BY AAMERA JIWAJI For as long as he can remember, Ibrahim Chitayi had wanted to own a restaurant. It was a dream that began watching his mother prepare meals for her small delivery business from their home kitchen in Mombasa. In January 2020, it seemed that the fates were about to align. Chitayi had collected enough savings to start a restaurant without taking an interest-heavy loan from a bank. He had identified the perfect space to rent, and he had found a chef to prepare the Swahili-fusion meals that he wanted to develop a reputation for among Mtwapa and Shanzu…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
BY PETER WANYONYI “We in the World Health Organisation do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of [Covid-19]. The only time we believe lockdowns are justified is to buy you time to reorganise, regroup, rebalance your resources…”. These are the words of Dr David Nabarro, the WHO’s special envoy on Covid-19. He could have been speaking directly to, and about, Kenya. There is no doubting the devastating effects of COVID-19 on individuals. But lockdowns such as the one President Uhuru Kenyatta announced on 27 March simply make the situation worse: as Dr Nabarro said, “Lockdowns just make…
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board has appointed Ms. Lilian Anyango Nyawanda as Commissioner of Customs and Border Control and Dr Edward Kinyua Karanja as Commissioner of Investigation and Enforcement. This, the authority’s commissioner general said in a media communiqué, is part of an ongoing leadership capacity enhancement programme, adding that the two roles are key pillars in delivering KRA’s vision to be a globally trusted revenue agency facilitating tax and customs compliance. “We are pleased to welcome aboard Commissioners Ms. Lilian Anyango Nyawanda and Dr. Edward Kinyua Karanja in their new roles, which are crucial leadership appointments. The two…
BY JACOB OKETCH This is a collection of poems by Alexander Nderitu, a seasoned Kenyan writer who happens to share a birthday with literary giant William Shakespeare. This collection is unique in several ways. Nderitu writes in such a way that he incorporates various devices in his work. The poems are narrative in form – he employs dialogue in most of his pieces and introduces several characters in his verses. In a sense, his poetry is an amalgamation of narration and versification. Unlike most poets, the author does not go out of his way to economize words to suit the…
As the number of covid-19 infections and deaths continue to rise especially in the last few weeks, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to institute additional stringent measures, to be implemented over the next two to three weeks. The private sector umbrella body said that the positivity rate currently stands at a worrying 16.5% thereby prompting it to play its full role in ensuring that additional measures that government puts in place are implemented effectively. “The private sector is not exempt from the negative effects of the pandemic, and has continued to work closely with government…
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) have inked a business deal that will see PCK provide logistics and delivery of driving licenses, log books, public service vehicle badges and other documents countrywide. All shipment will be processed and tracked through the Corporation’s Post Global System or any other system developed by the Corporation for the purpose. There will also be an online system visible to both parties for updates on status of each consignment in real-time up to delivery. “This enables the development of suitable last-mile delivery networks, which today are the enablers…
Dubai-based hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has taken over the management of The Boma Nairobi, Boma Inn Nairobi and Boma Inn Eldoret in a bid to turn them into profitable assets. As part of the agreement, Aleph has pledged financial support to the Kenya Red Cross, by donating a percentage of fees it earns from the three hotels to local charitable initiatives. The three hotels are owned by Red Court Hotel, a subsidiary of Kenya Red Cross Society. “We are committed to working with the owners to turn around the fortunes of these wonderful hotels and we are proud to…
The last instance the airline made a profit was in 2012 when it closed with net earnings at Sh1.66b Kenya Airways, the country’s national airline, has recorded a bigger loss for the year ending 31st December 2020 as compared to previous year due to the effects of the pandemic. According to its records, the airline recorded a net loss of Sh36.22b as compared to the year ending 31st December 2019’s loss of Sh12.99b, attributed to the new pandemic measures that dealt a major blow to the airlines’ recovery strategies. In fact, according to Michael Joseph, KQ chairman, the future still…
OPPO have unveiled Reno 5 F, a device that is currently selling at OPPO shops, authorised dealers and e-commerce platforms such as Jumia, Kilimall and Masoko at Sh31,999. Muthoni Wachira, the company’s head of communications and projects said that the latest device is the culmination of both user feedback and the extensive research conducted on the latest technology. “Just as has been tradition with OPPO smartphones, the Reno5 F will definitely bring out the creativity in its users with new video capturing features that put the power of expert video productions in the palm of your hands,” said Ms Wachira,…
Mobile lending platforms can tie you up when not used wisely. Only credit literacy will put borrowers on the right path. It is important to demonstrate a commitment to responsible lending by providing tangible information and tools outside of providing credit line to advance financial health BY VICTOR ADAR Digital Lenders Association of Kenya (DLAK) is set to uplift the education of borrowers in a move aimed at addressing the aggressive nature of most her members. The umbrella body of digital lenders in Kenya has partnered with Tala mobile lender to launch MoneyMarch, a financial literacy campaign whose focus is…
