STORIES FROM MY HEART

I am excited that Three Fiber cables are landing in East Africa..super! So, all schools may be linked to fiber and we can have virtual classes (make it a plasma screen) and even connect with schools abroad..super! But what priorities does the government have to actually use these cables and expand modernity to villages and other rural and "hard to reach places?" Last week I spoke with Afsat(iway Africa) CEO, Salim Suleman, and he asked this one question. "If tomorrow, you Nairobi youngling is transfered to ..say Olkejuado for a 2 year period, what are the odds that you will try to say no?" See, urbanisation is only taking place in urban areas, and the things I like to have or experience in Nairobi for Instance, I will not find in Olkejuado. (Applebees or liddo's don't apply here.) If I move out of Nairobi to work, I will want a Good Hospital, a Good school for my baby, nice mall to shop, A fantastic night life ..a real disco..and good internet connection (an...

IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE! Pray to God another Migingo comes up. If it doesnt be creative and find some other reason. Be part of the guys who tear away the railway line. Rift Valley Railways will "hire" you to replace the line at 500 bob per person per day. And very importantly: Hire other people to tear the line you just laid for as little as 20 bob per person. And the cycle goes on. Have yourself a profitable day!

Scan group just annouced its full year results for year ending 2008 with Profit after tax up 24%. I got to speak with the man himself Bharat Thakrar (now second biggest shareholder (20%) after getting into bed with WPP Group (27% in october). The interview airs on CNBC Africa tomorrow. it's important to first note that the advertising Industry in Kenya grew by 21% in 2008. with the Company's current market share in East Africa at 46% the growth in the overal industry reflected well in their bottom line. WPP Group is definately a great lay for Scangroup.The two smart Joint ventures into discplines that Scangroup has not been doing exeptionaly well in, especially PR, which contributed only 3% to the entire outfit. But This is set to change through their latest joint Venture with Hill and Knowlton, which is among the worlds top PR companies, and also part of the WPP group.Ownership, 51 percent Scangroup and 49 percent by a WPP subsidiary. Exit Scanad PR, Enter Hill& Knowlton E...

This ship's gotta sail my dear I easily fell in love with the beach. It's sweet and almost sinful joys that have become the envied part of my life. But this land here I cannot call home. From the break of dawn when the sun kisses the steady waters the orangey touches that gloss up the waiting waters to the dusk; that's an even sweeter sight The reflection of the full moon with it's glittery mystery beckoning me to experience the waters farther away In my search for a new home But before this ship sails I want to live these memories just one more time To feel the total abandon of the breathlessness of the beach I want to lie in the white sandy beaches and play as if there's no tomorrow to dance, to love to laugh as if no one's watching But this ships's gotta sail. There's a home that just might be mine warm soil that will welcome my wandering feet back to reality fresh breezes that invite my searching soul But this one time, let me experience the whispery...

I just had an interview with Nancy Bosire the CEO of Blueline Synergy, A BPO centre that’s about two years old and doing well! http://www.bluelinesynergy.com/ and this got me thinking. I had earlier read Paul Kukubo’s blog: http://paulkukubo.com/ about his personal views on the BPO sector after the National BPO week came to an end in Nairobi, and it set me on a path i have been keen to learn more of. There’s a lot of optimism in how far Kenya can imprint its position in the ICT space, and now with the coming of the fiber optic cable (which finally lands in June, seacom) we can begin to play fair game. South Africa and Egypt have dominated the scene but if the energy in the Kenyan sector is anything to go by, we may as well be on a good path ICT wise. If you recall, in 2007 countless BPO’s which “call centre” driven sprung all around Nairobi. This was based on a World Bank subsidy promise that would offer fiscal support to BPO entrepreneurs. Compliance Issues and a slow release of the ...

I had an interesting morning today, I hate going for press events unprepared, but when I was told of a possibility of a one on one interview with Eddy Njoroge of Kengen about their forth coming bond issue, I jumped at the chance. An infrastructure bond in these economic times is a hot topic, it's endless possibilities and questions of viability of raising funds in the local market especially one whose corporates have in the past relied on foreign capital. Where there is power, there is money. Our GDP growth may be much lower than projected, and maybe even lower this year, but we continue to grow and the demand for power continues to expand, an issue that places Africa in a challenged state. So, expansion is the next best option. The 15 billion shilling infrastructure bond is in it's final stage and awaiting CMA approval. But this blog is not about the Infrastructure bond. I want to talk about what the ongoings in the securities market mean for me as a Kenyan interested in our e...

EXPORT ORIENTED ECONOMY Our Economy has over time grown to depend on exports. Tea, Coffee, horticulture have been bringing in billions every year, and out there, people are just not drinking that much tea anymore, that coupled with heightened competition from other countries that produce the same. In brief, Kenyan specialty Tea, coffee and flowers ain’t that hot anymore! DIASPORA REMITTANCES: This almost became a sector on it’s own in 2007/08, and whether the cash was recorded via Money gram/western Union or sent the old darn way through friends and family coming through, it was in the millions of dollars. But Kenyans are coming back home. I read the other day that out of every 5 vacancy announcements in today, one is by a Diaspora Kenyan willing to come back home, job cuts and the American Dream have become today's nightmare! TOURISM So we have the most beautiful Safari God created, guess what? So does Tanzania. Just look at how their tourism sector grew while we fought each othe...

Memories are short, mine can be especially really short lived. But when I put it down here, and cango back to it time after time, share it with someone else, then it brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "Keeping the memories alive." Grains of Masala is a journey through my days and nights, those i love and don't really love and those I meet that leave an impact in my life. It is an escape path too, when I am not bold enough to say it in person, i send you the blog link. That's a perfect example of personal communication embracing technology. Grains of Masala is also the place I unleash my anger, where I can appropriately do the bashing without the other party getting a black eye. There have been a few changes here and mixed feelings towards this blog. Initially I wanted it just put in my poetry and begin building a brand name for myself in teh poetry world. Then I realised my love for prose needs a home. So this journey has grown from a place where i wrote about...

Now that layoffs are coming our way, whether we blame it on the effects of the global financial crisis, or using the crisis to get away from the reality that business is not doing too well anymore, There's one thing that's a fact, Zain has set the ball rolling, and I am thinking there's shivers down the spines of several employees as we head into what has been described as the third wave of the financial crisis. If I may quote Chris Gabriel, Zain Africa's CEO on a response he gave when asked if the same would happen to the Zain functions within the Continent. He says " where there is value, where there is synergies, and benefits to be realised, where there is expertise then we will proceed, but where there is no expertise we will move forward in teh most expeditious and efficient manner" This reminded me of an article on last months Harvad Biz Review that was looking at the "how to" of laying off. An interesting read that so makes so much sense for...