Author: Susan Mwenesi

During this year’s press freedom day that was recently celebrated all over the world, Chairman of the Editor’s Guild Linus Kaikai emphatically painted a gloomy picture for the days ahead between broadcasters and the government over the proposed broadcast regulations. The stalemate has however been averted after the Minister of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Dr. Fred Matiangi moved with speed to put in place a taskforce that will look into the new regulations. Speaking at his Teleposta tower offices Matiangi said that the taskforce will look into the laws and ensure they were in line with demands of technological…

Facebook is set to work with publishing giants such as The New York Times, National Geographic, BuzzFeed, NBC, The Atlantic, The Guardian, BBC News, Spiegel and Bild for its Instant articles app that will make it possible for publishers create fast, interactive articles on the social media. This comes against the backdrop of people sharing a lot of articles on Facebook particularly on their mobile app. Along with a faster experience, Instant Articles introduces a suite of interactive features that allow publishers to bring their stories to life in new ways. Zoom in and explore high-resolution photos by tilting your…

Microsoft Mobile Devices has introduced a new range of Lumia phones comprising Lumia 640, Lumia 640XL and the most affordable device, the Lumia 430 Dual SIM that promise optimized productivity for smartphone users. The new Lumia devices were launched under the banner of a new consumer campaign dubbed #AchieveMore, which seeks to inspire users to increase their productivity by doing more with their Lumia phones, whether at work or at home. The Lumia 640 and 640XL become the latest LTE / 4G smart devices to join the Lumia portfolio in Kenya and will retail at Kshs 19,999 and Kshs 25,750 respectively.…

It will be another year before communication marginalized areas in the country  can realize the fruits of the Universal Service Fund as directed by the law and that will ensure that underserved areas get communication infrastructure as well. While speaking at the ongoing Communications Authority ICT Week, Information Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi said that his ministry in close collaboration with the CA has completed the institutionalization of the Universal Service Fund, as required by the law. “It is expected that from the next Financial Year, USF will fund development of ICT infrastructure in various communication marginalized…

A taskforce that will seek to look into the matter of the broadcast regulations still at the draft stage will be inaugurated tomorrow by Cabinet Secretary of Information Communication Technology Dr. Fred Matiangi. Matiangi revealed this at the opening of the Communications Authority ICT forum week held in Nairobi today. Although he did not divulge the composition of the taskforce, Matiangi said that the taskforce will look at the regulations in relation, content and so on. “The new broadcast regulations calls for participation from all stakeholders, we are going to ensure that all views are taken in,” said Matiangi. The…

Four Kenyan Students have left for for Pittsburg Pennsylvania, USA where they will attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), a program of Society for Science & the Public (SSP) and the world’s largest high school science research competition from May 10-15. The four youngsters, from SCLP Samaj School in Nairobi will be among 1700 other innovators selected from 422 affiliate fairs in more than 75 countries, regions and territories to showcase cutting-edge inventions and compete for approximately US$4 million (over KES 380 million) in awards. Siddieeq Parpia and Jamaldin Mohammed both aged 15, will present a…

Telkom South Africa has launched its FutureMakers fund whose aim is helping entrepreneurs build successful businesses. According to Telkom group CEO Sipho Maseko, the firm wanted to find a different way of running such a programme. The fund will include four pillars among them the FutureFund – an initial investment of R100-million is in a dedicated investment fund to be managed by IDF Managers and Future Hubs – focused areas where people can go to set up new businesses. These are in partnership with Wits University’s Tshimologong precinct and Bandwidth Barn. Others are FutureProof – technology will be made available to entrepreneurs…

The motorcycle industry continues to be one of the promising sectors, with a huge contribution to the country’s economy. Last year alone, the industry contributed over Sh.2.2 billion in form of direct taxes only. Through its assembly plants and distribution network, the industry also continues to offer employment opportunities to over 100,000 Kenyans as per its planned road map. Twenty one Motorcycles companies have partnered to launch the Motorcycle Assemblers Association of Kenya Limited (MAAK) that will serve as a collective voice of its members, safeguard justified rights of motorcycle Assemblers, promote safe and lawful Motorcycle Culture in Kenya and…

Online security is now more than a matter of responding to a changing threat landscape – the Internet environment itself is becoming more complicated. According to a global survey[i] conducted by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab, an average family now has 5 devices with Internet access, and this number is growing every year. Moreover, globally 92% of users trust their computers and smartphones not only with their valuable data but also with their personal life. It is against this background that Kaspersky Lab has unveiled to the Kenyan market the  Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device, a security solution for home users that protects…

Lagos , Nigeria will play host to this year’s highly anticipated startup conference DEMO Africa and with it comes the African Business Angel Network jointly presented by  DEMO Africa and VC4Africa. This was announced Thursday, May 7, at the 2015 Annual Conference of The European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds and Early Stage Market Players (EBAN). Following the successful edition of last year’s Investor Summit at DEMO Africa which resulted in the formation of ABAN, the 2015 summit will again bring together investors from the Cairo Angels, Lagos Angels Network, Ivoire Business Angels, Viktoria Angels, Ghana Angel Investors…

After overwhelming extension requests from its customers, retail chain, Nakumatt Holdings, has announced, that its popular clearance “MEGA SALE” will resume on Friday . The resumption of the clearance sale, now dubbed the Nakumatt “MEGA SALE” Reloaded, will allow the retailer’s shoppers to enjoy discounts of up to 50% on a range of electronic appliances, home furnishings, toys, kitchenware among other products. Speaking, when he confirmed the clearance sale resumption, Nakumatt Holdings, Managing Director, Atul Shah, said the “MEGA SALE” Reloaded, will run through to Sunday, exclusively at the retailer’s, flagship branch-Nakumatt MEGA Hypermarket- along Uhuru Highway. “At Nakumatt Holdings,…

Against the backdrop of increased innovations, mobile banking partnerships as well as the long awaited bringing of M-Pesa servers home as well controversies to do with data bundles and Karibu post paid Tarriff, Safaricom has posted Ksh 31.9 bn profits after taxes. The telcos’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bob Collymore said that the company grew its total revenue by 13% to Kshs 163.4bn through focusing on providing quality services that resulted in double digit growth across non-voice service revenue streams. Voice service revenue which now stands at 54% of total revenue grew at 4% while non-voice service revenue which accounts…

 After going full throttle at each other during the digital migration debate and implementation, broadcasters and the government will soon find themselves on opposite sides of the ring again due to the new broadcasting regulations by the latter still in the drafting stage. The Communications Authority of Kenya is required under the Kenya Information and Communications Act 1998, as amended (the “Act”) and the Kenya Information and Communications (Broadcasting) Regulations, 2009, to prescribe a Programming Code for free-to-air radio and television services setting out standards for the time and manner of programmes to be broadcasted by licensed broadcasters under the…

Technology giant Ericsson has been chosen as the leader in LTE within the “Leaders” quadrant of its 2015 Magic Quadrant for LTE Infrastructure report by Gartner, Inc., the information technology research and advisory company. The report examines vendors of end-to-end (radio and core) LTE network infrastructure and positions them based on their ability to execute and completeness of vision in the LTE market. The company has held this position for six years running and this year highest for ability to execute in this year’s report, published April 20, 2015. Ericsson attributes ability to execute in part to strong financial metrics…

Philips’ Cape Town to Cairo roadshow is back for the sixth consecutive year! This year too, the roadshow will continue to listen to the markets and focus on advancing healthcare and energy efficient lighting solutions. On Monday 11th May, Philips will embark on its annual journey across the African continent, covering 12,000 km, 11 cities and 8 countries over a period of 4.5 months. The roadshow’s ambition from the beginning has been to collaborate and engage with customers, government, NGOs and media on challenges facing Africa. This has included – Mother and Child Care, the rise of non-communicable diseases, energy…

Online real estate marketplace Lamudi has today released an updated version of its popular Android app that promises overall better speed and performance, making it easier to browse through Lamudi’s global catalogue of more than 900,000 property listings using an Android device. Version 2.0 of the app, Lamudi: Property for Sale & Rent has been optimized for devices with lower storage space and the overall application size has been reduced, ensuring downloading the app is also much faster. Push notifications that lead users directly to newly published listings have also been introduced. Contacting agents via email has been simplified, with…

Popular social media site Facebook has launched the internet.org platform that will enable developers create services that integrate with internet .org and ta the same time offer people choice over the free basic services to use. In a statement, Facebook’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said that the core efforts of Internet.org are non-exclusive partnerships with mobile operators to offer free basic internet services to people through Internet.org. This is a set of basic websites and services to introduce people to the value of the internet that will add value to their lives. These websites are very simple and data…

African telecom operator Eaton Towers  has emnarked on an expansion plan and so far has earmarked $350m for the purpose while at the same time signing a deal to buy 2000 towers from Egypt’s Mobinil. Avccording to Ventures Africa, the expansion was through the Capital Group Private Markets, Eaton’s controlling shareholder, and a consortium led by Ethos Private Equity and Standard Chartered Private Equity. “Five or six years ago there was a reluctance, but I think that the increased load on the networks,” said Mr Terry Rhodes, Eaton Towers’ CEO as he explained how they managed to convince network operators…

In the spirit of the Labour Day celebrations, Nakumatt holdings will hold a  50 percent clearance sale for various items at the Nakumatt Mega Hypermarket in Nairobi. Christened the MEGA SALE, the function will start  at 10am upto 8pm with more than 50 000 products on offer at half price. This includes of electronic appliances including TV’s, Washing Machines and Kitchen appliances. On, offer will also be a variety of furniture, household furnishing products and toys. The firm’s Managing Director Atul Shah said:“The Nakumatt MEGA SALE is a periodic reward scheme to our loyal shoppers and will be carried out…

Burundi has had a very tumultuous time saddening the rest of Africa as protesters took to the streets violently to block current President Pierre Nkurunziza from seeking another term in office. It is against this backdrop that the country has now been cut off from some internet services such as  Viber, Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp were shut down allegedly by a section of internet service providers because the services were accessible using public Wi-Fi. Global human rights group AccessNow, a has since  written to United Nations and the African Union experts to ensure freedom of expression amidst the protests. “Blocking…

The digital migration process in Kenya was not without its controversies and among the problems was affordability of decoders and the fact that some of the decoders promising many international and local channels attracted a monthly subscription fees which many could not afford making them opt for those that aired only local channels. In came Bamba TV that avails 60 local and international channels to viewers which was music to people ears as there was no subscription fees to pay. The honeymoon would soon end for some as there were reports that the decoders were blowing up on their own…

A section of Safaricom subscribers are an angry lot today if the sentiments on social media are anything to go by; the bone of contention is the revision of the Karibu tariff which will no longer have unlimited accumulation of airtime and data that was popular among post paid customers. With the new changes, customers on  Sh1,000 and Sh2,500 post-paid plans will lose their unspent bundles that they have managed to accumulate ever since the product was launched. Subcribers who choose the Karibu tariff  have the option of  paying Sh1,000 per month where they get  900 minutes talk time for…

Tax payers in Kenya  will now be required to use only their PIN number when submitting returns for PAYE, Excise and VAT, this being among the key changes introduced by the government for tax payers transacting online. Kenya Revenue Authority has introduced a raft of new changes to the iTax system aimed at encouraging use of online for the tax filing aimed at boosting tax compliance and revenue collection. The Authority has also set up a comprehensive support network across the country. Currently the support is available at 14 Huduma Centres and five support centers and an additional 21 Huduma…

mHub with sponsorship from MyJobo.com encourages Malawian software developers to apply for its application development competition ‘Jobonology Mobile App Challenge’ (JMAC)to start  on 1 May 2015 Sponsored by MyJobo.com, the competition challenges Malawian software developers to design an application that addresses problems faced by various sectors, such as such as health, education and agriculture, both in Malawi and across Africa. This phase of the competition is focused on tackling challenges facing the health sector in Malawi.  The theme is “how can mobile technology address the health sector issues in Malawi?” The winner of JMAC will be given seed money of…

Ernest Mwoya is well on his way to joining the real estate world after bagging million shillings in the ongoing GOtv ‘Dunga Milli’ competition. After the recently concluded analogue switch off many households were left on the dark and it is the Army officer’s desire to see his children get back to watching their favorite programs that led him to buy a GOtv decoder from Kenyatta barracks in Gildgil.  “I never considered it a priority to get a set-top box till the kids came home for holiday,” said Mr. Mwoya. “I went to the Armed Forces Canteen at Nakuru’s Kenyatta…

All 24 branches of the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) will now have access to the internet links to the world’s satellite communication network, allowing faster and more efficient banking services for its South Sudanese customers. This is thanks to a Liquid Telecom Kenya partnership with KCB, that saw the banks connected via Very Small Aperture Technology (VSAT). This enables the branches to access Internet links to Liquid Telecom has provided connectivity services to KCB in Kenya for the last 10 years, but this extended partnership comes as part of KCB’s investment to bring banking services closer to all of its customers,…

Telecom operators will now have managed security solutions to bundle together with existing services they provide to enterprises after Ericsson combined its managed services expertise, global delivery capability and network security expertise with Intel Security’s broad portfolio of consumer and enterprise security solutions to enable enterprises to strengthen their security posture. From the enterprise perspective, telecom operators will contribute their regulatory compliance expertise, ability to combine communications services with security, and local response capabilities. Initially, intrusion prevention system services, e-mail security and web security solutions will be available. By supporting networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers and carry…

Facebook users can now have face to face conversations with friends and loved ones after the social media company introduced the video calling in Messenger. This is the latest feature released for Messenger, following the abbookility to send money to friends, the launch of Messenger Platform and the introduction of Businesses on Messenger (coming soon). In a statement, Stan Chudnovsky, Head of Product for Messenger and Param Reddy, Engineering Manager said Video calling in Messenger is available for calls made from a mobile phone to another mobile phone, even if one person is on iOS and the other person is on an Android device. “You can quickly…

It will now be possible for Rwanda subscribers to make cross-border mobile money transactions to Kenya or Tanzania after MTN Rwanda and signed an agreement. The New Times Rwanda reports that with the  deal, customers will make use of the M-Pesa platform for transactions within weeks . Norman Munyampundu, the head of mobile money at MTN Rwanda said they are testing  the service as they work on country-specific contracts to conclude the deal. “We are still testing the service with Safaricom’s M-Pesa…However, we will launch mobile money transactions between MTN Rwanda and Vodacom in the coming weeks after finalising the…

Three telcos Vodacom, Airtel and Tigo in conjuction with Tanzania’s TTLC are set to  provide telecommunication services 112 Wards which were underserved through the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF). According to the East African Business Week TTCL as been tasked to provide telecommunications services to 102 wards  for a total subsidy of $7.6 million (Tsh.14.2 billion) while another 10 wards located in border areas and special zones will get the service  for $1.5 million (Tsh.2.7 billion). The subsidies are designed to attract operators to move to the areas which are not seen as profitable to private investment. Tigo will…