Author: NLM Correspondent

As Kenya gears up for its general election in August, the safety of politicians is coming under scrutiny. But there is optimism that there will be no repeat of the violence that defined the 2007 elections. The run-up to Kenyan elections, such as the August 9, 2022, general election, carries a certain sense of foreboding for aspiring politicians and their staff. Winning an election may be the goal, but facing threats, kidnappings, assault, and even death is not out of the question. Recently, Kisii politician Thomas Okari was found dead with stab wounds at his home in Kisii County near…

The government has protested a move by the US to list Kenya as a signatory to a declaration for the future of the Internet, terming it as erroneous. Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said protocol was not followed in the signing of the declaration aimed to protect an open, safe internet. “While we are listed as a signatory to the declaration, we wish to state that, as a country, we have not gone through our processes and laws for endorsing this declaration. As per our laws, Kenya can only be a signatory to any international instrument after Cabinet approval and ratification…

Meta and Sama, its main subcontractor for content moderation in Africa, face a lawsuit in Kenya over alleged unsafe and unfair working conditions if they fail to meet 12 demands on workplace conditions brought before them. Nzili and Sumbi Advocates, the law firm representing Daniel Motaung, a former Sama employee who was laid off for organizing a strike in 2019 over poor working conditions and pay, in a demand letter, accused the subcontractor of violating various rights, including that of health and privacy of Kenyan and international staff. “Facebook subcontracts most of this work to companies like Sama – a…

The welcome news of a cease-fire in the seventeen-month civil war in Ethiopia that is apparently holding well enough to permit the arrival of desperately needed humanitarian relief for the Tigre region presents another profound and unique opportunity that may go unrecognized and unaddressed. To the best of my knowledge, neither prime minister Abiy’s government nor any civil society or international organization has done anything to take advantage of the end of fighting to propose a fully inclusive process to define and establish a truly post-imperial Ethiopian state. The necessity explicitly to undertake this process, while unique to Ethiopia, has…

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…