Author: Kaluka wanjala

Bolt has today announced an increase in its base fare across all ride categories. This is in response to the recent protest by drivers who demanded better pay. Uber raised its base fare last week by 10% and it seem like Bolt is reacting to that move with today’s announcement. This price change is good news but not enough according to the drivers I have spoken to. Most want Bolt and Uber to lower the commission they charge the drivers and not just hike the base fares. They argue that the taxi hailing apps take so much money for every…

LOOP is working to rebrand its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution to LOOP Flex. The company has had a BNPL solution but we do not hear much about it as much as we do the other solutions on the market. The company is actively promoting the use of LOOP Flex as you can see from the photo above. The photo above shows that LOOP Flex is ‘coming soon’ which indicates that the official relaunch is expected in a few weeks or months. I am not sure how long LOOP Flex has been in operation as the company hasn’t shared…

TikTok has announced the launch of its inaugural Safety Advisory Council and the expansion of its #SaferTogether community education campaign. By partnering with key stakeholders, including policymakers, members from academia, NGOs, and community leaders, TikTok aims to foster a collaborative approach to ensuring a secure and positive platform environment. This announcement was made at TikTok’s Safety Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.  The Safety Advisory Council  Since 2020, TikTok has established nine regional Safety Advisory Councils alongside the U.S. Content Advisory Council, each composed of experts in areas such as youth safety, free expression, and hate speech. These councils play a…

Binance has today announced that users in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia can now buy and sell crypto assets using mobile money. With the introduction of Binance’s One Click Buy and Sell (OCBS) feature, users can easily purchase crypto assets and sell assets directly from their mobile money accounts. This new feature is part of their global fiat on-ramp/off-ramp offering, developed in partnership with Transfi. To buy or sell crypto assets with mobile money, you will need to update to the latest version of the Binance app. Binance says it applies rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and robust security measures…

OPPO has officially launched the Reno 12 series in Kenya. The company unveiled this series yesterday which saw the unveiling of two smartphones in the lineup, the OPPO Reno 12 5G and the OPPO Reno 12 F. Both phones are currently available on pre-order across the country. Those who pre-order get the OPPO Enco Buds2 at no cost.  The OPPO Reno 12 5G and the OPPO Reno 12 F are available for Ksh 69,999 and Ksh 49,999 respectively. This is a bit higher compared to the Reno 11 series. With the Reno 12 series, AI takes center stage as the…

At the opening of the World Skills Kenya National Competition Final on Monday 19th August, Huawei Kenya announced its sponsorship for the event and support for training students in 5 tracks. World Skills Kenya is led by Director General of TVET Authority, Dr. Kipkirui Langat, and is taking place this week at Kenya School of TVET, as part of the international competition. The national competition was opened by Cabinet Secretary for Education, Hon. Julius Ogamba, and attended by PS for TVET, Dr Esther Muoria amongst other dignitaries and partners including the International Labor Organisation, UNESCO, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and…

Riara University has broken ground to build a new campus at the Konza Technopolis. The Kshs 20 billion Riara University – Konza Technopolis Campus will be the second and main campus for the university which is accredited by the Commision of University Education (CUE) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE).  .  “The Riara University-Konza Technopolis Campus is poised to accelerate the next phase of our growth and development in line with our motto of nurturing innovators,” Ptof. Robert Gateru, the Vice Chancellor said. The ground breaking, officiated by the Chief of Staff and Head of public Service Felix Koskei, marks the beginning of…

The OPPO Reno 12 5G is the latest smartphone from the company to launch in Kenya. The phone has been launched today and is available for ksh 70,000. The OPPO Reno 12 5G is the successor to the Reno 11 that we saw in Kenya earlier this year. This phone builds on the Reno 11 series and promises a better user experience leveraging AI. The phone has a number of AI features that can help with photo editing (erasing objects from your photo). There is also a feature to summarize your audio records into text just to name a few. These…

NCBA Group has posted a profit after tax of Ksh 9.8 billion in its first half of 2024 financial results which is a 5.0 per cent increase compared to Ksh 9.4 billion reported during a similar period in 2023.  Key Highlights Customer deposits closed at Ksh 529 billion, 2.4 per cent up year on year. NCBA demonstrated strong financial fundamentals recording positive operating income  of Ksh 31 billion and a decline in loan impairment charges of 38.3 per cent year on year,  backed by the Group`s five strategic pillars; Become a Distinguished Brand Known for  Customer Experience, Scale Retail Banking,…

I&M Group PLC has increased its Profit Before tax by 24% to Ksh 8.7 billion in first half of 2024, up from Ksh 7.0 billion in the same period in 2023. The Bank reported strong operating revenues across all its markets, with regional businesses accounting for 26% of the Profit Before Tax. Operating income was driven by growth in the corporate and retail segments, which saw increases of 49% and 34% respectively. Key Financial Performance Highlights Balance sheet highlights Income statement highlights I&M Bank Kenya Commenting on the results, Mr. Gul Khan I&M Bank CEO said, “We are pleased to…