The 10 Worst Career Tips That You Should not Pay Attention to.

The old refrains are well known-you can be anything, do what you love, make yourself indispensable-but may not reveal the path to the top. The moral? Career advice comes cheap, so be careful what you buy into. A cross-section of specialists weigh in to debunk some old favorites. Don't be fooled into following the worst career advice disguised as the best.

1. Life is short. Never stay in a job that isn't personally rewarding.

"Most people misunderstand the relationship between passion and career choice".  The current fixation on loving what you do is misguided, as you'll have better career outcomes if you choose a profession that you'll excel in. "Passion alone is not a sufficient condition for making a living." 

2. They aren't paying you enough to do that.

"If you actually believe that you're too good to do something, you're fooling yourself". Young workers who thumb their noses at menial tasks are often perceived as immature and unwilling to be team players. By

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Facebook introduces Twitter's hashtags.

Borrowing from its rival should help keep Facebook relevant.

The trend of major social networks borrowing key features off each other is nothing new: the Facebook ticker that sits alongside the news feed is very Twitter-like, while Twitter has introduced Instagram-style filters into the photo capabilities of its mobile apps. Facebook's adoption of Twitter's hashtag feature may ruffle a few feathers, but (like Google+) Facebook had to adopt it eventually or risk being left behind.

The appeal of the hashtag lies in its simplicity -- it's really just an extension of the search capabilities already built into Facebook and Twitter, but it makes them far more immediate and easy to use. You can already search public posts on Facebook for certain words, and as the super-fast Graph Search

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Facebook hashtags: A new Way to Compete with Twitter?

Facebook has announced that the social networking website will include hashtags within its set-up from now on, in order to allow existing Facebook users to follow conversation on trending topics within Facebook.
This move is an obvious attempt to keep up with its rival Twitter, for whom hashtags have been a massive part of its operation for some time.

With Twitter growing in popularity, it is clear that Facebook has taken this step to try to keep its existing users happy, and prevent them from defecting permanently to its competitor.

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10 Career Tips on How to be Found and prized by Job Recruiters.

Judging on extrinsic and skill-based factors is a relatively objective and straightforward exercise. Gauging softer traits such as will or attitude is much, much harder, and takes one-on-one contact, attentive listening, and careful observation. That's why it's important to approach a job interview more as an attitude audition than a question-and-answer period around skills.

Here are ten key questions to help you better understand the intrinsic "why" and "how" behind a person:
1. What is the talk-to-listen ratio? You want people who are self-confident and not afraid to express their views, but if the talk-to-listen ratio is anything north of 60 percent, you want to ask why. Is it because this person is self-important and not interested in learning from others — or just because he is nervous and rambling?

2. Is this an energy-giver or -taker? There is a certain breed of people who just carry with them and unfortunately spread a negative energy. You know who they are. Alternatively, there are those who consistently carry and share a positivity and optimism towards life. There is a Chinese proverb that

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World Bank foresees Kenya’s economy to grow by 5.7 percent.

The World Bank projects that the Kenyan economy will grow by 5.7 per cent in 2013 supported by higher investment and low interest rates.

The World Bank Kenya Economic Update launched Monday attributes the higher growth compared to 4.7 per cent in 2012 to a stable macroeconomic environment, the peaceful elections in March 2013, and smooth transition of political power. 

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to improve further to 6 per cent in 2014.

“The government needs to create an enabling environment for private sector-led growth by continuing to invest in infrastructure, increasing domestic energy production, removing bottlenecks to doing

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Warren Buffet calls for women to be included in boardrooms.

Revered billionaire investor warren Buffet ahs called for more women to be included in the companies’ top management and boards. In recent months, Mr. Buffet has been more vocal of supporting the inclusion of more women in company boards. He was convinced of this after reading Sheryl

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Chris Kirubi to mentor young entrepreneurs.

Industrialist Chris Kirubi has come forward ad said he is ready to mentor young entrepreneurs, and says he will show them all the ropes needed to succeed in business. Mr. Kirubi, who also doubles up as DJ CK on Capital FM, has carved a niche in the manufacturing and media businesses, and was a top investor in Kenya Power before shelving off his shares earlier this year. 

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Atwoli denies 150 million COTU fraud.

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has denied his involvement in a 150 million shilling fraud at COTU. The organization has come under criticism recently for its support of the MPs salaries, which many view as earning too much salary for too little work. Mr. Atwoli has been at the helm of the workers umbrella body for more than a decade, and is again expected to stand in upcoming elections.

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Farmers Commodity exchange takes shape.

The Cabinet has approved new laws setting up a market for trading of commodities and currencies. This paves the way for opening of an exchange that could give farmers access to a bigger market for their produce.
The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) in April published draft regulations for setting up a futures exchange, which will now be published into law incorporating input from stakeholders.

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Obama to spend 8 billion shillings on Africa visit.

There is growing outrage in the USA over the reportedly massive $60-$100 million price tag of president Obama's upcoming trip to Africa. With expenses like 24-hour fighter jets over the president's airspace and floating Navy trauma hospitals off the coast, there are calls for the White House to cancel the trip. This is the first visit of President Obama to Africa since 2009. He will be visiting four African

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Best and Worst careers to take a loan for.

Many university graduates dream of the day they’ll finally clear their Helb loans. Some students enrolled in the parallel degree program also take loans to finance their studies. So, which careers are the best, careers that promise a return on your investment? Which careers are the worst in which to take a loan against? Here are some of the careers we sampled. (Disclaimer: This is merely an opinion and not expert advice).

Best:

Advertising and marketing.
College grads going into advertising and marketing can pay off their loans in a few years. While not all marketing graduates will get top level pay, marketing majors can start working right after they’re done

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China to build Africa’s largest Hydro Power Plant in DR Congo.

The contours of a new set of agreements to build the long-shelved 40,000MW Grand Inga dam have emerged.
More than 90 politicians, businesspeople and international financiers gathered in Paris, the French capital to discuss the African infrastructure deal of the century in Paris on 17 May.

Finance and power ministers from several African countries, including South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, sat down with the African Development Bank and World Bank, alongside lawyers, bankers and the representatives of several business consortia.

Key amongst those are China's Sinohydro and the China Three Gorges corporation, which built the world's largest hydropower project across the Yangtze river, first delivering 22,500MW in 2008.

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Safaricom aims to integrate Wi-Fi on Matatus.

Safaricom is on an all out push to get the matatus plying the Nairobi route to have wireless internet- Wi-Fi. The company sees the endless traffic jams in the city’s road as an opportunity for commuters to surf free as they get distracted from the traffic jam. However, security precautions still remain, as

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Saudi Arabia plans to block WhatsApp within weeks.

Saudi Arabia plans to block Internet-based communication tool WhatsApp within weeks if the U.S.-based firm fails to comply with requirements set by the kingdom's telecom regulator.

The country’s telecom regulatory body argues that it is hard for the state to monitor WhatsApp, and it also deprives telecom companies of revenue from international calls and texts.

The kingdom appears to be making a greater push for more control over cyberspace as Internet and smart phone usage soars, in part due to strict laws that limit opportunities for people to mix in person.

WhatsApp has seen an unprecedented expansion since its launch four years ago, and is eating into the

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Safaricom overtakes EABL as the most valuable company in East Africa.

East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has lost its place as the NSE’s most valuable firm to Safaricom, following successive weeks of share price decline.

EABL, whose share was trading at Sh351 Thursday having opened at Sh358, now has a market capitalisation of Sh278 billion compared to Safaricom’s Sh294 billion.
Safaricom was trading at Sh7.35 per share Thursday, having remained above the Sh7 per share since the beginning of May.
Analysts say the EABL share has dropped due to a mixture of profit-taking and the adoption of a

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5 Best internships in Kenya.

The Kenyatta administration has said that it will offer tax rebates to companies that offer internships to young Kenyan graduates that are just out of university. So, which are the Kenyan companies to intern at? Here are five of the best.

1. Bamburi

Want to get lots of experience plus a little pocket money on the side? Then Bamburi is no doubt the place to be. It also encourages female interns to apply, especially in the technical and engineering fields.

2. Google.

Google is known to offer generous monthly stipends, plus you get to go to work in jeans and T-shirts,

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Facebook, Microsoft release surveillance data requests from US.

Facebook and Microsoft have struck agreements with the U.S. government to release limited information about the number of surveillance requests they receive. The companies aim to avert a fallout from their users as they far their private data could be sold off to US intelligence agencies.

Facebook became the first to release aggregate numbers of requests, saying that it received between 9,000 and 10,000 U.S. requests for user data in the second half of 2012, covering 18,000 to 19,000 of

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Google launches cheap internet for Africa, South Asia.

Google has launched internet balloons; a service it hopes would bring internet to the world’s ‘marginalized regions’ in Africa and South Asia. Wrinkled and skinny at first, the translucent, jellyfish-shaped balloons will also provide internet to rural areas in the developed world, where internet service providers shy away from serving because of lack of ‘profit incentives’. 

If successful, the technology might allow countries to leapfrog the expense of laying fibre cable,

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I&M Bank Plans to Fundraise for Regional Expansion.

I&M Bank Ltd., plans to raise money in the next year to fund its regional expansion, Chief Executive Officer Arun Mathur said. This comes as I&M Bank is set to being trading at the NSE this month.
The bank plans to begin operations in Uganda in the next 12 months, possibly by acquiring an existing lender, before venturing into South Sudan and Zambia, Executive Director Sarit Raja-Shah said in an interview to Bloomberg news. I&M already operates in Tanzania, Rwanda and Mauritius.

“We are still thinking of how to raise money,” Mathur, 59, said. He said the company has not yet determined how much it plans to raise. “There could be a rights issue, there could be an issue of debt and equity” carried out by July 2014, he said.

Profit increased by 21 percent at Kenyan banks last year to 107.9 billion shillings ($1.26 billion), helped by a surge in interest income after the central bank raised its benchmark rate to a record. Total assets grew 15 percent to 2.33 trillion shillings, according to central bank data. Earnings may grow further

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10 Great Hidden Careers for 2013 and Beyond

Most people limit their career choices to the well-known: doctor, lawyer, or engineer. Here are 10 professions that are not only underappreciated, but that offer advantages over the more traditional careers. Here are ten careers that you might want to re-look again and advise someone to pursue.

1. Kindergarten-ECD- teacher. Parents are forking gazillions for their children to study in top notch private kindergarten schools. Whilst in our generation nursery school wasn’t something our parents thought much about, these days it’s different. The fee for top kindergarten schools easily outstrips the fee for many primary schools, and quality teachers at this stage of a child’s development are hard to

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The Most Overlooked Part of Your Data Security.

Organizations constantly replace outdated computers, servers, laptops, copiers, and countless other types of electronic devices to keep up with technology and enhance worker productivity. This rush to upgrade, however, creates a challenge: large numbers of excess electronics must be managed and disposed of properly.

During a recent IT asset disposal project for a large New York bank, a chain-of-custody audit revealed three computers were untracked. An IT director was suspected of taking them.

Soft Underbelly of Data Security
Without question, most large organizations take data security seriously. Corporations will spend an estimated $68 billion worldwide this year on IT security measures including firewalls, network

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Mombasa port falls behind Durban port in African trade.

Transporting goods by sea remains the most common way to trade globally, but in Africa cargo spends an abnormally long time in ports before it is moved inland, presenting a serious obstacle to the successful integration of sub-Saharan economies in worldwide trade networks. A World Bank study, titled ‘Why does cargo spend weeks in sub-Saharan African ports?’ shows.

Lessons from six countries, found the average cargo waiting time to be 20 days and that more than half of the time needed to transport cargo from ports to ­hinterland cities in landlocked countries in

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Doing Business in Africa, Critical to Global Growth - U.S.

The United States government yesterday stressed the need and importance for foreign investors in the country and across the world to do businesses in the African continent.

Speaking at ongoing African-US Trade Exhibition held at the Baltimore Convention Center, the Governor of Maryland State, Mr. Martin O'Malley, maintained that doing businesses with Africa was

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Talking business with Founder of Steers and Debonairs Pizza, Azam Samanani.

Steers and Debonairs Pizza, two fast food chains, launched in Kenya sixteen years ago. Azam Samanani – managing director of Hoggers Limited, the firm that runs the two franchises – told How we made it in Africa’s Dinfin Mulupi about doing business in Kenya’s restaurant market. Below are excerpts.

Steers launched in Kenya sixteen years ago. What was the inspiration then?
Sixteen years ago, the vision was that there was a market here for people who wanted international quality offerings. We have done pretty well since the beginning. We now run eight Steers and five Debonairs Pizza stores. There has always been a market for excellence and sixteen years ago we were the only ones doing this whereas today there are more people doing it and more people trying to do it.

There are unique business challenges to doing things right in different environments.
Africa has its unique challenges, Kenya has its unique challenges and Nairobi has its unique challenges. Every time someone tries to take an experience that isn’t organic to the environment and tries to

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2 Great Kenyan incubation centers to launch your business.

Kenyan entrepreneurs seeking to start a business usually have a very hard time. Capital for starting is in short supply as banks are unwilling to lend to an untried client that has not made a name in the business circles. Clients are unwilling to commit, and most certainly employees are unwilling to be employed by a company that has yet to show any future growth prospects. 

What’s more, office space and internet are certainly out of reach from many budding entrepreneurs. To address this need, a few incubation centers have come up where one can incubate their ideas, be mentored and nurtured, sometimes be linked up with capital lenders and markets, and eventually see

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5 Career Tips for Women; Lessons from Facebook’s most powerful woman employee.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's No. 2 executive and outspoken voice on the obstacles women face in the corporate world, offers a blueprint for change in her new book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead."

1. Sit at the table.
Plagued by self-doubt and "feeling like a fraud," women consistently underestimate themselves and their abilities, Sandberg writes. For a host of reasons, women often hold themselves back by literally not sitting at the table where decisions are made. Instead, they choose to watch from the sidelines. She urges institutions and individuals to encourage and promote women. And she encourages women to sit at the table and raise their hands. Men are already doing it, after all.

2. When negotiating, "Think personally, act communally."
Preface salary negotiations by explaining that you know women often get paid less than men, so you are going to "negotiate rather than accept the original offer," she writes. This way, women can position

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Budget: Interns to be hired in new scheme.

The government will enter into partnerships with private companies so that experienced graduates can be hired to gain skills and experience. In the budget estimates read on Thursday by The cabinet secretary for Treasury, Henry Rotich, private companies that take in fresh university graduates and

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Budget: Elearning to take center Stage.

The government will purchase nearly 1.5 million laptops for the elearning program, Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich read out in the budget. The Kenyatta administration had made the one laptop per child a critical cornerstone of their campaign agenda, something that the President intends to begin rolling out next year. However, concerns remain whether the move is a right one, given that many teachers have

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6 Ways stay safe on public wi-fi hotspots.

With the number of Wi-Fi hotspots in Kenya increasing, it's getting easier to connect your laptop, smartphone or tablet to a public wireless broadband connection. But due to our eagerness to check emails while sipping coffee at Java, or while taking a ride on a Rongai Matatu with wi-fi (true story), we often forget about the substantial security and privacy-risks presented by insecure connections. Here’s how you can protect your privacy while using public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Connection type
It's always a good idea to understand what type of W-Fi connection you're accessing, so you can better adjust your online behaviour. The most insecure network type is an unencrypted network, which basically leaves your data completely exposed. An unencrypted network will also mean someone

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South Africa to return stolen Gaddaffi wealth to Libya.

South Africa will return the stolen wealth of Muammar Gaddaffi back to Libya, state officials said. Muammar Gaddafi, the deposed Libyan leader, operated many overseas accounts, that it was difficult to separate family wealth from the country’s wealth. The amount to be expatriated is a billion dollars,

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Budget: Economy to grow by 7 percent.

The economy is expected to grow by about 7 percent in the 2013/14 financial year, far below the double digit growth that the Jubilee government had promised. If you factor in inflation and the growth in population, then such growth is merely for maintaining the same standards of living, and not for lifting 'millions out of poverty' that had been envisioned under a double digit growth.

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Budget: Northern Kenya to gain from equalization fund.

Northern Kenya is among the winners of this years’ budget. An equalization fund for the region has been extended, and new developments are expected to take place in the region. Even though the region sits on vast natural resources, it remains the poorest part of Kenya. Oil was discovered in Turkana early last year, but full exploitation will only be realized in the next three years or so. Similarly, a Chinese company will be setting up a solar power plant in Garissa, one of the largest in Africa.

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Budget: Public debt to sky rocket.

The government is expected to borrow up to 328 billion shillings to plug the budget deficit in the 2013/2014 budget, Treasury cabinet secretary Henry Rotich said in his budget estimates on Thursday. The government could adopt a raft measures as it seeks to raise more money. It could tax us more, either through the introduction of the VAT Bill that will see prices of basic goods like milk and bread shoot up by as much as 16 percent

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Is China the new Imperialist in Africa?

It happened in Zambia like it could happen elsewhere in Africa. Chinese investors made deals with the government to mine its natural resources, filling federal coffers with billions of dollars. Chinese immigrants moved into cities and rural towns. They started construction companies; opened copper, coal, and gem mines; and built hotels and restaurants, all providing new jobs. They set up schools and hospitals. But then instances of corruption, labor abuse, and criminal coverups began to set the relationship between the Chinese and the Africans aflame.

The Chinese have managed to accomplish at least one impressive thing in Africa—they have made everyone else uncomfortable. The Americans are uneasy, worried about (and perhaps jealous of) China’s rapid and profitable investments throughout the continent, and the developmental assistance

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Chinese solar panel makers to build power station in Garissa.

Chinese solar panel makers may bulk up in Africa after China finishes building one of the biggest solar power stations on the continent.

Chinese solar panel makers will supply most of the 140 million US dollars (Kshs. 12 billion) needed to build a solar power station in Garissa, Kenya, according to state-owned China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Cooperation, the deal's coordinator.

The coordinating company said Wednesday that the project will serve as the base for China's biggest

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Why Would Hackers Target Your Emails and Passwords?

Hackers are increasingly targeting small companies, planting malware that not only steals customer data and contact lists but also makes its way into the computer systems of other companies, such as vendors.
Hackers also might be more interested in your employees than you'd think. Are your workers relatively affluent? If so, chances are the hackers are way ahead of you and are either looking for a way into your company or are already inside, stealing employee data and passwords, which (as they well know) people tend to reuse for all their online accounts.

Your company is probably also vulnerable to being attacked through its partners. How much do you

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5 Jobs in which Shy People could Excel.

So, you keep to yourself, and are introverted. Small talk. Schmoozing. Networking. Buzz words like these can send shy people into a panic.
The good news is that there are careers out there that don't necessarily require tons of chit-chat or after-hour networking.

Then, these careers are likely to be the best fit for you.

1. Accountant.

Sitting behind a computer crunching numbers isn’t exactly going to endear you many people, it is? Striking small talk in the loos with fellow colleague from the marketing department will most likely be a

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Malaysia Government scholarships now Open.

Malaysia establishes First Lady of Kenya scholarship Fund - Nairobi June 11, 2013 PPS

Binary University of Management and Entrepreneurship of Malaysia has set up Binary-First Lady of Kenya Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to bright Kenyan students to pursue postgraduate courses.

The establishment of the Scholarship Fund is part of the initiatives by Kenya and Malaysia to further

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SKA offers rare opportunity for African scientists to shine on a global scale.

The Square Kilometer Array- SKA project offers African scientists a rare opportunity to shine on a global scale. The project to be based in South Africa, will peek into the conditions of the universe, and attempt to verify how the universe came into existence. Thousands of radio telescopes will be spread around the desert parts of South Africa, eventually occupying a collecting area of one square kilometer. Parts of the telescopes will be built in eight African countries, including Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Ghana, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

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2013/2014 budget: Double digit growth looks far fetched.

One of the stated policies of the Kenyatta administration is to grow the economy by double digits. Indeed, for the Kenya Vision 2030 to be realized, the Kenyan economy will have to grow by 10 percent each year. Taking into account population growth, a growth anywhere below ten percent merely guarantees that the same standards of living will be maintained, since the additional growth will be erased by the increase in population. In the 2013/ 2014 budget, the sectors which would have contributed to the growth of the economy have not been given much attention.

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2013/2014 budget: Public debt expected to increase.

The public debt will likely increase, as the government’s expected expenditure of 1.6 trillion shillings can barely be financed. One of the ways in which analysts expect the deficit to be plugged is to increase taxes of basic goods like tea, milk, and sugar, or borrow from the domestic market. Alternatively, the government could turn to external sources such as through donors and development partners. Under the Kibaki administration, public debt ballooned, but almost 95 percent of the budget was financed locally (excluding special projects such as free HIV/AIDS drugs undertaken by donors).

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Cost of basic goods expected to increase in the 2013/2014 budget.

Cost of basic commodities like milk, bread, and sugar are expected to rise. The government will face severe budget constraints, as it seeks to implement devolution, and pay the high salaries of MPs amongst other new positions created in the new government structure. This is expected to hurt the common mwananchi much more, since they spend a huge chunk of their money on basic commodities, as compared to the well off where food accounts for a very minor proportion of their expenditure.

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KCB orders 5 million cards to fight fraud.

KCB will introduce 5 million chip and PIN debit and pre-paid cards in the Kenyan market; joining standard chartered which is set to introduce the technology soon. The Kenya bankers Association- KBA had set a March 2014 deadline as the debt lenders should migrate from the current magnetic strip cards to chip based cards. This is aimed to curb the rampant debit and credit card fraud in the Kenyan market.

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Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Lagos emerge as Africa’s most visited cities.

Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi have emerged the most popular destinations in Africa with over 5 million expected visitors in 2013, according to MasterCard’s Third Annual Global Destination Cities Index.
The recently released index ranks Johannesburg as the highest on the continent both in total number of visits and international visitors totalling 2,544,013 and generating the sum of $2.7 billion, while Lagos will have 2,164,897 visitors which will generate about $922 million, the report showed.
Eleven other African cities were including Cape Town (South Africa), Durban (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Cairo (Egypt), Casablanca (Morocco), Accra (Ghana), Beira (Mozambique) , Kampala

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Why are Africa’s low cost airlines struggling?

Adapted from the Economist: AFRICA is flourishing. Most countries are at peace, and average GDP growth is around 6%. Record numbers of children go to school. Life-expectancy has risen by a tenth over the past decade and foreign direct investment has tripled. Consumer spending will double over the next ten years. As part of this growth, low-cost airlines—to fly business people or holiday-makers within and between countries—are springing up. But they are running into problems. 1time and Velvet Sky, two South African low-cost carriers, went bust last year. FastJet, which markets itself as the first pan-African low-cost carrier, has been stalled by lawsuits and losses. What is holding back Africa's low-cost airlines?

There is no lack of demand, on some routes at least. Fly540, based in Kenya, had an annual turnover of $32m last year (up from $12m in 2007). Its flights from Nairobi to Mombasa, and to Zanzibar in neighbouring Tanzania, are popular with Kenya's emerging middle class. Traders from Lodwar, a

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Spying claims put the future of data security at risk.

Ex- CIA IT security employee Edward Snowden spilled to the Guardian newspaper and the Washington Post that the US Government was conducting a secret surveillance of our online activities. He revealed that the US government was routinely accessing the servers of Facebook, Google, Apple and other internet giant companies to fish out suspicious patterns in our communication. Under the program dubbed ‘PRISM,’ the security agencies collected 98 billion pieces of intelligence worldwide.

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Teachers, farmers and small businesses biggest losers in budget.

Teachers, small farmers, and small businesses are the biggest losers in the 2013/14 budget that is to be unveiled tomorrow. This is after the government slashed kshs.100 billion for social programmes. For instance, 1.3 billion shillings that had been set aside for training of small scale businessmen, as well as to facilitate start of small businesses has been slashed from the budget.

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Evans Kidero: Scrap metal dealers’ days are numbered.

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero will soon ban the trade in scrap metals, unless the businesses are properly registered. Whole parts of guard rails in the newly built Thika road have been vandalized by scrap metal dealers, who want a quick profit. Curiously, most of the scrap metal is exported to China, which has a large appetite for scrap metal to fuel its fledging manufacturing economy.

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Medicine, engineering students to pay higher fees.

Public University students will no longer pay the same fees in three months time, The permanent secretary for education, Joseph Kaimenyi has said. Previously, all students in the regular degree programs would have paid the same amount of fees, regardless of how cost intensive their course would have been. The new system of payment, known as’ differential unit payment’ will see fees for medicine students rise by as much as five times, if figures from parallel degree programs are anything to go by.

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Five Career Lessons from Big brother the Chase.

While many view the big brother Africa Chase game as pure entertainment, the reality is that it’s a game about power. It’s a game of love, of betrayal, of scheming, of pain, of bitterness, all enroute to the prize of $300,000 (kshs25 million). Here are five career lessons from big brother.

1. Strategy.

When Denzel from Uganda was evicted, he said that he wished he would have hidden his strategy, so he wouldn’t be seen as a threat. Strong candidates are likely to be nominated by their fellow housemates for being a ‘threat’, while weak housemates are likely to be nominated by their fellow housemates for being ‘boring’ and not bringing anything to the table. Just like in an office, a strong

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Google acquires mobile mapping company, Waze.

Internet giant Google Inc has acquired waze, an Israeli mobile mapping real time service. Analysts estimate the deal to be worth about $1.3 billion. Google sees the smartphones market as ‘essential’ to its growth prospects, and this deal is informed by that. It is likely that also Google purchased waze to

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Governors to meet over President Kenyatta’s ascent to bill.

Governors will meet shortly after President Kenyatta assented to a bill reducing the counties allocation fund from258 billion shillings to 210 billion shillings. The 48 billion shillings shortfall is being seen by some as attempts to scuttle the devolution process, something that the President has denied. 

 Senators, who represent the counties interest at the national level, had sought 258 billion shillings, but

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Sudan freezes oil imports from South Sudan.

Sudan will freeze all oil imports from South Sudan beginning this month. Sudan alleges that South Sudan is supporting rebels in the north, something that South Sudan disputes. South Sudan o its part also alleges that Khartoum is sponsoring rebels in the South. Relations between the two Sudans’ have been frosty ever since South Sudan became the world’s newest nation in 2011.

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CMA to train small investors.

The capital markets Authority- CMA, will hold a public forum for small investors, to educate them about capital markets, investing in shares, and raising money through the Nairobi Securities exchange- NSE. While the KenGen IPO is debited as bringing the investment of shares into the public mainstream, subsequent losses in Eveready, Safaricom and Access Kenya shares saw many retail investors pull away from the capital markets, for fear of losing money.

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Devolution: Counties short of 48 billion shillings.

Counties will have to make do with 48 billion shillings less, after President Uhuru Kenyatta assented to a bill which puts the county revenue allocation to 210 billion shillings, instead of the 258 billion shillings requested by the county governments through the senate. President Kenyatta termed the bill as ‘time barred’, and cited that not signing the bill would have led to a ‘lengthy complication’ for the budget preparation process. However, skeptics see the signing of the bill as an indication that the Kenyatta administration is not intent on implementing full devolution.

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Interview: Isis Nyong’o on investing in African tech start-ups.

Kenyan Isis Nyong’o is an investor in Africa’s technology space and a well-known name in the industry. Until recently she was the managing director of Africa for InMobi, an international mobile advertising network. Prior to InMobi, Nyong’o worked in senior management positions at MyJobsEye, a job site in Kenya, and she specialised in mobile and local content partnerships at Google. She also led MTV Network’s commercial entry into Africa and holds degrees from Stanford University and the Harvard Business School, where she was president of the Africa Business Club.

How we made it in Africa magazine asked Nyong’o to tell us a bit more about being an investor in Africa’s technology space.
When it comes to investing in the technology space in Africa, what companies, start-ups and people do you tend to invest in?
I’m always on the lookout for start-ups which have gained traction with end-users and are focused on learning. The space is in such a nascent stage so I’d be concerned about anyone who is convinced they have it all figured out. The team composition is incredibly important but equally important are

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Opinion: Are land Grabs good for Africa?

One of the stated purposes of the G8 conference, hosted by David Cameron next week, is to save the people of Africa from starvation. To discharge this grave responsibility, the global powers have discovered, to their undoubted distress, that their corporations must extend their control and ownership of large parts of Africa. As a result, they will find themselves in astonished possession of Africa's land, seed and markets.

David Cameron's purpose at the G8, as he put it last month, is to advance "the good of people around the world". Who could doubt that the best means of doing this is to cajole African countries into a new set of agreements that allow foreign companies to grab their land, patent their seeds and monopolise their food markets?

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which bears only a passing relationship to the agreements arising from the Conference of Berlin, will, according to the US agency promoting it, "lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive and sustained agricultural growth". This "inclusive and sustained agricultural growth" will no longer be in the hands of the people

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Seven Expected Highlights of the 2013/2014 budget.

The 2013/2014 budget is expected to be read on Thursday by Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich. Some of the expected highlights will be:

1. Containing the budget deficit.

Will the government balance its books? Will it have to result to extra borrowing from the markets and donors? The Kenya revenue Authority- KRA, has been falling short of its targets for some time now, and will collect just under a trillion shillings for the fiscal year. However, the budget expenditure is expected to be about 1.6 trillion shillings. Where will the extra money come from?

2. County funds allocation.

How much will the national government allocate to the counties. The allocation amount will likely point to government’s commitment to the realization of devolution. If the counties are not allocated enough money, the failure at the grassroots level could be catastrophic.

3. Reviving the agricultural sector.

Even though ICT is touted as a great enabler, farming and agriculture still remains the major contributor to Kenya’s economy, and one likely to contribute the most in lifting millions of Kenyans

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Unilever to sponsor Kenya Rugby team by 5 million.

Unilever Kenya will sponsor Kenyan Rugby team to the tune of kshs.5 million. The success of the Kenya Sevens team in the international sevens circuit has been a particularly attractive segment for Kenyan corporates, with sponsors ranging from Kenya Airways seeking to sponsor the team. Unilever follows a path of other sponsors such as Tuzo which sponsors Gor mahia, and Mumias Sugar which sponsors AFC Leopards.

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How to improve your job prospects as a college student.

It’s that time of year when college students pack up their dorm rooms and head home for the holidays. With their eyes focused on next September, they put together a resume and pound the pavement to find a job — ANY job.

Many of these jobs will be a less-than-enjoyable means to an end so that students can scrape together enough money for next semester. If your holiday job doesn’t fit your idea of the perfect job and it’s easy to adopt the mindset “I just need to get through the next few months and I won’t have to do this ever again.”

It’s easy to take a short term view, but I’d like to reframe what you think of that summer job and how you can use it to help you improve your future job prospects.

Think further ahead
Think about what will happen in your life when you graduate from college in just a couple of years:

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Ruto to meet County bosses over funds allocation.

Deputy president William Ruto will meet county bosses over the row on county funds allocation. County governors are demanding more revenues from the national government, in order for effective devolution to take place. The county bosses accuse the national government of attempts to scuttle

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CIC and SRC to discuss MPs Pay.

The constitution Implementation Commission- CIC, and the Salaries Review Commission- SRC, will meet to discuss MPs pay. Kenyan Mps want their salaries to be adjusted upwards to be the same as the MPs of the previous August House. They argue that under the International Labor Organization-ILO rules, a workers’ salary cannot be adjusted downwards. If their arguments are

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Remittance costs squeeze Africa’s poor.

According to the Africa development bank- ADB, the official remittance flows to the continent grew to a record $60.4 billion in 2012 — overtaking foreign direct investment and official development assistance as the largest external financial source for the first time.
Africa is the most expensive continent to send money to, with transfers costing an average of 11.67 percent of the amount being sent, compared with about 8.35 percent for Asia. The global average cost is slightly more than 9 percent.

An average transaction cost of 11.6 percent would have deprived some of the world’s poorest people

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Slavery conditions in Kenyan flower farms.

Catherine Mumbi knows the difficulties of working in Kenya's flower sector. She was fired as a casual worker at a flower farm after taking time off to recover from complications of the liver. But that was just the start of her problems.

"When I felt better I went back but my superior demanded that I have sex with him to keep my job," says Mumbi, who had taken two months off while being hospitalised for her illness. "I declined."
"The following morning a watchman knocked on my door with a letter saying my job was over and that I should immediately vacate the company's compound," Mumbi tells IPS. "I have been jobless since then ...  I am surviving on the generosity of well wishers since December 2011."

There is a possibility that Mumbi's job could have also caused her illness in the first place.
IPS visited a few flower farms in Naivasha, in Kenya's Rift Valley Province, where access is restricted and the grounds are monitored by security guards. Here, for hundreds of workers like Mumbi, a healthy rose means a shortened lifespan.

Inside the greenhouses measuring up to eight by 60 metres, all is quiet except for the occasional supervisor barking orders. The plucking and trimming goes on without a fuss as heaps of newly harvested roses keep piling up.
Even the smell of freshly-sprayed chemicals does not appear to interrupt the order and discipline in the farms that have sprung up in Naiposha, a once patchy terrain 30 kilometres away from the town of Naivasha.
According to Charles Kasuku, a social worker in Naivasha involved in a previous audit on the working conditions in Kenya's flower sector, there are instances where the labels of chemicals are changed to disguise them from being identified as toxic.

For example, campaigning for the phasing out of methyl bromide, a highly toxic poison, began as early as 1998. But there is evidence that the chemical is still currently being used.
"This explains why incidences of patients with strange diseases are being reported in health centres around flower farms," he tells IPS. "Recently, a former worker died from what doctors said was chemical complications."

Even as the horticulture earns billions for Kenya in foreign exchange, the very workers who toil hard pay with their health, and sometimes, with their lives. 

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Smartphones now shake up the website desktop world.

Most users are now accessing their internet through their smartphones and mobile phones, a new research shows. Major internet companies are now adapting to this new trend. Facebook has described itself as a primarily mobile company, and in the past year, saw 30 percent of its revenues come from mobile advertising.

Perhaps for Kenyan innovators, this trend too has caught on, with innovations centered around the mobile phone being the new trend. Apps such as MPESA, icow, M-Far, and M-banking are proving to be the new revenue generators for start-ups as well as established companies.

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Narc disowns Mutula's widow.

Narc has disowned Mutula Kilonzo's widow, Nduta Kilonzo, party official Kiema Kilonzo told Easy Fm in an interview.On Sunday, Nduta had announced that she would vie for the senate seat against her step daughter, Kethi Kilonzo, who is expected to vie on a Wiper ticket, a move that is likely to further divide the Kilonzo family.

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KenGen, Kenya Power, Pipeline in hunt for CEOs.

Kengen, Kenya Power, and Kenya Pipeline are in hunt for new CEOs. Eddy Njoroge (Kengen) is expected to resign, Joseph Njoroge (Kenya Power) has been nominated as Principal secretary in the energy docket, and while the contract for Selest Kilinda of Kenya Pipeline came to an end last month.  The cash rich parastatals control billions of shillings directly, and indirectly through the contracts for the many infrastructure projects they undertake.

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Budget to be read on Thursday.

The budget will be read on Thursday. The cabinet secretary for Treasury, Henry Rotich, is expected to unveil the government's fiscal policy for the 2013/2014 financial year. Of key concern will be to watch the government's commitment to devolution, with many analysts keen to see how much will be allocated to the counties. Currently, the senate and national assembly members are embroiled in a dispute over who has the final say on the county budgetary affairs. Analysts will also be watching to see whether there will be an increase in taxes of essential goods such as milk and bread to finance MPs salaries, and the two tiers of government.

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Opinion: Caution must be taken in School's latptops project.

When Erin Hayba began a project to bring computers to solar-powered schools in the world's biggest refugee camp, there were plenty of sceptics. "People said, 'No, this can't happen, you're in a refugee camp, why don't not stick with paper and pencil and chalkboards?'" she recalls.

Two years later, there are 215 computers spread among 32 primary, seven secondary and four vocational schools in the Dadaab complex in north-east Kenya, home to more than 400,000 people, mostly from nearby Somalia. Each school has a solar panel.

"Many of the youth told me they want to learn computers so they can get a job when they go back to Somalia," she told the eLearning Africa international conference in Windhoek, Namibia. "Teachers are saying some students are coming back to school who might have dropped out."

But the intentions of the world's leading tech companies came under scrutiny during a recent

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Africa registers growth in wealth funds.

Africa is experiencing the strongest growth in new sovereign wealth funds in the world, a newreport by JPMorgan Asset Management shows.

During the past two years, 15 state funds have been set up or are being considered in Africa, Patrick Thomson, the global head of sovereigns at JPMorgan Asset told Bloomberg news in an interview.

With commodity prices rising, African countries are putting their surpluses into government-owned funds designed to manage a country’s wealth for future generations. Angola set up its $5 billion state

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Mutula’s widow Nduku Kilonzo joins race for Makueni senate seat.

The late Makueni senator Mutula Kilonzo’s widow Nduku Kilonzo has joined the race to succeed her late husband. This comes barely three days after her step daughter, Kethi Kilonzo, had declared interest in the seat- a move that is likely to split the Mutula family further.

She made the announcement in Machakos, after attending a memorial service for the late Machakos Catholic Bishop Urbanus Kioko which was also attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Fielding questions from journalists she said; “Yes I confirm to you that I’m in the race.”
She however declined to name the party she will run on, promising to divulge that at a later date.

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Kenya top of US Spying list.

A ranking of countries by the number of interceptions of Internet communication places the country first in Sub-Saharan Africa and second only to Egypt on the continent.

Kenya is marked out in yellow on the so-called “world heat map”, alongside oil-rich Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, and the United States with tens of billions of interceptions between them.
Sunday’s disclosures are the latest in a series that begun last Thursday when the British newspaper, The Guardian, revealed that the US has been carrying out a top-secret government data surveillance programme in which it routinely obtained millions of phone records from technology companies.

The programme, code-named Prism, has enabled national security officials to collect e-mail, videos, documents and other material from at least nine US companies over six years, including Google,

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The right keywords to use on your CV.

Getting a job is hard anywhere in the world the days. Despite all manner of advice we receive on how to get a job, there is simply no one way of getting a job. Stellar grades might work; powerful networks might work, so too is exemplary work and leadership skills. However, increasingly, the all important reason is that your CV doesn’t have the right keywords.

Companies’ nowadays automate the CV screening process by using specialized software to look for certain keywords. These applicant-tracking systems, which are used by almost every large employer, score candidates based on rough measures like the number of keyword matches between a job

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HELB to delay disbursing loans.

The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) says students will have to wait for at least one month before the loans are disbursed, as it is waiting an allocation from Treasury. The  budget will be read this week. In earlier proposed moves, HELB had sought to have the minimum allocation per student increased to kshs.40,000 from the current kshs.60,000, to offset rising inflation. Over 90 percent of public University students that apply for HELB loans are usually allocated loans.

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Kenya dethrones South Africa in new technology race.

Adapted from TechCentral.co.za: South Africa appears to be losing its status as the preferred investment destination on the continent for international technology companies. That honour, increasingly, is going to Kenya, which may be on the cusp of a technology-fuelled era of economic growth.

When apartheid ended in 1994, there was a flood of investment into South Africa by international technology companies. Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Motorola, Xerox, Hewlett-Packard: they all poured millions into establishing local offices to serve not only South Africa but often markets across Southern Africa and even sub-Saharan Africa. The view was that South Africa was the gateway to the continent.

Twenty years later, and perceptions are shifting.
In South Africa, economic growth has flat-lined. In the technology space, a weak policy making and regulatory environment where fast and smart decision making just doesn’t happen, coupled with a

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Cracks emerge in Mau Mau settlment deal.

The British government announced compensation for Kenyans abused during a rebellion against colonial rule in the years leading up to independence

Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons more than 5,000 Kenyans will be compensated in a package worth nearly 31 million dollars, which translates to just about half a million

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Kenyan prostitutes embrace technology, and reap a windfall.

Hundreds of Kenyan call girls have subscribed to various sex chat sites, which feature live webcam models streaming direct from their homes and studios to various parts of the world, an investigation by Sunday nation shows. Modern technology has changed the face of Kenyan prostitution with the practice moving from poorly-lit back streets to some of the most exclusive estates in major cities.

In the coastal tourist haven of Mombasa, many twilight girls who used to linger around night clubs and guest houses are moving to secluded up market areas where they procure clients over the Internet.

Instead of physically booking rooms with their clients in lodges, the girls now use modern video transmission methods such as Skype to reach clients the world over, for a good fee.

The sophistication of prostitution became evident last week when police raided a five-bedroom luxury house in the posh Nyali area of Mombasa and recovered 15 laptops, all connected to wireless Internet (WiFi). The house also had high-speed broadband.

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4 of the most successful Mobile apps in Kenya.

An increasing number of young Kenyans are developing software, apps and cellphone-based programmes to help small-scale farmers increase their agricultural skills and yields. At the most recent PivotEast, East Africa’s premier mobile start-ups competition and conference, held in June 2012, three out of five finalists were young entrepreneurs who had created agrarian apps.
In whole, Kenya is proving to be a hot ground for mobile innovations, here are some of the five most well known.

1. M-Farm.
M-Farm is one of many services that have been developed in the last five years on the back of Kenya’s lead in information and communications technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones. With more than 6 400 farmers in its database, farmers couldn’t have asked for anything better. Three young software developers in their early to mid-twenties started the company in 2011 to provide market prices to

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The 10 Least Stressful Jobs of 2013.

Every job comes with stress, but some are just easier on the mind and body.
Career site CareerCast.com compiled a list of the least stressful jobs of 2013, comparing 11 factors like travel, public visibility, competitiveness, growth potential, deadlines and physical demands. The lower the score, the more relaxing the job.

Which jobs are the most laid-back?

1. University professor/ Lecturer
It’s true they have to create course work, give lectures, put in office hours, and grade hundreds of papers, but long summer vacations and seasonal breaks help wash away job-related stress. However, those looking to break into the field face serious competition, and teachers without the comfort of tenure may feel a bit more on edge.

2. Seamstress/tailor
Tailoring is mostly a low-stress job in a quiet work environment, but that’s probably not so true for those sewing costumes for big-budget productions with strict deadlines. However, CareerCast

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5 Things That Could Hurt Your Career- But You Didn’t Know.

Some of the ways you could damage your career are obvious - poor work performance, shouting at your boss and stealing from the company are all pretty well-known career-harmers. But there are less obvious things you might be doing that can also damage your career without you realizing it, and they're worth paying attention to.
Here are five ways you might harm your work progression that might not be so obvious.

1. Staying at one job for too long. You might think that loyalty to an employer would be valued, and it is, but there's also a point where staying too long at one company can raise questions for future prospective employers about how you'll adapt to new environments.
(You can combat this, however, by demonstrating adaptability: Showing a progression in responsibilities and job titles, and finding other ways to show that you're flexible, open to change and don't have an insular viewpoint.)

2. Being too good at something you don't like. In general, the better you are at something, the more

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Samsung Galaxy smartphones overtake Apple IPhone in market share.

Samsung Galaxy is overtaking the Apple IPhone in the Smartphones market, a new market research shows. This is attributed to increasing advertising spend by Samsung, and a lower price for Samsung products as compared to Apple products. Equally, Apple has not had any major IPhone product development in over a year, signaling that the company may be comfortable with the current

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4 of Kenya’s most memorable IPOs.

There are many Initial Public Offers that have been conducted in Kenya. Here are four of the most memorable.

1. KenGen IPO.

The KenGen IPO was the most publicized. It made Kenyans aware that there were other investment avenues apart from buying plots, and owning real estate. The IPO was massively oversubscribed, generating over 25 billion shillings. However, what the IPO really showed is that Kenyans had a lot of money, only that they didn’t know where to invest their money.

2. Eveready IPO.

Eveready IPO was regarded as a fluke. Many people did not have appetite for the shares, partly because of the lack of faith in the company’s long term prospects, as more Kenyans become

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Small Investors lose out on Safaricom Shares.

This weekend marks five years since Safaricom floated its shares at the Nairobi Securities exchange. A total of 10 billion shares were floated. It’s been mixed fortunes so far. For the government and institutional investors, the fortunes from the floating have been mind boggling, but for the small retail investors, the fortunes have dimmed, and that perhaps explains why small investors have largely shied

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10 Highest-Paying Blue-Collar Jobs

We tend to associate hefty paychecks with briefcases, neckties and lab coats – but it turns out there’s plenty of money to be earned by those who sport hard hats and coveralls.
This may be surprising, but plenty of talented and skilled blue-collar workers earn six figures doing electrical work, repair jobs, and other labor-intensive trades.

What defines a blue-collar job? The American Heritage Dictionary says, “Of or relating to wage earners,

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Opinion: Why Africa's 'Rising' Narrative is a fad.

Africa Union Flag:  Source:nepad.org

We are constantly reminded these days that Africa is rising, harboring six of the world's ten fastest growing economies. In March, the Economist declared that "Africa is the world's fastest growing continent just now," and the "hottest frontier" for investments. Time magazine's cover of Africa Rising said "it is the world's next economic powerhouse," and added that challenges lie ahead. The Wall Street Journal calls it "a new gold rush."

No question that some good stuff is happening in Africa, but the story does not end there. There is the other side. Africa is growing but its growth seems to be leaving people behind. The celebration, therefore, seems premature; it is like we are patching the roof of the house before laying the foundation down. That is very

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Fred Matiang’i: Government will not cut Safaricom to size.

Fred Matiang'i

The ICT cabinet secretary, Fred Matiang’i, has said that the government will not cut Safaricom to size. In an interview with Business Daily, he was asked what the government was doing to ensure that ‘not just one player is making profits in the industry’ a jibe which was aimed at Safaricom.

He replied that the government would only act as a facilitator, leveling the playing field and solving any industry disputes that may arise, and would not seek to cut some players to size. With about 65 percent market share, Safaricom made over 20 billion shillings in profits before tax in the last financial year. Its competitors, Airtel, Orange, and Yu, despite eating into Safaricom’s market share, have either posted minimal profits, or losses.

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Airtel introduces premium service for high net worth clients.

Airtel has introduced a new service for its high end clients; as it seeks to ring fence them. The new service will allow its exclusive 44,000 clients to access call center services at will, get free SIM replacement, a roaming solution when traveling internationally, and a dedicated customer service round the clock. Initially, Airtel had segmented its customers according to prepaid and postpaid, which the CEO says was ‘misleading’ as to the actual spending patterns of the customers.

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Equity Bank appoints new CFO.

Equity Bank has appointed John Staley as the new Chief Finance Officer, after the departure of Samuel oduor, who had held the post previously. Mr. Oduor had differed with the Bank’s CEO Mr. James Mwangi, over the bank’s strategy as it aims to consolidate its position as the market leader. Started in Murang’a in 1984 as a building society, the bank has grown to be one of the most profitable banks in

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Court annuls Kirima’s wills.

The high court has annulled two wills ‘allegedly’ written by Gerishon Kirima. Ann Kirima, a daughter to the late Kirima, had sought to have instructions to have a will written by Kirima in London in 2010 carried out. Teresia Wairimu, a widow, had also sought to be allowed to have instructions to a will written in 2006, and amended in 2008, carried out. Judge Isaac Lenaole argued that the wills were

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Rapelang Rabana, Forbes Top 30 under 30. Founding Partner, Yeigo Communications.

Rapelang Rabana has been listed on Oprah’s 2012 ‘O’ Power List, mentioned by CNN and is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, all before the age of 30. A founding partner of Yeigo Communications, developer of some of the earliest mobile phone VoIP applications, shared her experiences and insights with Ventures Africa Woman in an interview. Here’s what she had to say:

 VW: Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself?
RR: I have been able to live in 3 cities thus far in my life and seen very, very different ways of life. I lived in Gaborone, Botswana, then Johannesburg and now Cape Town. I did most of primary school in Gaborone (Botswana), and then proceeded to Johannesburg to complete my primary and secondary schooling. I matriculated in 2001. Cape Town became my home when I came to study at the

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Opinion: Why President Kagame runs Rwanda like a business.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

In some circles, President Kagame is regarded as a hero, who has transformed the Rwandan economy. In other circles, he is regarded as an authoritarian leader who has suffocated dissenting voices. Here is an edited interview conducted by Harvard Business Review about his leadership style in Rwanda.

Clearly you've been very interested in getting outside input from the business community. And yet you bristle at getting it from the multilateral community.

President Paul Kagame: If you want to learn anything about a country, I think you need to ask the one who wants to make investment in that country. The one who is thinking about the risks involved. They're thinking about the return. If somebody comes to your country and says, "You know, this is a place to invest," actually that is a good place. You see?

But if you send someone and say, "Go on, look and find for me something that is at fault," in any place

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Joint admissions board (JAB) to be disbanded.

The Joint admissions board- JAB, will be disbanded, as the Ministry of education has sought kshs.100 million to carry out reforms in the admissions body. Currently, JAB is responsible for admissions to all the country’s public universities and university colleges. JAB will now be replaced by the Kenya Universities Admissions and Placement board, which will also incorporate private universities, and admission of students through the self sponsored program, more commonly known as parallel degree program.

JAB had come under criticism for admitting students to courses they had not selected in the first place. This year, the admissions body changed the admission criteria, and incorporated a student’s overall mark, in addition to the weighted cluster points. This means that if two students both get As in all

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Is Kenya being shaped to be Africa’s new tax haven?

There is now mounting evidence that elite financial interests are planning to create a new tax haven - to add another node to the global spider web. This time it is on the African continent. If successful, this hub will be a key mechanism to extract wealth from some of the world's poorest countries.

Until now, there has not been a major tax haven in mainland Africa. Attempts have been made in the past to create one - always at the behest of huge, western financial institutions, be it Barclays' attempts in Ghana or the bungled attempts in Botswana - but we may now be looking at the most serious

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Foreign investors buy up majority shares at NSE.

Foreign investors are taking up majority of the shares at the NSE, a new report shows. They have bought up shares worth about kshs.650 billion shillings. This happened mostly as local investors sold off their shares, fearing that a post election violence could occur and lead to huge losses. Among those who have liquidated their shares include industrialist Chris Kirubi, who exited from Kenya Power

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How to stay safe on public wi-fi hotspots

With the number of Wi-Fi hotspots in Kenya increasing, it's getting easier to connect your laptop, smartphone or tablet to a public wireless broadband connection. But due to our eagerness to check emails while sipping coffee at Java, or while taking a ride on a Rongai Matatu with wi-fi (true story), we often forget about the substantial security and privacy-risks presented by insecure connections. Here’s how you can protect your privacy while using public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Connection type
It's always a good idea to understand what type of W-Fi connection you're accessing, so you can better adjust your online behaviour. The most insecure network type is an unencrypted network, which basically leaves your data completely exposed. An unencrypted network will also mean someone

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Meet Boaz Kosgey, who wants to build a helicopter.

Young Kenyans seem to be on the roll- at least the ones that are not on facebook or twitter busy hurling insults against one another. There is Peter Mbiria who is building a robotic car. Another is Boaz Kosgey, a budding young innovator from Uasin Gishu county. He is building a helicopter from scratch, or at least from scattered waste materials. He has so far spent kshs.30,000 on his helicopter, which is 75 percent complete. He has used a motor cycle engine to power the helicopter.  'I only do it in the afternoons or evenings' so, 'it doesn't affect my day to day work.' He told a reporter from NTV.  He hopes to fly the helicopter by the end of this year.

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Meet Peter Mbiria, an amazing Kenyan innovator.

As far as innovation goes, most Kenyans wouldn't praise their own. They look up to amazing discoveries in the West, or in China and japan and other Asian nations. However, a number of Kenyans are already changing that perception, with new innovations everyday. Meet PeterMbiria, who is developing a robotics car, assembled from scratch matrials bought from Ngara and other scrap electroncis sites.

Amazingly, Peter got a C+ in KCSE, but he says that he would have gotten an A+ if the exams were

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China beats US, UK, as new source of inspiration for Kenyans.

China has beaten the US and UK as Kenya’s new source of inspiration. According to a survey carried out by Consumer Insight, many Kenyans now look up to the world’s second largest economy for business, political, and social inspiration. China has grown by double digits in the last 30 years or so, a growth that has seen the country lift over 300 million people from extreme poverty. The new Chinese President, Xi Ping, has coined a new term, ‘The Chinese dream’, in a bid to lift China to the next level of growth. Goldman Sachs, a leading Global investment bank, predicts that China will

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Konza Techno City- Does it have what it takes to succeed?

Unless you have landed from space, then you might have heard about Konza techno- city, which will be located in Machakos, about 50 km from the Nairobi city centre. However, here are the ingredients to make the technology succeed. But question is, are they there?

1. Right Talent.

Talent is abundant in Kenya, as there are many talented Kenyan IT specialists and programmers. Kenyan Universities continue to churn thousands of graduates, so, this talent will always be there.

2. Access to Capital.

Are there enough sources of capital to fund promising ventures? This is where things go wrong. The

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Safaricom to move MPESA servers from Germany.

Safaricom will move MPESA servers from Germany to Kenya, in a bid to increase the capacity of the service. Safaricom seeks to upgrade MPESA to a new platform that will enable consumers make many more payments instantly. Currently, the servers handle about 200 to 300 transactions per second. Huawei technologies of China has been contracted to carry out the upgrade. Safaricom is moving rapidly to generate new revenue streams, away from the traditional voice services, which is stagnating. It will also be a vendor of the Samsung galaxy 4, to tap into the growing market of middle class Kenyans who want sophisticated smartphones.

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Vast majority of Job candidates lie in interviews- New study shows.

81 percent of people lie in about themselves in job interviews, a new study by the University of Massachusetts shows. The more extroverted candidates were more apt t tell lies and untruths. When the job requirements were more technical, deception decreased, because applicants ere trying to compensate for their lack of job required skills. On average, job candidates tell about 2 lies per a 15 minute interview.

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OLX moves to increase market share in Classifieds industry.

Olx is moving fast to gain the lucrative share of the online classifieds market. The website has presence in 94 countries, and is available in 42 languages. It gets over 100 million unique visitors a month. The nascent online classifieds industry is shared by among others, N-Soko of Nation Media Group, Buy rent Kenya, cheki.co.ke. The classifieds websites make money from online adverts, and by charging premium amounts for special listings of featured products.

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Why Ihub is still Kenya's best incubation center.

The bug of entrepreneurship has caught on in Kenya, and incubation centers are the next big cliche. Kenyatta University is inviting applications from interested entrepreneurs to launch their businesses. They will be provided with access to mentorship, capital, and marketing. However, Ihub still remains kenya's best known incubation center.

The center is a meeting point of geeks, ideaentrepreneurs, and thoselooking to fund promising ideas. The foudners of Ihub also have a great streak of success behind them.

For example, Eric Hersman was involved in founding Ushahidi, a disaster monitoring site that was

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Microsoft to provide laptops for Kenyan schools.

Microsoft Inc will partner with the Kenyan government in the implementation of the laptops for schools project. Microsoft will train teachers, and also help in the creation of at least five digital villages in every county. It is likely that Microsoft will also be involved heavily in the Government's

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3 Great Incubators to launch your business in Kenya.

Incubators are the craze these days. An incubator takes your idea, and then helps you start a business from it, and when the business has reached maturity, it lets go of you. Incubators are new thing in Kenya, but here are three of the most well known.

1. Ihub.

Ihub is the most known incubator in east and central Africa. You get office space, internet, and an opportunity to interact with potential investors. By its very nature, most the ventures supported are IT related.

2. M-Lab.

This is an incubator at the University of Nairobi, in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of

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Protecting your idea from being stolen?- How to go about it.

Many people have brilliant ideas, but the failure to implement or protect their ideas has seen them continue to live a life of poverty. How do you protect your idea from being stolen?

1. Engage with a lawyer.

You don’t have to hire an expensive lawyer, but at last seek out someone who understands the basics of business law. Seek out someone knowledgeable on copyrights, and the idea of patenting.

2. Patent your idea.

Some are of the school of thought that there is nothing new under the sun. However, if you genuinely believe that your idea is original, then have some means to ensure it is protected. Seek to patent the

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Kenyatta University Incubation teams up with Business Daily.

Kenyatta University will team up with Business daily, to train the successful applicants of the ‘Next Big Thing’. The Next Big Thing was launched by Business daily, to nurture young and

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Japan switches from aid to trade in its new African policy.

At the end of the Africa- Japan conference on Monday, Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, said that his country would shift its focus on Africa from ‘aid’ to ‘trade and investment.’ As China’s engagement in Africa has soared, Japan has been relegated to the sidelines. However, many in Africa

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Tuskys family feud- Brother Directors fight again.

It’s a well known fact that many Kenyan businesses rarely survive the handing of a family wealth from one generation to the other. The current squabbling over management of the Tuskys supermarket by the brother directors shows once more that Kenyan family businesses must learn to separate the ownership from management.

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BRCK- The next big invention from Kenya.

A new invention is in town, and it’s known as BRCK. It is a gadget that helps solve the constant power interruptions that many Kenyans are already accustomed to. The gadget can supply power and internet for up to eight hours, helping programmers and coders continue with their work even when

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Kenyatta University Incubation Center looking for entrepreneurs.

Kenyatta University is looking for budding entrepreneurs to enroll in its incubator. The university’s Manu Chandaria incubator will train entrepreneurs on everything they need in order to set up thriving businesses. They will be trained on starting a business, scaling up the business, looking for capital, marketing, sales, and all the components needed to make a business successful.

Some of the mentors include Manu Chandaria- a noted Industrialist, SK Macharia, Chairman of

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Office Administrator Careers Kenya.

Administration Careers in Kenya

Our client in the IT industry is seeking to recruit self driven person for the position of Office Administrator to join their team in Mombasa.

Duties and responsibilities;
    Assists office staff in maintaining files and databases
    Prepares reports, presentations, memorandums, proposals and correspondence
    Assigns jobs and duties to office staff as needed

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Latest Receptionist Job Vacancies 2013

Administration Jobs Kenya 2013

Our client is medium sized company in Nyeri and is seeking to fill the position of receptionist.

Duties and Responsibilities:
    Welcomes visitors to the office, assists them in making appointments, assures their comfort and directs them to the proper staff or service; maintains a calendar of staff location and appointments as needed.
    Answers telephones; screens calls, forwards calls and /or records and forwards messages

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Job Opportunities Safaricom Ltd.

Public Relations Jobs Kenya
Head of Department - PR & Corporate Communications
Ref: HOD – PRC–JUNE- 2013

Safaricom Limited is the leading mobile telecommunications company in Kenya.

We are at the forefront of the industry and always seek to attract and retain talented, creative and innovative team players who are excited by the opportunity of pushing the frontiers of this evolving

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IT Internship Opportunities 2013

Internship Opportunities 2013
Application Development Intern (AppDev)

Summary:
The AppDev intern will have the responsibility of assisting the AppDev team develop applications in both web and mobile platforms.

This position will also provide support to all employees; common sense and professionalism is required.

Responsibilities:
    Reviewing current systems
    Presenting ideas for system improvements, including cost proposal

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Administrative Secretary Job Openings.

Administration Jobs Kenya.
Administrative Secretary – Lower Eastern Region, Machakos
Ref: AS – LE

NCCK, an umbrella organisation for Protestant Churches and Christian Organisations registered in Kenya, invites applications from interested and suitably qualified candidates, to fill the following positions:

Reporting to the Regional Coordinator this position is responsible for providing administrative support

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Sales & Marketing Careers NCCK Resorts.

Sales & Marketing Careers Kenya
Resorts Sales Executive – Jumuia Resorts, Kisumu
Ref: RSE - JR

NCCK, an umbrella organisation for Protestant Churches and Christian Organisations registered in Kenya, invites applications from interested and suitably qualified candidates, to fill the following positions:

Reporting to the Sales and Marketing Manager, this position will be responsible for ensuring maximum

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NCCK Clinical Officer Vacancies

Medical Vacancies in Kenya
Clinical Officer, Huruma Clinic - Nairobi
Ref: CO – HCN

NCCK, an umbrella organisation for Protestant Churches and Christian Organisations registered in Kenya, invites applications from interested and suitably qualified candidates, to fill the following positions:

Reporting to the Health Coordinator, this position is responsible for managing patients in the Clinics

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System Engineer Job Vacancies.

Engineering Jobs in Kenya
Position: System Engineer
Industry:  Security Company
Location: Nairobi

Our client, a leading distributor of security products in East African region is looking for a System Engineer. The ideal candidates will be responsible for deployments and commissioning of integrated security systems and their related infrastructure and provide support and leadership in system design

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Latest Technical Sales Job Openings

Sales & Marketing Careers in Kenya
Position: Technical Sales Executive
Location: Nairobi
Industry: Security

Our client, a leading distributor of security products in East African region is looking for a Technical Sales Executive. We are particularly looking for candidates with vast experience in selling of Access Control Systems, Alarm Monitoring & Response Systems, Audio/Video Intercom Systems, CCTV

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Procurement Officer Job Openings Tana Water Services Board.

Procurement Jobs Kenya 2013
Procurement Officer

Tana Water Services Board is one of the eight Water Services Boards created under the Water Act 2002 with the mandate of providing economical and efficient Water and Sewerage Services within its area of jurisdiction.

The Board covers the six counties of Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi and Meru with its Head Office in Nyeri town.
Reports to: Procurement Manager

Duties and Responsibilities
    Developing, updating and overseeing the application of appropriate quality control in procurement

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Company Sectetary Job With Sameer Africa LTD.

Administration Careers in Kenya.

Sameer Africa Limited, a leading manufacturer and provider of tyres and tyre solutions, with offices in Nairobi and with operations within the COMESA region has an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled and resourceful candidate to fill the position of Company Secretary.

Main purpose of the job
Reporting to the managing director and the board, the incumbent will be responsible for providing strategic legal advice with the aim of enhancing good governance and compliance with set laws and regulations.

Among others, key accountabilities will include:-
    Ensuring compliance and adherence to statutory requirements and corporate policies and procedures

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Tullow Oil Job Vacancies.

Engineering Jobs Kenya 2013
Job Title: Planning Engineer
Reference: PE_2013
Recruiter: Altima Africa Ltd
Contract: Permanent      
Location: Nairobi  
Available: ASAP
Category: Experienced
Offer: Neg.
Profile Introduction
Tullow Oil is Africa’s leading independent oil and gas exploration and production company and is a constituent of the London FTSE100. The Group has interests in over 100 exploration and production

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Eight ways to make your internship experience great.

A great internship could be a great learning experience, helping you learn invaluable skills, as well as build a good network that will help you get a job, and build a great career in future. Here are eight ways your manager can contribute in making your internship experience great.

The manager should take you for lunch on the first day. It's the right thing to do and it sets the right tone, messaging that your manager is excited to have you on board. It will also give you a chance to get to know one another. Even better, the manager could invite some of her colleagues along.

The manager should set aside one hour to talk about her upcoming projects. The manager should give an overview of the organization and detail what your first assignment will be. Moreover,

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Jobless college graduates losing out to married men.

When Edgar shared a table at his local with a woman who was older, he thought it was just another evening of banter over drinks. 

However, as the night progressed, she opened up and revealed that she had been eyeing him for long. He dismissed it at first, thinking it was just the booze talking.

But to prove she wasn’t kidding, she went as far as giving him details about his family.
“She already knew my wife by name as well as my three children,” recalls Edgar.

Initially, he found this unsettling but as the night progressed and the drinks flowed — all courtesy of

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Tuskys directors in fight again.

Tuskys directors are once again caught in another feud, as each of the brother directors has enlisted a different auditor. The auditors seem to have taken sides in the family business supermarket chain. The brothers had been in a feud in early 2012, but the matter was quietly resolved, only to

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Latest Finance & Admin Job Openings

Finance & Admin Careers in Kenya
Job Title: Finance and Office Administrator
Reports to: Program Manager, HVK.
Based at: Happy Villages Office – Lieta Sub-Location,  Rarieda District, Nyanza Province.

Happy Villages Organization would like to fill in the position of Finance and Office Administrator.

Purpose of the Role:
To  assist in management and implementation  of financial and administrative duties of the organization,
and be responsible for financial planning, supervision and reporting.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
    Ensures that Happy Villages is operating within the Kenyan and International Accounting Standards;

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Sales Account Manager Careers

Sales & Marketing Jobs Kenya
Job Title: Account Manager

Company profile: MyJobsEye (K) Ltd. is a leading recruitment company in East Africa. We provide only the best human resources to our clients. We are seeking highly qualified and experienced individuals for the position below in our organisation.

Required number of years of experience:  2-5 years

Educational Qualification
•    Degree in Business Studies
•    Diploma in Sales and Marketing

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Behavioral Attributes/skills required
•    Good command of English language
•    Excellent communication skills (verbal & written)
•    Outgoing personality and high confidence level

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Finance & Admin Job With St Paul's University.

University Jobs Kenya 2013
Academic Affairs

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor, the DVC – Academic Affairs will be responsible for the effective management of the academic affairs of the University and work closely with the VC in ensuring the realization of the vision, mission and strategic objectives of the University.

DVC-AA will specifically provide academic leadership of the faculty, research engagements, educational

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St Paul's Job Vacancies 2013.

University Jobs Kenya 2013
Academic Affairs

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor, the DVC – Academic Affairs will be responsible for the effective management of the academic affairs of the University and work closely with the VC in ensuring the realization of the vision, mission and strategic objectives of the University.

DVC-AA will specifically provide academic leadership of the faculty, research engagements, educational

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Human Resource Jobs At St Paul's University.

Human Resource Jobs Kenya.
Human Resource Manager

The post carries a competitive remuneration package.

Reporting to DVC, Finance & Administration he/she will implement appropriate HR strategies governing HR Planning, recruitment, talent management, performance management, staff development & retention as well

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Marie Stopes Job Openings (350k-400k).

Latest Jobs in Kenya 2013
Job Framework – Director of Programmes
Role: Director of Programmes
Reports To: Country Director.
Liaises With: Country Management Team and all other team members.
Duty Station: Support Office, Nairobi with constant travel to field sites.
Salary: Kshs. 350,000 – 400,000 Gross Pay

Purpose of the role
    Leading a cross-functional team, this role will focus on strengthening grant management, reporting and Research Monitoring and evaluation practices in MSK projects to improve MSK project delivery,

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Nakumatt to introduce moving supermarket.

Nakumatt will introduce a moving supermarket, which will be housed in a container. The moving supermarket (dubbed NoW) will serve areas that are far away from major towns where Nakumatt does not have a presence. It will particularly serve areas that are close to mining towns and areas where there are

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Japan sees Africa as next growth hub.

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has described Africa as the next growth frontier. In a conference which ended in Tokyo on Monday, Mr. Abe reiterated Japan’s commitment to African progress, and said the relation would shift from aid to trade and investment. Japan has pledged commitment to help Africa fight

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Administration Asst Job Career Opportunities

Administration Careers in Kenya
Job Title: Network Admin Assistant
Ref: NCLR/ HR /2013/ 143
Job Grade: KLR 7
Reporting to: Network Administrator
Department: ICT Department
Basic Salary not including allowances: Ksh.35,275 (1,764)- 37,039 (1,852)- 38,891 (1,944) - 40,835 (2,042)-  42,877 (2,144)- 45,021 (2,251)-47,272 p.m.
The National Council for Law Reporting is a semi-autonomous state corporation in the Judiciary.

It is established under the National Council for Law Reporting Act, 1994.
The mandate of the Council is:
To monitor and report on the development of Kenyan jurisprudence through the publication of the Kenya

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Procurement Asst Jobs Vacancies.

Procurement Jobs Kenya 2013
Job Title: Procurement Assistant
Job Grade: KLR 7
Reporting to: Procurement Officer
Department: Finance Department
Ref: NCLR/ HR /2012/ 144

The National Council for Law Reporting is a semi-autonomous state corporation in the Judiciary. It is established under the National Council for Law Reporting Act, 1994.

The mandate of the Council is:
 To monitor and report on the development of Kenyan jurisprudence through the publication of the Kenya Law Reports;
 To revise, consolidate and publish the Laws of Kenya; and

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Finance & Admin Job Openings.

Banking Careers in Kenya
Head of Finance & Administration
Job Ref. MN 5781

Our client is an established bank in South Sudan already employing senior Kenyans among other nationalities.

They wish to fill the following positions.

Job Profile 
Overall in charge of the bank’s accounting systems and financial planning.
Managing external partners such as contractors, auditors, etc.

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Latest ICT Job Vacancies

ICT Careers in Kenya 2013
Head of ICT
Job Ref. MN 5782

Job Profile
To manage the provision and development of high quality, reliable, cost effective and efficient IT facilities, including; Infrastructure management and security, Network management, Procurement and asset

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ICT Job Openings at KNH

ICT Kenyan Jobs Vacancies
Manager, Information Communications Technology (ICT)
Job Group K3

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is a government state corporation whose vision is to be a world class referral hospital in the provision of innovative and specialized healthcare.

The Hospital seeks to recruit dynamic, highly motivated, innovative and experienced individuals to fill the

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UN Careers Kenya 2013.

UN Career Opportunities 2013
Functional Title: Training Assistant
Type of Contract: Individual Contractor (3 months)
Sections Unit: Training Section
Location: Nairobi
Vacancy Announcement Number: UNSOA/TRAN/001/2013

The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any

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ICT Job Vacancies Radio Africa Group.

ICT Jobs Kenya 2013

Group ICT Manager

Radío Africa Group is a fast growing and dynamic media company consisting of 6 radio stations, one TV station and one newspaper.

We are seeking well experienced, visionary leaders with a clear track record to spearhead strategy and efficient delivery as follows:

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the incumbent will spearhead the Radio Africa ICT strategy

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Research Careers Radio Africa Group.

Research Careers in Kenya
Research Manager

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the incumbent will manage a vibrant and strategic Research and Development function which provides timely market intelligence to guide timely decision making by the group of companies.

Key Responsibilities
    Create objectives of the research, organise field interviews with respondents and oversee coding and data

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