SIMBA CORP COMMENCES SALES OF THE LOCALLY ASSEMBLED PROTON SAGA

Nairobi, Kenya……25th February Simba Corp has today launched sales of the locally assembled Proton Saga saloon car. 

Speaking at the Proton Saga Media launch event held at Aspire Centre, Westlands,  

Simba Corporation Group CEO, Dinesh Kotecha said, “We look forward to having the Proton Saga and indeed the Proton brand take the Kenyan market by storm because we believe that this is a solution that our customers have been waiting for and we have finally delivered.” 

The Proton Saga is  locally assembled at the Associated Vehicle Assemblers plant in Mombasa. It comes with a 5 year, 150,000KM warranty. Simba Corp has partnered with bank partners to make it easier for their customers to own this zero-mileage, high-value car. The Proton Saga also comes with a 4 star NCAP safety rating and will have over 50 service locations nationwide. 

Simba Corporation Executive Chairman, Adil Popat said, “The launch of the Proton Saga demonstrates how a positive partnership between the government, private sector and all industry stakeholders can deliver solutions whose impact will be felt by consumers at all levels of the Kenyan economy.” 

In his address, the Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, Lawrence Karanja, said, “When Kenyans demanded an affordable vehicle, we thought it was a tall order. Simba Corp took the challenge and delivered. We celebrate this growth and development in the manufacturing sector in Kenya in a bid to achieve Vision 2030. The government’s mission is to make Kenya a regional hub for automotive assembly and manufacture. As a government we are supporting the industry by being committed to buying locally assembled vehicles because we believe in Buy Kenya and Build Kenya as this creates employment, skills development and transfer for our youth, research and development as well as promoting environmental protection.” 

Kenya Auto Bazaar Association (K.A.B.A) Chairman, Major (Rtd) John Kipchumba said, “We don’t import because we love used cars, we do it due to the demand. We are looking for affordable vehicles that are fuel-efficient and new, with zero (0) mileage, and the Proton Saga has come to address this.” 

In his closing address, Simba Corporation Motor Division Managing Director, Naresh Leekha, said, “We have the utmost confidence that Proton will transform the automotive market and the lives of our consumers. The 5-year warranty, attractive financing options, safety features, aftersales network, all, for a brand new zero-mileage car that is assembled locally is an unbeatable deal. The future is indeed bright.” 

Proton joins the growing list of globally renowned automotive brands that have chosen Kenya as their home and are being assembled by AVA in Mombasa.  During the Mombasa launch held in  

December 2020, His Excellency the President Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, President Kenyatta said the country is now at the cusp of offering Kenyans the opportunity to own zero-mileage vehicles that are affordable, well engineered and can attract financing. “It offers good value for money,  compared to what has previously been available to Kenyan consumers. Kenyans can purchase a brand new, safe vehicle for the same price that is usually spent to purchase a secondhand vehicle and in addition it stimulates economic growth by creating jobs for Kenya’s youth.  

This vehicle is assembled at Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) in Mombasa which is also fully owned by Simba Corporation.  

LG launches social impact challenge for innovative community projects

Nairobi, February, 25, 2021…… Children with hearing and speaking challenges, young girls unable to attend school due to poverty, and youth aspiring to develop their football talents, will be among the beneficiaries of a social impact project supported by LG Electronics to transform lives and communities.

The project known as LG Ambassador: Social Impact Challenge aims to identify innovative and impactful community initiatives that respond to real problems in local communities, and supporting them financially to achieve the desired goals.

The idea behind the initiative came from a similar initiative by LG Electronics in Bangladesh that has so far benefited over 400 families by improving food security and tackling poverty.

In December, LG Electronics in Kenya invited entries for the Social Impact Challenge covering projects having great community impact but in need of funding. After the competition which ran between December 7 – 24, three entries were picked to receive funding of up to Ksh 985,000 per project.

LG has partnered with Korea Food for the Hungry International, a Christian NGO that promotes awareness about hunger and poverty around the world to launch the initiative in Kenya.  The projects were evaluated using criteria like effectiveness, necessity, efficiency, specificity and feasibility.

The first project at Kilimani Primary School in Nairobi will purchase braille machines to cater for the needs of learners with hearing and speaking impairments. The project will receive Ksh 950,000.

The second project, Buela Girls Empowerment in Kajiado County, seeks to expand opportunities for young girls to achieve their dreams by keeping them in school and providing them with essential items like sanitary pads. The project will also receive support to the tune of Ksh 950,000 comprising sanitary towels to be distributed to girls in various primary schools.  

The third project at Limuru Soccer Academy in Kiambu County seeks to address poverty and idleness among youth by promoting sporting activities like football to keep young men and women from engaging in vices like crime and drug abuse. This project will receive a total of Ksh 950,000 which will go towards purchasing 6 motorbikes, soccer balls, playing kits and starting a sports equipment shop.

LG Electronics East Africa Managing Director, Sa Nyoung Kim, said the objective of the LG Ambassador program is to empower individuals with a strong passion for social change to achieve their vision.

“The Social Impact Challenge supports those with strong commitment and passion to solve problems and advance their communities to become LG Ambassadors. They show strong affection for their communities and are knowledgeable about the social problems they want to solve,” said Mr. Kim while presenting cheques to the project beneficiaries.

He added: “As a responsible business, LG Electronics believes in increasing social value by investing in under-privileged communities. At the global level, we are committed to working with local communities to ensure the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Speaking on behalf Korea Food for the Hungry International, Mr. Eric Oseko said the LG Ambassador: Social Impact Challenge is a noble initiative that will transform the lives of the beneficiaries.

“We are proud to be associated with this project as it will empower young people to overcome personal challenges and imbue them with hope and a desire to achieve their dreams,” said Mr. Oseko.

The LG Ambassador: Social Impact Challenge was first launched in Bangladesh last year. In April 2020, LG Bangladesh posted about the Program on its Facebook page encouraging followers to submit social development projects that can alleviate challenges facing people due to Covid-19.

Some of the projects that received LG support include a food security and cleanliness program targeting 174 families; a poultry project by 100 persons with disabilities; distribution of boats to forest inhabitants of the Munda tribe; and purchase of domestic animals for 135 families at Panchagar Zila. 

Cisco Networking Academy Advances Digital Skills in Kenya

7,650 students and civil servants gained new IT and digital knowledge via Cisco courses on the Ajira Digital Programme Platform

NAIROBI, Kenya – February 24, 2021 – At a virtual ceremony, the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Kenya and Cisco celebrated the graduation of 650 students and civil servants who completed various Cisco Networking Academy courses over the last few months. The 650 fresh graduates join a large group of Kenyan students and professionals who have gained state-of-the-art digital and IT skills with the help of Networking Academy over the past years. Since the start of the program, more than 65,000 people attended Cisco Networking Academy courses in Kenya.

Thanks to the close cooperation between the Ministry of ICT and technology company Cisco, content and courses of Networking Academy have been made available on the Ministry’s Ajira Digital Programme free of charge. Approximately 7,000 people took part in the self-enroll courses and benefitted from the program.

In addition to providing digital content, Cisco also offered scholarships to 50 students and in collaboration with the ICT Authority trained 600 civil servants from various Ministries and Government organisations.

“The ICT Policy 2020 is a key pillar in realising Kenya’s Vision 2030 of becoming a globally competitive, knowledge-based economy. To do this, the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs has a mission of facilitating universal access to ICT infrastructure and services to all, in Kenya. Therefore, we welcome the close cooperation with Cisco and Cisco Networking Academy to foster digital skills in Kenya,” said Jerome Ochieng, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs.

The civil servants and students in this cohort took part in multiple courses, including Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cyber operations and DevNet Associate. CCNA courses provide fundamental knowledge and skills for designing and building computer networks, whilst Cyber Operations focuses on cyber security concepts, monitoring, host-based analysis, network intrusion analysis, and security policies and procedures. DevNet Associate is a brand-new offering from Cisco Networking Academy and introduces students to the world of software development, APIs (application programming interfaces) and infrastructure automation.

“Cisco Networking Academy is our global platform that provides education in IT and digital skills. We partner with learning institutions and Government agencies around the globe, to empower people with tech-savvy career opportunities,” said Sally Kimeu, country manager for Cisco in Kenya. “The story of our Networking Academy started more than 20 years ago. Over the years, this learning platform has become the world’s largest classroom with more than 12.6 million participants since its inception. Given the need for digital skills in Africa, Cisco Networking Academy is a key pillar of our commitment to the continent,” Sally Kimeu added.

To help during the global pandemic, Cisco brought its collective resources, technologies, and experience to deliver Networking Academy courses and to enable continuous connections and collaboration with education partners. Dimension Data, a Cisco Gold Partner in Kenya, has supported the training of civil servants by providing the trainers whilst Cisco enabled remote teaching via WebEx.

“Ensuring our educators were able to connect with their students so they could continue their studies at home without disruption was our number one priority.  Through Cisco’s collaboration technologies we can provide our education partners the right technology to set up study spaces and host lectures using Networking Academy courses from anywhere”, said Hital Muraj, in charge of  Cisco Networking Academy program in Kenya.

ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY UNVEILS DRAFT NATIONAL CHEMICALS POLICY

By Clive Ayuko

Nairobi, Kenya 15 February 2021

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry early this morning unveiled a policy aimed at regulating chemicals within the country.

Highlighting the importance of chemicals in sustaining everyday life and the risks presented in handling and management and storage of chemicals as happened in the Beirut explosion which killed over 200 civilians and further injuring more that 5000 people the Kenya National Chemical Policy 2020 will be instrumental in the management of chemicals and safegaurding the lives of Kenyans fron harmful effects of chemicals.

The launch of the Draft Policy comes in the heels of a disturbing report by the United Nations Development Programme dubbed The Age of the Anthropocene which highlights the negative impact of human activity on the environment.

POETS AND WRITERS AROUND THE WORLD COME TOGETHER TO SPREAD LOVE, HOPE AND OPTIMISM

Nairobi, Kenya 13th February 2021

– Worldwide writers including George Kagwe and George the Poet team up to use their positive words to help people stay connected–

– Short Moving Stories (SMS) created to be shared with loved ones around the world –

Nairobi, 12th February 2021 – Poets, author, writers and artists around the world including George Kagwe and British spoken-word artist George the Poet – famed for kicking off Harry and Meghan’s wedding with a poem about union back in 2018 – have come together to create a series of messages to help spread love and optimism in challenging times, ahead of Valentine’s Day. 

Fifteen original and favourite positive stories of love, friendship, community, work, hope and family were commissioned on behalf of Nokia phones and have been created and designed to be shared with loved ones as Short Moving Stories – short, text-able messages of hope.

George the Poet’s original Short Moving Story (SMS) about the value of community:

My community is my thinking space, my breathing space,
I could never fully leave this place. To
All of the children – especially you.
We’re connected by spirit; my lyrics won’t ever leave you. Just the thought of missing out on everyone’s lives makes me
Cherish every sunset, and every sunrise.

George Kagwe’s original Short Moving Story (SMS) about the value of hope:

We’ve navigated through the storm

Settling into this new norm

Even if we struggle through it all

One thing’s for sure, we will never fall.

It comes after a year in which people worldwide have learnt to slow down and find new ways to stay in touch with their lives and loved ones by using their phones, with the artists designing messages of hope to give people a way to connect and inspire each other.

The stories are all available to read, download or share for free at Nokia.com/phones and form part of an effort to spread hope and positivity.

Stephen Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer at Nokia phones said: “We take pride in creating Nokia phones that are trusted, secure and built to last because it gives our customers peace of mind, which allows them to go off and enjoy the more positive things in life. If the last year has shown us anything it’s the importance of positivity. Following nearly a year of isolation and vulnerability one thing that stood out to us is the power of people’s collective voices to spread positivity in a time of need, which is also at the core of our business and ties back to our Finnish roots – Finland has consecutively won the title of being the happiest country in the world. So we are championing positive voices from around the world to spread uplifting messages, and help support each other as we come through the other side of global lockdowns.”

Critically acclaimed poet, podcaster and spoken word artist George the Poet said: “Sometimes a few words can make all the difference. We’ve all experienced how some days can feel flat and endless, especially as we can’t see our friends and family. Like the new Nokia 5.4, I hope that my poems help you stay connected and in touch with your loved ones, until we can all be together again.”

Gopher Ogembo, Senior Business Manager at HMD Global said: “We believe in providing a premium experience at different price points. So irrespective of whether it is a feature phone or an entry smart device, or a mid-range device, they always come with updated features. During this month of love, feel free to get yourself or your loved one a Nokia phone and join us in advocating for positive voices from around the world to spread the love”.

The Panel of Positivity includes:

  • Multi-award winning George the Poet, an author, rapper, spoken word performer who opened the Royal wedding with a poem about Union in 2018
  • James McInerney (UK) whose Poetry Project first put positive messages across the London Underground network in 2018
  • India’s best and most-read author, Ruskin Bond, winner of Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 always tries to strike a positive note when writing for children
  • George Kagwe (Kenya) is a content creator and comedian from Nairobi
  • Alina Balashova (Russia) – Snowboarder and outdoor enthusiast who believes in no bad days, and keeping active to stay positive
  • Juan Pablo Gaviria (Bogotá, Colombia) an author, influencer, conferencist and coach who defines himself as a Happiness Manager

The Short Moving Stories are part of a wider ongoing initiative to recognise Nokia phones   which are trusted, secure and built to last.  The idea taps into its roots as Nokia phones were developed in Finland – the happiest country in the world – in a bid to spread joy and positivity across the world.

KENYA’S PUBLIC DEBT RISE SCARY SAYS ACCOUNTING BODY

By Clive Ayuko

Nairobi, Kenya 12th February 2021

The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya this morning declared that Kenya’s public debt is fast becoming unsustainable.

According to the Institution Kenya’s appetite for public debt seems to be increasing to unsustainable levels.

On 2nd April 2020 Kenya received Ksh 5.26 Billion from the World Bank. On 6th May 2020 Kenya again received. Ksh 78.56 Billion from the International Monetary Fund and one the same month received Ksh 106.8 Billion from the World Bank. On 22nd May 2020 Kenya again received a loan of Ksh 22.10 Billion from the Africa development Bank. According to the Institute’s Chairperson Ms, Rose Mwaura who was addressing members of the press as she presided over the annual accountants meetup at a Nairobi Hotel. Kenya Public Debt to GDP ratio stands at 70:100 a factor that she argued may force the executive to run back to parliament to raise the debt ceiling. This the institution said has been made worse by a deteriorating Pre-covid debt sustainability plan made impossible by falling revenue collection by government as a resulting from declining economic activity occasioned by the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.

To address the situation and roll back the effects of the rising public debt the institute called for Stronger strategies to enhance revenue collection, widening the tax base and sealing of tax loopholes and enhancement of accountability in the Public and private sector to enhance revenue collection.

Communications Authority Partner With telcos launch interactive portal for safer online environment

(From left) Caroline Simba, Head of Legal, Jamii Telecom, Ag. Director General, Mercy Wanjau, Communications Authority of Kenya, Chief Adminstrative Secretary, ICT, Maureen Mbaka and Steve Chege, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Safaricom launch an interactive portal for safer online environment at CA centre, Nairobi.

Nairobi, February 9th 2021 :The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has, in partnership with local telecommunications service providers, launched an interactive portal aimed at creating a safer online environment for children.

The micro-site, developed in collaboration with Safaricom, Airtel, Telkom Kenya, Jamii Telecommunication Ltd and the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA), will provide online safety tips for children and guardians.

 “It also has a gaming component that enables both the young and the young at heart to measure their level of awareness on online risks such as cyber bullying, identity theft and online sexual harassment,” said Mercy Wanjau, Ag. Director General of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).

The launch comes against a backdrop of increased cyber-threats recorded in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created a new frontier for cyber criminals. 

According to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) statistics for the quarter ending December 2020, the National Computer Incident Response Team Coordination Centre (KE-CIRT/CC) detected more than 56 million cyber threats in the country

A majority of the threats were malware attacks at 46 million, followed by web application attacks at 7.8 million while 2.2 million Distributed Denial of Service (DDos) threats were detected during the same period.

The ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru expressed fears on possible increase in the volume of cyber crime in the country in the lead up to the upcoming BBI referendum and the 2022 general elections, and urged the CA to boost its detection and monitoring capacity to mitigate the risk.

Speaking at the official opening of national Safe Internet Day celebrations, Mr. Mucheru lauded CA for working with other stakeholders to create a safer online environment.

“Abuse and exploitation of children is unacceptable and should generally not be protected even by free speech principles. In the Internet world, further protections are also needed to shield children from predators, who may contact them through deceptive enticements in online forums,” the ICT Cabinet Secretary said.

He further called on CA to liaise with relevant state agencies and private sector players to manage escalating cases of cybercrime.

 Mrs Wanjau said the public would use the platform to report any cases of child online abuse, which will be directly channelled to CA for necessary action. At the same time, the public can also access information about other organizations that offer support for children, including Childline Kenya, Kenya Association of Professional Counsellors, The Cradle and the Children’s department.

“Making the Internet safe for our children and other users is a collaborative effort. By coming together to deliver this microsite, the Kenyan mobile industry has demonstrated the great things that we can achieve when we join hands and work together. We look forward to further deepening our collaboration further to consistently enhance safety and availability of the internet, as well as other pertinent challenges facing the industry,” said Stephen Chege, Safaricom’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, on behalf of the ‘We Care Initiative’.

Safer Internet Day began as an initiative of the European Union Safe Borders project in 2004, and is today celebrated in close to 130 countries around the world.

Kenyan Pension Schemes Maintain Positive Performance in the Final quarter of 2020

Nairobi Kenya, 9th February 2021….421 Schemes were covered in the Z-CASS Survey in the final quarter of 2020, and the assets under management covered by the survey were at Kshs 951.8 billion.

Below are the key findings from the Z-CASS Report as of 31 December 2020.

Summary

Retirement Schemes’ returns remained in the positive territory in the last quarter of 2020 with a median performance of positive 3.0 percent. This was the second quarter in a row with positive performance offsetting the trend of negative performance in the first half of 2020. The recovery was on the backdrop of improved investor sentiment and progress in COVID-19 vaccination.

The survey profiles schemes into categories based on their asset allocation. Aggressive schemes (schemes with a higher proportion of assets invested in Equity and offshore asset classes) had a weighted average return of 3.8% compared to a 2.6% return for schemes with a lower allocation (schemes with a conservative risk profile). Quarter 4 2020 recorded the best quarterly performance for the Stock market in the year as NASI and the Zamara Kenya Equity Index gained 8.7% and 2.2% respectively.

Retirement schemes recorded a median return of 7.3% over the one year ending 30 December 2020 compared to 17.1% in December 2019. Performance in 2020 was negatively impacted by reduced economic activity brought about by the COVID -19 pandemic. The one-year performance outperformed the annual inflation rate of 5.6%, an indication that most schemes made a gain in the real value of their investments over this period despite the harsh effects of the pandemic.

Retirement Schemes recorded an annualized median return of 10.0% over the three years and 11.3% over the five years. These returns were driven by very strong fixed income performance. Schemes were able to comfortably beat inflation over these periods, with inflation being at 5.1% over the three years and 6.9% over the five years.

KPA Regional Maritime Awards 2020 set for May


·   Interested companies and individuals have until February 26, 2021to submit their entries

·  The 2020’s awards are open to maritime companies with operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Mombasa: February 9, 2021: Kenya Ports Authority’s second East Africa Maritime Awards (EAMA)ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 21, 2021 in Mombasa, Kenya. 

The Awards which seek to recognize and award notable users of the Port of Mombasa and individual players are open to companies from across the breadth of the maritime sector, comprising the shipping, ports, services, engineering, and leisure marine industries with operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Speaking in Mombasa, Kenya Ports Authority Ag. Managing Director Eng. Rashid Salim said the Awards had come at a time the local, regional and global economies were facing a period of significant challenge following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has tested all sectors of the economies globally, however the maritime business has remained resilient, enabling and sustaining regional trade. Once we’re through this immediate period of challenge, it’s going to be important to come together and plan for the future – a future, which, despite coronavirus, will still be presenting us with substantial challenges such as responding to climate change. In many ways, therefore, the current pandemic makes this year’s East Africa Maritime Awards even more important than before,” Eng. Salim said.

Organized in partnerships with the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade), Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) and East African Business Council (EABC), EAMA seeks to promote excellence in service delivery and adoption of best practices; appreciate exceptional contribution to the industry and regional economies; encourage innovation and healthy competition among regional industry players; and improve overall performance of the sector. 

The awards have been grouped into nine (9) clusters based on their maritime functionality and service offering with a total of 27 distinct categories including: Exporter of the Year, Importer of the Year, Best Cargo Transporter, Best Cargo Freight Station, Best Regional Cargo logistics provide, Best Clearing and Forwarding Agent (for each participating country), Best Warehousing Company, Best Shipping Line, Best Shipping Agent (Liner Agency), Best Shipping Agent (Tramp Agency), Best Shipping Agent (Coastal and Inland Shipping), Best Cargo Consolidator, Partner Government Agency, and Private Sector Business Membership Organization(each participating country).

Other categories include Auxiliary Service Awards (Bunkering, Ship Chandling, Marine surveys, Ship contracting, Pre-shipment inspection), Financial Services, Marine Cargo Insurance Services, Maritime Education & Training, Environmental Protection, Occupational Health & Safety, Innovation, Corporate Social Investment, Outstanding Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise (MSME), Maritime Journalist (for each participating country), Young Achiever, Outstanding Woman, and Lifetime Achievement.