The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has announced the upcoming IGAD Media Awards 2024, which will take place in Nairobi, Kenya.

The event, hosted at the Argyle Hotel, will recognise journalists and media professionals who have significantly contributed to peace, security, and development within the IGAD region.

Centred around the theme “Narratives of Hope: Inspiring Peaceful, Secure, and Inclusive Futures,” this year’s awards recognise media coverage that promotes peace, security, and regional cooperation.

The awards highlight stories that foster unity, resilience, and hope across IGAD Member States. Entries for the awards have already been received, and the panel of jurors has selected 18 winners across various categories for their exceptional storytelling.

The event will feature a one-and-a-half-day workshop characterised by engaging panel
discussions across four key sessions:

● Spotlight on the peace and security situation in the Horn of Africa
● Challenges faced by women and children in conflict zones
● The Sudan Crisis: Collective Experiences and Insights
● Inspiring change through transformative and powerful messaging

These sessions will bring together experts, journalists, policymakers, and development stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities in peace and security across the IGAD region, offering insights and strategies for impactful storytelling.

Speaking about the upcoming event, IGAD Executive Secretary, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, emphasised the importance of the media in building peace and security within the region. He remarked that the media is a powerful tool that bridges divides, unites communities, and fosters understanding and collaboration.

"The IGAD Media Awards aim to acknowledge and support media professionals who use their platforms to champion hope and peace in the region." said Gebeyehu.

Organised with the support of the Government of Kenya, USAID Kenya, and the East Africa Mission, the 2024 IGAD Media Awards will convene policymakers, development partners, media professionals, civil society representatives, and stakeholders to celebrate journalistic excellence and acknowledge the challenges and achievements within the region.

The workshop will take place from the 22nd to the 23rd of October, and the Awards Ceremony will be held on the 23rd of October from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Argyle Hotel in Nairobi.

During the ceremony, the 18 winners, representing categories such as Print, Radio, TV, Photography, Digital, National Languages, Influencer, Gender-Responsive Media, and the Lifetime Achievement Award, will be recognised.

Winners will receive cash prizes, certificates, and trophies in appreciation of their impactful storytelling and dedication to promoting peacebuilding and regional development. IGAD remains committed to supporting the media’s role in advancing peace, security, and regional cooperation.

The MTV Staying Alive Foundation has announced the return of the iconic MTV Shuga to Kenya, with a brand-new season titled MTV Shuga Mashariki.

This exciting development marks the show’s comeback after more than 10 years, with auditions having kicked off this October in search of Kenya’s freshest talent.

At the heart of MTV Shuga’s return is its unwavering focus on storytelling to change the lives of Kenyan youth. 

From script to screen, this season’s entire production is informed by local youth-centered research and designed to tackle restrictive, harmful gender norms that affect the outcomes of young people's lives in Kenya. 

Additionally, MTV Shuga Mashariki will be a 100% Kenyan production, ensuring that every aspect of the show reflects the authentic experiences and voices of Kenyan youth.

In its return, the production of MTV Shuga Mashariki will draw from extensive evidence that has shown that authentic youth-centered storytelling can help shift restrictive norms, at scale. 

In a bid to broaden its reach to aspiring actors across the country and nurture local talent, the show will hold both physical and virtual open auditions this month.

MTV Shuga has built a strong legacy of showcasing new talent and this season will uphold that tradition, introducing dynamic new faces and a fresh generation of Kenyan actors to its ever-expanding audience.

Both in person and online cast submissions, will be reviewed by the casting team after which shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further steps.

Open Auditions in Nairobi:

Actors based in Nairobi are invited to attend open auditions from October 11th - 13th, 2024 from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. at the University of Nairobi (main campus). Registration closes October 10th, 2024.

Online Submissions:

MTV Shuga Mashariki will also include online submissions as an option to those unable to make it to the physical auditions. Aspiring actors should submit the following materials by October 13th, 2024:

1. A professional headshot

2. A brief introductory video and  30-second monologue performance

How to Audition:

Sign up for physical or virtual auditions using this link: https://shorturl.at/ABWHT 

Eligibility:

Open to Kenyan citizens aged 18 -30 years only. 

By Modeen Malick, Principal Systems Engineer at Commvault

Recent cyberattacks on various organisations, including South African government departments, are a stark reminder that cybercriminals increasingly target public and private sector organisations.

This underscores the critical importance of robust data management and cybersecurity.

Unfortunately, many organisations in both sectors face challenges due to underinvestment in security systems and outdated technology. This, combined with the large amounts of valuable and sensitive data that private and public sector organisations hold, makes them attractive targets for cyberattacks.

While both sectors are vulnerable to attacks, public sector organisations are more likely to be targeted as government typically invests less in cybersecurity compared to private sector organisations. The potential consequences can be dire for both public and private sector organisations if they fail to enhance their data management and cybersecurity infrastructure.

The most evident consequence of a data breach is financial loss, due to unplanned downtime and disruption of operations. Beyond financial loss, and arguably even more severe, is the risk of suffering reputational damage as a result of an attack. This can erode customer trust and have a long-term impact on revenue.

The evolving threat landscape

While most organisations embrace regulatory compliance that is designed to protect sensitive data, it is the data environment itself that is becoming increasingly challenging to secure, as it is constantly growing and becoming more complex.

Advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven solutions can assist organisations in defending against cyber threats. Today, traditional data management companies are partnering with AI specialists to roll out AI-driven solutions that help organisations leverage data insights that facilitate threat detection, protection and mitigation methods and data recovery.

Due to the evolution of the threat landscape, leading data management companies are diversifying and collaborating with partners such as Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) companies or Security, Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) partners to provide threat detection and assessment solutions. This can be further bundled with incident management and a layer of data governance and privacy.

To create effective cyber resilience, these data security products must be able to integrate with products in the broader cybersecurity ecosystem. This will not only meet the needs of customers but also help to bring faster, smarter and more connected security insights to all organisations, whether in the public or private sectors.

In today's digital landscape, it is imperative to prioritise robust cybersecurity measures and IT modernisation due to organisations’ IT environments becoming increasingly complex, with potential attacks becoming more sophisticated. As such, business leaders are driving strategic cyber resilience efforts to put their business continuity and data recovery needs at the forefront of their cyber preparedness.

Traditional methods no longer suffice

As a result, traditional IT budgets have shifted. While replication from a data protection perspective used to be considered the most reliable disaster recovery measure, the rapid advancement of technology means it is no longer sufficient to only safeguard against data loss.

Today, recovering from a cyberattack is more complex than simple data recovery. It involves restoring not only the compromised or lost data but also the systems and applications affected by the attack. This process can be time-consuming and challenging due to the vast amounts of data that need to be recovered. An effective data protection strategy must now align with the intricacies of a modern IT landscape, as organisations must implement solutions that go over and above the traditional.

However, despite organisations investing heavily in security tools, bad actors still profit from damaging and exploiting businesses and their critical data, whether it is in the public sector or the private sector.

Organisations need to therefore adopt a more proactive approach to identifying risks and defending their data. Ultimately, they need to be able to effectively identify the risk while bracing for the impact of an inevitable breach, thus minimising the blast radius and impact of the attack.

Mombasa youth activist Evans Momanyi has pleaded with president William Ruto to reconcile with his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and save him from the impeachment process currently ongoing.

Momanyi argued that Ruto should provide leadership and pursue reconciliation for the sake of the country noting that the current wrangles are likely to raise political temperatures in the country.

Speaking during the public participation exercise for the impeachment of DP Gachagua in Mombasa, Momanyi called on Ruto to be careful with people sorrounding him and avoid being 'misled'.

"We are talking about the presidency here, and the presidency is both Ruto and his deputy Gachagua so the president has to trade very careful." argued Momanyi.

Adding "If Gachagua has committed any crime, let the relevant authorities including the police and EACC take up the matter and work on it."

"The president needs to be careful, that person that you have in mind to replace Gachagua might the person who will also be used to impeach you."

The public participation is currently ongoing in all constituencies across the country.

Celebrated Kenyan singer-songwriter and performer Chimano has dropped a fresh new track titled “Fashion” produced by Ghana’s Afro Elektra and co-produced by Kenyan producer DTX.

Chimano has embarked on an exciting new chapter in his career as a solo artist, and he’s making a bold statement with his latest releases.

“Fashion” is a vibrant dance anthem that is more than just a song; it’s a declaration of self-expression, a love letter to his loyal fanbase, the Chimandems, and a showcase of his newfound confidence and swagger.

Ahead of the release, Chimano shares, “This song is also an ode to Kenya’s fashion industry and its movers and shakers, featuring designs from Kiko Romeo, Sevaria, Muyishime, and Afrostreet. These custom pieces are worn by Chimano, Brian Babu, Wambui Thimba, and Yvonne Afrostreet in the music video.”

Hot on the heels of his much-anticipated debut single, “Do You Remember” - the new single is accompanied with visuals directed by CJ Pixels.

And is an energetic track that blends Chimano’s signature experimental sounds with infectious beats, revealing a playful yet sophisticated side of his artistry, as he continues to evolve in his musical journey. Speaking about his latest release, Chimano shares, “I am thrilled this song is finally being released after two years in the studio. The timing is perfect now, and I'm excited to share it after navigating everything else happening around me to now finally embark on a solo career as an individual artist.” 

 Watch: “Fashion” & “Do You Remember” on YouTube

Chimano’s solo work promises to delve deeper into themes of self-discovery, blending fun, authenticity, and intricacy in both sound and lyricism. His forthcoming projects will further reflect his love for music and the gift he’s been given, as he plans to release a full body of work that embodies his creative evolution.

“Fashion” written by Bien, further solidifies Chimano's status as a renowned style icon while reflecting on his fashion sense, which he describes as blissful, confident and daring. He sums up, “Fashion has had a profound impact on me because of the joy it brings me. Many times I feel like I’ve only just begun to explore its potential and I’m excited to dive deeper to unlock even more of my creativity through it.”

As Chimano steps into this new phase of his career, fans can look forward to a vibrant mix of personal storytelling, experimental production, and bold self-expression—all delivered with the unmistakable style and artistry that have made him a standout in the music scene.

He sums up, “Fashion represents the beginning of a new era for me. It marks my transition into a new sound and style, while still staying true to my artistic identity. I am excited to continue exploring this direction and to share more of myself with my audience.”

The inaugural First Lady Mazingira Awards (FLAMA) is expected to take place on October 10, where young innovative learners will be awarded for their creativity and innovation in tackling climate change actions.

FLAMA is a learner-centered annual environment and climate change competition that has been rolled out by the office of the first lady of Kenya in partnership with the ministries of education and environment and other stakeholders.

The competition targets 18 million learners spread across 89,000 primary and secondary schools across the country.

For a start, the program will engage learners in primary schools and junior secondary school before it is progressively rolled out to all learning institutions.

Speaking during the FLAMA media breakfast meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, Eng. Festus Ng’eno the Principal Secretary State Department for Environment and Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment said the awards provide an exceptional platform for learners to express creativity in addressing challenges of environment and climate action change.

“The role of our children in shaping the discussion on environmental change cannot be overstated; they cannot be passive observers but must be engaged fully and meaningfully. This competition has enabled learners to become advocates of environmental change engaging the community in discussions about conservation and resilience,” said Ngeno.

The PS said that the integration of environmental education into the curriculum is vital in shaping behavior and lifelong commitment into preserving and conserving environment by involving young learners.

He said that children in the country have firsthand experienced challenges of climate change referring to the recent floods in the country that caused delays in opening of schools affecting about 18 million learners across the country.

The future of environmental conservation he said depends on the actions the country takes today involving young learners who he said are the owners of the future.

"This not just a competition, it is a movement and we are committed as a government that we will work closely with the office of the first lady to achieve the awards goals. Through FLAMA, we are witnessing the seed of change being planted making our young learners the cornerstone of environmental change in Kenya,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Florence Samoit, the Secretary Administration in the State department for Basic Education who was representing her PS Dr. Belio Kipsang in the Ministry of Education said that the wards provide a platform that recognizes and appreciate young people making significant contribution in addressing climate change through creative expressions.

She said the Ministry of Education has been part and parcel of designing the award scheme right from its conception to its implementation.

“We have issued letters of authorization in line with the ministry’s mandate and also used existing structure to support and popularize the awards in our primary and junior secondary schools,” said Samoit.

The program she said is learner-centered in its approach and design as it involved the young learners’ right from the beginning including the designing of the logo for the competitions.

She added that the program has been integrated in to the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) whereby using a UCI cord, Nemis will be used to identify authenticated schools to take part in the competitions.

“The focus of the awards scheme aims to nurture and empower learners as agents of change for environmental conservation and climate action. Children are more vulnerable to climate change effect as we have witness before the disruption of the school calendar due to flooding and some children in arid and semi-arid areas missing classes due to drought and hunger,”

"This program empower learners to be critical thinkers, problem solvers and effective communicators and therefore by supporting and promoting flama we are investing in our future and ensuring sustainability as we move forward,” she said.

Elizabeth Kosgei, the chief executive officer of Mama Doing Good environmental organization underscored the need to amplify the voice of preservation of the environment.

She stated that climate change was no longer an abstract issue but a new reality especially for young learners and children.

She implored on the media to be at the forefront of being the change agents the country requires in changing the narrative on climate action change.

"The media influences how the masses view environmental conservation and climate change. It is through you that the message of climate action can resonate across Kenya, regionally and throughout the world,”

“Through your lenses, words and platforms, it influence how we as a society view climate change action,” said Kosgei.

Flama she said is not just a competition or an award ceremony, but a platform for real hands on engagement through creative expression.

Through its alignment with the curriculum, the competition she said provides children the opportunity to learn by doing including to plant trees, conserve water and develop sustainable solutions to protect the environment.

“By empowering our learners we are nurturing a generation that values and protects the environment,” she said.

By Modeen Malick, Principal Systems Engineer at Commvault

It is not a revelation that in today's data-driven world, where information is the lifeblood of businesses, the significance of a robust disaster recovery plan has never been greater.

With the spectre of natural disasters, technical glitches, human errors, data breaches, and ransomware attacks constantly looming, the ability to shield and rapidly restore data with minimal disruption has become a critical imperative.

However, there are some important considerations if you want your business to reach a state of recovery readiness.

Crafting a Resilient Strategy

To achieve recovery readiness for organisations, there are five essential foundation steps to follow:

1. Create a Disaster Recovery Plan: Establishing a well-defined disaster recovery strategy forms the cornerstone for swiftly restoring regular operations in the aftermath of a crisis.
2. Protect: Strengthen resiliency and security by implementing multiple layers of infrastructure protection and controls. This involves employing advanced tools, adhering to policies, and following guidelines to bolster overall preparedness.
3. Monitor Your Environment: Exercise intelligent data management through a unified interface to ensure continuous data availability and uninterrupted business processes, both within on-premises and cloud environments.
4. Restore Your Data: Execute rapid data restoration using a secure and uncorrupted data copy. This ensures a prompt return to standard business functions while minimizing disruption.
5. Test Your Plan: Regularly assess and validate your recovery plan's effectiveness to ensure alignment with defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for critical data and applications. This ongoing verification guarantees a high level of readiness and responsiveness.

Harnessing Technology for Defence

At the heart of modern disaster recovery solutions lies cutting-edge technology, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) taking centre stage. This advanced AI-driven technology assumes a pivotal role in deciphering the vast volume of data generated from a myriad of interactions, backups, and restoration processes.

Through its intricate analysis, the software extracts valuable performance insights and identifies emerging trends, subsequently enabling the automation and optimisation of critical IT processes.

Leveraging the power of AI, the placement of data is seamlessly automated in precise accordance with established Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and consumption patterns.

This synergistic approach not only enhances storage efficiency but also bolsters the safeguarding of sensitive data, underscoring its indispensable value in today's intricate digital landscape.

The arsenal of proactive measures also encompasses formidable tools such as active defence technology and cyber deception strategies.

These innovative tactics provide businesses with invaluable time to fortify their defences by deftly redirecting potential attackers towards decoy assets, effectively diffusing threats. Complementing this protection architecture is the implementation of malware scans across backup content files, introducing an additional layer of robust preventative security.

This comprehensive amalgamation of cutting-edge AI technology and proactive defence mechanisms serves to elevate the resilience of disaster recovery solutions, rendering them exceptionally adaptable and potent in countering the evolving array of modern cyber challenges.

 Trust in Cloud-Based Recovery

In the sphere of cloud-based disaster recovery, meticulous planning is the cornerstone of success. Immovability stands as a cornerstone principle, fortified by an array of security controls, encryption protocols, and native ransomware protection mechanisms.

However, the true star in this domain is offsite data replication, which introduces extra layers of protection beyond the innate cyber resilience controls.

Through strategic partnerships with major cloud storage providers, this approach gains further traction. Storage-level immutability is invoked, effectively locking data storage containers from any tampering or deletion within a carefully defined immutability window.

Adapting and Staying Prepared

Navigating the unpredictable waters of disaster recovery demands a continuous commitment to maintaining and testing recovery plans.

Guided by a comprehensive four-step framework, this process includes stakeholder identification, critical asset comprehension, tabletop exercises, and post-mortem analysis.

This cycle of iteration makes sure that tactics are improved over time and readiness is steadily strengthened. It fosters a continual process of flexibility and attentiveness, enabling organizations to develop in tandem with new dangers and difficulties.

In the Ever-Changing Landscape

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, data protection and recovery are intrinsically linked to cutting-edge technology.

A comprehensive strategy, characterised by simplicity, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness, emerges as a rallying call for organisations to safeguard their most precious asset which is data.

In an era where the digital horizon is constantly reshaped by emerging threats, this counsel urges organisations to stand steadfast – to confront adversities, champion resilience, and preserve the very essence of our digital age.

Kenyans from across the country will be accorded an opportunity to give their views on the planned removal from office by impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetang'ula while giving a roadmap of the impeachment process to the House explained that public participation on the exercise will be conducted on Friday, October 4 in all the 47 counties. 

Noting that public participation is an integral element of the process of removal of an elected State Officer from office, Speaker Wetang’ula revealed that the House Business Committee has approved a program of how the exercise will be conducted. 

“The House Business Committee has approved a program of public participation exercise across the country to be coordinated from 47 counties on 4th October, 2024,” said the Speaker. 

He explained that all parliamentary activities previously scheduled between Thursday, October 3, 2024 until Monday, October 7, 2024 shall be suspended to pave way for public participation exercise. 

“This unprecedented occasion is one which requires the House to summon all members to avail themselves and participate in all the activities relating to the special motion. Standing Order 68 provides that a motion for the removal of a person from office takes precedence over all other business in the order paper,” he said. 

The Speaker added that in accordance to requirements of articles 47 and 50 of the Constitution and Standing Order 67, Hon. Gachagua will be given an opportunity to appear before the House.

"The Deputy President shall be notified of his right to appear before the House on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 and the allocation of time between 5:00pm and 7:00pm”

Earlier after the tabling of the impeachment motion sponsored by Hon. Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West), National Assembly Majority Whip, Hon. Silvanus Osoro, sought guidance from the Speaker Hon. Wetang'ula on how the House will incorporate public participation in the process.  

Hon. Osoro emphasized that the impeachment motion against DP Gachagua, which he described as unprecedented in the post-2010 constitutional era, is a matter of significant public interest.

He argued that public participation, a fundamental principle of Kenya’s Constitution, should be included in the legislative process for the motion.

Referencing past court rulings and county assembly jurisprudence, Hon. Osoro noted that impeachments at the county level, particularly of governors and their deputies, have been overturned due to the absence of public participation. 

He suggested that the same standard should apply to the current motion, aligning it with the impeachment procedures followed cases where governors and their deputies are sent home.

"Any motion brought before this House that is of public interest must go through the entire process, including public participation,” Osoro stated. 

He requested Speaker Wetang'ula’s guidance on how public participation could be incorporated into the current motion.

“Looking at the jurisprudence established by the courts and the County Assemblies on the impeachments of governors and their deputies, it is clear that many impeached officials have successfully challenged their removal due to a lack of public participation,” Osoro added.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and his Minority counterpart Junet Mohamed also raised concerns about the safety of Members of Parliament who have signed the motion to impeach Hon. Gachagua. 

Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) and Junet Mohamed (Suna East) who spoke on Tuesday afternoon after the motion to impeach the Deputy President was tabled said the security of the 291 who supported Hon. Rigathi’s ouster must be guaranteed. 

Speaker Wetang’ula in his communication to the House responded to the concerns, revealing that the safety of the MPs will be guaranteed.

"In addition to the existing arrangements made for the security and safety of members, additional arrangements shall be considered in the usual manner in consultation with the National Police Service.

In her address during the commemoration of 60 years of diplomatic relations between Tanzanian and China in August this year (2024) Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian noted that the resolution adopted by the 20th Central Committee of the Communist party of China presents a significant opportunity for a deeper Sino-Tanzania partnership.

Mingjan further emphasized that the resolution serves as a for future collaboration and mutual growth.

The resolutions have introduced over 300 essential reform measures. 

"These plans for deepening reforms and advancing Chinese modernization will not only benefit China but also open doors for Tanzania to engage in more robust trade and investment partnership" she said.

On April 26, 1964, the People's Republic of China and the United Republic of Tanzania formally established diplomatic relations. 

China is currently Tanzania's  leading trade partner. Tanzania is also one of the African countries that China has strategically targeted to assert it's authority and influence in trade and also military partnership.

Ambassador Mingjian is the person on the forefront to ensure that China achieves all it's intended plans, however it seems not many Tanzanians know her.

Speaking to this blog, Shaban Nyanda, a resident of Mwanza said he has not heard about the ambassador.

" I'm aware that China has an active embassy and representative here in Tanzania but if you ask me who he or she is I don't know, even the name. But I know what China has been doing here and in Africa" said Nyanda.

Adding " You see we are used to those ambassadors who have always been commenting and raising their voices whenever an issue arises in Tanzania, for example if you go round people will tell you about the American ambassador because they perceive him to be very vocal and somehow showing concern about what affects them."

Nyanda charged "One thing that I know for a fact is that China is fighting very hard to ensure that it takes over Africa from the Western countries. China has given out alot of loans to African countries, just recently our African presidents including our own Mama Samia Suluhu were in China, to me I think that is a good strategy provided we the people benefit."

His sentiments were echoed with Zena Yusuf who emphasized the need for more collaboration between Tanzania and other foreign countries.

"We all know the status of our African countries, we cannot survive on our own, we need more partners, however we should be careful with who we are working with." said Yusuf

Adding " The focus should be the interest of the people, not some few individuals or selfish interests. No one should take advantage of us because of our status. Our President needs to be tough."