BY NBM WRITER The automotive industry in Kenya is an interesting one. In 1986, President Daniel Moi tasked the University of Nairobi under the Nyayo Pioneer Car to develop Kenya’s first ever car. Later, five prototypes were brought forward and named The Pioneer Nyayo Cars, which had a speed of 120Km per hour. Nyayo Motor Corporation was then tasked with their mass production yet lack of funds stopped this project. Years later as history would judge, this turned out just another white elephant that characterised the Moi regime. Subsequently, the Nyayo Motor Corporation was renamed Numerical Machinery Complex that was…
Author: Editor
BY DAVID ONJILI “If an African Man cannot even provide a basic meal of ugali and chicken on Christmas day for his family, then what is the worth of working?” Joseph Onyango, a piece rate motor vehicle assembler posed to the management of Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) in Thika when the management had ruled that the entire working force made up of permanent and piece rate employees at the plant had to break for the December Festivities on 8 and resume on January 15 the following year without any pay. With house rent and other personal utilities to be settled…
BY NDUNG’U WAINAINA The Constitution of Kenya 2010 will in August this year turn seven (7) years old. Coincidentally, the country will also be holding its second General Election under the new Constitution in the same month. The Constitution 2010 did not only significantly restructure the governance system and redesigned how the people relate to it but also drastically established a devolved system of governance, which was a relief from the hybrid mongrel of Presidential and Parliamentary systems. This Constitutional order offered renewed hope and aspiration to the Kenyan people and to a country ravaged by many years of dictatorship, economic decay, corruption…
BY VICTOR ADAR Hetal Nathwani doesn’t shy away from disrupting status quo. Looking sharp and energised, the Diaspora coordinator for Cytonn Investments seeks to ease not only investing but also house buying by mainly focusing on offering alternative investment solutions to individual high net worth investors, global and institutional investors as well as Kenyans in the Diaspora who are attracted to the ever growing East Africa region. Looking at it from a macro level, Ms Nathwani believes that Diaspora market is in fact getting hotter. The contributions that came in last year, according to Ms Nathwani, was about $1.7 billion…
Brand Africa has released the annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands – an annual survey and valuation of the Top 100 brands in Africa. GeoPoll used their sophisticated mobile SMS technology to identify the most admired brands in Africa among a representative sample of African consumers in 19 African countries. These countries collectively represent an estimated 74% of Africa’s population. Despite its recent crisis with its Galaxy Note 7 model, which notably was never launched in Africa, Samsung takes the #1 spot as the Most Admired Brand in Africa, displacing perennial leader MTN. However, MTN has retained its ranking as the Most…
BY BEPHINE OGUTU Kohler, an American company that manufactures kitchen and bathroom fittings, has set up a showroom in Kenya as it seeks to target real-estate developers. Located in Westlands at the Ukay shopping complex, this outlet is reflective of the company’s expansionary ambitions in the region. The Wisconsin-based firm has launched its showroom in the Ukay shopping mall in Westlands, bringing its Africa store portfolio to five following its presence in Mauritius, Uganda, South Africa and Angola. “East Africa is by far our most important market in the region. We want to bet big here,” said Salil Sadanandan, Kohler’s…
BY ANTONY MUTUNGA The African economy has surpassed all expectations to be among the fastest growing regions in the world for almost a decade now with a GDP of between 3% and 6.6%. However, the continent suffers greatly in terms of reliable energy, for instance more than 600 million of the people living in sub Saharan Africa lack access to electricity. This has got an adverse effect on development of these countries, as energy is a key requirement. Apart from making it near impossible for most people to better their lives, this lack of access to affordable electricity also causes…
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Macky Sall graced the Africa CEO Forum 2017 with their presence, to discuss how Africa’s sub-regions can work more closely together in a world where demands for economic nationalism and protectionism are on the rise. Switzerland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, Johann Schneider-Ammann, gave the welcome address ahead of the panel discussion, which marked the end of the 2-day event. Patrick Smith, Editor-in-chief of The Africa Report magazine moderated the special panel highlighting the shared democratic history of both West African countries in recent years. Speaking on global events that have made headlines…
After leading Kenya’s first mobile phone servic provider, Safaricom, for 11years, Michael Joseph’s eyes are still set on big things. Currently the new Chairman of the national carrier, Kenya Airways (coming in after his predecessor Dennis Awori was forced to resign when the Pride of Africa Pilots Association threatened to strike to force him out), he is expected to make things happen for an airline under pressure from both the shareholders and members of the public as far as growth is concerned. Joseph took over as chairman weeks after joining KQ as a director in its board with an aim…
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in partnership with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Go Places and E-Gift Africa has today launched the first Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card. The Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card is a culmination of the partnership between KTB and UBA to promote travel to Kenya by travelers across the African continent. The card, which is designed with an embedded loyalty platform, will allow accumulation and transfer of points within the hospitality sector and encourage tourists to travel freely. “The Magical Kenya prepaid Travel card is the first of its kind owing to the fact that…