BY ANTONY MUTUNGA Since the late 1970s when the digital age started off, a lot of electronic devices have been created all over the world. To date these technological innovations continue to make the world better, from the use of computers and mobile phones as way of communication to the use of drones as a way of delivering medical supplies to remote areas. Indeed advancement in technology has allowed the global economy to reach greater heights than ever imagined. However, despite the rapid changes in technology that allows us to make our lives better, the changes have also seen millions…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
BY BARNABAS ONYONKA In many ways, the world is increasingly embracing the idea of going green. More and more countries are embracing the circular economy concept whose core aim is to prolong the life of materials and goods used by re-using and recycling the discarded ones in order to cut back on pollution and waste. Countries are inclined, now more than ever, to signing multilateral and international environmental agreements. The world has generally been cosying up with both the commitment as well as the idea of going green. Because of that, since 1968 the world has been observing Earth Day…
BY EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA We have institutionalized lying. Academics are saying we are living in the post-truth era. And politicians are engaged in post-truth politics. The generally agreed definition of post-truth is “the public burial of objective facts by an avalanche of media appeals to emotion and personal belief.” It is basically willful lying and use of what the pro- Donald Trump TV talking heads call “alternative facts.” Prof John Keane of the University of Sydney who has written extensively about it, says post-truth also includes forms of public discourse commonly called bullshit. “It comprises communication that displaces and nullifies…
BY CYNTHIA WAIRIMU Usually, when we think about our bedside manners, it is not always we think, “I need to have my pillow and mattress cleaned,” especially if you do not have children that will wet your bed. However, it is a thought that should cross your mind now. Seeing as it were that we spend a huge amount of time in our beds throughout our life span, it is important to note the following: We shed dead skin all over our pillows on a daily basis, and since we lie on them, they become the perfect breeding place for…
BY TOM ODHIAMBO There is no escaping the cyberspace for humanity today. This is a truism. Too many people are already imprisoned by the Net. They may know or they may not. But the fact is that the cyberspace has almost become human beings’ second nature. But with what consequences? If we set aside all the good that being online has brought humanity, do we understand where it is leading us? Do parents know what their children are doing in the cyberspace? Do even adults who spend most of their time browsing on the net or chatting with ‘friends’ or…
BY FUAD ABDIRAHMAN What would you think if you heard about someone giving away $1b dollars to charity? You would probably think they are the most humane people on this Earth. However charity from the ultra-rich is not what it looks like. The wealthy have transformed the act of charity to something more insidious and certainly not pure. To them, giving away is investing. In 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, chair and CEO of Facebook spoke about his plans to donate $1b of his huge empire to charity. The world buzzed and showered him with praises for his charitable donations. The…
BY DAVID ONJILI Maxwell Onyande won the American Green Card and successfully relocated with his family in April 2018. Before departure, he had been living in a gated compound in Katani area of Syokimau, Machakos County. A five bedroomed house he had constructed to his taste, going by prevailing market conditions; he set out to rent it and earn some income not to mention the pride of being in the enviable club of Nairobi’s landlords. He estimated about Sh70, 000 in monthly rent. Two years down the line, his house is vacant despite lowering the rent to Sh35, 000. A…
Funtrench, the first blockchain educational institution in Eastern Africa, has partnered with US-based blockchain certification company, Blockchain Training Alliance (BTA) to boost Funtrench’s position in building an ecosystem of emerging technologies in Africa. This partnership puts Kenya as one of the African countries besides South Africa and Nigeria where BTA accredited blockchain courses are offered. The collaboration with BTA will enable Funtrench to offer a wider range of certified blockchain-related courses in Kenya and to create a talent pool of individuals that are savvy in industry 4.0 technologies. Making the announcement during the company launch at the Movenpick Hotel in…
BY ANTONY MUTUNGA In this digital era, technology is at the centre of everything, changing about every aspect of our lives. However, despite all the good that comes with the digital age, it has brought about some new risks in terms of cyber security. Unlike before when organizations were mostly worried about their physical stores and warehouses being broken into and robbed, the primary fear now is that they can be hacked into and their data stolen or worse off, be completely wiped out. Cyber-crime has become common that organizations have shifted from asking if they will be the next…
BY Victor Adar Open banking, in which banks share certain data via secure application programming interfaces (APIs), allows for the development of a range of digital financial services that can be used by customers to more easily transact, manage their finances and have full access to all their data. Since financial service providers are authorised to use this data without having to build new data stores of their own, open banking paves the way for improved customer experience and greater transparency in banking. It sounds good but one question on peoples’ lips is whether open Banking will drive transformation in…