholders within their food system and addresses six interconnected themes: the environment, diets, economics, culture, technology, and policy.

Visions will unlock inspiration, knowledge, networks, and innovations that have the potential to transform the future course of humanity and the planet, lighting the way for populations across the globe to realize a more promising, nourishing and healthy future.

Submission Process & Timeline

To apply, visit FoodSystemVisionPrize.org on October 29, 2019 to view the application, the Prize Terms and Conditions, and eligibility requirements. Submissions for the first round of the competition must be completed by 5:00 PM EST on January 31, 2020.

After the close of initial submissions, semi-finalists will be selected to advance to the next phase of the competition in March 2020. Ten finalists will progress to the Accelerator in May 2020 during which they will receive support in order to develop a final product to promote their Vision and their path toward implementation. Specifically, finalists will:

• Collaborate with a select team of advisors to further refine and actualize their Visions
• Receive support from The Rockefeller Foundation, including media and storytelling training, presence on a global platform and media exposure to attract partners and connections, and access to other funder and philanthropic networks

Each finalist that completes the Accelerator and otherwise meets all eligibility and other requirements will be announced as a Top Visionary on September 13, 2020.

Each winner shall receive a prize of $200,000 USD and will have an opportunity to attend an awards ceremony where the Top Visionary can collaborate and network with other food system stakeholders addressing systemic food issues.

 More information here: 

https://www.foodsystemvisionprize.org/utm_source=rock%2Bpress%2Brelease&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=food%2Bprize%2Bbrief

Ugandan award winning artist Eddy Kenzo has gone down the history books for being the first artist from East Africa to have his song featured in an American movie.

The song 'Mbilo Mbilo' which was released in 2015 has been featured in Netflix's latest original film "Holiday in the Wild". \

The film was released on November 1 2019 . It has been directed by Ernie Barbarash and starring Hollywood greats Kristin Davis and Rob Lowe.

In the movie which is about celebrating Christmas in Africa, Kristin Davis and Rob Lowe fall in love while taking care of elephants in Zambia in a colossally silly yet oddly likable festive time-filler.

'Mbilo Mbilo is used during the main characters' safari adventure.

Commenting on the move Eddy Kenzo said "Congratulations to me my fans world wide and Uganda the pearl of Africa this is big "

Fikisha a new Kenyan tax application is now available in Mombasa.

Fikisha is a one stop Kenyan application that seeks to offer services apart from taxi to product deliveries , home , offfice delivers as well as hearse and ambulance services.

It was first luanched in Nyeri in 2016.

According to Fikisha marketing manager Catherine Wamboi, they also seeking to take advantage of the tourism industry especially with the standard gauge railway (sgr).

"The holiday season is already here with us and what a better way to travel Fikisha and arrive safely at your destination of choice" said Wamboi.

The app also has options of boda boda, tuk tuks,.  In total in Mombasa Fikisha has  own fleet of 50 cars , 10 boda boda  and 108 taxi cabs and still adding fleet.

Catherine also revealed that they are planning to expand the business to other areas like Kisumu , Eldoret , Kitui , Machakos and Nakuru.

''We have installed security measures in place to flag down operators with expired documents including PSV insurance and licences as we seek to have law abiding  operators ,''Catherine said