Author: Kaluka wanjala

Vertiv has introduced the new, highly efficient Vertiv Liebert PDX-PAM direct expansion perimeter units with low global warming potential (GWP)  and non-flammable R513A refrigerant. Available now in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the system is designed to operate with an eco-friendly refrigerant (as compared to legacy refrigerants) to enable increased efficiency, reliability and maximum flexibility of installation. Liebert PDX-PAM allows data centre owners to comply with the EU F-Gas Regulation 2024/573 and enables their pressing sustainability goals. The non-flammable R513A refrigerant provides up to a 70% GWP reduction when compared to the traditional R410A, without compromising safety or reliability. No additional safety devices…

Andela has announced the latest evolution of its AI-driven end-to-end platform, Andela Talent Cloud (ATC), that matches global technologists with companies seeking skilled talent. The platform now features the ability to play back candidates’ technical coding tests, to improve hiring decisions by giving customers insights into the technologists’ coding strategies and problem-solving approaches in real-time. This release leverages technology from Andela’s 2023 acquisition of technical skills assessment platform, Qualified. With the code playback feature, Andela is providing organizations with enhanced tooling to assess candidates’ skills and select top talent but also, as part of the overall evaluation process, to visualize how they…

 Bolt has announced that the target to raise KES 10 million to assist flood victims was achieved. By riding on the Bolt platform using the ‘Flood Assist’ category, Bolt riders supported victims of the floods that plagued the country between March and May. 5% of each ride’s revenue from this category was apportioned and forwarded to the Kenya Red Cross Society. Subsequently, the Kenya Red Cross Society through its robust mechanisms was able to mitigate the impact of the floods that have caused significant loss of life, displacement, and damage to property and infrastructure. The partnership between Bolt and the…

A number of users are reporting major internet disruptions in Kenya. This is happening as the protests opposing the 2024 Finance Bill are happening across the country. My internet connection has been slow and I have confirmed the same with a number of people. I have also experienced slow connection on mobile (Safaricom specifically). I use Faiba Mobile too and notice the speeds are slow but it is usable compared to safaricom Last night, the Communication Authority assured Kenyans that it had no plans to shut down the internet amid the protests. It looks like that was all talk as…

By Christopher Saul, Territory Sales Lead for East Africa at Red Hat The demand for cloud computing services in East Africa is constantly growing, with providers allocating significant budget amounts to building data centres and expanding infrastructure in the region. Enterprises need to seize the opportunity to kickstart their migration and modernisation plans, but there are many who may still be heavily reliant on traditional IT architectures. At the same time, current economic conditions demand that any investment in IT is an investment in achieving efficiency. Virtualisation, as part of moving computing resources to the cloud and distinguishing environments from…

Breega announced the launch of its first African fund, “Breega Africa Seed I” which aims to become the leading early-stage investor in African start-ups.  Since closing its first fund in 2015, in just nine years, Breega has reached $700M in assets under management, invested in over 100 startups across 15 countries and opened 5 offices in the EMEA region. By pursuing a continental strategy, both in Europe and Africa, Breega is banking on the creation of local teams to fully integrate itself into regional ecosystems.  The success of this strategy in Europe with Paris, London and Barcelona, has prompted Breega to…

By now, you probably know about the ongoing protests against the  Finance Bill 2024. While the protests have been peaceful, the Police have been criticized for using excessive force on unarmed protestors. This seems to have caught the eyes of hacktivist organization, Anonymous. The decentralised hacktivist group is known for targeting various governments including Australia, India, Malaysia just to name a few.  The group has issued their latest warning through Twitter and this time directed towards the Kenyan government. The video partly says, “It has come to our attention that there are discussions in parliament to pass the finance bill,…

There are partner programmes aplenty in the IT industry – and then there are partner programmes that make a tangible difference to all parties involved in the relationship. One example of a programme making an impact is the flourishing relationship between Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, and TechExpress, a South African-based provider of enterprise solutions, as well as PC parts and accessories. The partnership was initially formed in June 2020 with Vertiv, and TechExpress, the exclusive authorised provider of third-party solutions to the Dell Technologies Africa region. Now, according to Robin Nunn, marketing manager…

Safaricom is set to partner with Kenyan fintech, Pezesha, as it rolls out a new credit facility for small business owners. This is according to TechCabal citing Safaricom’s updated product’s terms and conditions page. The feature is already available on the M-Pesa app as ‘Mkopo wa Pochi’ under ‘Financial Services’.  Mkopo wa Pochi loans will have a 7-day term with a one-time access fee of 2.76% of the borrowed amount. There will be an option to extend the loan for 7 days and this will attract a fee of 3.85% for the entire 14-day period. Late payments will attract a…

Ampersand plans to buy 40,000 high-tech batteries from BYD by the end of 2026. These batteries will be used in Ampersand’s electric motorcycles. BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells have a long lifespan, an excellent safety record and tend to be affordable, making them ideal for mass-market electrification. Through this partnership, Ampersand will be able to rapidly scale its electric fleet and its charging infrastructure, which is already the largest in Rwanda and Kenya. This will allow Ampersand to meet the increasing demand for commercial motorcycles across Africa. Josh Whale, CEO of Ampersand, said, “This partnership marks a major milestone…