Destin Africa
Kshs. 300 / Ushs. 9000 Tshs. 6000 / RWF. 2200 ISSUE 25 / 2019
INSIDE ENTREPRENEUR TURNS MORINGA SEED OIL INTO A THRIVING BEAUTY CARE BUSINESS THE ACTUARIAL SOCIETY OF KENYA CELEBRATES 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GROWTH OF SATELLITE TOWNS PRESENTS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO OWN AN AFFORDABLE HOME
REGAL AFRICA: THE IDEAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICE PROVIDER
ANNE WAMBUI, FOUNDER & CEO, REGAL AFRICA. www.destinafrica.co.ke
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Editor’s note
Destin Africa
The Actuarial Profession Takes Shape in Kenya
F
ew years ago, actuaries were perhaps one of the most unheard of professionals not only in Kenya, but Africa at large. Besides, only a few universities offered a degree programme in actuarial science. Although there is still lack of understanding of the profession, there is no doubt that it is on a growth curve.According to CyrilleNabutola, Secretariat of TASK, the actuarial profession in Kenya is on a steady growth, and has recently recorded increased number of qualified actuaries.Currently, there are 56 fellows who are based within and outside Kenya, including South Africa. 46 are Kenyans by nationality. Kenya holds the second highest number of fellows in Africa, from South Africa.
This paints a picture of growth, and the number is estimated to increase going forward. KenbrightChief Actuary and Managing Director Ezekiel Macharia saysif the country can get 100 actuaries by 2020, we can play a bigger role in actuarial provision, not only in East Africa, but also in Sub-Saharan Africa.This is true owing to the fact that more and more universities are offering a course in actuarial science, while the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) has been sponsoring at least five students to pursue Master of Science Degree in Actuarial Management. Actuaries are also being recognized in the market as most companies in the financial industry are required to have an actuarial function in place. Furthermore, the Actuarial Society of Kenya is playing a major role by bringing together all the actuarial professionals in the market with the objective of promoting and developing the profession.
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Contents
Destin Africa
22.
YOUNGPRENEUR
24.
22. COVER STORY
5. EDITOR’S NOTE 10. GET INSPIRED 12. CORPORATE NEWS Liquid Telecom Standard Chartered Western Union
16. TECHNOLOGY A Closer Look at Some of the Cool Features of HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019
18. YOUNGPRENEUR Entrepreneur Turns Moringa Seed Oil into a Thriving Beauty Care Business
Regal Africa: The Ideal Wealth Management Service Provider
24. MAIN STORY
The Actuarial Society of Kenya Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary
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Destin Africa 8
Editor-in-Chief : SUSAN ARMSTRONG
GET 25% OFF
EDITORIAL Features Editor JENNIFER NYAWIRA Features Editor SHABAN AHAB Assistant Editor ALEX NYAMU Digital News Journalist JOE
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Art Direction & Design CAITLIN SHARON Graphic Designer FELIX CONTRIBUTORS Reuben Kimani Hasnain Noorani Corine Mbiaketcha Nana Michael Armstrong Dr Angela Migowa
MARKETING & DIGITAL Head of Digital and Marketing JACKSON THUITA Digital Content Producer AMANDA Digital Coordinator KATE ISSAH FINANCE & OFFICE MANAGEMENT Accounts – accounts@destinafrica.co.ke Head of Sales & Media STEVE – steve@destinafrica.co.ke
One year's subscription to the digital edition of Destin Africa www.destinafrica.co.ke
Published by Forafrica Media P. O. Box 74298-00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Cell: (+254) 774 680 871 / (+254) 739 553 074 E-mail: info@destinafrica.co.ke Website: www.destinafrica.co.ke Destin Africa @destinafrica
© 2019 Destin Africa published by FORAFRICA MEDIA. Copyright subsists in all work published in this magazine. Any reproduction or adaptation, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited and is an act of copyright infringement which may, in certain circumstances, constitute a criminal offence. www.destinafrica.co.ke
9 Destin Africa
Contents
30. AGTECH
30.
Wefarm Transforms Agricultural Output in Kenya
32.
OPINION
32. REAL ESTATE 34. HOSPITALITY 36. AUTOMATION 38. BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS 40. HEALTH & FITNESS Children Suffer From Arthritis Too
42.
42. MOTOR New 2019 Audi A4 on the way with A6 and A8 tech 44. TRAVELWISE Kenya Airways Launches Flights To Rome And Geneva
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Destin Africa
Get Inspired
Provoking Quotes By Entrepreneurs And Executives
“To build a successful business, you must start small and dream big. In the journey of entrepreneurship, tenacity of purpose is supreme.” Aliko Dangote, Dangote group,
“Today is the beginning of the rest of your Life. You are the pilot of your life. Lock in your destination; take off to it, from where you are”
“ “Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to failure. Every great success has always been achieved by fight, every winner has scars. The men who succeed are the efficient few –they are the few who have the ambition and will-power to develop themselves. So choose to be among the few today.” Chris Kirubi, Centum Investment,
“It’s crucial to listen to your customers. Deliver on time and don’t overpromise or under promise or overpromise and underdeliver. I learnt to run my business very efficiently. It’s also important that you communicate and be responsive.”
Nigeria
Vimal Shah, BIDCO, Kenya
Nkemdilim Begho, Future Software Resources Limited, Nigeria
Kenya
“Failure is necessary for any learning curve. Failure makes you stronger, bolder, and less scared of taking risks.” Nkemdilim Begho,
Future Software Resources Limited, Nigeria www.destinafrica.co.ke
“Dreaming is good. But now your dream must be profitable. For example, you cannot find investors who will put funds in your project without them seeing the potential for profitability”
Olivier Madiba, founder of Kiro’o Games in Cameroon
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Mombasa Office Address Ndia Kuu Road P.O. Box 80234-80100 Mombasa
Nairobi Office Address 2nd Floor B, The Westwood Vale Close, Off Ring Road Parklands, Westlands Nairobi
25 years of actuarial profession in Kenya and East African Region
Contacts T: +254 (0)788 671750 +254 (0)701 671750 +254 (0)774 671750 +254 (0)41 2244020 E: info@rcl-world.com
We deliver expert advice to:
Website: www.rcl-world.com
Life Insurance Companies
General Insurance Companies
Reinsurance Companies
Pension Scheme Trustees
Pension Scheme Sponsors
Banks & Other Corporations
Governments
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Destin Africa 12
Corporate News
L
eading pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom has appointed Susan M’kandawire Mulikita as CEO of Liquid Telecom Zambia to accelerate growth and market penetration across the country. Based in Zambia, Susan joined the company and became the first female to join Liquid Telecom’s Southern Africa regional executive leadership team as CEO. Susan is also the first female CEO responsible for ICT in Zambia.
“This senior appointment marks an exciting new step in Liquid Telecom’s strategy to build Africa’s digital future,” said Wellington Makamure, CEO of Liquid Telecom’s Southern Africa Region. “Susan’s exceptional talent and experience will bring greater synergy to the Southern Africa region, and enable more customers to capitalise on Liquid Telecom’s connectivity, hosting, co-location and digital solutions portfolio – driving innovation and growth across the region. Susan’s appointment is particularly significant as it demonstrates Liquid Telecom’s continued focus on diversity and inclusiveness, especially at a regional level.” Susan has more than 20 years’ ICT experience, operating at a senior level for both private sector and public organisations. This includes Airtel where she was responsible for telecommunications and ICT law, policy, regulation and stakeholder management. Susan is a graduate of the University of Zambia having attained a Bachelor of Laws Degree there and a Master of Laws (ICT) from the Buckinghamshire New University (UK). Susan is also a qualified practitioner of Telecoms/ICT Policy, Law, Regulation and Management.
Liquid Telecom appoints Susan Mulikita as CEO of Liquid Telecom Zambia
Experienced ICT professional becomes first female CEO to join the company’s regional executive leadership team and first female CEO responsible for ICT in Zambia
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“This is an exciting time to be joining Liquid Telecom Zambia,” she said. “The company offers a superior service at both carrier and retail level and is poised to compete successfully in the Zambian ICT and telecoms landscape. I look forward to working collaboratively with our partners, government and other stakeholders to deliver innovative and compelling ICT and telecoms services. I am also very pleased to join a brand that promotes equal opportunities and inclusive leadership at the highest levels of the organisation.”
13 Destin Africa Corporate News
Standard Chartered Launches Second Wave of Digital-Only Retail Banks Across Four African Markets Roll-out of banking service follows successful pilot launch in Côte d’Ivoire in 2018
S
tandard Chartered has announced the start of the second phase of its digital-only retail bank across Africa. In response to growing consumer demand for innovative banking services on the continent, the Bank will launch its digital solution in four key markets during the first quarter of 2019 starting in Uganda in January, followed by Tanzania in February, with Ghana and Kenya to follow.
Following the successful launch of Standard Chartered’s first digital retail bank in Côte d’Ivoire last year, the second phase builds on the original CDI platform that onboards clients in under 15 minutes and provides 70 of the most common service requests. The updated digital bank provides enhanced services including QR code and P2P payments, loan and overdraft facilities, and instant fixed deposits. Clients will be able to enjoy the convenience of banking on the go, anytime and anywhere, along with a consistent online experience. The roll out will also see the Bank engage
and client experiences. Digitising Africa and facilitating access to financial services remains at the heart of our business strategy for the region.” Africa’s banking market is the secondfastest-growing and second-most profitable globally. The retail banking sector is a locus of new business models which are emerging in response to low levels of banking penetration and heavy use of cash in the Sub-Saharan continent.
Commenting on the launch of the digital bank in Uganda, Governor, Central Bank Governor Prof. Emmanuel Mutebile said “There will continue to be disruption in the Banking sector. Institutions that fail to keep up might lose out and at the very worst be pushed out of business in the long run, however, this disruption to bank business models works in the interest of customers and the general populace. I therefore congratulate Standard Chartered Bank on unveiling this revolutionary digital initiative as I believe that with such innovations, we are making significant progress in embracing technological changes and digitization to help us achieve stable and long-term growth.” in strategic local alliances to create an appealing lifestyle banking proposition to provide clients offers across shopping, travel and dining.
Commenting on the second phase of the launch, Sunil Kaushal, Regional CEO, Africa and Middle East said: “We are thrilled to launch the second phase of our digital-only retail banks across other African markets. The Bank continues to make strategic and sustainable investments in technology – this complements our innovation agenda, as well as enhance our digital offerings
Africa’s banking market is the second-fastestgrowing and second-most profitable globally
To support the digital bank roll out across the four markets, aimed at driving digital adoption amongst new and existing clients focusing on young digital natives, the Bank will also launch a marketing campaign dubbed ‘//BEUNSTOPPABLE’, Bank on the go! The campaign will run across traditional and social media to remind consumers that banking should not stop them from doing what they love to do, and when they want to do them.
In Uganda, Standard Chartered has also partnered with popular Ugandan entertainer and comedian Anne Kansiime to drive awareness of the new digital bank in the market. As part of her role, Anne will be promoting the bank’s digital banking capabilities and will lend her voice and image rights through a series of Marketing and Community engagement activities over the next 12 months. The Bank’s digital services are available by downloading the Standard Chartered mobile application via the Google play store or Apple store.
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Destin Africa 14
Corporate News
Western Union and Amazon Unveils a New Payment Option Allowing Customers to Pay in Cash for Their Amazon Purchases Western Union® agent location. The move by Western Union and Amazon will provide greater access to online goods for customers who have largely been excluded from e-commerce shopping due to lack of accepted payment methods.
Expanding customer access and closing the payments gap Forrester Research estimates that crossborder shopping will represent 20% of e-commerce by 2022, with sales reaching $630 billion.1 Choice, quality and cost are the main motivations for customers to shop online from overseas, but there are challenges and concerns about the lack of payment options for those who prefer to pay in person or those who do not have access to international credit cards or debit cards.
Amazon.com customer is making payment in cash at a participating Western Union® agent location in Nairobi, Kenya. Western Union and Amazon unveiled a new payment option allowing customers to pay in cash, in Kenyan Shillings for their Amazon.com purchases.
T
he Western Union Company, a leader in cross-border, crosscurrency money movement, unveiled a new payment option that allows Amazon.com customers in Kenya to pay in local currency for their Amazon.com purchases. The service is being offered initially in 10 countries – Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand – enabling customers who prefer to pay in cash to shop Amazon.com’s vast product selection.
Western Union’s platform is powering Amazon’s new cross-border payment option, called Amazon PayCode, by processing the complex foreign exchange, settlement and money movement requirements for international e-commerce transactions.
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After selecting PayCode on the Amazon. com checkout page, customers will be sent a code, along with instructions on how to pay in person at a participating
Amazon is committed to enabling customers anywhere in the world to shop on Amazon. com, and a big part of that is to allow customers to pay for their cross-border online purchases in a way that is most convenient for them
“We’re helping to unlock access to Amazon. com for customers who need and want items that can only be found online in many parts of the world,” said Khalid Fellahi, SVP and General Manager of Western Union Digital. “This is a great example of two global brands innovating and collaborating to bring customers more convenience and choice. In a world where cross-border buyers and sellers are often located on different continents and in completely different financial ecosystems, our platform is ideally suited to solving the complexity of collecting local currency and converting it into whatever currency merchants need on the other end.” “Amazon is committed to enabling customers anywhere in the world to shop on Amazon.com, and a big part of that is to allow customers to pay for their crossborder online purchases in a way that is most convenient for them”, said Ben Volk, Director, Payment Acceptance and Experience at Amazon. “Amazon PayCode leverages the reach of Western Union to make cross-border online shopping a reliable and convenient experience for customers who do not have access to international credit cards, or prefer to pay in cash.”
15 Destin Africa Corporate News
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Destin Africa 16
Technology
A Closer Look at Some of the Cool Features of HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019
From left to right- Steven Li, Huawei’s Head of Eastern Africa Mobile, popular comedian and influencer Njugush and Derrick Alenga, Training Manager during the launch of Huawei Y7 Prime 2109 into the Kenyan market.
I
n addition to a sleek design, a 6.26 inch screen with a Dewdrop display, 16MP selfie camera and dual set-up rear camera and a 4,000mAh battery, HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 is packaged with many other features that are absolutely worth writing about such as Party Mode and Easy Mode among others. Powered by Snapdragon 450 Under the bonnet, the HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core SoC clocked at 1.8GHz. 450 represents an improvement from the previous model which had a Snapdragon 430 chipset. HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 has a 32GB internal storage and supports an expandable storage up to 512GB via a microSD card. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Dual 4G Dual VoLTE HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 supports Dual 4G and Dual VoLTE thanks to the X6 LTE modem in the Snapdragon SoC enables. This feature enables users to simultaneously use one SIM to conduct calls while using the other for cellular data . Moreover, the two SIM cards can be issued by different tele operators--unlike most other devices on the market—granting even more freedom to users. Improved Do Not Disturb Mode It is possible to have a fully immersive gaming experience with no interruptions with the Improved Do Not Disturb Mode. Gamers can route calls to the secondary SIM card to enjoy their gaming time. This Do
Not Disturb Mode will notify the callers that the recipient is not available for call while notifying the recipient via text. It is also possible to mute all sounds in your mobile phone while using it like calls, alerts, and notifications. Face Unlock 2.0 HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 features Face Unlock 2.0, a quick and easy to unlock devices. Face Unlock 2.0 leverages AI and the front camera, and the device can authenticate the identity of a user and unlock the device quickly, so users can dive right back into action. Fingerprint Sensor 4.0 On the backside of the phone, HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 features the Fingerprint 4.0
17 Destin Africa Technology
a louder default audio volume. This is ideal for elderly users, who may get confused by the multitude of features that are available on the modern device.
HUAWEI Share 2.0 HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 has also HUAWEI Share 2.0 which lets users quickly share files and photos with nearby Huawei devices without using mobile data or a cable. A file as large as 1000MB can be sent within 1.5 minutes. It can be also used to print files on nearby printers. When a printer icon appears in the sharing panel, users just need to touch it to print their file.
identification technology, which allows users to unlock the device in less than 0.37 seconds. In addition, the fingerprint sensor also supports multiple functions, allowing users to take photo/video, stop alarm, answer call, browse photos or show the notification panel, and more. Huawei decided to make it sort of a touch pad which is quite a nice trick so users do not have to change their grip to see notifications, for instance.
Easy Mode This phone comes with an effective feature called Easy Mode. It provides a better experience for those who want a simplified interface as it makes navigating the phone stress-free and easy to understand. In Easy Mode, the HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 will only display the most essential features such as messages, calls and settings. Easy Mode provides a minimal home screen with an Easy layout, large fonts and icons, as well as
Party Mode HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 supports Party Mode. In this mode, users may link up multiple Huawei and Honor devices to play music. HUAWEI Y7 Prime 2019 supports eight concurrent connections when connecting devices as a Wi-Fi hotspot hub. Alternatively, users may connect directly with each other via WLAN to enjoy unlimited connections. With a big screen for maximum gaming or video-watching experience, a massive 4,000 battery, and a 16MP Selfie camera as well as a plethora of cool features that take users’ needs into accounts. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 18 Youngpreneur
Mkamboi Mwakale is a passionate young entrepreneur who is not afraid to dream big. She defines herself as a child of God, a mother, a daughter, a sister to many, a friend to like-minded individuals and a girl with big dreams. You have probably heard of Mwakale in association with Saru Organics venture, which is the current vehicle God is using to teach and prepare her for her destiny. She talks to Destin Africa about her entrepreneurship journey and her desire to make Saru Organics a luxurious global brand By Jennifer Nyawira How did you get started as an entrepreneur? After college, I teamed up with Liz Lenjo and other creatives to form a lifestyle print magazine dubbed ‘Varsity Phunk’ in 2010. I had seen a gap in the industry at that particular period with no central kind of media that could connect all the college going students and, thus we plunged right into it.
Entrepreneur Turns Moringa Seed Oil into a Thriving Beauty Care Business www.destinafrica.co.ke
We had great content creators for the magazine, but my dream to have a quality look and feel drove me into a debt hole. Varsity phunk closed shop after a year where, I struggled with its operations cost and increasing expenses that burgeoned more than the income it attracted. At just 23 years of age and being in big debts shook me to the core. I literally ran away from the world to my own cocoon to deal with my fears. Unfortunately, during the same season of turmoil, I was pregnant out of wedlock and from where I stood, the future looked bleak. I started searching for a job desperately now with the thought of a baby coming soon coupled with fear. It was until nine months later after giving birth that I managed to secure an internship position earning a stipend of Kshs.10, 000 which barely took care of my needs. I had to do
19 Destin Africa Youngpreneur
lots of sacrifices in trying to live within that budget. I would have to ensure I caught the 5.00 am bus in the morning so as to pay Sh. 20 to town avoiding the rush hour.
I have always been a big dreamer so it didn’t take long before the situation started worrying me. Seeing no much change, I resigned after six months. Soon, I landed another job as a research assistant that had a fair pay and looked promising in terms of growth, but unfortunately, I found myself stuck again. I felt I had so much to offer, but was completely being underutilized. It was as if I reported each day to warm my seat and chit chat colleagues, something that bothered me so much. This pushed me to start searching for another job and boy, how happy was I when I secured a new job with an NGO as a program manager. This was a position that had a lot of responsibilities and I just couldn’t wait to finally roll my sleeves and leave an indelible mark. Unfortunately my joy for the new job was short lived, hardly a month into the probation period and I was served with a termination letter. This hurt me and I remember crying myself to sleep. I had just seen hope and it was being taken away. That is where the buck stopped. I was done knocking at employers’ doors. World of possibilities Back home, I started thinking on my options and I remembered my days doing the print magazine. It had opened me to a world of possibilities. I came to learn much on design and print work and I thought of starting a new business for corporate gifts merchandising. With the help of a designer friend who had been in the business for long - Mr. Joseph Webbo – I came up with a beautiful designed profile for bespoke gifts that I used to walk into offices and pitch to marketing/branding managers. The business was registered as Sheerah Agencies and it took me through the lessons of pitching, presenting, and closing deals. I always feel it was an important journey for me since I had not done any hard selling before. However, it took me three months of persistently knocking on various offices to actually close the first deal. I still remember my joy then that finally, I had one client who believed in me.
What inspired you to start Saru Organics? While still running Sheerah Agencies, I visited my home county in Taita Taveta where I met a Moringa farmer who changed the course of my business. As I sat home one morning having my usual Moringa Tea, the neighbor farmer walked in and was interested in what I was drinking. On mentioning it was Moringa tea, his face sunk into despair as if I had delivered some bad news. He narrated how he had acres of land with the crop, but was duped by middle men who had the connection to the markets. His story stuck with me as a burden. Back in Nairobi, I found myself constantly thinking about the farmer and why they
Saru Organics is a trademark name for a beauty care range crafted with love, care and from locally sourced ingredients
were not reaping economic benefits of the plant. I began a thorough research by reading every literature I could find about the crop from the amazing case studies of African countries such as Malawi, who had used the plant to successfully deal with malnutrition cases, to finding out the potent benefits of its seed oil. In the Asian continent, the seed oil had been utilized by the beauty industry to create hair growth serums and highly moisturizing products.
I found myself more interested with exploring its potent benefits for beauty. I took the chance to book an appointment with a chemical engineer explaining what I wanted to create and in a nutshell, that was the beginning of this journey. Tell us more about the company? Saru Organics is a trademark name for a beauty care range crafted with love, care and from locally sourced ingredients. At Saru Organics, we formulate products handmade by mother nature. Our mission is to change the afrocentric narrative one crown at a time. We launched our pioneer Revitalizing Clay Cleansing Shampoo that became a darling to many naturalists because of its unique properties of leaving kinky ethnic hair clean, conditioned, soft and moisturized. It has quickly become famous with mothers with little ones who after using the product experience less fuss. This pioneer product set the pace for
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Destin Africa 20 Youngpreneur
Dream as big as you can, this is your canvas, make it exciting What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur? Impacting lives! There is so much joy when that farmer calls you to ask when you are coming for your next order? Because finally, his Moringa seeds are fetching a good price and he can now see his family through. I have received tons of very beautiful reviews from customers I barely know in person on how the health of their hair changed ever since they discovered Sar Organics and pushing for even a fuller complete range that is inclusive of gels etc. meeting customer needs makes me realize I’m doing something right.
other subsequent products; we are just not creating hair care products, but a beautiful magical experience that you will not easily forget. Our brand has become synonymous with highly performing natural products if the current reviews are anything to go by.
What sets you apart from other players in the market? We are revolutionizing hair care experience for the Afrocentric consumers. We are dealing with a customer who is exposed and information is readily available at the touch of a screen. You cannot afford to do anything less than excellence if your brand is going to not only survive, but thrive in this era. We have positioned ourselves as that brand that goes extra to give you more than you actually anticipated.
It is also in the way we craft the products from rich botanicals and plant oils. It is in the care taken in packaging specifically for you and in the love to deliver more than your expectation. We have set our eyes on the prize and working at it a product at a time. www.destinafrica.co.ke
What can you say you have achieved so far? In 2018, we set a goal to increase our access to the market. We have taken that challenge very well and currently, we are in major towns in Kenya including Mombasa, Thika, Kericho, Nakuru and Machakos.
Besides, we recently signed our biggest retail partner - the Pharmaplus pharmacies - who have 12 branches across the country. However, our biggest achievement so far is being able to cross borders into the Ugandan market where we partnered with the Guardian Health Pharmacies and Envirizanacho beauty store. Seeing our brand spreading its wings on another soil gives us the confidence to keep flying higher. Have you faced any challenges? Our major challenge has been limited resources to enable us to operate effectively. We are however pursuing credit relationships with key suppliers. Furthermore, we went live with our very own e-commerce shop that allows customers to purchase directly.
But its not only consumers that give me satisfaction, I have casual workers who are earnestly praying for the growth of Saru because they can’t wait to be permanent staff and be play a big role in the story. Their hope and kind words keeps me grounded and lets me know I have to work extra smarter to ensure their lives are impacted positively. What are your future plans and aspirations of the company? Grow and keep growing! This means being available as a pan African brand. We receive orders from as far as Turkey, Qatar, South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe thanks to our online shop that opened our doors to the world. We are also busy in our labs formulating more unique products and our aim is to have a more inclusive range for the entire family. Making it a luxurious global brand adored by many is my mission.
Advice to young people looking to startup? Do not be afraid to dream. Dream as big as you can, this is your canvas, make it exciting. You are a marvelous creation with a purpose and a great destiny. Just go for it and do it.
Destin Africa Inspiring Woman
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Destin Africa 22 Cover Story
Regal Africa: The Ideal Wealth Management Service Provider The diversified financial service group offers wealth advisory to individuals and businesses to ensure their wealth is maintained for generations to come
E
stablished in 2015, Regal Africa Group is a diversified financial service group that offers financial, advisory and real estate services to businesses, individuals, institutions and governments in East Africa. The aim is to help clients achieve their financial goals.
Since formation, Regal Africa has been true to its mission of creating wealth for its clients as its main focus is wealth creation and wealth management. How it started After working in the corporate sector for over 10 years, Ann Gaitha felt the need to form a company focusing on wealth creation. “I’ve always been entrepreneurial and passionate about wealth creation for all, and Africa Economic development,” says Gaitha. “I believe Nairobi can and should be the business and financial capital of Africa and so, I established the company to provide the services I saw were missing in the marketplace,” she adds. Through her experience in the financial service industry, Gaitha realized most people lacked information on how wealth is created. This is because, they were not taught about personal finance from an early age. Most of them therefore just wing it in life. In regards to business finance, most people start a business because they don’t have a job. It therefore means the www.destinafrica.co.ke
Ann Gaitha, Founder & CEO, Regal Africa.
majority of businesses are informal and do not have the foundation to scale up. The founder says the experience has so far been exciting and challenging. On one hand, there are so many problems to solve and she believes Regal Africa has the solutions for the potential clients. On the other hand, our culture makes people to believe
that advice should be given free and the only way to create wealth is by investing in Real Estate. Such perceptions are however slowly changing and more people are now open to getting more information and weighing their options so that they can make better financial decisions. That is where Regal Africa comes in as wealth advisors to individuals and businesses.
23 Destin Africa Cover Story
We pride ourselves by ensuring that our team has great global education, experience and exposure, which ensure we offer the best advice in the marketplace
Solutions The advisory services offered include financial, investment and strategic advice. “We are the go to distribution channel for the best investment products in the marketplace. We currently have strategic partnerships with seven of the best fund managers in Kenya who are also licensed by the Capital Markets Authority.”
The company offers wealth management services to its affluent and high net-worth individuals to ensure their wealth is maintained for generations to come.
According to Gaitha, Regal Africa focuses on creating value to institutions, governments, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), as well as offering transaction advisory and strategy advisory services to other organizations.
The company prides itself in being very innovate and pushing the boundaries of the services currently offered to clients. It is currently in partnership with a South African company and plans are underway to start offering an online academy that covers personal and business finance courses. “We realized financial education is something that is missing and that’s why, there is low uptake of professionally managed investment options,” offers Gaitha.
The online academy will be launched in the next one month and we are optimistic that the knowledge received will enable individuals to take up the right and the best financial products.
Furthermore, the company is working on an online financial marketplace - the first in East Africa. The goal is to inform and facilitate the uptake of the best financial services and products in the market for businesses, individuals, investment groups and the diaspora clients who have access to technology and want options to access products 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
Why Regal Africa? At Regal Africa, we care, we understand and we are here to guide you. That is why clients need to work with our team because our mantra is “Client First”. Being an independent company, we not only offer just one product to our clients, but we recom-
mend the best options in the marketplace. Our core values are ticket to your financial success which means we offer trust, integrity, client-centric, knowledge,excellence and teamwork. “We pride ourselves by ensuring that our team has great global education, experience and exposure, which ensure we offer the best advice in the marketplace.”
Milestones Having been in the business for almost four years, Regal Africa has assisted clients from all over the world (USA, Europe, Africa and Asia). “We initially focused on the East Africa region, but we are currently working with clients in the COMESA region, which we had planned to access in 2020,” observes Gaitha. There is no doubt the company is pushing boundaries and going global. In spite of these achievements, Gaitha says the journey has not been smooth. “The biggest challenge is lack of financial education and the culture of clients wanting free advice or not paying their dues.” However, the company is addressing the issue by establishing online courses to allow people to learn about wealth creation before taking up the financial services. In short, it is segmenting online free service vs face to face paid services.
Road ahead Going forward, Regal Africa looks forward to be the go to and trusted wealth advisor in Kenya either through its online platforms or face to face bespoke services.
In the next five years, it plans to expand from just covering East Africa and the COMESA area. “We are looking at establishing regional offices around Africa and other international financial centers including London, New York and Dubai.”
Regal Report Gaitha encourages all readers to subscribe to the quarterly publication called Regal Report. It is a free digital publication which can be accessed at https://issuu.com/ regalafrica. We share periodic wealth news and outline the data from the research done regarding the best investment returns in the market and information needed by clients to ensure they are financially free and have guidance on their wealth journey. The current publications include: “My people perish for lack of knowledge” and “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. We believe everyone needs guidance on their wealth journey. Gaitha at a glance Holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, Real Estate and Law and a minor in international business from California State University, Long Beach Holds an MBA in Finance from Hult International Business School Has over 14 year’s cumulative experience in the financial service industry
Previously worked for Amana Capital, a licensed fund manager in Kenya; and Bank of America in California, USA www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 24 Main Story
The Actuarial Society of Kenya Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary The society has been at the forefront of promoting the actuarial profession in Kenya and Eastern African region at large By Jennifer Nyawira
T
he founding of The Actuarial Society of Kenya (TASK) in 1993 has not only seen the growth of the actuarial profession, but has spearheaded the recognition of actuaries in the market.
According to Cyrille Nabutola, Secretariat of TASK, the professional body aims at promoting and strengthening the actuarial profession in Kenya, East and Central Africa, and the world at large. “Our mandate is to bring together all the actuarial professionals in the market with the objective of promoting and developing the profession.” Officially launched in 2005 by practicing actuaries in Kenya, TASK is a full member of the International Actuarial Association (IAA), the worldwide association of professional actuarial associations.
Objectives TASK has a number of objectives among them; a) To elevate the status and promote the advancement and best interests of the actuarial profession in Kenya; (b) To unite members of the actuarial profession in Kenya into one general body; (c) To play an active role in actuarial education and training and the development of local actuarial expertise; (d) To develop and uphold the highest professional standards and guidance for its
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Cyrille Nabutola, Secretariat of TASK.
members in relation to the practice of the actuarial profession and secure for them such professional standing as may assist them in the discharge of their duties; (e) To promote knowledge and research in all matters relevant to actuarial science and its application in Kenya and in the East and Central African region; (f) To promote and improve the education of present and future financial consumers and raise public interest issues; (g) To consider the actuarial aspects of legislation, existing and proposed, and to take such action as considered desirable; (h) To establish links with groups or Societies in any part of the world with similar objects to those of the Society; (i) To do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects. Membership The Society has grown rapidly over the years and today, it boasts of 461 members
grouped into four categories – fellows, associates, students and university students. Fellows are fully qualified actuaries. He/ she is a Fellow of a Full Member society of the International Actuarial Association. Currently, there are 56 fellows who are based within and outside Kenya, including South Africa. 46 fellows are Kenyans by nationality. Kenya holds the second highest number of fellows in Africa, from South Africa. “The significant improvement has come through the initiative of the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) that has been sponsoring at least five students to pursue Master of Science Degree in Actuarial Management at the Cass Business School, United Kingdom,” says Nabutola. The program helps students to get exemptions for their professional exams. Associates form the second category. These are members who have completed
25 Destin Africa Main Story
the core principal and application exams, hold a year of work based skills and have completed and passed twelve professional papers. Most associates are from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries of the UK. Other categories include students, who are currently pursuing the professional exams; and university students, members who are pursuing a degree in actuarial science, mathematics or statistics. To become a member, university students are required to register through their representatives at the Actuarial Students Society of Kenya, while the other categories are required to fill a form provided by the Society. The annual subscription fee depends on the membership category.
Benefits Nabutola offers that joining TASK comes with various benefits ranging from recognition as a fellow in any country, networking opportunities, and career development/ continuous professional development. As part of creating value addition for its members, the Society organizes different events such as monthly industry talks/ working parties where members are updated on what is happening within the industry or working area. Such events offer a great networking opportunity, besides providing a platform to gain basic knowledge of the industry. TASK also organizes annual actuarial conventions, which attract actuaries from all over the world. It is a knowledge based event, where people network and understand what is happening in the industry. 2018 actuarial convention was held in November at the Movenpick Hotel – Nairobi.
The theme was ‘Back to the Future: From Best Practice to Innovation’. The meeting attracted decision makers, industry players and professionals in the financial industry. Furthermore, the Society partners with the regulators in providing ideas on how to formulate market regulations, besides participating in the education sector where they mentor university students. Growth The actuarial profession in Kenya is on a steady growth, and has recently recorded increased number of qualified actuar-
ies. The growth is attributed to increased number of universities offering a degree programme in actuarial science.
Actuaries are business and financial professionals who use mathematical skills in predicting the future risks and events. They can work in various fields including the insurance sector, capital market, pension firms, risk management institutions, gambling, actuarial consulting firms and banking among others. They are among the best professionals in the world because of the work they do and the professionalism skills they hold.
However, Nabutola reveals that becoming an actuary is an uphill task. One is required to have a high level of professionalism, attention to detail and an inclination to mathematics.
Vibrant society Unlike before, TASK has become a more active and vibrant professional body, securing support and recognition from the regulators and industry players. It has brought on board more qualified actuaries over the last few years.
The establishment of the Actuarial Academy of East Africa in 2018 is expected to increase the number of actuaries in East Africa and create an easier working environment for actuarial professionals within the region. It is an initiative covering Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Kenya.
The Society has also stayed true to its vision of positioning the Actuarial Profession in Kenya and the region as the leading profession in the areas of modelling and management of financial risks and contingent events.
In spite of these achievements, Nabutola says that lack of enough resources in terms of actuaries who can teach in the universities and an understanding of their roles are the greatest shortcomings. He therefore appeals to the government to recognize the professional body and also have actuaries working in the national treasury. The future is however bright. “We are looking forward to having actuarial exams administered in Kenya.” Having own exams is an achievement since students understand their market and region better.
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Destin Africa 26 Main Story
Leading Actuarial Service Provider Bets on Capacity Building to Promote Profession
In addition to providing consultancy services, Kenbright Actuarial and Financial Services has partnered with various stakeholders to unlock the actuarial profession and capacity By Jennifer Nyawira
E
stablished in 2015, Kenbright Actuarial and Financial Services (KAFS) has continued to grow over the years to become one of the leading financial and actuarial service providers in the Kenyan market.
According to Ezekiel Macharia, Chief Actuary and Managing Director at Kenbright, the subsidiary was set up to boost and support the provision of actuarial services in the East and Central African market. “We felt there was need for actuarial capacity building, hiring of actuaries, improving data in Africa in terms of analytics and risk management.” The actuarial firm was established at a time when most Kenyan companies still relied on outsourcing actuarial services from foreigners. This, according to Ezekiel, is however changing and he is delighted that Kenbright is part of the change. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Ezekiel Macharia, Chief Actuary and Managing Director at Kenbright.
“I believe there is more knowledge about the actuarial profession in the market.
We are also offering additional services, besides having a greater understanding of the African market,” he offers. Essentially, local actuarial support goes a long way to provide solutions based on local knowledge and insights.
The actuarial industry is currently growing promptly and the number of students pursuing actuarial science has been increasing rapidly over the years. There are more institutions of higher learning offering a degree in actuarial
science. Besides, the Insurance Regulatory Authority is sponsoring at least five students every year to pursue their masters in the United Kingdom, boosting actuarial capacity in the country. Today, Kenya holds the second highest number of fully qualified actuaries in Africa, from South Africa.
Home-grown firm KAFS is a subsidiary of Kenbright Holding Limited, which also provides insurance brokerage, reinsurance brokerage and health administration. Founded in 1993, Kenbright is the only insurance brokerage house that is home-
27 Destin Africa Main Story
We help insurance companies develop actuarial valuation report that has become a key requirement in Kenya grown and locally owned with fully qualified actuaries. The firm is banking on the long existence of the mother company, and is focusing on leveraging on its actuarial capability to support the market. The firm offers a wide range of consultancy services on key areas that include enterprise risk management, product development, actuarial, pension, investment and other related areas.
“We help insurance companies develop actuarial valuation report that has become a key requirement in Kenya,” says Ezekiel. Furthermore, the firm provides capacity building, and it’s currently in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Strathmore University to increase knowledge base of the insurance and reinsurance market and investment opportunities.
KAFS also trains local actuarial students by signing up interns from various universities, besides supporting students programs, events and boot camps.
Additionally, the establishment of the Actuarial Academy of East Africa will play a major role in training and mentorship. As an active member of The Actuarial Society of Kenya (TASK), where Ezekiel once served on the council, KAFS is
determined to play a major role in promoting the actuarial profession in the country. This will also be achieved by creating collaboration with regulators across the East African region.
Roles of an actuary An actuary is a combination of an accountant, statistician and modeler. They have technical skills in finance, mathematics and statistics. Actuaries are actually in the finance world and their role is to measure the probability and predict risks in various sectors including insurance, banking, healthcare, pension, climate change among others.
To become an actuary, one is required to complete a degree in actuarial science, complete and pass a series of professional papers and have requisite work experience. However, Ezekiel says that actuarial is one of the least understood professions in the market. In this regard, the firm is developing partnerships with universities and other stakeholders to unlock the actuarial profession and capacity.
“TASK is 25 years old now and we expect in the next five years, capacity building will be much broader both for the financial and non-financial sectors,” says Ezekiel. “For me, the future is actually data analysis, which is bread and butter for an actuary,” he adds.
We are however happy with the growth, and if the country can get 100 actuaries by 2020, we can play a bigger role in actuarial provision not only in East Africa, but also in Sub-Saharan Africa
Bright future So far, Kenbright has achieved major milestones including celebrating 25 years in business, working with the government in the health sector, product development for insurance companies, and opening up branches in Uganda and Tanzania to provide support to the East African market. For Ezekiel, the company’s future is bright. “In the medium term, we want to provide the first block chain based financial products in Kenya that actually work, besides developing tools to help analyze risks.”
Kenbright also plans to develop tools for the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), as Kenya is basically an SME market; and pricing tools for the insurance sector.
In the short term, the firm wants to provide strong capacity in the market. “We want the market to become a one stop shop for all your financial, risks, and training needs.” As part of expansion strategy, the company wants to open an actuarial consultancy branch in Rwanda. This is as per its vision of becoming an East African based company.
In the long term, Kenbright hopes to develop more multiple based tools in order to tap into the already existing talent. TASK AT 25 The Actuarial Society of Kenya is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and this, according to Ezekiel, is a major milestone. “We’re very excited and we see TASK maturing in the next five years.”
The Society has also become more dominant in terms of market support, and commenting on national issues. This is a key achievement for a professional that is over 100 years old globally, but relatively new in Kenya.
“We are however happy with the growth, and if the country can get 100 actuaries by 2020, we can play a bigger role in actuarial provision not only in East Africa, but also in Sub-Saharan Africa.” We are very happy to be in the market and congratulate TASK for its achievement.
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Destin Africa 28 Main Story
Darshan Ruparelia Talks about the Actuarial Profession and How RCL is Participating in This Space The Actuarial Society of Kenya (TASK) is celebrating 25 years since establishment. Over the years, the Society has been at the forefront promoting the advancement of actuarial profession in the East African region. Destin Africa had a chat with Darshan Ruparelia, director at the Ruparelia Consultants Limited (RCL), about the profession, what should be done to promote its growth, and how RCL is participating in this space. Can you comment about TASK silver jubilee celebration? elebrating 25 years is a great achievement not only for the Actuarial Society of Kenya, but also for the wider actuarial profession in Kenya and the East African region. Special thanks go to the founders, the management team and various stakeholders for their relentless determination, unmatched consistency and resolute vision which is anchored on positioning the actuarial profession in Kenya and the region as the leading profession in the areas of modeling and management of financial risks and contingent events.
C
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Darshan Ruparelia, managing director, Ruparelia Consultants Limited (RCL).
What do you think should be done to promote the growth of the profession in Kenya? To promote the growth of the actuarial profession in Kenya, more institutions should be given the accreditation to offer the actuarial programmeas well as to get accredited with the International Actuarial Association and/or other international bodies such as the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries (UK). The Actuarial Society of Kenya should liaise with the Ministry of Education on how they conduct seminars and career talks in schools to improve understanding and appreciation of the profession. The Actuarial Society of Kenya should consider working with the government to provide loans or subsidies
to enable individuals willing to become qualified actuaries pay for the high examination fees. Plans should also be put in place to increase the rate of absorption of actuarial graduates to the job market in the traditional fields,e.g. insurance companies, and other consulting firms.
Any challenges facing the actuarial profession in Kenya and industry issues? One of the challenges facing the actuarial profession is a lack of understanding of the profession and hence a lack of appreciation by industry on the whole set of services that actuaries can offer and how it can add value to their corporate decision-making.
29 Destin Africa Main Story
READY TO SERVE:Part of Ruparelia Consultants Limited (RCL) staff.
There is also a perception that the cost of outsourcing actuarial services is too high leading to lower interest by clients to source these services. The actuarial profession is also facing competition from other professionals, such as CFA, in the areas of investment advisory and risk management. Can you tell us more about RCL and the role the firm is playing in this space? RCL is an East African based consultancy providing actuarial, financial modelling and risk management advice to governments and governmental organizations, public and private pension scheme trustees and sponsors, (re)insurance companies, not-for-profit organizations, SMEs and large-scale corporations. Other than advising on traditional lines of business around pensions and (re)insurance, RCL has used those actuarial skills to advice on other diverse areas around financial modelling, risk management and on the ongoing evolution of the pensions and (re) insurance market. For example, we have
been actively engaged with clients looking to introduce innovative products such as post-retirement medical schemes. We have also partnered with an international firm to introduce a revolutionary risk sharing platform into the (re)insurance market in East Africa.
What are some of your key milestones so far? Our major achievements include working with social security schemes in Rwanda, Mauritius, Zanzibar and Qatar to help these clients manage their schemes that collectively have millions of members and significant amount of assets under investment. These international clients give RCL a great opportunity to demonstrate our skills and knowledge in the global employee benefits’ market despite being a relatively young company. On the local front, RCL is a proud winner of the 2017 Fund Actuary of the Year Award presented at the Pension Awards Gala organized by the Institute of Pension Management (Kenya).
And where do you see RCL in the next five years? Our aim is to build on the strong foundation that we already have in the East-African region, and extend it to SubSaharan territories. Other than consultancy we are on course to putting plans in place to provide a wider range of services over the next year. It is important that the actuarial profession continues to grow and develop. Therefore, actuaries should be required to undertake continuous training so that they are well conversant with the latest market developments, such as those around data analytics and artificial intelligence. Any other pertinent issue? It is important that the actuarial profession continues to grow and develop. Therefore, actuaries should be required to undertake continuous training so that they are well conversant with the latest market developments, such as those around data analytics and artificial intelligence.
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Destin Africa 30 Agtech
Wefarm Transforms Agricultural Output in Kenya The Agtech platform provides a way through which farmers can share relevant information with their fellow farmers
for Good Award, and European Union Commission’s Ideas from Europe award among others.
We are backed by international companies - True Ventures, Local Globe and Accelerated Digital Ventures, and the Norrsken Foundation -to a tune of over $5.6million in seed funding.
The company is headquartered in London with offices in Nairobi and Kampala. Our network is at present operational in Kenya and Uganda. We plan to expand into the rest of Africa in 2019, beginning with Tanzania.
The idea about Wefarm The idea was born in 2010 by the current CEO Kenny Ewan and Claire Rhodes, General Manager of the Cafédirect Producers Foundation (CPF) as a project for CPF, a UK-registered charity that works with 280,000 smallholder tea, coffee and cocoa farmers on innovative, community driven projects.
They developed Wefarm as a peer-topeer knowledge sharing platform that gives small-scale farmers a way to access information from other farmers around the world through basic mobile phones and SMS. Approximately 90% of smallholder farmers are reported to only have access to basic mobile feature phones. In 2015, Wefarm won the Google Impact Challenge and spun off to become an independent for-profit company. Wefarm then launched Kenyan operations in February 2015 and Ugandan operations in October 2016. Kenny Ewan, CEO, Wefarm.
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efarm is a global agtech (Agriculture technology) business that utilises the latest machine learning technology to enable small-scale farmers to connect with one another to trade advice and information. The platform utilizes the latest machine learning technology and is able to work both online and over SMS.
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Wefarm’s goal is to empower farming communities improve their production and livelihoods through producing higher quality product, increasing their yields and diversifying their agricultural interests. Launched in 2015, Wefarm has won an array of awards, globally recognized as one of Africa’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, Google’s Impact Challenge Award, TechCrunch’s Europas Tech
One year after launch, the network had over 22,000 monthly active users with over 50,000 questions asked and answered on the platform. By October 2018, Wefarm had reached over 1.1 million users across Kenya and Uganda, with plans to expand into the rest of Africa in 2019, beginning with Tanzania. “Farmers are often the best, most relevant source of information and experience for their fellow farmers. However, information sharing between them is often much localized. In most cases, what you find
31 Destin Africa Agtech
Award, TechCrunch’s Europas Tech for Good Award, and the European Union Commission’s Ideas From Europe prize, among others. We’ve grown our staff to over 30 people across 3 countries. And we’ve been able to attract investment from the world’s leading venture capitalists, angel investors and foundations including True Ventures in Silicon Valley, LocalGlobe, Accelerated Digital Ventures and the Norrsken Foundation. Agritech space Right now, the sector is still innovating from the top-down. If you take a walk around any agritech conference in Nairobi or Kampala or even London there are no shortage of apps claiming to help farmers.
is that a farmer will have a solution for the types of seed to use during the rainy season that they will share with their neighbors.
However, farmers living a kilometer away facing a similar problem will not have access to that very solution. We are trying to change this reality by allowing farmers to share their advice and solutions, no matter where they live,” said Kenny. How it works As a farmer-to-farmer digital network, the network enables farmers to share information via SMS, without the need for internet access and without having to leave their farms. Farmers are able to ask questions on farming and receive crowdsourced answers from other farmers.
For instance, Andrew’s tomatoes are being attacked by blight, a fungi disease that affects almost all parts of the tomato plants including the leaves, stems, and fruits. He sends a simple, free SMS to the local Wefarm number 22301 for Kenya and 6333 in Uganda asking how to control it. His question is instantly posted online and sent to selected members of the Wefarm community via SMS. Wefarm’s machine learning algorithms then match the question to the best suited farmer to
respond to the question. Andrew receives useful, relevant knowledge under six minutes without leaving his farm or having any access to internet. Recently, Wefarm reached over one million users and sent more than one million questions and answers. This is a major milestone for the company and a clear sign that we are addressing a specific need in the market that had previously been overlooked. Key achievements Providing a useful and trustworthy service to our farmers is our single biggest achievement. Along the way, there have been other proud moments, for instance, since we started in 2015, Wefarm has been named one of Africa’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and has won Google’s Impact Challenge
Our vision is to create a new commercial ecosystem for small-scale farmers – where their needs are put first
But, many of these products and services are designed without the farmers’ input or true needs in mind. As the agritech sector, we must all ask ourselves, first, are we truly useful for the farmer? And, if not, we must strive to become so immediately. We believe we have built trust and value in our network base and we’re here for the long-term. Our goal is to connect every farmer and to continue to be useful in their everyday lives. Road ahead Our vision is to create a new commercial ecosystem for small-scale farmers – where their needs are put first. Wefarm is actively testing various ways in which the network can become more economically beneficial to both farmers and their trusted brands. Right now, more than 4% of content on Wefarm relates to the purchase of farm inputs. We have noticed that farmers themselves have expressed a need to transact via our network and we are currently developing the mechanisms to ensure this is possible for them.
Moreover, the data generated by Wefarm – whether it be drought and crop yield trends or information on pest outbreaks or aggregated data on top tactics or interventions – is becoming increasingly useful as a market intelligence for local, national and international businesses who want to enhance their supply chains and access isolated farming markets. We are currently working on developing our data practice to reach the next level of providing real-time business intelligence. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 32
Real Estate
By Reuben Kimani
Growth of Satellite Towns Presents Young Professionals an Opportunity to Own an Affordable Home
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he development of satellite towns has been unstoppable due to the rise in demand to settle close to urban areas by investors who would rather commute to their places of work from their own homes than rent in the CBDs for a long time. Nairobi, for example, is the 97th most expensive home-rental city in the world after renowned destinations like Bangkok and Cairo according to Bloomberg World Airbnb cost Index. With this in mind, it may take longer for a young professional to be capable of purchasing a high-end property in the city centre, therefore, the viable option is investing in a satellite town. According to the dictionary, a satellite town or satellite city is a concept in urban planning that refers to smaller metropolitan areas which are located near to but are mostly independent of larger metropolitan areas. These towns are relatively smaller in size and share close proximity to major urban centres, for instance, Nairobi, Nakuru, Mombasa or Kisumu. In Kenya, these areas have expanded and are gradually detaching from the cities both economically and socially thanks to the growth of infrastructure and availability of social amenities. This has made it possible to put up residential and commercial premises to meet the rising demand for accommodation and office space for businesses and the growing population. An area that has recently experienced this growth is Kangundo Road which is located in an approximate distance of 40 km from Nairobi CBD.
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33 Destin Africa Real Estate
The real estate sector has experienced a booming growth this year and young professionals should consider looking out for reputable companies and invest in affordable land in satellite towns such as Kangundo Road
In Summary • Infrastructure spending this year on Kangundo Road rose by 38.1 percent from Sh347.4 billion in 2017 to Sh396.8 billion in 2018.
• A feasibility study done in 2016 on Kangundo Road indicates that this area had no affordable quality housing yet the prices of land were relatively low. • Nairobi for example, is the 97th most expensive home-rental city in the world after renowned destinations like Bangkok and Cairo, according to Bloomberg World Airbnb cost Index. • It may take longer for a young professional to purchase a high-end property in the city centre, therefore, the viable option is investing in an affordable land in a satellite town.
According to a feasibility study done in 2016 by Hass Consult, Kangundo Road had no affordable quality housing. The prices of land in this area were relatively low making this area attractive and easier to develop as an investor. On the same year, investors began to identify the potential that lies in this area led by Infinity Industrial Park which broke ground with a strategic location at the junction of Eastern Bypass and Kangundo Road. This mega project has gradually increased the attractiveness of this area and together with other projects will cause an upward growth in the prices of land. The accessibility of Kangundo Road is now easier with the recent completion of dualling of The Outering Road that has
eased traffic between the City Centre and Kangundo Road. This area also enjoys improved public transport making it possible for commuters to travel to and from Nairobi CBD daily. This has seen businesses open up in the town which now boasts of supermarkets, hotels, markets, schools and medical facilities. Additionally, Kangundo Road is an agricultural rich Sub County suitable for farming especially to young professionals who can commercialize agriculture and contribute to food security.
The increased spending on infrastructure this year on Kangundo Road rose by 38.1 per cent from Sh347.4 billion in 2017 to Kshs 396.8 billion in 2018. The Kenya National Highways Authority has already earmarked Kangundo Road for an upgrade to a dual carriage road. Not to forget, there are ongoing key strategic roads including the 72-kilometer KonzaMachakos-Kangundo-Kennol road whose construction was awarded Kshs. 4.3 billion. These developments will make the area capable of hosting a great deal of high-end economic activities coupled with easy access to Nairobi.
In conclusion, the real estate sector has experienced a booming growth this year and young professionals should consider looking out for reputable companies and invest in affordable land in satellite towns such as Kangundo Road. This will help them grow their land investment portfolio before the full establishment of these areas. The writer is the CEO at Username Investment Limited. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 34 Hospitality
By Hasnain Noorani
Investing in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Will do More Than Just Generate Income
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n today’s globalized and symbiotic world, international relations are becoming one of the most vital components in pursuit to protect interests of any nation. The economic potential of tourism is remarkable, with direct and indirect impact on wealth creation. It is a good public relations device through which a country like Kenya could attract the most desired foreign investments. Countries have progressed in various aspects of development, such as infrastructure, technology, transportation, communication and so forth. In this context, tourism and hospitality has become a booming sector in terms of achieving national development.
For Kenya, tourism could play a vital role as a form of economic, public and soft power. Kenya is rich in natural gifts, resources and wonders with our own diverse historical and cultural heritage. As a form of soft power, tourism can play an active role in promoting people-to-people contact within the East African region and globally and thereby promote peace, friendship, cooperation and economic growth. Through tourism, Kenya holds the ability to influence the perception of international actors and affect foreign policy outcome by allowing more people to engage with the culture and values. In this globalized world, where civil society, international and local none governmental organizations are increasingly important in the development arena, soft power plays a vital role in multiplying Kenya’s influence and increases the likelihood of success in its foreign policy objectives. Tourism and hospitality connects people and places. Tourism connects global www.destinafrica.co.ke
35 Destin Africa Hospitality
audiences with some of our strongest soft power resources, exposing them to our culture whilst supporting the economy, tourism can be this bridge. Tourism helps to ignite GDP growth, increase international trade, boost international investment and drive infrastructure development. In 2018, tourism contributed over USD 2.5 billion to Kenya’s economy and it is a major contributor to the GDP, accounting for more than 10 percent of Kenya’s total economy.
Kenya’s Vision 2030 presents an important opportunity to promote and create new and compelling narratives about Kenya’s culture, heritage and natural beauty. The fact that Kenya is a member of the UN World Tourism Organization, and has diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries with resident embassies in 30 plus countries also puts us at a prime position to promote Kenyan tourism overseas. The importance of tourism is to uplift and promote a positive image globally;
government has been organizing several tourism campaigns including #TembeaKenya, #WhyILoveKenya, and #Magical Kenya among others. Now that the foundation has been laid, we must take this opportunity to strengthen our commitment to not only bring tourists into the country but also to leave them with a positive image of Kenya that they can promote within their own communities.
Kenya should also strongly promote tourism through regional and international cooperation. Hosting seminars and conferences in regional forums to discuss new approaches to tourism can be a strategic diplomatic tactic. But it is not enough to have these conversations behind closed doors; they need to be accessible to the wider public. Social networking sites can facilitate this sense of openness by allowing people outside these spaces to participate in the dialogue.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) need to engage in a variety of other stakeholders, including the youth, business groups and NGOs, to work in collaboration to promote, protect and influence the image of the nation through tourism. The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) and other research agencies also need to proactively explore the approach of using tourism as a form of soft power instead of only viewing it as a way to generate income for the nation. By recognizing its potential beyond income generation, we can find new ways to strengthen our diplomatic credibility in the international arena.
This approach to tourism can also be strengthened from the outside. Kenyans in diaspora can assist in organizing various cross-cultural exchanges to promote the image of the country in International contexts. In modern diplomacy, recognizing the potential of using tourism as a form of soft power will do more than bring income to Kenya; it will create new narratives about the country and promote positive diplomatic relations with our neighbors as well as help promote Kenya as business and leisure travel destinations. The writer is the Managing Director and Founder of PrideInn Group of Hotels www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 36 Automation
By Corine Mbiaketcha Nana
Automation Vacation – Technology Driving Change in The Kenyan Travel Industry
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t is often said we live for the holidays, and perhaps proof of that is the fact that today, the tourist industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world, with a business volume equal to or even surpassing that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles.
This is no difference in Kenya, where the sector is experiencing a strong revival after a few years of decline. Data released by the Kenya Tourism Board shows that total tourism arrivals for the 2017/18 financial year grew by 6.8% to 1,488,370 visitors compared to 1,393,568 in 2016/17, while tourism industry revenue saw just under 10% growth to Kshs 117.6 billion, up from KShs 107 billion in 2016/17. There were increases in arrivals across air, sea and over-land borders, with the top source markets being identified as the USA, UK, Uganda, India and Germany, with double digit growth being registered for arrivals from Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, UAE and Uganda. The domestic tourism market was more restrained, recording growth of 1.1% as indicated in the domestic bed nights’ figure, which came in at 3.67 million bed nights, compared to 3.64 million in 2016/17.
With this growth comes increasing competition among destinations as they seek to tempt consumers and respond to traveller demands. Our increasingly sophisticated tastes and requirements are giving rise to a whole new range of holiday www.destinafrica.co.ke
37 Destin Africa Automation
genres from honey booms to experiential or solo vacations, amongst others.
Driving further disruption in the tourism landscape, technology and digital platforms are fundamentally changing how travel is traditionally researched, bought, sold, experienced and shared, impacting the way the whole sector operates, end to end. Online travel agents and comparison sites vie to provide the best pricing options and to deliver a seamless travel experience. Increasingly we don’t just expect to have our personal tastes catered for, we expect providers to anticipate what we want ahead of time. In fact it is the price we demand for building lasting customer relationships with brands.
That’s why airlines, hotels and other hospitality companies are turning to technology and automated services to remove the bottlenecks that have traditionally stood in their customers’ way and give people their time back.
Automate to solve genuine pain points The term ‘automation’ may conjure up the image of faceless robots and processes that don’t understand our needs, but this is not the way to apply it when serving people directly. Businesses need automation that is supported by a deep understanding of customers. Only then can they deliver experiences that are not just efficient but also personalised. The key is to not automate services for the sake of it. Companies need to step in their customers’ shoes and apply their automation strategies to genuine pain points.
Meliá Hotels International, for example, has introduced a pioneering new technology to improve the guest experience. Hotel visitors, with just a flash of the wrist can unlock their room, can pay for meals in the restaurant or treatments at the spa or gain access to the VIP list for the best beach club.
All this comes via a new bluetooth powered bracelet that connects to the Meliá App, supported by diverse technologies based on Oracle Cloud. It has enabled the hotel chain to imagine a new type of vacation in which guests can access all hotel services without having to worry about carrying around cash or an identification document, and enjoy a more comfortable and connected holiday experience, just as they do at home. Personalisation and automation aren’t just reshaping hotels and hospitality players. Even airlines are learning more about their customers based on data from multiple marketing, sales, and customer service channels - from booking to arrival - in order to provide them with a highly personalised service and experience.
Data driven vacation At the heart of automated services is the consolidation and understanding of customer data, allowing companies to create detailed customer profiles that they can then use to differentiate themselves, delighting travellers with relevant and personalised experiences that put convenience above all else. Today’s travel industry is unforgiving, and standing out has never been harder in a market where value plays a major role in attracting customers. The challenge for businesses is to remind people that not all companies are created equal when it comes to serving consumers.
There is no shortage of pain points that need addressing in the travel experience, which means even a little will go a long way. By making the process just a bit smoother and more personalised, today’s airline and hospitality players will deliver the ultimate value to their customers – more time and peace of mind to enjoy their holiday. Corine Mbiaketcha Nana is the Managing Director Kenya Hub covering East, Central and West Africa at Oracle
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Destin Africa 38 Business Relationships
By Michael Armstrong
The Importance of Social Skills in the Accounting and Auditing Professions
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ata from a recent World Bank report shows that more than 800,000 people enter the job market in Kenya each year. This, coupled with the continually changing generational dynamic of the workforce – which is seeing the entry of more millennials and Generation Z into offices – poses a new challenge for companies and consumers. Generation Z is the demographic cohort after the Millennials. There is no precise date for when Generation Z begins, but demographers and researchers typically use the mid-1990s to mid-2000s as starting birth years.
As the social landscape of business becomes more digital, the accounting profession’s newest members – many of whom belong to Generation Z are entering the profession with different skills than perhaps those before them. Adapting to this means that companies and training institutions have their work cut out for them in properly equipping the next generation of Kenyan accounting and auditing professionals with the skills necessary for them to be all rounded employees or employers.
The social landscape is becoming more digital, and younger professionals are increasingly “digital natives”, with different skills to older colleagues. However, many www.destinafrica.co.ke
39 Destin Africa Business Relationships
It is important to define the strengths or weaknesses of the relationship in question, to help ensure that trust and reliability with clients goes both ways
of the demands of the modern workplace have remained the same. In finance and accountancy, technical expertise is still vital. However, alongside technical and digital skills, young employees will need an additional suite of skills if they are to add value at all levels. This is requiring companies and training institutions to adapt the ways in which they equip the next generation to be all-rounded professionals.
The importance of social skills to can never be overstated. It is our social nature and our desire to belong to a social group that enabled our species to survive over a hundred thousand years of evolution in the wilderness of Eastern Africa and beyond, let alone build integrated communities and economies. For a long time, however, the importance of social skills to doing business, especially in technical areas like accountancy, was comparatively overlooked in favour of “hard” skills. The latter are still central but softer skills are increasingly recognised as critical across various disciplines, especially the accounting and auditing professions. What is being realised is that the ability to establish long lasting and productive client and colleague relationships should now require equal attention as ensuring accountants develop the hard skills of the job.
These social skills are best learned in the early years of a career. However, at this point, the attention placed on doing so also often competes with the pressures of getting qualified and learning the essential technical skills required to execute the day to day accounting activities. It is crucial to do so, however, because ensuring that junior accountants and auditors are equipped with the right social skills to become more accomplished in their professional relationships will also equip them for progression into more senior roles in their careers. Talking to a diverse range of people,
actively contributing during financial decisions or being able to determine the right questions and responses to problems, are all central to building relationships. In addition they make a positive impression with clients and colleagues and enhance the perception of the firm as a whole.
Building business relationships is about real interactions with real people. This may prove a challenge for some of the young professionals now entering the workforce. Having grown up in a digitally-connected environment they are used to a context in which online connection is as valid as face to face communication. However, their older colleagues, clients and stakeholders may well come from an environment that privileges personal interaction. This has the potential to prevent young professionals from gaining visibility and building networks. So what can be done?
Firstly, it is important to define the strengths or weaknesses of the relationship in question, to help ensure that trust and reliability with clients goes both ways. Secondly, financial sector professionals must always seek to have a varied client base. There needs to be an explicit reason for an opportunity to come to you. In the world of work, people don’t go out of their way to help people they don’t know and don’t trust. They don’t know whether your actions or behaviour might undermine their own credibility. So there needs to be an explicit reason for a client to approach you, and a relationship built on trust is often much stronger and longer-lasting than one based solely on convenience or capability.
Many newer recruits are going to need help to look up from their screens and engage fully with their clients and colleagues. Giving them the insight and the career motivation to build steadfast business relationships can set the individual and the firm up for long term success. The author is the FCA, and ICAEW Regional Director for Middle East, Africa and South Asia. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 40 Health & Fitness
Children Suffer From Arthritis Too By Dr Angela Migowa
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rthritis disease, a common inflammation of joints is commonly associated with older adults, but contrary to what many think, it can also be found in children. Arthritis diagnosed in children is not similar to the one that affects adults though the symptoms experienced by both can be similar.
There are different types of arthritis in children. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic arthritis among children. It is diagnosed in children 16 years old, or younger, with arthritis symptoms for at least 6 weeks after ruling out other secondary causes. JIA is an autoimmune disorder which means the child’s body defense, the immune system, attacks the body tissues. Diagnosing this condition is challenging as it is done through clinical skills that requires a specialist listening to the child’s complaints and a thorough physical examination. Other conditions that present with arthritis as a symptom in children include infections, childhood cancer, bone disorders, and lupus amongst other autoimmune diseases. It is therefore essential to ensure thorough and accurate examination of the child to avoid misdiagnosis. Symptoms suggestive of arthritis include swollen, red, hot and painful joints associated with difficulties in movement, or performing regular daily activities. Other symptoms include joint stiffness especially when the child wakes up, limping, persistent fever, weight loss, www.destinafrica.co.ke
41 Destin Africa Health & Fitness
Drugs and vaccines should be made available and easily accessible to all as rheumatological diseases require long-term treatment with immunosuppressive therapy
irritability and eye pains which may cause blurred vision. More often, pain may be ignored for a long period of time with the assumption that it’s related to growth, or the child is pretending to be in pain. JIA can cause permanent joint changes resulting in long-term disability. Management of childhood arthritis includes medical treatment and physical rehabilitation tailored according to the type of arthritis. Recommended drugs and physical therapy can help to relieve pain, reduce swelling, increase joint mobility, prevent joint damage and complications. Counselling is also advised for the affected child, parents and caregivers as a form of psychosocial support during therapy.
Children or adults with arthritis face many challenges such as high costs of treatment, difficulty in accessing medication and scarcity of specialists as there are only two paediatric rheumatology specialists in East and Central Africa who are based in Kenya. It poses a great challenge to any individual or family to fight this battle alone and therefore the government and policy makers should create more awareness of this disease like any other chronic illness and facilitate training of health professionals to promptly identify and initiate management for rheumatological diseases.
It is important to seek treatment from professionals who are knowledgeable about juvenile arthritis in case you suspect a child is suffering from this condition to minimize the heavy burden of disability and pain associated with these diseases.
Drugs and vaccines should be made available and easily accessible to all as rheumatological diseases require longterm treatment with immunosuppressive therapy. Thus arthritis is not a disease of the old and afflicts children too. When well-managed, most children with arthritis achieve normal development and live normal lives enabling them to achieve their full potential within the society. Dr Angela Migowa, Paediatric Rheumatologist at Aga Khan University Hospital
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GREAT DRIVE
Motor
MERCEDES BENZ CONTINUES TO LEAD THE PRIME MOVER TRUCK MARKET SEGMENT
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or the sixth successive year Mercedes Benz Actros led the sales of prime mover trucks with 121 units delivered in 2018 giving DT Dobie a 35 per cent share of the market.
Explaining the success of the Actros Mohamed Chatur, the General Sales Manager for Heavy Commercial Vehicles at DT Dobie,said, “This is due to the truck’s well earned reputation for reliability and long life combined with value for money, servicing and repairs carried out by factory trained technicians who are backed by a comprehensive stock of spares.
Another factor is the DT Dobie programme run by Joe Mungai who is in charge of driver training. He explained, “The three day course features a mix of classroom and on the road lessons. The curriculum is based on the key role of drivers to achieve the best possible return from the owner’s investment by maximising fuel economy and prolonging the life of tyres to reduce the need for repairs and the purchase of spares.”
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New 2019 Audi A4 on the way with A6 and A8 tech
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Underneath, a secondary 8.6-inch screen will be fitted, while Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel could become standard equipment in a bid to outgun the C-Class and 3 Series for interior technology. Audi will update the A4 with its latest voice assistant technology as well.
new Audi A4 will arrive next year to take on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class.
Back in the summer, Audi updated the A4 with a handful of small design tweaks and new standard equipment, but the brand is planning a much heavier overhaul for its compact exec in 2019. With a new BMW 3 Series arriving to much fanfare, and the heavily-updated Mercedes C-Class impressing, the A4 – which has been on sale since 2015 – is beginning to gather cobwebs. Compared with the glut of new metal hitting Audi showrooms in recent months, it is beginning to look old among its own breed especially. That’s why the facelift heading the A4’s way will be visually substantial and the result of a £500m investment by the manufacturer.
The A4’s exterior design will morph directly into something altogether more up to date and on-brand, echoing its larger and newer A6 and A8 siblings. While spy shots so far have only suggested a new face, we expect the design refresh to be much
more in-depth than Audi is willing to let on at this stage, with not just every panel but also large sheets such as the roof and bonnet to alter, along with the headlights, tail-lamps and wheels. Things are set to change in the cabin in a big way, too. The A4 uses the same MLB Evo platform as the larger A6, and as such, it will be overhauled with that car’s interior tech.
The old MMI infotainment system will be replaced with the newer dual-screen set-up that is found in the A6, A7, A8 and Q8 SUV. As standard, an 8.8-inch display will be the main interface, with a 10.1-inch unit that features built-in haptic feedback optional.
Beneath the visual recharge, the marque’s engineers are planning chassis and suspension revisions to give the solid but otherwise sensible A4 a bit of added dynamic prowess.
What Audi plans to do with the selection of powertrains is a little less obvious, with a large question mark hanging over how the updated car will fit into the brand’s electrification strategy. Audi is aiming to have electrified variants of every car it sells ready for 2025. It could hold off on a plug-in A4 until the next-generation model arrives, and still fulfil that brief.
Of course, an updated A4 means that a refreshed A5 coupé will be along in due course as well. The interior will be updated around the same operating concept, also gaining the dual-screen set-up. However, the A5’s exterior refresh will be a little less extreme than the one planned for the A4. www.destinafrica.co.ke
Destin Africa 44
TRAVELWISE
Kenya Airways Launches Flights To Rome And Geneva
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fter the successful launch of direct flights to USA, Kenya Airways is not stopping there it seems. Starting June this year, the airline will launch new routes to Rome and Geneva. Kenya Airways has previously operated flights to Rome. With the resumption of this route and the addition of Geneva, this will bring Kenya Airways European destinations to five and 55 worldwide.
The airline will deploy its 787 Dreamliner four time a week to cover the new routes that is already dominated by their respective airlines such as the Geneva
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based Swissair, which flies the East African route “The addition of flights to Rome and Geneva will be welcomed by both our leisure and business customers,” says KQ chief executive Sebastian Mikosz.
“Rome with its status of a ‘global city’ is also rich with history and culture making it one of the top tourist destination in the world while Geneva hosts the highest number of international organisations in the world such as the United Nations (UN), making it a global hub for diplomacy,” he added.
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