Spotify Wrapped 2024: Bien dominates Kenyan artists streams

Spotify Wrapped 2024: Bien dominates Kenyan artists streams

Spotify Wrapped 2024 has placed Bien Aime-Baraza, the former lead singer of the band Sauti Solo as the most streamed artist in Kenya, thus a revolution in Kenyan music. Bien’s rise dislodged the year’s previous wunderkinds, the rap trio Wakadinali who now occupy second place with Sauti Sol in third place.

Bien’s Dominance

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Bien is still enjoying his solo life performance as he has positioned himself to have four among the most streamed Kenyan songs. In lifestyle and Inauma, he was at his best and shows he’s a man for all seasons. They also received popularity in his features such as Extra Pressure with Bensoul.

Top Streamed Kenyan Tracks

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Lil Maina, sosatheprodigyy, – NAKAM SAI

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Bien – Lifestyle

Bensoul/Bien – Extra Pressure

From The Hood Music – Anguka Nayo

Bien – Inauma

Bien – Ma Cherie

YBW Smith – Lele

Dyana Cods – Set It

Matata – Oversized T-shirt

Fancy Fingers Featuring Kudade – Kudade (Fancy Fingers Refix)

Global Music Scene

Globally, Taylor Swift remained on top of list of the most streamed artists, while the second most streamed artist is The Weeknd followed by Bad Bunny.

Podcasts and Kenyan Content

Some of the most listened to shows included The 97s Podcast for Kenya, So This Is Love and The Mkurugenzi Podcast. Internationally and finally, The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett was notable as well.

Kenyan Genres Shine Globally

There has been an increase in the release of Kenyan music, and Spotify Wrapped 2024 was such a great reminder. Afro Beat, Gengetone, and Afro Pop festivals made it to the charts.

Bien’s triumph is not only a feather in his cap but also a sign of change that Kenya’s music industry experiences in retaining its influence in attracting the audience locally, and internationally.

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Nairobi county has not recorded any development spending as it struggles to clear outstanding bills.

Nairobi county has not recorded any development spending as it struggles to clear outstanding bills.

A report from the CoB disclosed embarrassing trends of financial practices within Kenyan counties as it was established that Nairobi County made no provision to spend on development in the first quarter of the financial year ending October. This puts it in the basket of ten counties, such as Kajiado, Baringo, Lamu, and the rest that did not allocate for development projects during the period.

On this note, we examined the Development Expenditure of the selected countries with a view to identifying contrasts.

While Nairobi County made no improvement in development expenditure, other counties showed good investment on development. Narok led by Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu accounted for Ksh.477 million, Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru Ksh.378 million and Busia Paul Otuoma Ksh.328 million. These allocations reveal inequality with regard to the priority that different counties accord to governance.

The Burden of Pending Bills

Prevailing unpaid invoices rates stand at Ksh.121 billion while Nairobi County has the highest figure in the country. Other counties also feel the bite of huge debts, with Garissa leading at Ksh.6 billion, Kiambu at Ksh.5.9 billion and Turkana at Ksh.4.8 billion. The Senate has said that before governors pay for other expenses, they should meet all their bills that are in the pipeline.

Call for Accountability

The CoB’s report has also revealed that most county governments require increased supervision and timely fashioning of sound financial management practices. Given that development expenditure is paramount to enhancing infrastructural and service delivery, lack of investment by counties poses a big slope towards stagnation of growth and loss of public confidence.

Governor Johnson Sakaja and other leaders on the receiving end are between the devil and the deep end on how to tackle monumental inefficiencies and guarantee that public resources deliver value to their people.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah: Namibia’s First Female President

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah: Namibia’s First Female President

Namibia’s first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was recently elected through a victory that saw her clinch 57 percent of the votes. Such is the life biography of this woman who went from being a freedom fighter to a head of state.

Analyzing the Life of a Strong Activist and Political Reformer

Nandi-Ndaitwah who was born in Onamutai, Namibia, then under South Africa occupation in 1952 started participating in the liberation movement Swapo at the age of fourteen years. It has to be mentioned that as a member of Swapo’s youth league she was engaged in the fight for Namibia’s liberation. Her activism caused her to be arrested and later exiled from Swaziland, she continued the struggle from Zambia and Tanzania before she pursue a degree in International Relations in the United Kingdom.

Back in Namibia after independence in 1990, Nandi-Ndaitwah served in numerous minister positions in the Swapo party administration, among them in foreign affair, tourism and social welfare ministry. She is recognized for her campaigning on women’s issues; she supported the Combating of Domestic Violence Act in 2002.

Challenges and Vision

Election of Nandi-Ndaitwah is not without controversy. Her main challenger, Panduleni Itula, has dismissed the outcome attributing his loss to organisational problems and has vowed to seek legal redress. Nonetheless, she is the first female president, and thus a prime example of the scarce female presence in the Namibia’s heavily manned political field.

Leadership and Legacy

As a pragmatic leader, she has vowed to steer development of Namibia’s economy, Thompson added. One of Namibia’s fiercest critics of sexism, she once publicly rebuked her male colleagues for Swapo’s constitutional obligation of gender equity. Her hands-on approach resonates with her declaration: That is why I am not a storyteller but an implementer.

Namibia has finally entered a new era with Nandi-Ndaitwah becoming the first female president of the nation.

Tanzania’s Amsons Group buys Bamburi Cement in a $538 million cross-border deal

Tanzania’s Amsons Group buys Bamburi Cement in a $538 million cross-border deal

Tanzania’s Amsons Group has successfully completed the acquisition of the Kenyan Bamburi Cement, a main player of the East African cement market, after the withdraw of its rival Savannah Clinker company from the bidding process.

A Strategic Move for Amsons

The $1bn-plus worldwide family business, Amsons Group Limited, signed the contract through its Kenya-based subsidiary, Amsons Industries Kenya Limited. The group had proposed Ksh.23.9 billion in July to fully manage Bamburi Cement through buying 100% of the firm, largely owned by Holcim, based in Switzerland with 58.6% stake.

This has now been approved by the Kenyan Mining Ministry and the COMESA Competition Commission which makes the deal authentic.

‘This milestone proves the solidity and reliability of our proposition,’ stated the Amsons CEO Edha Nahdi in a statement, who added that the company is focused on bringing value for shareholders of Bamburi Cement.

Bamburi Cement: A Coveted Asset

Founded in the early seventies, Bamburi Cement Company is a stock quoted company that has been at the forefront of construction industry in Kenya. Its sale to Amsons complements Holcim’s global divestment plan and concentrates on fast-growing economies especially in North America. The approval of this deal comes days after Holcim said it planned to sell its 84% stake in its Nigerian subsidiary Lafarge Africa for $1bn.

List of Articles: Savannah Clinker’s Sudden Exit

Initially, Kenya based firm Savannah Clinker, owned by Benson Ndeta, had offered higher bid of Ksh. 25.4 billion for Bamburi. Savannah deposited Ksh. 5 billion and also proposed to give Ksh. 1.8 billion as further incentive for shareholders.

Nevertheless, Ndeta’s implication in a Ksh. 700 million fraud alleged deal made things worse. The businessman was also captured by the police and charged with conspiracy and forgery but he was not guilty to any of the charges. Although he was discharged unconditionally on a High Court order, the issue cast aspersions over the credibility of Savannah’s bid.

Implications for the Industry

The investment by Amsons Group is a unique cross-border investment in Kenya, which demonstrates confidence in the country’s industrialization process despite the current wavering economic performance.

For Bamburi Cement this may mean a new era of growth under its new owners Amsons which has a large conglomerate in Tanzania in manufacturing, petroleum and logistics.

With the opportunities of entering the new market segments, exiting the business-related challenges, as well as expanding a successful into East Africa and consolidating its position there, Amsons is expected to close the deal by December 5.

Box Office Bonanza: ’Moana 2’ claims Thanksgiving records with $28 Million on its first day.

Box Office Bonanza: ’Moana 2’ claims Thanksgiving records with $28 Million on its first day

Disney again and again gives their fans every movie they crave for and Moana 2 did wash over the platforms as it earned $28 million on Thanksgiving Day. This performance not only guarantees the animated film high records, but also revives the movie industry which has had a difficult few years.

A Historic Holiday Run

Eva celebrates Thanksgiving holiday, and it will easily gross more than $175 million within the Thanksgiving five days period to erase pre-existing records. These include Frozen II’s $125 million in 2019 and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire with $109 million in 2013. Observers in the industry are optimistic that it could gross over $200 million domestically by the weekend. It has grossed $85.5 million in domestic territories and has become the highest-grossing Thanksgiving release ahead of the $15 million opening-day record held by Frozen II.

A Boost for the Box Office

This is not to mean that the success of Moana 2 is happening just anywhere in isolation. Audiences are also coming to see Universal’s Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator II, two other hits which opened just one week prior.

Wicked: The Broadway adaptation earned $16.9 million on its Thanksgiving, the five days estimate $105.6 million. It also cost a significant amount of money to produce costing $300 million making it the first part of a two part film.

Gladiator II: The follow up to the much acclaimed 2000 epic sci-fipic cashed $6.7m on Thanksgiving and should gross $45m during the Thanksgiving season. This is another massive risk for Paramount as this film was made for $250 million out of their $500 million budget.

Gladiator II is expected to earn $112.2m in the domestic market by Sunday; Wicked could gross as much as $250.6m in North America.

Star Suite – Von Streamingstar zum Kinoallstars

Moana 2 was once planned for Disney+ but then it switched to the feature Moana format. The first Moana released in 2016 grossed $687.2 million all over the world, but the film really found its success in streaming, becoming one of the most popular movies in Disney+. This streaming success convinced Disney that a sequel could emerge in theaters—and the success has paid off.

On Revitalising the Experience of Theatre

The victories of these play hits couldn’t have arrived at the theaters at a perfect moment. There is nothing worse than when the COVID-19 pandemic and industry-wide strikes in recent years have not allowed you to regain the occupancy.” Indications of a much-awaited recovery have been observed with the start of business during Thanksgiving.

Future Problems and Opportunities of the Successful Holiday Season
While people were getting their turkey fix with a string of blockbuster movies in Thanksgiving, the holiday season itself is not very rich in this regard. Big names like Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King will arrive in December, but there isn’t an Avatar-like follow-up or a big Marvel movie.

The Verdict: A New Chapter for Theaters

The astounding sales figured in Moana 2 are therefore indicative of what most industry insiders and analysts have long been waiting for – a new dawn for the film business as the audience comes back in droves to get their fix of quality movies. But as Thanksgiving starts it off, it is yet to be seen if the playing field can be sustained throughout the leaner winter season.

Amorim’s Home Debut Fuels Manchester United Recovery in a Dramatic Europa League Match

Amorim’s Home Debut Fuels Manchester United Recovery in a Dramatic Europa League Match

Hojlund returned to the spotlight with two goals as United beats Bodo/Glimt 3-2.

This new Old Trafford era gets off to a winning start for Ruben Amorim.

Manchester United loses to Bodo/Glimt in Ruben Amorim’s first home game as manager Thursday night 3-2 in Europa League. Rasmus Hojlund emerged the star man, scoring a decisive double and helping his side record back-to-back victory in the tournament after sacking Erik ten Hag.

The result gives a much-needed lift to United after their stuttering start to their Europa League title defence having drawn their first three group stage matches.

Half the stadium doesn’t know me — I came from Portugal and I have done nothing for this club yet! It will help them and their hard work But the feeling of being at home that they gave me is special,” Amorim said at the end of the match.

A First Half of Chaos Takes Centre Stage at Old Trafford

United did not take too long to come out of their shells and they opened the score in less than a minute. Spectating goalkeeper Nikita Haikin was stunned by a back-pass pressure and caused a blockage by Hojlund. Ortiz then blundered to concede an own goal with Garnacho, the beneficiary, scoring an open-net shot.

But nervy shortcomings were soon evident as Bodo/Glimt scored twice in a matter of minutes. United was left stunned when Hakon Evjen equalized in the 19th minute and then Philip Zinckernagel scored a composed finish four minutes later.

A great piece of play from Hojlund right before half time helped restore parity of the score. A nice piece of skill and a shot into the bottom right corner from a passing cross by Noussair Mazraoui gave motion to the stillness that was pretty much the proceeding minutes.

How the Second-Half Enable the Victory

The home side were back in front after just five minutes of the restart. A fine through ball from Manuel Ugarte gave Hojlund the simplest of tasks to tap in and make the home fans’ joy complete.

 

There was still a fair amount of nervy moments here and there for the cannons – such as goalkeeper Andre Onana handling the ball outside the box, though escaped a red card. However Osman’s side stood their grounds to give a good start to new manager at Old Trafford.

Roma Hands Tottenham Late Blow as Both Teams End 2-2

In other London match, Tottenham Hotspur lost to Roma 2-2. Mats Hummels provided the tort to Tottenham’s supporters when he equalized for the Italian side in the nick of the final whistle.

Spurs got off the block on the early side through a penalty from Son Heung-min after the foul on Pape Matar Sarr. Evan Ndicka performed well in equalising from a Paulo Dybala free kick, but Brennan Johnson shone again as he scored for the London side before half time.

Roma Hands Tottenham Late Blow as Both Teams End 2-2

In other London match, Tottenham Hotspur lost to Roma 2-2. Mats Hummels provided the tort to Tottenham’s supporters when he equalized for the Italian side in the nick of the final whistle.

Spurs got off the block on the early side through a penalty from Son Heung-min after the foul on Pape Matar Sarr. Evan Ndicka performed well in equalising from a Paulo Dybala free kick, but Brennan Johnson shone again as he scored for the London side before half time.

Throughout the second half, Spurs had most of the possession but could not quite secure a victory; indeed, in the final minutes, Hummels netted home to leave Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou outside of the top eight due to goal difference.

 

“We should have had a better handle on ourselves,” said Postecoglou. “We had opportunities that were saved off the line and it kept them alive.”

Other Europa League Highlights

First, Athletic Bilbao dominated Elfsborg, winning 3-0, they are now equal with Lazio, who lost points after settling for a 0-0 draw against Ludogorets.

Eintracht Frankfurt clinched a 2-1 victory over Midtjylland in Denmark; the team’s sixth straight victory was provided by a penalty shot by Omar Marmoush.

Victor Osimhen of Galatasary was on the swell again, securing his seventh goal in his seventh consecutive match. But as it turns out, a 1-1 stalemate with the Dutch side, Alkmaar AZ plunge the Turkish giants back two points behind the group leaders.

Lyon rose to seventh after a 4-1 whomping of Qarabag in Baku, thanks to Georgia-born striker Georges Mikautadze’s brace.

Rangers continue to battle in domestic leagues, but overwhelmed their opponents with a four-one triumph, helping them solidify their standing in the group.

Chelsea on Marches again with the fourth consecutive victory.

Chelsea extended on their winning streak in the Conference League with a clear 2-0 win, impressive performances by Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk.

 

Nkunku put Dortmund in the lead on the first half of the second half after he had Marketed a cross of Jadon Sancho and scored a splendid goal in the top side of the goal area. Filip Jorgensen, Chelsea’s goalkeeper, secured the game with a double save to prevent the visitors from scoring and Mudryk put the final nail in the visitors’ coffin with a neat turn and finish during added time after a fine one-two with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Europa League: The Way Forward

As the stakes for the group stages rise, everyone will be focusing on qualification chances with Manchester United gaining form under Ruben Amorim and other main contenders Tottenham, Lazio and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Opposition mounts pressure to government over Namibia Election Delays

Opposition mounts pressure to government over Namibia Election Delays

Problems In voting Arrangement and Extensions Give Rise to argumentative Appeals for the Change of the Electoral System.

Elections Key to Namibia’s Future is Marred by Growing Tensions as the Date Draws Near

Namibia’s tightly contested presidential and legislative elections have fallen into disarray as voting was extended for a second time due to massive organisational blunders. The opposition parties say they have been let down by the electoral commission and have accused it of deliberately suppressing the number of voters which they say has reached 1.2 million.

The election will be a litmus test of the ruling South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which has been in power for the past three and a half decades since the country’s independence 34 years ago. However, rising frustration of youth due to high joblessness and other disparities has presented the biggest test to the liberation struggle party.

Voters suffer long winding queues and failure of some of the voting equipment.

Out of them only 1.5 million were required to vote in the election and as we have seen it was operation problems which hindered the process. Only those able to queue for over 12 hours of voting felt their voice counted as polling stations witnessed more voters than anticipated.

The participated Namibia’s Electoral Commission (ECN) also some stations opened voting up until Thursday while the 36 stations were to open voting until Friday and Saturday. However, the decision has not worked to eliminate frustrations.

The ECN admitted to a host of issues, including:

 

Lack of ballot papers that was caused by underestimation of the number of voters.

Verification tablets working overtime, a glaring threat to voter registration process.

It’s utter mayhem as torches go up in smokeputting officials in a position where they cannot examine invisible ink that is used to confirm voters.

Mobile voting teams departing early forcing some of the voters to be left behind for hours.

Accusations about Voter Suppression

Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leading other opposition parties accused the ECN of deliberately complicating the voting process. Depending on its official Christine Aochamus, IPC said, “We are confident the ECN is taking sides and is against voters.”

McHenry Venaani, the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) opposed these targeted extensions noting that, “You cannot do this piecemeal.” Since it is a national resource the whole country is affected. Democracy tells everyone ‘You all should be given an equal opportunity to vote’.

The SWAPO will face it most stiff competition that is must struggle to come to terms at the polls.

SWAPO which formerly held monopoly in the elections is on the receiving end of a youthful, dissatisfied population looking for change. These elections have raised leadership issues in the party, and there was a high level of demand for the party to explain itself following the elections.

The allegations of voter suppression have been made by the opposition at the background of fears that delays and irregularities may jeopardize the credibility of the electoral process.

He said ECN had no substitution plans for key suppliers and that it was under pressure to restore investor confidence.

The ECN has been receiving a lot of criticism over the management of this election. Namibia’s opposition leaders maintain that though the commission attributed these to logistical difficulties, such failures diminish credibility of the votes in the country’s polls.

The ECN faces these challenges as Namibia’s democratic institutions are tested; its capacity in handling these issues will determine Namibia’s political destiny.

What’s Next for Namibia?

These election delays’ consequences have brought into focus Namibia’s electoral system dire need for reform. As the country waits for the result, people and politicians are demanding the results and pledge that the democracy was free and fair.

Biden to Attend Trump’s Inauguration: A Commitment to Democracy

Biden to Attend Trump’s Inauguration: A Commitment to Democracy

Honor democracy is a theme White House focuses on according to this article.

Biden to Keep His Promise Amidst Record Breaking Inauguration

Later this month, in a show of support for the U.S. Constitution, President-elect Joe Biden will attend the inauguration of ex-President Donald Trump in January, the White House said on Monday.

Deputy Press Secretary in the Joe Biden’s camp, Andrew Bates stressed on the significance of the gesture and pointed out, “The president promised he would attend the inauguration of whoever won the election. Republicans would protest this year if He and the First Lady are going to honor that promise.

But despite past tensions, a show of unity was evident at the meeting.

This is quite a historic occasion especially since Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration on the 20th of January in 2021 after having enjoined his supporters on the 6th of January 2021 to storm the US Capitol over his claims of electoral fraud.

Bates further said, “This is a concern to show concern to the people as we embrace democratic dispensation and respect for the people’s voice. It’s about making sure that the transition is as smooth and efficient as it should be.”

The historic election involving Biden

Biden’s decision to attend comes after he scaled down his own bid for the second term in July this year. His endorsement of Kamala Harris vice president candidate was sparked by questions on his age and his performances during a decisive debate against Trump.

 

However, after Trump’s win over Harris on November 5, Biden invited Trump to the White House proving good intention in ensuring a transfer of power.

 

The America That We All Know: A Legacy of Upholding Democracy

While attacking Trump as dangerous for democracy during the 2024 campaign, Biden proved to be quite consistent in his pursuit of democracy after the election.

This historical moment has made it crucial for Americans to understand that their democracy irrespective of partisanship is strong. Before going to the inauguration, Biden sends a message of unity and respect to the electoral process.

Trump Vows Wide-Scale Tariffs on Mexico, Canada & China

Trump Vows Wide-Scale Tariffs on Mexico, Canada & China

Trade tensions escalate as Beijing threatens, “We won’t see any winners in a trade war.”

A Bold Trade Agenda: The increase of 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada

The US President-elect Donald Trump, The Donald, has promised to introduce high tariffs into some of the major trading partners of the USA as part of his tough economic policy plans.

Trump in a thread on Truth Social said that he will sign an executive order to slap a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian imports on the 20th of January since he became president.

China in the Crosshairs: 10% Tariff to Combat Fentanyl ‘Option’

He also proposed a 10% tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports citing what he says is Beijing’s unwillingness to block the supply of fentanyl into the US. The move would be beyond any existing tariff that is already in place targeting China’s exports.

‘China believes that China-US economic and trade cooperation the cooperation between China and US is mutually advantageous,’ replied Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China’s embassy in US pointing out that a trade war would be disadvantageous to all parties involved.

Canada and Mexico Push Back

Both Canada and Mexico laid most of their arguments on the positive impacts of trade relations with the US.

Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said that Canada is critical to US energy needs and will work with the incoming administration.

Mexico is poorly positioned to challenge Trump’s threats because a large amount of its exports go to the United States.

A Return to Protectionism: Implications of Trump’s First Term

His first regime was also characterized similarly by protectionism measures. He declared a trade war against China based on issues to do with the theft of intellectual property, imbalances of trade, and unfair competition. China fired back with equal tariffs which greatly affected American farmer.

His administration also reworked the NAFTA to the USMCA, solving his concerns about the giveaway to Mexican and Canadian industries.

Rich Measure of Economic Threats Foreseen

Many economists also warned that Trump’s tariff plans will lead to smaller economic growth as well as higher inflation. Usually it is importers who pay tariffs, while it is common practice that they transfer these additional costs to the consumers and possible raise prices.

“Mexico and Canada rely on the US market, hence their capacity to ignore threats from President-elect Trump is minimal,” said Wendy Cutler, who is a vice president of Asia Society Policy Institute.

Prospective Trade Averages In China

The new trade policies are expected to be led by Trump nominee for commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. We will revisit that in a moment but before that, Lutnick has suggested even more extreme measures such as a 60 percent tariff on Chinese imports and 10 percent tariff for all other imports.

 

William Reinsch, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said this was more of ‘bluster before bargaining’ and that, given the legal and political precedents, more tariffs on China are expected.

The Future of America’s Trade Policy

Canada, Mexico and the United States signed a new pact called United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) which is to replace NAFTA and can be renegotiate in 2026 which might give Trump another chance to alter the structure of the trade.

As the President-elect sharpens his protectionist agenda, the question remains: Does it possible for the US to ensure the balance between security and economic development as well as friendly relations with trade partners?

Watch out as these trade fights evolve, that transform the international relations system.

Konza Tells SMEs to Embrace the Digital Realm to Improve on Efficiency and Competitiveness

Konza Tells SMEs to Embrace the Digital Realm to Improve on Efficiency and Competitiveness

Embracing of new technology for implementing changes makes small business to penetrate the world market, reduce complexities and sustain itself within the Kenyan economy space.

Why small business entities should consider digital transformation

SME is the driver of the economy in Kenya; hence, there is an essential need for business adoption and integration of technology. While addressing an economic empowerment event organized by Abojani Investment, The Chief Executive Officer of Konza Technopolis Development Authority, John Paul Okwiri underscored the role of going digital on SMEs.

Specifically in the usage of digital tools, SMEs should do more. They should be using technology to run their businesses and reach customers,” Okwiri stated.

Increasing efficiency and market access

Digital tools offer SMEs countless opportunities to enhance efficiency and access new markets

Digital Financing Tools: Mobile wallet and other form of online banking enhances completing of transactions, controlling of cash inflow and outflow as well as the overall operation of any financial activities.

Analytics Tools: More than anything, the results should make SMEs realize the need to decode what their customers want from their products so that the firms can come up with creative and effective marketing tactics that will engage customers.

E-commerce Platforms and Social Media: Offer SMEs the ability to access customers around the world without need to invest heavily on physical structures.

Leading Kenya’s Tech Revolution

The Konza Technopolis, a centerpiece of Vision 2030, right now stands as an important project which seeks to place Kenya as a world tech hub.

Tax Benefits: Many tax incentives of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) are favouring investments into technology skill and digital networks.

Subsidized Internet: Under the National Broadband Strategy to extend to growth areas that currently lack the internet connectivity.

Digital Hubs: The Jitume Programme is extending innovation stations in every county; aiming to ensure that the youth and minority groups are trained on vital digital skills and employment.

Okwiri said these endeavors seek to create solutions that will generate 2 percent of Kenya GDP by 2030, a move towards a future anchored on innovation and technology.

 

The title of the work looks like this: Empowering the Future Workforce

OUK, Kenya’s first fully fledged, fully digital university is also located in the Konza Technopolis. OUK makes education more convenient to the teach and learn due to the available online means hence making education flexible to students all over the country.

Also, the government is to create 1,450 digital centres across the country, which adds to the drive for digitisation and tech-related employment.

The Rise of Tech as the Solution to SMEs Impossible Dilemma

The message from Konza is clear: The available research implies that SMEs need to adopt technology as a key means of sustaining their organizations and expanding. As seen above, effective use of digital tools in operations enable SMEs to establish more efficiencies, communicate and market their products to customers as well as sell them to the global market thus support the overall economic development of Kenya.

Known for its continued gradual advancement in becoming one of the premier African technology hotbeds, the SMEs have a mighty innings in steering this change. Will your business will be in this digital revolution? Allow me then to present to your attention Konza Technopolis as a way forward.

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