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Author: KBC Digital

  • Kenyan media mourns veteran journalist Mutegi Njau

    Kenyan media mourns veteran journalist Mutegi Njau

    Tributes and condolences from across the media industry are pouring in for veteran journalist Mutegi Njau who passed on Thursday evening.

    The former editor, political talk show co-host at Citizen TV has been receiving treatment for the last three weeks after suffering a stroke.

    The news of his passing was announced by the family which is already making funeral arrangements.

    “It is with profound sadness that we inform you of the passing of our dad. He left us peacefully on the evening of June 27, 2024, at 7 PM. Dad was a remarkable man whose generosity, sense of humour, and dedication to his career left a lasting impact on everyone he met. He was not only the cornerstone of our family but also a cherished figure in our community”, the family said.

    Adding “During this difficult time, please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. We are deeply grateful for your continued support and for the love and friendship you extended to Dad throughout his life,”.

    With over 35 years of experience in Media, the celebrated editor retired from the Nation Media Group in 2005 having worked there for 24 years.

    He participated in the Global Integrity project being the reporter for Kenya for two consecutive years. He also took part in ICIJ’s Collateral Damage project and wrote the story for the East African region.

    Friends and colleagues took to social media platforms to mourn the loss of the respected journalist and valued mentor.

    “Mutegi Njau made an indelible mark in Kenya’s Journalism. He trained many of us.  He has left a rich legacy. It is time to rest.  Rest in Peace Senior”,  Head of Communication Services in the Office of the Deputy President Njeri Rugeni tweeted.

    His former co-host and panelist David Makali also expressed his sadness at the passing of Mutegi.

    Standard Group editor Kipkoech Tanui described the late Mutegi as an editor of high standards, firm, outspoken and thorough.

    “Mutegi Njau was the source of courage for us in the newsroom in late 1990’s. He was firm, outspoken and thorough. Until you knew him well, especially the fact that he would defend you and your story to the end, you would feel the ground should open up and swallow you when he loudly belted out orders or reprimanded you. When the stories have come and in the form and shape he expected, he will be a different person altogether – like a satisfied lion. RIP our legend Mutegi Njau”.

    David Aduda, a consulting editor and education specialist who worked with him at the Nation shared his memories.

    “Mutegi scared off people at face value but when you got to know him, he was easy, hillarious and inspirational. He was a true defender of journalism. His legacy lives on. Go well Laston!”.

    ” Mutegi Njau traversed all media. From radio, print, TV, digital. What more could a journalist of his age have asked for? Eric Shimoli a former colleague at Nation Media group posed.

    “A journalist in the real sense of the word. If you were 24 and new in the newsroom Mutegi would lower himself to your level. You would relate in and outside the newsroom. A trainer, sometimes a no nonsense one, but as already observed, your friend and defender when the bosses of bosses came calling. Mutegi Njau. Laston. Journalism in @Ke is great because you lived. Continue banging copy even as you fly with the angles. A life well lived” he added.

    Kenya Editors Guild President Zubeidah Kananu and KBC Assistant Editor-in-Chief Millicent Owour also sent messages of condolences to the family and the entire media fraternity.

     

  • Her Initiative wins 2023/2024 Africa Prize for empowering women, youth in Tanzania

    Her Initiative wins 2023/2024 Africa Prize for empowering women, youth in Tanzania

    The King Baudouin Foundation has awarded the 2023-2024 Africa Prize to Her Initiative, in recognition of its work to unlock women’s economic potential, tackle the youth unemployment crisis and accelerate economic and social development in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Tanzania has made significant progress on women’s empowerment and women’s rights.

    Yet, 60% of women still live in poverty and many don’t have access to the resources they need to shape their future and participate in economic development.

    Founder and Executive Director of Her Initiative, said Lydia Charles Moyo said gender based violence and underage marriages are the main challenges facing women.

    “Gender-based violence, underage marriage and HIV are just a few examples of the problems that are stopping women from going to school, getting a job and breaking the cycle of poverty. My friends and I experienced these barriers when we were in high school, and so started to look for solutions to the challenges we were coming up against,” said Ms Lydia.

    “We already support young women to build their financial resilience in six Tanzanian regions, but with the KBF Africa Prize we will be able to scale our work to help so many more women to achieve their dreams in Tanzania and beyond,” she added.

    As a youth-first and women-led organisation, Her Initiative offers a range of innovative and holistic programmes which equip young women with the education, skills and resources needed to enter the job market or run their own businesses.

    Notably, Her Initiative aims to remove persisting barriers by leveraging the power of technology to advance digital inclusion among young women and girls.

    Its Panda Digital platform uses SMS technology to deliver learning courses in Swahili to young women with limited internet access, and its Digimali project helps young entrepreneurs scale-up their businesses online.

    Since its foundation in 2019, Her Initiative has reached over 15,000 young women and girls through its programmes, including supporting over 200 women to launch a business through Panda on the Ground and enabling 2,805 more to digitalise an existing business.

    To support the next phase of its development in Tanzania and beyond, the KBF Africa Prize will provide Her Initiative with 200,000 euros (over 560 million Tanzanian shillings), as well as the opportunity to connect with the King Baudouin Foundation’s international network of non-profit organisations and development professionals.

    With this support, Her Initiative aims to expand its programmes in Tanzania and across East Africa to reach 100,000 more women over the next five years. It will also use the funds to bring together an ecosystem of youth organisations to facilitate knowledge sharing, share resources, and harness the power of African youth.

    The 2023-2024 Africa Prize will be presented to Her Initiative at an awards ceremony today at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Brussels. The organisation was selected from a pool of more than 400 applicants by an independent committee of 12 international experts, including past winners of the KBF Africa Prize.

    “The selection committee was highly impressed with Her Initiative’s combined approach to advancing women’s rights and financial independence. Coupled with its innovative use of modern technologies and strategic local partnerships, Her Initiative is a highly deserving recipient of this year’s KBF Africa Prize. We look forward to seeing what the team achieves in the years to come,” Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, Chair of the KBF Africa Prize Selection Committee 2023-2024 stated.

    The KBF Africa Prize recognises African organisations working to drive African-led solutions to the challenges facing the continent and to sustainably improve the lives of Africans.

    The Prize plays a transformative role in helping organisations scale-up and advocate for their work on a wider stage.

    Several past laureates, including Dr. Denis Mukwege, Elman Peace and Grameen Bank, have since been awarded and shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize.

  • Saudia most improved airline at Skytrax awards

    Saudia most improved airline at Skytrax awards

    Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, was named ‘The World’s Most Improved Airline’ and ranked number one for the Best Economy Class Airline Catering at the 2024 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

    The event was hosted by Skytrax, the international air transport rating organization, known for its evaluation of the global airline industry.

    The World Airline Awards are based on a comprehensive global customer satisfaction survey conducted over several months, covering more than 375 airlines worldwide.

    In recent years, Saudia has demonstrated unparalleled progress in its rankings, earning the title of ‘The World’s Most Improved Airline’ for the third time.

    Saudia’s remarkable trajectory has seen its ranking surge over the past seven years, leaping from 82nd  place in 2017 to 23rd in 2023, and achieving the 20th position in 2024.

    Saudia’s ‘SHINE’ transformation program has been instrumental in accomplishing this remarkable achievement as the initiatives are focused on elevating the guest experience, optimizing operational efficiency, and enhancing its service and product offerings, followed by the launching of Saudia’s new era of digital transformation and cutting-edge technologies.

    These efforts have propelled Saudia to rank among the top 10 airlines globally in On-Time Performance (OTP) throughout 2023, maintaining this position for six consecutive months.

    Notably, in May 2024, Saudia was ranked among the top five for arrival On-Time Performance (OTP-A) and first globally for the highest departure On-Time Performance (OTP-D).

    “These awards reaffirm Saudia’s dedication to excellence and our commitment to achieving the objectives of the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics Services. By adhering to the highest quality standards in the aviation industry, we are continuously prioritizing service innovation, by enhancing the guest experience, and optimizing operational efficiency,” said Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, the Director General of Saudia Group.

    “This unwavering dedication to excellence has positioned Saudia as a leading global connector, bridging the world to the Kingdom to serve a wide range of sectors including business, tourism, entertainment, sports, Hajj, and Umrah.”

    “We congratulate Saudia on this fabulous achievement and this remarkable success. To be recognised for the change and quality improvement is testament to the hard work by the management and staff at Saudia and this recognition should be a source of pride,” said Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax.

  • President Ruto withdraws finance bill after deadly protests

    President Ruto withdraws finance bill after deadly protests

    President William Ruto has withdrawn the contentious finance bill 2024 that sparked deadly countrywide protests.

    In an address to the nation Wednesday, Ruto regretted the widespread expression of dissatisfaction with the passage of the bill triggering demos that resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property.

    He said it was the unfolding events that informed his decision.

    “Following the passage of the bill, the country witnessed widespread expression of dissatisfaction with the bill as passed, regrettably resulting in the loss of life, destruction of property and desecration of constitutional institutions… Consequently, having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the finance bill of 2024, I will decline to assent to the bill.” “I concede and therefore I will not sign the 2024 finance bill and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,”.

    While outlining the reasons behind his relentless push for the proposed additional tax measures contained in the bill, the Head of State said he had backed down to listen to the people.

    “Notwithstanding all these concessions, it became evident that members of the public were still insisting on the need for us to make more concessions. I am grateful to all the members of the National Assembly who voted yesterday affirmatively for the Finance Bill 2024 as amended on the floor of the House to incorporate the views generated in the public participation process” he stated.

    He went on to convey his deepest condolences to the families of the youths who died during the protests.

    “I send condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate manner. Six people lost their lives yesterday, it’s a very unfortunate situation that I wish would not have happened. There’s a framework that will ensure those six Kenyans will be accounted for “ he told the nation.

    Going forward, the President committed to engage the young people on matters of national importance.

    “I propose an engagement with young people of our nation to listen to their issues and agree with them on their priority areas of concern. I also propose that within the next 14 days, a multi-sectoral, multistakeholder engagement be held with a view to charting the way forward on matters” he announced.

    The additional tax measures proposed in this year’s Finance Bill he explained were for raising money to employ permanently all the 46,000 JSS interns, increase NG-CDF by Kshs 10B, increase the allocation to county governments by Kshs 15 billion, allocate 14.5 billion for rural electrification, provide an additional Kshs 6 billion for UHC, paying debts owed to coffee and sugarcane farmers, and Kshs 2 billion to support the stabilization of milk prices among other interventions.

    “As we hold this important conversation, I remind us that we should proceed within the foundational principles upon which our nation is founded, namely; constitutionalism, adherence to the rule of law and respect for constitutional institutions” he observed.

    On the latest spate of mysterious abductions and kidnappings, he said “Ever since I came into office, there is not one incident of extra judicial killing. Those said to be abducted have since been found in police custody, and those already processed were released”.

     

  • Taiwan launches ‘Go Green’ competition, invites applications from Africa

    Taiwan launches ‘Go Green’ competition, invites applications from Africa

    The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has launched the “Go Green with Taiwan” campaign to forge a sustainable and prosperous future with the global community.

    In a statement, the council announced the campaign inviting eco-conscious businesses and entrepreneurs across Africa to submit their applications for a chance to win a prize for developing innovative green products and solutions.

    The competition aims to identify and celebrate cutting-edge green products and solutions that have the potential to make a positive impact on the environment. It is open to businesses and entrepreneurs from all over the world.

    The top three proposals will each be awarded a cash prize of USD 20,000.

    “The top 3 winners of the “Go Green with Taiwan” competition will receive a prize package that includes: USD 20,000 cash prize and a fully sponsored trip to Taiwan for the awards ceremony; Mentorship from industry experts; Marketing and promotional support” said TAITRA in a statement.

    The competition is an opportunity to develop innovative green products and solutions

    Proposal submissions for the campaign are open until Aug 31.

    The competition has two stages; applicants will need to submit a brief proposal outlining their green product or solution.

    Those who will be shortlisted will be invited to submit a more detailed proposal and participate in a pitch session.

    EXPLAINER

    Selection Criteria  

    Proposals will be meticulously evaluated based on: Resonance with the public; Feasibility; Innovation; and Integration of Taiwanese green products and solutions.

    Each category carries an equal weight of 25%, ensuring a holistic assessment of the proposals’ merits.

    What is “Go Green with Taiwan” Looking for?

    The project is seeking proposals that address a wide range of environmental challenges, including:

    (1) Climate change mitigation and adaptation

    (2) Renewable energy and energy efficiency

    (3) Sustainable waste management

    (4) Pollution prevention and control

    (5) Green building and construction

    (6) Sustainable transportation.

     

  • Mombasa residents push for swift relocation of waste collection point

    Mombasa residents push for swift relocation of waste collection point

    A school and a church in Tudor Ward have appealed to the County Government of Mombasa to relocate a garbage collection point that they say is negatively affecting learning and worship.

    Busy Bee School Principal Dorothy Kaimuri expressed concerns that the garbage collection point, behind the school, has turned into a dumpsite, creating a health hazard for students and staff.

    Efforts to reach the Department of Environment have been futile, as promises to relocate the dumpsite have not been fulfilled.

    “We feel it will affect the children and staff because it is a health hazard. The school has been here for over 30 years, and they brought the dumpsite recently,” Kaimuri lamented.

    She urged Governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s administration to swiftly relocate the dumpsite to prevent further disruptions caused by the foul smell.

    Kaimuri explained that the stench is so unbearable at times that some children vomit, and complain of stomach problems, and absenteeism rates have increased.

    “Some students have been taken to the hospital because they started having stomach issues. This is affecting the children,” she added.

    Deputy Principal Kenneth Omolo shared that the noise from the trucks loading garbage disrupts lessons, and teachers have abandoned the staffroom located near the dump site.

    “Learners know where to find teachers in the staffroom. Now they have to walk around the school compound to find where teachers are, causing time wastage,” Omolo noted, urging the County Government to relocate the dumpsite urgently.

    Reverend Tim Thairu, Lead Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, recalled having to give a disclaimer during a Sunday sermon because of the smell.

    “The smell is so sharp, it feels like a burning sensation on your nostrils. We had to tell our congregation that it was from a garbage collection behind the church,” Thairu said, requesting the County Government to find a different location for garbage collection in Tudor Ward.

    Anthony Mwakio, the school Deputy President and a grade eight student shared that the smell disrupts learning.

    “Some learners feel like puking and must seek permission to go to the toilet. They cannot concentrate in class because of the smell,” Mwakio lamented.

    Lilah Muhammed, President of Busy Bee School, revealed that she was diagnosed with food poisoning due to the dumpsite and had to miss examinations and classes.

    Area Member of County Assembly Samir Baloo stated that the Deputy Governor, who also serves as the County Executive Committee Member for Environment, assured him that the dumpsite would be relocated before learners resumed classes after the half-term break.