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  • ‘I’m ready to get back’: Afrobeats superstar Davido drops new album ‘Timeless’

    ‘I’m ready to get back’: Afrobeats superstar Davido drops new album ‘Timeless’

    In an interview with CNN’s Larry Madowo, Afrobeats musician Davido discusses how losing his son affected his music and his new album ‘Timeless.’

    In November 2022, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, took a break from public life to deal with the tragic loss of his three-year-old son, Ifeanyi. After almost six months away – except for a performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony – the American-born entertainer has released a new album saying he is healing and “ready to stand up again.”

    The 17-track album called “Timeless” is Davido’s fourth studio project since he ventured into music 11 years ago. The title, he says, is a manifestation of his goal for the album to remain a classic for decades. “I know in years to come, if you interview me, we are still going to be talking about this album,” he recently told Madowo in Lagos, Nigeria.

    The artist credits his return to the music scene to the overwhelming amount of support he received from family, friends, fans and well-wishers. “At some point I couldn’t open my Instagram for weeks. One day, I just checked it and I saw messages from every kind of person in the world. I was like ‘you’re fine, you see everybody is rooting for you.’ That was one thing that really made me strong enough to stand up again, get back in the studio and do what I love,” Davido told CNN.

    He describes the journey the album takes the listener on, “With this record you will definitely hear me talk about a couple things I’ve been through personally, but you are also gonna dance.”

    Now that he is back doing what he loves, the goal, he says, is for him and his team to continue to make music that resonates with people. “That’s what we’re here to do, that’s what we were brought to do in this world. I’m just ready to get back, I’m ready to just go back on the road. A lot of things are going to be different.”

    Larry Madowo’s full interview with Davido will air in a special African Voices Changemakers episode on April 22nd 2023.

  • Business conditions decline at softer pace in March- Stanbic Bank

    Business conditions decline at softer pace in March- Stanbic Bank

    The Kenyan private sector economy continued to run in contraction territory in March, the latest survey data showed, as business activity and new orders decreased for the second month running amid rising prices and cash flow problems. However, the rate of declines lessened somewhat from the initial downturn in February, while businesses signaled renewed uplifts in employment and purchasing.

    Nevertheless, inflationary pressures underlying the deterioration in economic conditions remained exceedingly sharp, with around 30% of businesses reporting an uptick in purchase prices linked to problems accessing US dollars and a worsening of exchange rates. The latest increase in costs sent output price inflation to a five-month high, while related mentions of imported goods shortages led firms to seek safety stockpiles.

    The headline figure derived from the survey is the Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI). Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions in the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show a deterioration.

    At 49.2 in March, the headline index signaled a slight deterioration in business conditions at the end of the first quarter of the year and the second monthly contraction in a row. However, the rate of deterioration lessened notably from February, when the index dropped to a six-month low of 46.6.

    The softer decline in business conditions reflected weaker falls in both output and new orders during March. While many respondents continued to see demand fall due to high prices and a lack of money in circulation, others saw a recovery in customer orders, particularly from abroad.

    Sector data signaled that the latest contractions in output and sales were centered on wholesale & retail companies. By contrast, manufacturing, agriculture, construction, and services recorded expansions in both metrics.

    At the same time, the latest data signaled renewed rises in employment and purchasing in March, although growth in both cases was only mild. The rise in purchasing reflected some efforts to build inventories of inputs, as firms reported that difficulties accessing US dollars had led to a shortage of commodities and longer delivery times.

    Weakness in the Kenyan shilling against the US dollar meanwhile drove another marked increase in purchasing costs. Around 30% of firms saw purchase prices rise since February, with increased taxes and fuel prices also cited. Overall cost inflation remained among the highest seen since the survey began in January 2014, leading firms to raise their output prices at the quickest rate in five months.

    Finally, while the outlook for future business activity dropped to a three-month low in March, it remained strong and above the level seen throughout much of 2022. Firms often commented on plans to open new branches and increase capacity over the coming year, amid hopes that demand will begin to recover.

  • Introducing Samsung Galaxy A14 – A Phone For All Occassions

    Introducing Samsung Galaxy A14 – A Phone For All Occassions

    Samsung has announced the launch of the new Galaxy A14 featuring the latest innovation and technology that has become synonymous with Galaxy smartphones. This latest Galaxy A series comes with a large screen, an awesome camera, and all the essentials you need to stay connected. It looks and feels awesome as it delivers a truly special performance through its connectivity and design to give its users an overall amazing mobile experience at a great value.

    The Galaxy A14 features the tried and tested Galaxy signature design identity with a refined and polished camera deck. The flat linear camera housing seamlessly blends into the uni-body frame to complete the visually appealing silhouette. With a laser pattern back cover, the phone comes in beautiful colors that include light green, black, and silver.

    Awesome screen

    The Galaxy A14 boasts an enhanced, wider and sharper display with a 6.6” FHD+ large display and high resolution for immersive viewing. This is an improvement on the Galaxy A13 that it replaces, which had a 6.5” HD+ display.

    Awesome camera

    Each picture is captured with all its incredible details by the awesome triple-lens camera supported by the upgraded selfie camera. The 50MP main camera ensures that every detail comes alive in high resolution and you can snap the best of yourself with the 13MP selfie camera. Get a wider perspective and amazing details using the 2MP Ultra Wide Camera or capture the tiniest details, up-close and crisp with the 2MP Macro Camera.

    Large storage

    Enjoy the room to store more of everything you love with 4GB of memory and 64GB or 128GB storage. You can run more apps and save more of your favorite things with the Galaxy A14’s large and expandable virtual memory and storage. Save more photos, videos, music, and documents, and get up to 1TB of extra storage by simply sliding in a micro SD card.

    Longer-lasting battery life

    In life, once a moment has passed, it will never happen again – the Galaxy A14’s battery works tirelessly so you can savor all those priceless moments. You can certainly get more out of life with its 5000mAh capacity and longer-lasting battery. Be it shooting high-quality videos of the fun times or taking clear detailed pictures of yourself, your friends, or family, enjoying your music playlists, or streaming your favorite movies or shows, the Galaxy A14 lets you focus on doing just that and worry less about running out of battery power5, which runs strong for two days on a single charge.

    Privacy & Security

    Enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your device is safe and your privacy is protected with updates to the operating system and security features. Samsung provides 2 OS updates and Security Maintenance releases to maximize your experience with the latest features and the highest level of security.

    Availability

    Starting on 1st April 2023, the Galaxy A14 will be widely available in all Samsung dealer stores nationwide.

  • LG Electronics Cut Home Appliances By 21 Percent Ahead of Easter Celebrations

    LG Electronics Cut Home Appliances By 21 Percent Ahead of Easter Celebrations

    Customers will be able to save between Kes 7,000 and Kes 50,000 on select refrigerators and washing machines.

    The move aligns with LGs unwavering commitment to providing customers with the latest technology at affordable prices, meeting their needs, and exceeding their expectations

    LG Electronics East Africa has announced price cuts of its home appliances by up to 21 percent ahead of the Easter season.

    This means customers will be able to save between Kes 7,000 and Kes 50,000 on select refrigerators and washing machines. The highest save is Kes 20,000 (21%) on an 8KG Front load washing machine.

    The price cuts, applicable on refrigerators and washing machines will apply between 27th  March 2023 to 7th May 2023 and are aimed at ensuring customers receive not only quality but also affordable appliances that will help them to live the life that they deserve.

    Giving his remarks while making the announcement, LG Electronics East Africa Managing Director Dong Won Lee said, “As we approach the Easter Holiday, this is our way of showing appreciation to our loyal customers and welcoming new ones into our family. We believe that everyone deserves to have access to quality home electronics and appliances, and we are committed to making that a reality by offering these price reductions. Besides, this move aligns with our unwavering commitment to providing our customers with the latest technology at affordable prices, meeting their needs, and exceeding their expectations. We encourage everyone to take advantage of these price reductions and experience the LG Electronics’ differences”

    Other washing machines with a reduced-price tag include the 15kg/8kg front load washer and dryer that will retail with a Kes 29,000 price cut, and the 12kg front load washer which has an 8% price cut tag (Kes 13,000) embedded on it.

    Refrigerators retailing with a reduced price within the discounted period include the Instaview door-in-door and also side-by-side 635L refrigerator that will retail at Kes 50,000 less, the side-by-side 634L refrigerator that will retail atb14.1% reduced price (Kes 40,000) and the Top Freezer 254 L Refrigerator that has a 10.8% reduced price tag (Kes 10,000) among others.

    The discounted products will be retailed across all LG Electronics brandshops and leading electronic stores country-wide.

  • LG East Africa Eyes Reals Estate Market with Energy Saving and Sustainable Innovative Solutions

    LG East Africa Eyes Reals Estate Market with Energy Saving and Sustainable Innovative Solutions

    ·         LG’s smart home solutions seek to enable more Kenyan homeowners to control their appliances remotely, using their smartphones or voice commands.

    ·         The move is anchored on LGs 2023 blueprint that seeks to create innovation for a better life and ensure a sustainable future for all.

    LG Electronics East Africa has today reaffirmed its continued commitment to reimagining the future of the real estate sector in Kenya with innovative solutions that are helping to shape the way people live and work.

    The move is anchored on LGs 2023 blueprint that seeks to create innovation for a better life and ensure a sustainable future for all.

    Speaking during the 2023 Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA) Conference LG Electronics East Africa Commercial Air conditioning Sales Director Mr.Erick Kiprono said, “We are excited to be part of Kenya’s growing real estate sector, which presents immense opportunities for innovation and development. So far, our contributions to the Kenyan real estate sector have been focused on providing smart home solutions, digital signage, and energy-efficient HVAC systems, that have helped to create a more sustainable and connected environment for homeowners, businesses, and property owners alike. Moving forward we are confident that our innovative solutions can help transform the sector by providing not only energy-efficient but also comfortable, and technologically advanced homes and commercial spaces.”

    Recently, LG’s smart home solutions have enabled Kenyan homeowners to control their appliances remotely, using their smartphones or voice commands. This has helped to create a more energy-efficient and secure living environment, which is a key selling point for real estate developers and property owners.

    Some of the solutions include LG’s digital signage technology. This can be used in commercial real estate to create dynamic and interactive displays that can attract and engage customers. It seeks to serve retail stores, shopping malls, and other commercial spaces by providing a unique and immersive experience for customers.

    Additionally, LG’s energy-efficient HVAC systems have helped Kenyan property owners to reduce energy consumption and costs. These systems can be integrated with smart home solutions to provide greater control over temperature and air quality, which can help to create a more comfortable living or working environment.

    “Embracing innovation in property design and developments has been critical in providing our clients with the best real estate solutions,” said KPDA Chair Mr. Ken Luusa. ” Looking ahead, we look forward to LG’s innovative solutions helping us to optimize our properties for maximum ROI while providing a more comfortable and technologically advanced environment for our tenants.”

    According to the Built Environment Report 2023 by the Architectural Societies of Kenya, the Kenyan real estate industry recorded a bounce back in 2022 after two years of a sharp drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report finds that there was an annual 6.8% rise in property sales from March 2022, which resonates with findings from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) which recorded a 6.4% growth in the construction industry in the same period.

  • COCA-COLA Rewards First Winner With A Year’s Worth Of Food Shopping

    COCA-COLA Rewards First Winner With A Year’s Worth Of Food Shopping

    The Coca-Cola system in Kenya awarded the first winner with a year’s worth of food shopping in Nairobi.

    Kevin Mituga, a Saika resident in Nairobi was announced as the winner in the ongoing promotion.

    Speaking at the award ceremony, Kevin Mituga said, “It’s a once in a lifetime chance to be able to win a shopping voucher for me and my family. I participated at least seven times but was not lucky. I emerged victorious on the eighth chance. I urge Kenyans to continue participating in the promotion for a chance to win big.”

    The campaign, which runs for 12 weeks, offers consumers a chance to win over 50 million Kenya Shillings worth of prizes, including cash (mobile money), airtime, and shopping vouchers.

    To participate, consumers need to buy a 1L, 1.25L or 2L bottle of Coca-Cola, Fanta, or Sprite and check under the green cap for a code. They will then need to send an SMS with the unique code found under the green cap to 40111 for a chance to win instant prizes and be entered into a draw for more prizes. The SMS to 40111 is free.

    In addition to the grand prize of a year’s worth of food shopping other prizes include instant cash, airtime and shopping vouchers, enabling consumers to share meal moments with their loved ones. The promotion seeks to inspire Kenyans to continue enjoying meal moments together with a Coca-Cola.

    Grand prize winners will be contacted through a dedicated customer care number to be advised on their winnings. To take part in the competition, consumers must be eighteen years and above and registered users of Safaricom, Airtel & Telkom.

  • Huawei roots for Cloud and Solar Technology to scale up forest conservation

    Huawei roots for Cloud and Solar Technology to scale up forest conservation

    Huawei technologies has announced plans to scale up the use of cloud and solar technology to deepen environmental conservation at a time when Kenya is determined to expand the national forest cover to 10 per cent from the current 7.2 percent by 2030 by planting nearly 2 billion tree seedlings.

    Speaking at the Connected Summit in Kwale, Adam Lane, Huawei Kenya’s Deputy CEO Government Affairs, stated that modern technology is capable of boosting the overall conservation efforts with clear data that can be used for prevention of further destruction.

    “Artificial Intelligence (AI) -powered acoustics solutions deployed in tree canopies can detect the sounds of chainsaws and trucks associated with illegal logging in rainforests and send real-time alerts to rangers in the field,” he explained noting that while technology underpins nature conservation, suitable partnerships between technology players, conservationists and governments will deliver the results.

    In addition, infrared camera technology analyzed by cloud AI, for example, is helping to track and monitor species that are close to extinction. Lane pointed out that there is a clear growing momentum and buy-in from the conservation community to use more technology but also to develop and create new ways it can be applied. The appropriate deployment of technology will help ensure more sustained benefits from its application to achieve fair and effective conservation action

    This includes initiatives such as the use of AI and big data analytics powered by Huawei Cloud to monitor biodiversity and protect ecosystems around the world. By harnessing the power of sound, conservationists are able to track thousands of species globally and automatically detect the presence of illegal activities. It works by building weather-resistant sensors hidden inside different parts of the forest and upload all the sounds recorded to a cloud-based server and can detect illegal logging over a kilometer away.

    “For nature conservation, we must develop solutions that can understand the world’s ecosystems and form the basis of effective protective measures. With our partners, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), we have been developing solutions under our Tech4Nature and TECH4ALL initiatives to make this possible in ecosystems around the world, from rainforests, mountains, and plateaus to wetlands, rivers, and oceans,” said Lane.

    He also outlined the role of solar technology in boosting conservation efforts, stating that solar power can be a productive use of otherwise unproductive land such as hills or deserts. It is also capable of being used to provide affordable and green power to boost local industries and power irrigation for local agriculture.

    These include the range of Smart PV and Energy Storage Solutions, for residential and commercial usage, equipment like inverters and Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for households and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) solar solutions for enterprises, which contribute to reduced power consumption costs by as much as 30 per cent. As of March 31, 2022, Huawei had helped customers generate 535.9 billion kWh of green power, save 16.2 billion kWh of electricity, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 260 million tons, which was equivalent to planting 360 million trees.

    “Climate change has now become a huge roadblock for social development so we need to move faster towards low-carbon development and green growth models, protect the environment and promote green economic recovery,” said Lane.

  • Zizi Afrique foundation on set to create a conducive state for learning

    Zizi Afrique foundation on set to create a conducive state for learning

    Zizi Afrique foundation has officially kicked off it’s  two day meeting holding six countries Sierra Leone, Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya is now the host.

    The executive director has said that foundation learning is ground  set to incorporate skills that every child needs.

    “Foundational learning, we know is a key thing. The literacy and numeracy skills that every child needs is a strong foundation to support the learning that comes after. This, we know is an important thing, not just for Kenya but globally for all children.” John Mugo CEO affirms.

    The CEO has said that this is a forum free to address many aspects ranging from having extensive and intensive training to improve intelligent quotient of children at tender age.

    “This forum is going to address many aspects among them the reason why we are making such slow progress in getting all the children everywhere to learn the foundation. By foundation we mean by the time the child is finishing grade three in our Kenyan context, to be able to read with fluency and comprehension so understand what they are reading and also be able to reason with numbers.” CEO John Says.

    Zizi Afrique launched there Agenda Report of 2021 which indicated that only 40% of children in grade four were able to read at grade three level.

    This report now indicates that the majority of children were able to read at grade three level.

    “It means that a majority of our children, even with all the effort and improvement and investment, proceeding to upper primary without the foundation of skills.” Mr Mugo says.

    The forum is set to achieve the connectivity progress to accelerate progress by ensuring high rise of majority of children in the future.

    “This forum is going to connect us to discuss how we can accelerate progress, how we can ensure that in the coming years, at least 90% of our children are able to read and plan at the right level.” John Mugo affirms.

    Furthermore,  the foundation has called the nation to invite corporation and unity to achieve the best for the young ones through both the government and the community.

    “We are making a call to every Kenyan because achieving this for all children will not just be government, the government has its role, and they must play that ensuring that we have teachers who are well prepared and motivated. They are the books and materials to learn.” Mugo adds.

    The CEO has however finally urged all the parents  to ensure children at home are satisfied with all the necessary materials for growth.

    “Children need books at home so that they are supported to be able to read the love for reading is important. So having as many things as possible at home for children to read, we know helps them to learn faster, but also other people members of the community that can support schools to be better, and accountability for schools and every learner to be able to read.”

  • Marketplace Africa explores Uganda’s plan to bring biotech to farms and fields

    Marketplace Africa explores Uganda’s plan to bring biotech to farms and fields

    In the latest edition of Marketplace Africa, CNN’s Zain Asher learns how Uganda is growing its economy through biotechnology in the agricultural sector.

    “We are prone to natural disasters. We all rely on Mother Nature and if the rains fail, then almost everything fails. And today as we talk, you find out there are other pests and diseases coming up and they’ve been quite detrimental to the environment. You have heard about one, the coffee wilt disease. With that, most production areas, most farms were decimated to 50 per cent back in the 90s,” according to Dr. Ambrose Agona, Director General of NARO [Uganda National Agricutural Research Organisation].

    With around 70% of the country’s working population engaged in agriculture, proponents of biotechnology are hoping these crops will be a growing part of Uganda’s future. According to Erostus W.N Nsubuga, CEO of AGT Group, “. Almost 40% of the food was being lost in the yields because of poor seed and different diseases coming into agricultural food. Tissue culture is a process technology technique you can use and produce plants which are pest and disease free.”

    AGT Laboratories is one of Uganda’s leading agricultural biotech companies, where the growth of plants is accelerated. Farm Manager of Wabiruko Farm, Seguya Isaac, explains “Now we have increased the size of the bunch we sell in the market. Before we could get a small bunch and a small cost. Here, when you sell 100 bunches, you are sure of 5 million. But before, you’d sell 200 or 300 bunches and you couldn’t make 5 million sale.”

    Even though the continent began experimenting with commercial biotech crops in 1998, it was in 2018 when a bill approving the sale of biotechnology crops commercially within Uganda passed, however it is still waiting on the president’s signature. According to Dr Ambrose, “Once we have laws that regulate what we do in terms of genetic engineering then I think the investments in crop improvement or lifestyle productivity will come down.”

    Despite the challenges, including infrastructure as it pertains to electricity, Nsubuga persists on growing Uganda’s economy with the use of biotechnology.

  • Info Out Of The Powerful US Leader Who Allegedly Brokered A Truce Between Ruto And Raila Odinga

    Info Out Of The Powerful US Leader Who Allegedly Brokered A Truce Between Ruto And Raila Odinga

     On Sunday evening President William Ruto addressed the nation where he requested Raila Odinga to consider calling off his Monday mass action demonstration something that Raila Odinga heeded as he called off the weekly protests.

    It has however emerged that several emissaries have been leading dialogues that have finally yielded good fruits. A report by Citizen Tv has revealed that Religious leaders have been at the forefront of brokering the dialogue deal.

    Additionally, information revealed that US Senator Chris Coons met President Ruto and Raila Odinga separately to discuss the ongoing demonstrations, it is believed that Coons made a significant effect on the dialogue which resulted in a successful truce between the two.

    President Ruto has now promised to consider the grievances of Raila Odinga and make an effort in achieving these demands. Raila Odinga on his side also called off his demonstrations as he respects the call of President Ruto in reaching out to solve the grievances.