We must embrace simple technology if we wish to be a food-secure nation
Daily Nation By ISAIAH ESIPISU
Monday, January 21 2013
Technology remains the main platform on which societies develop, and it must be embraced. But when scientists cast doubt on a particular innovation that touches on food, and more so, if there is scientific evidence to demonstrate that it can be a potential threat to human lives and the entire ecosystem, then that technology is unlikely to be accepted.
Yet, the truth is that Africa, and particularly Kenya, can be food secure, and expand the export market for horticultural products, just by employing affordable technologies.
Konza tech city set for take off
Daily Nation By CHARLES WOKABI
Tuesday, January 22 2013
President Kibaki is on Wednesday expected to officially launch the development of Konza Technology City setting the stage for the construction work to begin.
At the event, the president will parade a group of foreign and local investors who will be involved in the first phase of the city to be set up over the next five years.
“We are excited to finally launch this development, though it has come later than we initially expected. This will remove doubts among sceptics who thought Konza was a white elephant. Watch this space in the next five years,” Information and Communications permanent secretary Bitange Ndemo said in an interview last week.
Era of getting loans at touch of a button must worry banks
Business Daily By Carol Musyoka
Sunday, January 20 2013
The problem with armchair clairvoyants such as myself is that when a random prediction becomes true, we nestle deeper into our armchairs and smugly grin at the world around us.
On July 26, 2010, I wrote the following in my Monday column:
“We can now pay our utility bills using a mobile phone and can get instant mobile phone pre-paid credit in the form of Okoa Jahazi, which can easily be translated into a formal loan product using our top-up history as evidence of “past payments”.
France Telecom eyes more Telkom Kenya directors’ seats
Business Daily By MARK OKUTTAH
Monday, January 21 2013
France Telecom will seek additional seats in the board of Telkom Kenya if the government fails to inject Sh2.4 billion by June to maintain its stake in the operator at 40 per cent.
The Treasury’s stake in Telkom Kenya stood at 49 per cent in November, but dropped to 40 per cent following a Sh34 billion balance sheet restructuring plan.
This will drop to 30 per cent if the government fails to inject Sh2.4 billion in next five and half months, the remaining half of the Sh4.9 billion it was required to inject in the operator’s Sh10 billion rights issue.
Mobile operators split over use of new levy
Daily Nation By CHARLES WOKABI
Sunday, January 20 2013
Mobile operators are split over the modalities of applying a new levy introduced this year to help increase penetration of mobile and internet service in the country.
While all agree that taxing them 0.5 per cent of their annual revenues to be administered by Universal Service Fund (USF) is good idea, the questions how the money will be utilised and the composition of the council to administer the fund has split them.