Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT

App has integrated an “SOS button” powered by emergency responders A Kenyan-based ride-hailing platform, Maramoja has introduced a 50% bonus for all its rides in a bid to grow its revenues and enhance customer experience during the December festivities. In a new campaign dubbed “Maramoja Ni Yetu”, customers will be expected to load money to the company’s e-wallet through an STK push from Safaricom. Every time they load their wallet they will get a 50% bonus to be redeemed during their next ride. For instance, loading Sh1000 instantly boosts the wallet balance to Sh1500. According to Ronald Mahondo, CEO, Maramoja…

Read More

By Ephraim Njega 2023 has lived up to its initial billing as a challenging year. The cumulative impact of the economic mismanagement over the last ten years has crystallised. The global economic slowdown and mounting geopolitical risks have worsened matters. The cost of living and doing business has remained elevated. Improved weather has helped lower the cost of some food items. However, the steep depreciation of the shilling, high taxation and rising interest rates have more than reversed such gains. Many Kenyans hoped that the government change in late 2022 would have brought quick economic gains. More than a year…

Read More

Early establishment of self-confidence could potentially provide a lifelong emotional buffer in the face of everyday failures and challenges By Nicole Shitolwa Self-confidence, which most children develop as early as five years of age, simply means being able to trust and love yourself and put your best foot forward. Children who are confident are not afraid to take risks, have a positive view of themselves and believe that they can overcome many challenges. All this makes them stronger. While self-esteem tends to remain relatively stable across one’s lifespan, most children will have dips as they go through various stages, or…

Read More

Julie Zhuo’s book emphasizes that management is a skill that can be developed and refined over time, rather than something you’re born with. It also discusses the challenges of transitioning from an individual contributor to a manager, including the shift in responsibilities and mindset. Here is a book that affirms that effective communication is at the core of good management. It provides insights on how to communicate with clarity, empathy, and transparency. While considering feedback and performance reviews as an essential part of management, the book offers guidance on how to provide constructive feedback and conduct performance reviews. It also…

Read More

Whereas increased production is one avenue to pursue, we must also diversify our production to cover crops such as soybeans and yellow maize By Joseph Choge The short rains are here with us, and with it, an opportunity to sow the seeds for a bounty harvest around November this year. Whereas El Niño preps appear to be all the rave, recently, my mind couldn’t help but reminisce on the good old days growing up in the village and the mixed feelings accompanying the onset of the rains. We never loved the rains that much and considered it an unnecessary nuisance…

Read More

Bamburi Cement rallies construction players to adopt sustainable construction to cut carbon emissions Bamburi Cement has kicked off a regional construction sector thought leadership series to rally the sector towards decarbonisation. In the first installment of the series ending this year, the company targets a dialogue with about 600 architects, designers, engineers, developers, contractors, materials manufacturers, and industry bodies in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi, with a crucial role in transitioning towards a low-carbon pathway. The built environment accounts for around 42% of annual global carbon dioxide emissions. Building operations account for approximately 27% of overall emissions with the embodied carbon…

Read More

By Sarah Wahogo There is no doubt that real estate investment is one of the most lucrative options which the shrewd investors are capitalising upon. Be it building wealth, having a secondary source of revenue, securing your future, or even just growing your investment portfolio, this is because it is an investment vehicle that can help you get there.  In the investment world, risk and return are positively correlated as most people tend to be risk-averse hence the higher the risk the higher the return. That is why investors should always be aware of the various risks involved with an…

Read More

Paying customers provide a good source of cash flow that can support business operations and growth plans. To grow revenue, a business owner can focus on harnessing relationships with return customers BY NJOKI WAIGWA To achieve long term success, a business must maintain a certain level of cash in hand or at bank. Most startup owners struggle to take control of their businesses due to lack of cash flow management – money in and out of a business – such that they are unable to pay employees, rent, vendors and loans on time.  The year 2022/23 made things worse for…

Read More

Kenya’s looming problem is bigger than debt and graft, and Government must quickly pivot to address economic gaps while meeting the needs of a burgeoning youth population BY FRANCIS GITAU Three major drivers of an economy are capital allocation, energy availability and consumption, and population age demographics. Sadly, in Kenya there is not much discussion on population demographics as a major factor in government development planning. When it comes to national development, political stability and the future economy, the demographics cannot be ignored. As at the end of 2022, Kenya is estimated to have had a population of 54,027,487, split…

Read More