Ommy Dallah
Opinion Piece: Investing In The Right Technology And Business Communication Solutions Can Drive Growth In Kenya
By Ivy Njeru, Account Executive at Infobip Kenya
Digital transformation is well underway in the East Africa region, with Kenya specifically at the forefront of the emerging technology innovation landscape on the continent.
This is largely due to the government’s heavy investment in the country’s broadband sector, with no less than four undersea fibre optic cables now landing off the coast of Kenya.
This, in turn, has driven widespread fixed and mobile internet penetration in the country to a level of 85.2% of the population.
Additionally, Kenya recently became the second country on the continent to launch a 5G network. The initial rollout covers four towns and is expected to grow to nine over the next year.
It is expected that the launch of 5G services will be a boost for technology adoption and innovation among local businesses.
Fundamentally, the adoption of 5G technology will transform the way people live and work, with faster connectivity speeds supporting the rollout of better services and innovative solutions that are likely to span various industries and business sectors.
For example, this technology will enable the establishment of smart cities, smart homes, smart agriculture, as well as connected healthcare and vehicles.
New ways to communicate
There is no doubt that Kenya’s growing internet penetration has also significantly changed the way in which people communicate. The availability of high-speed connectivity has seen an increasing number of people using chat apps to communicate, rather than relying on traditional voice calls.
This has also invariably led to an uptake of social media and messaging platforms as a means of communication between brands and consumers and will require businesses to deliver an enhanced customer experience (CX).
One of the biggest benefits of 5G connectivity is the delivery of high-speed internet, which allows for better quality of video streaming and rich media sharing, enabling an improved CX. It is therefore important that companies continue to invest in technology that drives customer engagement.
However, in order to develop successful communication strategies, organisations must be aware of the fact that customer communication preferences have changed, with people expecting to interact with brands anytime, anywhere, and over any device. To remain relevant, brands must be able to deliver highly personalised and meaningful content over their customers’ preferred channels.
To do this effectively, organisations must know their customers and ensure that they are able to connect with them on whichever channel they may choose to use. For example, if a customer is mostly using WhatsApp as their preferred channel of communication, they will most likely want their bank to also be available on this platform.
Boosting the economy
Robust connectivity and digital technology will also boost the country’s economy by driving competitiveness and eCommerce. It will provide economic growth too by facilitating innovation that will see companies able to introduce new products and services faster than ever before. Most companies in Kenya are increasingly taking advantage of the high connectivity rate across the region to keep up with digital customer expectations.
This practice is set to gather further momentum and lead not only to increased operational efficiency, but also help brands differentiate, as they leverage smart and connected devices to create new services aligned with brand promises
Digital transformation of this type will positively impact productivity too with more streamlined approaches and automation. Technologies such as Machine Learning (ML), AI, IOT all thrive on 5G and will enable companies to replace costly and cumbersome manual processes.
Many conversations will be able to take place using chatbots for example, which further increase efficiencies for customer facing businesses, while customers will delight in the speed of response and resolution to queries.
Moreover, robust connectivity and digital technology is also key for obtaining Business Intelligence (BI) that will ultimately accelerate and drive revenue growth as more information on customer trends, intent and preferences will be available in the market. Businesses will be able to innovate around the availability of this data and deliver better products and services, thus leading to more growth.
As digital transformation continues to advance across the African continent, digital platforms are fast becoming the preferred channels to accessing products and services for a growing number of people. Mobile operators are doing their part in upgrading infrastructure and deploying 5G.
Therefore, investing in the right technology and communication solutions today will form the bedrock for Kenya’s future economic success.
Mombasa Cops To Be Charged With Murder
Five police officers from Mombasa will on Wednesday be charged with murder, following the death of a detainee at the Changamwe police station.
According to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) the said officers assaulted the detainee Caleb Ospino Otieno before they took him to hospital.
Initially the deceased was booked in at the station as 'Unknown' after he was arrested on September 18, 2018 on suspicion of being in possesion of illegal alcohol 'Changaa'.
In a statement, IPOA’s Chairperson Anne Makori said the deceased death was occasioned by multiple injuries inflicted by a blunt force.
"At around 21oo Hrs sa,e day, he was removed from the cells and later transferred to the Coast General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The investigation among other findings established that Mr. Otieno’s death was occasioned by multiple injuries inflicted by a blunt force,” she stated.
Adding " Four of the five officers have since been placed in state custody in preparation for arraignment at the High Court in Nairobi,”.
The five officers include, Khalif Abdulahi, James Muli, Joseph Adhiambo, Edward Kongo and Nelson Nkanae.
Makori further pointed out that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Noordin Haji, independently reviewed IPOA’s investigation file and acceded to the recommendations.
This comes at a time when there have been a rise in cases of police killings.
Just last week, six police officers were charged with murder over the deaths in custody of two brothers arrested for allegedly breaking COVID-19 curfew in Embu.
PAA Party Rolls Out Recruitment Drive In Mombasa
Pamoja African Alliance, the newest political party with it's base at the Coast has rolled out recruitment drive in Mombasa county in a bid to strengthen its grassroots structures in preparation for next year’s polls.
This comes just days after the party rolled out a similar activity in Kilifi county where it also opened an office.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise at the party headquarters in Nyali Mombasa, founder member Ibrahim ‘Babangida’ Khamis, said the party will help the region’s bargaining power in next year’s general elections.
He argued that all other regions are organizing themselves in readiness for the 2022 election thus the need for the Coast region to also organize itself.
"Our agenda as Coast people has not been well articulated in other parties. It is now high time that we carry our own agenda and solve our problems through our own party". said Babangida.
Babangida who was also the Republican Congress party secretary general, said the party(RC) will form a coalition with PAA once it's moratorium with the ruling Jubilee party lapses.
Republican party which is associated with Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala formed a coalition with Jubilee party during the last general elections.
Balala's former personal assistant Ben Furaha is the PAA interim Chairman.
Babangida charged "We have been squatters in our own land for so long . We do not want to also be political squatters."
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi is among the leaders who have been on the forefront championing for a Coastal party an issue that saw him falling out with his ODM pry leader Raila Odinga.
Kenyan Farmers Shifting To Lucrative Sericulture Trade
Even before the dust settles on the famous quail farming, thousands of farmers across Kenya are venturing into a new kind of farming, sericulture farming famously known as silk farming.
The farming was first reported in Kenya in 2019 when a group of women from western Kenya ventured into silkworm production.
The group, Kambogo Women’s Group, ventured into sericulture to make a steady and more income of about Ksh75,000 each per month after replacing sugarcane with mulberry, the staple diet for silkworms.
The sericulture wave seems to have swept across Eldoret, where farmers are reported to be rushing to make a killing from the business which has been pioneered in the area by businessman Joe Kariuki
Unbeknownst to many, a kilo of silk goes for a whooping Ksh3,000 and many traders have been camping at the door of sericulture pioneer Joe Kariuki to sell their produce and also work at his expansive GPC silk farm in Eldoret.
The high-flying crypto boss and Nairobi business mogul has now moved into his biggest challenge yet – farming, and not just farming, but the tricky business of silk farming.Renown for being a sleek business head with swanky offices in all of Kenya’s biggest cities, Joe Kariuki, in partnership with Golden Power Coin, has now launched the expansive GPC Ranch – a staggering 10,000 hectares piece of sprawling land that is now his latest business blockbuster aiming at the production of silk (Sericulture) in a large scale manner.
Sericulture (or silk farming) has become a sudden hit with many jobless Kenyans who have been rushing to farm, to be identified with it and make a killing out of it.
“Silk farming is a good venture that can rescue smallholder farmers off poverty as products from silk are of good price and could improve our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as compared to foreign exchange earnings from exportation of coffee, tea and pyrethrum,” said Kasina Muo, the Head of National Sericulture Research Centre.
Armed with that knowledge, thousands of Kenyans have abandoned their daily routines and jobs to jump into the viral silk trade.
The farmland, located in the fruitful land of Eldoret, has now become a huge hit with locals and jobless Kenyans across the country seeking opportunities as Joe seeks to employ a whopping 5,000 Kenyans not just on the farm but on his other various properties and offices.
“I have never heard of silk farming. I know maize farming, beans farming, all the rest. Silk is new to me and I find it exciting and fresh. I can’t wait to reap from it and stabilize my life from this trade. All of my friends have jumped into it too,” Caroline Muthoni, a new silk trader, says.
“This is our latest venture. Many don’t know us for such an overture but we are here to show Kenyans that we can morph from sitting in the office to doing massive works at the farms. Farming has always been the backbone of this country and with this silk venture, Kenyans will not sit back and cry anymore – we’ve got you covered, right away, ” Jared Lang’at, the GPC Farm spokesperson says.
Its profitability even beats the gold trade and has seen the GPC farm roll out a wide-reaching offer to over 25, 000 sericulture farmers willing to sell their silk to the firm and reap handsomely.
Golden Power Coin also now seeks to rope in as many as over 5,000 more Kenyans, drawn from all over the country, who will provide their various expertise, knowledge and skills at the silk farm and at the other related projects undertaken by the business titan.
The goldrush is officially on – and many are rushing to either work in the Eldoret farm or even the expansive Silk factory in Mauritius.
“Everyone is jumping on the trend. We are all on it. From Nairobi to Eldoret to Mauritius, there’s an endless trail of opportunities. So far, we have over 1,000 applicants and more are coming. It’s the rebirth of a nation,” Jared adds.
King Kaka Tackles Rampant Police Brutality In New Song 'Tena' Ft Jadi
King Kaka is back with another society conscious song yet again. His new song titled Tena features the talented band Jadi.
As new age activism and revolutionary music slowly takes shape, King Kaka has been in the forefront.
With the rampant cases of police brutality in Kenya especially during curfew hours, Kaka has shown his poetic muscle once again in this emotional and powerful piece.
Jadi, who also produced the track, added the perfect vocals that bring out the sombre mood of the circumstances surrounding the song.
In the video, directed by Steve Mugo, King Kaka brings back the memories of the two fallen Kianjokoma brothers, Benson Njiru, 22, and Emmanuel Mutura, 19 who succumbed to injuries suspected to be due to police brutality.
The poignant video shows a mother trying to call her two boys who could no longer answer their phones.
The young lads are played by popular actors Bryan Kabugi and Sammy King.
Once the news of the death of the brothers broke out, Kenyans were up in arms protesting the meaningless killings.
The cry, #JusticeForKianjokomaBrothers, gained traction with Kenyans from all walks of life speaking up to condemn the killings and calling for accountability for their deaths.
The protests attracted celebrities and politicians to the cause.
King Kaka has been vocal in highlighting societal ills. In 2019, the rapper took the country by storm with his song ‘Wajinga Nyinyi’ calling out Kenyans for their hypocrisy.
Through a hard knuckle approach, he laid bare the corruption that has mauled all sectors of the economy, provoking political leaders who responded fiercely through social media platforms.
In Tena, King Kaka reminds us to keep fighting and not forget the ones we have lost even as time passes by.
Watch “Tena “on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXbNf4kV2X8
NLC To Facilitate Quick Issuance Of Title Deeds To Mosques And Madrasas
The National Land Commission has given the the Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council (KEMNAC) 60 days to present a list of mosques, madrasas that are sitting on land with no title deeds so that they can be issued with the documents.
Speaking during a meeting between KEMNAC and NLC, County Coordinator National Land Commission Mr. Edward Bosire said the government is committed to ensure that the facilities are registered and provided with title deeds.
“We have given you a guideline on how you can list the land for the adjudication process, once you are done with all the listing, forward to us the list we start with the process,” he said.
Bosire said that all the mosques and madrasas in the country will benefit from the initiative as it is a directive by the government.
He called upon officials to mobilize imams of various mosques and bring out details as fast as possible so that they can speed up the listing process before the next general election.
“We are nearing the general election, so before we are held up with politics, kindly speed up the listing process,” he added.
On his part KEMNAC Chairman Sheikh Juma Ngao expressed his gratitude to President Uhuru Kenyatta for his tremendous support to the Muslim faithful saying it has been long since the group lobbied to have title deeds in their place of worship but finally the government has heard their cry.
Ngao promised to mobilize his members effectively and deliver the list as per the time frame given.
At the same time, Sheikh Ngao lauded the government saying it has now given career chances to Muslims in several development activities within the country.
He urged Muslim youth and women to be vigilant and apply to various positions advertised by the government asking them not to only focus more on religious education.
“We are asking the young people to embrace secular education and grab the opportunities the government is giving us, we know that we are still behind when it comes to education, that is why we need to pull the strings harder,” said Ngao.
Ayra Starr Makes Her Directorial Debut With 'Bloody Samaritan' Music Video
Africa’s fastest-rising new music star, Ayra Starr has released a brand new music video of “Bloody Samaritan”, the lead single of her celebrated debut album ‘19 & Dangerous’.
Ayra is making her directorial debut in the video of the anthemic song making a buzz on the continent and positioning her as a new generation leader to watch.
Watch “Bloody Samaritan” on YouTube: http://bit.ly/bs-video
Stream or download ‘19 & Dangerous’ here: https://ayrastarr.lnk.to/19-NDangerous
Ahead of the release, Ayra Starr shared, “It’s beautiful to see the ideas I had for a song that has a strong message of self-empowerment to myself and others while tackling naysayers be brought to life. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed scheming, directing, and shooting it.”
In a social media age where public scrutiny is amplified, “Bloody Samaritan” is a life-affirming reminder to protect our peace and to always big up ourselves.
This powerful stance has translated into audiences globally who are jumping onto the trend, taking onto social media with their smooth and laid back moves jamming to “Bloody Samaritan”.
Ayra Starr added, “I love this track because I was unapologetic and assertive on it – something people my age often struggle to be, and I want my fans to feel that way when they listen to it, liberated of societal standards and expectations.”
Ayra Starr’s directorial debut comes just 3 weeks after the release of her coming-of-age debut album comprising of 11 unapologetic tracks all written or co-written by Ayra Starr herself, fusing Afro-pop, R&B, dancehall, trap and alté styles.
Brimming with a spirit that is audacious and defiant yet vulnerable, '19 & Dangerous’, coming-of-age album fit for a socially conscious Gen Z, is an apt title for this new chapter in Ayra’s blossoming career.
Shahbal Partners With Akothee To Support Youth, Women Programs In Mombasa
Mombasa businessman Suleiman Shahbal will partner with singer Akothee to initiate programs aimed at improving the lives of women and youth in Mombasa.
Shahbal, a Mombasa gubernatorial hopeful met Akothee alias Madam Boss in Nairobi where they held a meeting and agreed to work together.
The two are personal friends and have been working together for quite some time now.
Akothee runs a foundation known as “Akothee Foundation” which supports youth and women empowerment.
Her programs target different counties including Mombasa.
Through a Facebook post, Shahbal said his foundation, the Suleiman Shahbal will partner with Akothee’s to initiate more youth and women programs.
“I had a successful meeting with Akothee who runs a foundation that supports women and youth empowerment. The Suleiman Shahbal Foundation will partner with the Akothee Foundation in running programs aimed at supporting and improving the lives of women and youth, ” said Shahbal in his post.
The Suleiman Shahbal Foundation has mostly focused on youth empowerment in Mombasa.
Last month, through his foundation, the businessman issued a Sh1.2 million cheque to support 40 students from Mvita Sub County to learn technical skills.
In Likoni, he issued a printing machine worth Sh500,000 to youth known as Vihinkufwa.
Early this year, he offered welding machines to Weldon Group in Jomvu and issued a car wash machine to another group in Changamwe.
He also, through the SSF supported a student from Mwakirunge to report to school when he could not raise school fees.
Ommy Dallah understands that there are four more youth groups that are set to benefit from the Suleiman Shahbal Foundation and two other students are set to be supported in their university education.
Mombasa Chief Officer Among Newly Appointed IEBC Commissioners
President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed four new IEBC Commissioners a day after successful vetting by Parliament.
Mps unanimously voted to approve the report of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) chaired by Kangema MP Muturi Kigano that recommended for their approval.
Among those appointed is Mombasa County Government Chief Officer Juliana Cherara.
Cherera, a former teacher has served as the Chief Officer in the Governor's office since 2014.
During the interviews for the post which were conducted last month, Cherera questioned the nature of elections in Kenya, noting its violent adding that is what has inspired to serve at the IEBC.
“In the next elections, I look at it in terms of are we making Kenya a better place to live, are we improving the living conditions of our people?” she said.
Cherera also told the IEBC selection panel that top of her strategy will be to ensure participation of minority groups during the election.
Others who have appointed alongside Cherera are Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit, and Justus Nyang’aya. The four now await their swearing-in and subsequent assumption of office.
The four whose appointments were confirmed through a special gazette notice will replace Roselyn Akombe, Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat, and former vice-chair Consolata Maina who resigned from the commission after the 2017 General Election.
35 candidates had earlier been shortlisted for the job.
MCK Calls For Heightened Efforts To Address Mental Health Issues Among Journalists
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has called for heightened efforts to address mental health issues among journalists.
MCK CEO Mr David Omwoyo says stigmatisation around mental health should be collectively addressed as it affects the whole society.
“As a Council we are keen on engaging partners to support matters mental health for media workers; to sensitise them on this issue while at the same time enabling them to remain sensitive in their reporting of mental health”, said Mr David Omwoyo at a training organised by the Media Council of Kenya and Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya in Nairobi.
“Mental health issues are not easily recognisable and journalists need to reflect and investigate the dynamics around mental health cases as they report on this sensitive area”, said Mr Omwoyo.
He advised the media to interrogate the myriad factors that have accelerated mental health problems including the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying effects such as job losses, deaths and family disintegration among others.
“Accepting that this problem exists is good for the media, being reporters on these issues. Trainings such as these enable journalists to professionally cover mental health”, said the MCK CEO.
Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya Executive Director Rosemary Gathara said her organisation will work closely with the media to break down mental health terms to make reporting clear, objective and sensitive.
The Media Council of Kenya has signed a partnership agreement with Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya to support training and empowerment of journalists on mental health.
It will involve joint training sessions for Kenyan journalists in Kenyan national/local/community media outlets.
