STORIES FROM MY HEART

My after work life has become rather predictable lately, other people would probably call it boring, but since I am the author of this blog, it shall stay as I say. Predictable. Great, so we are on the same page. I leave work between 1730hrs and 1800 hrs. If it’s not a Tuesday, when I go for my Mizizi class, then I go home, do my 20 minute jog, some extra minutes of simple exercises, play with Imani, that’s my 3 yr old daughter, make dinner, which we have early, at around 1930hrs before she goes to bed at 2000hrs. That’s when my “me time” begins. If it’s Monday it’s desperate housewives on Series, then Quest means business on CNN, then off to bed, to read, write, think, regret, make plans, dream, sleep, or count the sheep in my mind as I search for sleep. Other times, mostly Friday’s I catch up with a friend over a drink, usually quite predictable one too, it would be either Lizz, Monique, Shep, K.A, Wanja, or my Bestest boy-mate, Kent. Tonight; Tuesday, my Mizizi class ended late a...

DAY 2- NDOLA 9.00 am, had an interview with the PS in the CopperBelt Province, after that I met the fastest Chinese man on the planet, we went to his smelter after getting assistance from the PS. Was great fun talking to both gentlemen about how the Zambian Government has taken on attracting investors via incentives..and one stop shop for investors, much like Susan Kikwai's Kenya Investment Authority, but perhaps one that works faster. My Point: Between the time Kenya Airways wrote a request letter to set up shop in Ndola, and the first flight, was 3 months. we say doing Business in Africa is diffcult, lets also paint the true picture, that some governments are working faster tha others at it, and realise the importance of ease of doing business. Kenya apparently dropped in it's ease according to the World Bank and IFC report for 2010, I hope we can learn from the likes of Zambia just how much we can encourage much needed foreign capital inflows into our economy. This and oth...

Right now..under intense pressure, it's a bit slow, i must deliver for jobo..and some things are not working as I had planned! Anyway, Kenya Airways landed in Ndola, the copper belt of Zambia, and I was on the inaugural flight. The launch was quite succesful, from start to finish of this plan took 60 days. KQ gave the Zambian govt the plan, and in three months, Ndola becomes Kenya airways 44th Route. commendable to the Zambian Govt! Now that's why red tape must go..hope other govts learn from this one! While here I will be looking at the impact of this on trade relations, opportunities here for investors, speak with some (Kenyans - East Africans) here on ease of doing business, barriers to entry, etc.. Catch up on CNBC Africa this week! Ok..day Number one done. Will drop a line tomorrow. Lets hope it will be a faster day! Cheers peoples!

I recently an old book from a street vendor I like to buy from at the corner of Alliance Francais in Nairobi. The title caught my eye, besides the Larry King’s profile picture back in the day with full black (brunette) hair and skin that could have known botox. Future Talk: Conversations about tomorrow with Today's most Provocative personalities. The book was published about 10 years ago, and the powerful conversations got me going. Last night I read Larry's interview with Microsoft’s Bill Gates. It was done online and they talked about the future of the Internet. What I love most about Larry King is his ability to converse on TV as if it is a discussion over coffee, without the glare and jitters that come with camera's lights and showbiz countdowns. I wished I was a fly on the wall as Bill Gates typed his responses to Larry’s pretty normal questions; they usually are what you and I would probably be thinking of, without having to sound too smart. Some of the q...

I am not applying for Public office, at least not now; I am kinda loving the private sector right now. But there seems to be some vacancies; or potential vacancies, how about you hold onto mine for a bit? When Major General Hussein Ali was taken off his powerful commissioner of police job, the former Top Cop was handed the position of Post Master General, There was quite some ruffling of feathers within the country, I mean, from Police Commissioner to Post Master General. That’s quite the career shift. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that, I mean how many pharmacists are now doing marketing? Now, about Post Master General , For those who do not know what this means, once upon a time, there was a company fondly known as Posta, back in the day when letters were letters, and when I was a stamp collector during my hobby years. The Postal Corporation of Kenya was one of the Giants of this economy, with postal money transfers (then called postal orders), way before western U...

A couple of weeks ago I attended Mindspeak,The Business Club a once a month Saturday morning ritual that I have become addicted to. It's usually a great networking event, and James Murua made a good note here Caroline Mutoko was speaking on her rise to the Queen of Radio (even if she did not say so herself.) It was an inspiring morning, one that opened up my mind to fresh ideas and new thinking, in an extremely competitive market, especially in my field of work. She spoke about the vital role that in between semester jobs and holiday internships play in forming a diligent worker out of a person. From a clerk in an Asian’s store she learnt to be thrifty and frugal with her monies, whereas in school she learnt theories in Math’s & economics that she applies in her every day work. But what caught me the most was her views in terms of idea generation. If you live and work in Kenya, and happen to hang around a crowd, any crowd, there's is often talk of new business ve...