Author: Kaluka wanjala

StarTimes subscribers are set to enjoy more local content across terrestrial and satellite bouquets – thanks to the broadcaster’s latest investment in exclusive local drama – KIU. The new drama series – KIU, will premiere on Rembo TV from Monday 12th December 2022, with a new episode airing every weekday at 8pm. This year, StarTimes committed to inject an additional Ksh.200 Million in local content with KIU being the latest production, following the success of the company’s local content channel – Rembo TV. Produced by Multan Productions and directed by Reuben Odanga, KIU boasts of some Kenya’s best actors including Blessing Lungaho and…

Microsoft has today announced the introduction of its global skilling program in Kenya. The company’s main aim of to do so is to improve access to digital and foundational skills. According to Microsoft the Skills for Jobs Learning Pathways program has been introduced locally as a build-up to the success of Microsoft’s Global Skills Initiative that was launched in June 2020 and has since reached over 80 million people worldwide with digital skills.  Microsoft also revealed that the global skills program has impacted about 189,000 people, Over 4000 Kenyans have completed the Learning Paths through the initiative. The Microsoft Skills…

Abu Dhabi Customs (ADC), in line with its vision to drive security, trade facilitation, and service excellence, launches new Smart Classification and Tariff Management System, positioning ADC at the forefront of the latest technological developments in the industry. The Smart Classification and Tariff Management System is developed in corporation with Webb Fontaine and makes use of an advanced search engine built on Artificial Intelligence, and next-generation IT systems to provide appropriate HS codes for Customs transactions. The new system will digitize HS Code Classification for the products being imported to and exported from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. His Excellency…

OPPO is expanding its smartphone portfolio in Kenya with the launch of the OPPO A77s. This phone is available through most smartphone retailers including Jumia for around Ksh 30,000.  This is the second device in the OPPO A77 family to launch in Kenya as the standard variant was launched a few months back.  The A77 is available for around Ksh 27,000 which is slightly cheaper that what the A77s is retailing for. OPPO seems keen on capturing this market segment that no manufacturer has conquered just yet. With the launch of the OPPO A77s, the company has also launched the…

Most of us spend a significant part of our days on the internet accessing different services from Google, WhatsApp, Netflix, Twitter, Facebook etc. We don’t really think about what it takes to access these services as that is not important to us. We want the services and expect them to be available and fast all the time.  With each passing day, demand for these services keeps rising and we need to appreciate the role data centers play in ensuring some of these services are available with very low latency. Colocation data centers such as IColo plug into this by providing…

The UK, through the East Africa Research and Innovation Hub (EARIH) of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is participating in the Kenya Innovation Week (KIW), running from 6th to 8th December 2022 at the Sarit Expo Centre. The EARIH is showcasing innovations supported through various UK-funded programmes that are breaking ground with emerging technologies and initiatives in agritech, clean energy solutions, health, and more. “It is an immense privilege to know that the UK Government and the UK science and innovation sector have been Kenya’s partners on this journey right from early-stage grant funding of innovations and start-ups…

Safaricom is making some changes to its postPay plan. The telco has announced that it will be revamping its PostPay and All-in-One offerings under what it calls the Go Monthly plan. The company went ahead to say that the new plans will be available at slightly lower prices than before.  The reduced prices got many people excited as we all like saving money. The only issue is in the fine print as Safaricom is making some changes to the Call minutes subscribers get with each PostPay plan. With the current PostPay plans, you get a given number of minutes to…

Back in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, the Central Bank waived the transaction fees between mobile money wallets and banks. The fees for mobile money transactions below Ksh 1,000 were also waived. This was meant to get money to flow through the economy whose growth  was slowing down.  Most banks and even Safaricom were not happy with this decision as they argued that it would reduce their profit margins. Their protests landed on deaf ears as the transaction fees were done away with in the end.  Even as banks and telcos seem not happy with the decision, it…

Earlier today, Lipa Later announced its official acquisition of ecommerce platform, SkyGarden. SkyGraden has been in financial crisis having run out of money and would have gone under were it not for the acquisition by Lipa Later.  According to Eric Muli, LIPA Later CEO, they have fully acquired SkyGarden and its team who now work from Lipa Later’s offices. The two companies will continue working independently but there will be some overlap in some areas. SkyGarden will run as it has before just with a new owner. The acquisition cost is still unknown but Lipa Later may share those details…

Earlier today, a new e-commerce platform officially launched its operations in Kenya. This new platform is called Kapu and was started by former Jumia executives including Sam Chappatte who at one point was Jumia CEO. He left Jumia back in November 2021 and is now the CEO of Kapu.  Some of the other former Jumia executives joining him include:  Cyrus Onyiego former MD of Jumia Travel and former COO of Jumia Foos– he will be the COO at Kapu.  Former Jumia CMO who will now be the Head of Marketing at Kapu.  Stanislas Barth who was Jumia’s head of Offline…