Author: NLM Correspondent

Things are going badly for Kenya. President and his ruling Jubilee party have perfected dwindling economic fortunes, a compressed space for the rule of law – epitomised by the President’s refusal to appoint six judges who did not tickle his fancy – and burgeoning inflation. Paradoxically, the failure of the President’s Big Four Agenda to properly take off has made it harder to exploit as a pillar for President Kenyatta’s legacy, despite the President’s posturing to the contrary. For many Kenyans, the upcoming August poll is the mother of all elections because it is a chance to respond in kind…

By Cathy Smith Technology and human innovation have unlocked huge benefits for mankind and have helped usher in an era of unprecedented growth and opportunity. That is probably why a dysfunctional relationship with technology will keep us from harnessing tech for the greater good. Having worked in the tech industry for over 30 years, I still get goosebumps when I consider the positive potential of technology on our continent. Thanks to technology, we are better off than ever before. However, popular culture tends to accentuate the worst of technology’s potential. Movies glorify hackers that bring cities to their knees. Future…

The resort spots traditional Swahili architecture that is fused with Italian style and modern luxury By Cash Mandi When Italian couple Severio D’Angelo and Antonella Baccini set off looking for a retreat away from the harsh European winters, they never dreamt that this would be the start of Malaika Beach villas. Married for 33 years and having worked in various countries in Africa mostly in the construction sector, they settled back in Italy but in their latter years came to Kenya to experience sun-kissed beaches, and try their hands on a resort business. In 2013, the couple bought a property…

Authors, artists to parade works at “books and arts” festival in Nairobi As part of the celebrations for this year’s World Book and Copyright Day, a four-day books and arts festival is set to take place at Nairobi’s Village market in bid to re-ignite interest in books, reading, and enhance the impact of arts and literature in the country. Themed “firing up African literature”, the inaugural MOTO Books and Arts Festival is expected to bring together local and international authors, publishers, illustrators, booksellers, artists, and brands to showcase their work and share emerging literature trends. “The Moto Books and Arts Festival…

Understanding personalised treatment and its impact on cancer care By Dr Allan Njau and Dr Jonathan Wawire If you have a symptom, or a screening test result that suggests you have cancer, your doctor will order lab and/or imaging tests to confirm that it is indeed cancer and should that be the case, the type of cancer and the stage of the disease will be confirmed. And, beyond confirming the type of cancer, laboratory medicine has grown so much that doctors are able to offer personalised treatment marking critical turning point as far as the traditional, or convectional forms of…

Study indicates there is growing demand in data center industry amid supply chain crisis By Anthony Mutunga Data centre demand remained relatively steady when compared to other industries thanks to the fact that over the years, and especially due to the pandemic, most players are accelerating towards a totally digitally connected world. According to Turner & Townsend’s latest data centre cost index, the increasing costs in every market due to a year of supply disruption, did not depress data centre demand in most markets. The index surveyed global markets consisting of 44 locations with over 90% of the respondents being…

Many banks have launched and popularized the use of mobile applications, which have taken over some of the banking functions previously done in the banking halls. It is not surprising that customers can now carry transactions at the comfort of their homes or offices through mobile and online banking. Mobile apps gave some bank customers a new, and preferred digital option for carrying out transactions thanks partly to Covid-19. And the trend is backed by latest research from Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) on customer satisfaction which shows that the future is digital banking. More than a fifth (21.2%) of the…

Gig work might be the hope for the future in Kenya as economies continue to remain constrained because of job losses and minimal job creation In 2020, people were surprised to see small cars turned into “viosks” on Thika road by pass, Thika Super Highway. During that time, most car owners would go to Kinangop to bring fresh farm produce and start selling on the roadside. And, for the nearly nine months that learning institutions were closed as a measure to control the spread of coronavirus, people were surprised to see schools being converted into chicken rearing grounds. There is…

25 Kenyan enterprises will be provided with sector specific information on business opportunities in the US markets The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), has embarked on recruitment of the first cohort of twenty-five businesses in the Kenya-US Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Trade Initiative. The 25 SMEs, looking to either scale up globally or grow exports to the US market, will be provided with sector specific information on business opportunities in the US markets. This is in addition to imports and exports business exchanges among other initiatives aimed at improving market access and linkages between SMES in the two countries.…

Did you know that 65% of consumers are more loyal to the brands they follow on social media? By Raphael Kioko Forget the brick and mortar shops. Online platforms are set to change the fortunes of businesses in a big way. Every business owner agrees that the Covid-19 containment measures and the resulting consumer mindset shift added to the already struggling customer reach for most companies. Research shows that retail businesses experienced over 65% decline in customer visits during the pandemic. This meant a significant downturn for most companies. For Kamaldeep Sandhu, it was an eye-opener to realize that online…