Jan 2017 edge issuu

JANUARY 2017 Kshs. 300 / Ushs. 9000 Tshs. 6000 / RWF. 2200

GETBUCKS: FINANCING LOW INCOME POPULATION VIA TECH Part of GetBucks Kenya team.

INSIDE

TAI SACCO SOARS HIGH

TOP MISTAKES SMEs MAKE

HOW UBER IS KEEPING YOU SAFE

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Let's celebrate this blissful, cheerful, colorful 2017 with a smile.

It is time to look towards the future with optimism, but do not forget the memorable lessons learnt in the year gone by.

Happy New Year

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Nabo Africa Fund Nabo Africa Fund is an investment vehicle that allows you to pool funds with other investors sharing similar investment goals. We then invest this pool of funds in a broad selection of financial assets such as shares, bonds, money market instruments and other authorized securities across Sub Saharan Africa.

The fund is subdivided into four sub funds that you will choose from depending on your risk return preferences:

+254 20 228 6700

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Contents

22. GETBUCKS

EDGE FOCUS

16. TAI SACCO

12. WOMAN OF POWER Irene Wanjiku entirely bootstrapped Rexe Roofing Companyis now a force to reckon with in construction industry in its formative years

14. TAI SACCO Tai Sacco feted as the most consistent institution at 2016 champions of governance awards. Now set to redefine members experience through a new commitment

18. SAVANNAH CEMENT Savannah Cement Bets Big on Infrastructure Projects

5. HEAD START 6. QUOTABLE QUOTES 7. MAIL 8. BRIEFS

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19. JIJENGE CREDIT Jijenge Credit excites customers with innovative products

Contents

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MAIN STORY 2O. GETBUCKS Financing Low-middle Income Earners via Tech

OPINION 26. CUSTOMER SERVICE 28. HUMAN CAPITAL 30. FINANCE & INVESTMENTS 32.TRANSPORT 34.LEADERSHIP

20.

12.

WOMAN OF POWER

FEATURES 40. CO-OPERATIVES E-farm aims to redefine affordable housing and agribusiness in Kenya

42. FURNITURE ELEGANCE The furniture boss

HOTEL REVIEW 48. After 40 Hotel brings the crème de la crème of modern food and drink to life, to indulge the inner gourmet

ARTS & INDUSTRY 50.Mr. USIU-AFRICA on Winning Mr.

University Kenya, His Musical Journey and What Keeps Him Grounded

BOOK REVIEW

52.

48.

HOTEL REVIEW

26.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

52. Africa’s Premier Novel Turns 15

SONG REVIEW 54. Micasa Sucasa

PRODUCT REVIEW 50.

BOOK REVIEW

ARTS & INDUSTRY

54.

52.

56.Label Printer

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

More Information More Possibilities Managing Editor Sylvester Okumu sylvester@edgemagazine.co.ke Editorial Oroni Tendera ibrahim@edgemagzine.co.ke Jenny Nyawira jenny@edgemagzine.co.ke Contributors Perminus Wainaina Carolyne Gathuru Martin Dias Michael Obuya Betty Muthoni

Business Development Manager Alex Wambugu Marketing Executive Lilian Chepkoech Operations Hamisi Abdallah

Creative Designer Felix Rurigi felix@edgemagazine.co.ke

Published by Fine Edge Media Longonot Building, 3rd Floor, Apartment 2A, P. O. Box 74298-00200 Kijabe Street, Nairobi, Kenya.

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The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information contained in this publication.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Head start

Ushering in 2017

A

s we usher in 2017, it is time to recap on the gains made in 2016 and the year that was. Kenya has played hosts international forums, leaders and dignitaries across the world bringing to the fore the potential that the country has for trade and investments.

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EDGE MAGAZINE

Besides hosting the 10th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference and Global Entrepreneurship Forum (GES) in 2015 that was graced by America’s President Barack Obama and thousands of other delegates, in 2016 Kenya geared even for more.

UNCTAD that played host to a lot of dignitaries as well as TICAD. These among many other fora awakened Kenya’s entrepreneurial, trade and investment spirit.

The developments highlighted the need to form robust linkages between the different sectors of the economy in order to capitalise on vast opportunities that have however remained largely unexploited.

2016 saw the greatest jiggle in the financial landscape in Kenya with the capping of the interest rates, some banks almost closing shop, retrenching workers, recording immense profits with a shift to fintech which has been touted as the greatest enabler of the sub-sector. Suffice it to say that mobile and digital banking has morphed into one of the world’s premiere cashless services and is set to solve many of the challenges that we experience today.

As 2017 kicks off we must gear up to capitalize on the opportunities that the different sectors of our economy presents. Individually, we must take charge of the chances within the sphere of our lives. The start of the year is mostly occasioned by setting up of new plans and resolutions. The only way to realise them by the end of the year is consistent execution. Make every step of your undertakings count so that it brings you closer to what you envision as the year progresses.

By and large, it is time to harness our potential and make 2017 a peaceful and prosperous year.

We wish you all the best in your endeavours as 2017 kicks off!

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6

Quotable Quotes James Mworia “My approach to life is that anything I have today, that is the best I have, and that is the opportunity I take. When I was an intern, the first job I had was in the filing room, I didn’t despise it but saw it as an opportunity to learn about the business. Two months down the road, we were raising capital and the CEO decided to administer a quiz about the company. I scored the highest marks because I had been reading. And that is how I was identified and got a job” The 37 year old is the CEO of Centum Investments-the largest quoted investment firm in East Africa. He started as an entry level filing clerk and gradually rose through the ranks to become a CEO at the age of 30.

This year he was named as Kenya’s best paid CEO with an annual compensation of Sh 200.1 million and led Centum to a net profit 9.9 billion. Mworia serves as the chairman of Sidian Bank and board member at the NSE. He has Bachelor of Laws from UoN, a certified public accountant and a chartered financial analyst.

Michelle Ntalami “Business is not all about making money but being able to transform lives and creating an environment that brings people to appreciate and better themselves.”

The 32 year old is the CEO and founder of Marini Naturals, a start-up business that offers women natural haircare products, shielding them from natural diseases.

She was born and raised in Nairobi, she acquired First Class Honours in Design Communication and was named a top student globally in chartered post-graduate diploma in marketing CIM 2007/2008.

She says she has always had a competitive spirit and launched a design, marketing and public relation company in 2010, but her big break has been Marini Naturals.

Admittedly, through Marini she aims to see women make better life choices, embrace their natural beauty and live healthier.

Joseph Mucheru “The drive and passion inherent in our youth excites me. We are constantly being challenged by the youth to urgently look for solutions, however, it saddens me that we are not providing enough support.”

Commonly known as Joe Mucheru, he is the current Kenyan Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology. He is a former Google SubSahara Africa Lead based in the Google Nairobi office. He was Google’s first Sub-Saharan Africa employee and was key to setting up of Googles presence in Africa from 2007. He has previously worked at Wananchi Online, a company he co-founded in 1999. He attended the Stanford Executive Programme from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2008. He holds a (B Sc. (Joint Hons)) in Economics & Computer Science from City University London. He is an awardee of the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear, a member of Africa Leadership Network, The National Prayer Breakfast, and the East African Business Summit.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Letters Unlocking the potential of the creative industry

Kenya – An infrastructure powerhouse

Online cabs take the industry by storm

There is no doubt that Kenya is bedrock of creativity. The industry has been an alternative for many young people most of who are frustrated due to lack of employment – they have resulted to make use of their talents in order to make a living. In this vein, the sector should be protected rather than passing Bills that may have detrimental impact. I therefore concur with Demas Kiprono that a good film policy framework must be realistic, clear and concise. This is the only way to

The current regime has done a commendable job as far as infrastructural development is concerned. The Standard Gauge Railway, for instance is one of the many major projects the government has undertaken, which is projected to come with tremendous business opportunities besides easing transportation. However, these developments should trickle down to the county levels where they are much needed by farmers who are making great losses due to poor transportation. This is the only way the country can turn around

In the recent time, moving around has become easier, safer as well as affordable thanks to the taxi apps which have taken over the industry that was once dominated by the regular cabs. The platforms have not only empowered people and businesses, but have also reduced congestion in the city. Indeed, this is a positive move for businesses especially in Kenya where the

keep the industry meaningful!

Elizabeth Akoth Nairobi

and guarantee general economic growth.

challenges of entrepreneurship are many.

Evelyne Wafula Business Lady, Mombasa

Isaac Gitonga Farmer, Meru County

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8

Briefs

Africa Finance Corporation and Banque Centrale Populaire sign MoU to enhance cooperation Agreement will increase collaboration on investments and financing

A

frica Finance Corporation (AFC), a leading pan-African multilateral development finance institution and project developer, has this week signed a MoU with Moroccan bank Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) to increase collaboration on financing vital infrastructure projects in North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

A delegation from BCP, headed by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Mohamed Benchaaboun, visited Nigeria for the signing of the agreement on Thursday at the AFC offices.

AFC proactively finances and develops much-needed infrastructure projects across the continent, including in North Africa. In 2012 the corporation financed the purchase of crude oil for refining into petroleum products by SAMIR, at that time the national refinery of Morocco, in an effort to develop the country’s downstream industry. To date the Corporation has invested over USD 4 billion in projects across 26 African countries and in a wide range of sectors including power, telecommunications, transport and logistics, natural resources, and heavy industries.

Kenya gears for USD 1 million social enterprise contest by Chivas Regal

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n September 2016 globally acclaimed Whiskey Brand Chivas launched the 3rd year of The Venture – A USD 1Million competition supporting the most promising aspiring social entrepreneurs in Kenya who want to succeed while making a positive impact on the lives of others.

The launch of Chivas - The Venture follows a global report that revealed 95 per cent of young professionals are looking for businesses to take more responsibility in solving global problems. Since Chivas - The Venture first launched in 2014, over 3,500 social enterprises have applied for the chance to receive a share of the annual USD 1 million fund. Kenya’s very own WEFARM, a farming information platform came 2nd at last year’s finals, and secured USD 200,000 for their social enterprise.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Chivas Regal has completed the selection of the judges who will oversee the Kenyan chapter of the global competition dubbed The Venture. The Venture is Chivas’ global search to find and support the next generation of start-ups that want to succeed whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others.

The panel of judges, as selected by Chivas Regal and partnering agencies, will evaluate the applications submitted by aspiring social entrepreneurs and select the deserving social entrepreneurs to then proceed to the finals of the competition to be held in New York.

“The entrepreneurs will have to prove to the judges that their initiative will be the most sustainable and will hold the most significant social impact on the societies.

These judges are well recognized in their fields and will hold the key success for the budding

The Venture seeks to provide support to the next generation of start-ups whose aim is to succeed while positively impacting on the lives of others.

Since the Venture Launch in 2014 over 3,500 entrepreneurs have applied to take part in this competition whose grand prize is set at 1 million dollars for the final winner. This year, Kenya will be part of the 32 countries across six continents who will be participating and only the most promising participants from each of the countries will proceed to New York for the final event in July 2017.

The Venture application closed on November 30th and is currently under-review with the selected judges. The Kenyan winner will be announced January 12th, 2017.

Safaricom Named Best Mobile Operator in Africa

Barclays, Techstars open global applications to fintech entrepreneurs

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pplications have opened for the Barclays Accelerator programme, powered by Techstars, an initiative aimed at uncovering the next M-Pesa or Paypal by working with exceptional fintech entrepreneurs innovating Africa’s financial services industry.

This collaboration between Barclays Africa and Techstars offers a game-changing opportunity to 10 qualifying fintechstart-ups, which will take part in a 13-week programme beginning in May next year, based out of the Rise fintech innovation hub in Woodstock, Cape Town.

Safaricom’s Chief Executive, Mr. Bob Collymore.

S

afaricom has been named the ‘African Mobile Operator of the Year’ in the annual CommsMEA Awards for 2016.

Safaricom was nominated for the award which is distributed by CommsMEA, a leading Middle Eastern publication that focuses on the telecoms sector.

The award recognises one mobile operator in Africa that has continued to develop, improve and innovate its mobile services while growing its penetration rate and improving customer experience.

The judging criteria focuses on a combination of successful growth metrics; including financials, market innovation and quality of service.

The award, which was given during the 11th edition of the annual CommsMEA Awards seeks to acknowledge operators who have taken a leadership role in the region’s fast growing and rapidly changing telecoms sector.

YasamanHadjibashi, leading the innovation agenda for the bank says: “Africa has tremendous untapped potential to not only pioneer its own creative solutions for its unique contexts but to also create solutions that the rest of the world can adopt for their own contexts.”

According to the Disrupt Africa African Startups Funding Report 2015, 29 per cent of investment in African tech start-ups goes to those focused on fintech, suggesting a substantial opportunity for innovative ventures in the sector.

Selected startups will be given the opportunity to enter or expand their presence in the African marketplace via Barclays Africa Group’s customer, product, and technology teams. Leveraging the global footprint of Rise, the selected startups will also have the chance to scale globally through Rise sites in London, New York, Mumbai, Tel Aviv and Vilnius. The Accelerator offers companies an advantage over others by providing a proven curriculum, and lifelong access to the Techstars global network of mentors, investors and venture capitalists.

The awards will also honour companies that have continually invested in technology, implemented winning strategies and developed services to capture the hearts and minds of end-users.

Increasing competitive pressures have ensured that the company continues to invest heavily in building a network that is fit for future challenges.

This year, Safaricom was up against other African operators including Ooredoo Algeria, Vodacom South Africa, Sudatel and Vodafone Egypt for the award.

This year’s judging panel consists of a mix of industry analysts and commentators, including representatives from IDC Middle East, Turkey & Africa; A.T. Kearney; Deloitte Middle East; the Boston Consulting Group; Ovum; and Booz Allen Hamilton.

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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10

Across The World

Ericsson signs raft of content deals for Nuvu

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ricsson has announced the signing of a number of deals with leading content distributors for its subscription video on demand (VOD) service, Nuvu. The deals have seen Ericsson acquire more than 2,500 hours of content from international distributors including Viacom (MTV, BET, Nickelodeon), MGM, CBS, Al Jazeera, DHX Media and Mattel. Titles include globally recognized hit TV franchises such as Hawaii Five-O, Next Top Model, CSI: Miami, Being Mary Jane, SpongeBob SquarePants, Bob the Builder, Vikings and many others along with a raft of premium Hollywood movies.

Ericsson has also licensed dozens of panregional and local African TV series and movie content from distributors such as iRoko, Trace and Agwhyte International along with hundreds of music videos from the 960 Music Group, which is home to some of West Africa’s most influential music artists including P-Square, 2Baba and YemiAlade.

Sri Lanka brims with potential but success depends on political leadership-(AHTIC)

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he first Asia Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (AHTIC) concluded in December in an atmosphere of optimism moderated by caution. Over the past two days several of Asia’s leading hotel investors from 19 countries discussed the investment potential of Sri Lanka and other destinations around the Indian Ocean from Mauritius and the Seychelles to Malaysia and Vietnam.

Data from Forward Keys demonstrated that Sri Lanka deserved congratulations for achieving 12 per cent growth in visitor arrivals by air during the past year, more than double that achieved by the Asia Pacific region as a whole. Further information from STR revealed that at the same time, the country’s hotels had maintained occupancy levels above 66 per cent and succeeded in lifting average daily rates to nearly 16,000 Sri Lankan Rupees, more than US$100 at today’s rate.

Several serious investors, including a delegation from China, expressed enthusiasm for opportunities in Sri Lanka, citing its tremendous variety of attractions, such as ancient temples, wild elephants and unspoilt beaches, all within close range of each other. Other attractive attributes of the country were seen to be the good-natured ‘smiley’ demeanour of the people, the safe feeling one had walking the streets, even at night, a shortage of high-quality properties outside Colombo, the willingness of the government to invest in core infrastructure such as new roads and a British based legal system.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Across The World

Vision To be the financial partner of choice in positively transforming livelihoods and enterprises

Mission We exist to efficiently satisfy our customers’ diverse needs through provision of innovative financial services

We Take You To Greater Heights TYPES OF ACCOUNTS * Ordinary Savings Account * Chap Chap Account

* Maziwa Plus Account * Business Account

* Holiday Account * Micro Credit Account

* Junior Account * Term Deposit Account (Fixed Deposit)

credit services offered * Emergency Loan * School Fees Loan * Development Loan * Matatu Loan * Corporate Loan * Micro Credit Loan (Group Loan)

* Coffee Development Loan * Crop Advance (Short & Long Term Repayment i.e. 1-12 months) * Ladies Boost * Boda Boda Loan

* Salary Advances * Kahawa Loan / Advance * Pension Advance * Matunda Advance * Milk Advance * Women Enterprise Fund (Jiinue Loan)

* Business Loan * Chap Chap Loan * Youth Enterprise Fund * Makao Loan * Chamaa Loan

our branches Ruiru Branch 0725 992 902 0734 412 009

Thika Branch 0705 947 818 0733 914 131

Kagwe Branch 020 260 4335 0736 916 557

Githunguri Branch 020 201 4150 020 201 0334

Kigumo Branch 0773 721 037 0788 221 714

Gatundu Branch 020 248 9939 0736 916 600

Kamwangi Branch 020 205 1397 0736 916 600

TAI SACCOO SOCIETY LTD P. O. Box 718 -00216, Githunguri, Kenya Tel: 020 - 2014150 / fax 020-2010344 cell: 0772 602 732, 0739 333 634 email: info@taisacco.coop

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke website: www.taisacco.coop

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12

Woman Of Power

Irene Wanjiku entirely bootstrapped Rexe Roofing Companyis now a force to reckon with in construction industry in its formative years

She rose from a receptionist to a CEO. The fairy tale of Kenya’s most entrepreneurial mind

M

y name is Irene Wanjiku, the founder and managing director at Rexe Roofing Products Limited.

Roofing is the most important component in the construction industry, be it commercial or residential. We play a big role in supporting the industry through quality roofing products.

Irene Wanjiku, the founder and managing director at Rexe Roofing Products Limited.

who are calling the shots, what construction involves, and what do you need among other things. My roles began from handling clients queries to building a trusted relationship with them. These whole experience gave me an invaluable lesson. Within time everything became a routine. I once joked that I could accomplish my responsibilities with my eyes closed.

My entrepreneurial journey is a fairy tale. I began as a receptionist in a construction firm in 2004. Predominantly dominated by males, I held my head high, getting interest in other roles with special focus on property along the way.

I also recall my passionate interest in property while growing up. I was fascinated by the sight of beautiful homes in soap operas on TV. I t made me realise the beauty of a home is all about the roofing. These beautiful homes on TV were not available locally at the time, thankfully we now have them all over if you look at some of our projects.

Within a short stint, I was promoted to accounts, then marketing and logistics manager and ultimately the assistant to the country director. It was really interesting for me, a fast growth that was. My interest in the field immensely grew. I wanted to know Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

By the time I began a business administration course and realised if some things were be done differently we would hit our highest potential as a company. More often, these ideas were shelved by the director in charge.

My advise to ladies? Believe in yourself and your abilities.

Opting out I started thinking of doing it on my own. I mostly interacted with contractors and discoveredthat they would only do the ‘wet’ works like construction and masonry. More often, no one would wish to do specialised jobs like mechanical, electrical and roofing. These were mostly outsourced.

Interestingly, most of the suppliers absconded fixing the roofs, they would only supply the materials.

In 2011, I made an elaborate decision to opt out and start my own venture with a specialised focus on roofing products. I used my savings which I had envisioned to buy a home with and entirely bootstrap my start-up.

What further worked for us, IKO would come in and meet clients and architects on site. Clients were happy. We were the first people to ask our manufacturers to come and meet clients locally. It boosted client’s confidence in us.

I took the challenge head on and went to construction sites and homes owners asking them if they could need roofing materials. Most were rejections but I met a client who believed in me, paid a deposit and referred me to four other clients. I got more orders for stone coated roofing materials, sourced from South Korea and shipped in bulk.

We got more referrals and grew our capacity. We have now done a raft of major projects like The Hub in Karen, which is one of our very exciting project.

Did Mt. Kenya Holiday Homes in Nanyuki, the Belgian Embassy in 2014, the Angolan Embassy in 2015, 69 Riverside Office Block and Leopard Lodge Hotels in Maasai Mara among others. We have over 500 residential projects both done and undergoing.

I exhibited at a construction expo in KICC which was an eye opener where I met a Canadian company called IKO. They were looking to set up distribution partnerships for Shingles roofing products in Africa. Unfortunately, they could not believe in my potential. I wasn’t an engineer or an architect, with no office or team.

I built relationships through referrals and started a publicity campaign on the Shingles, talking to architects, contractors and home owners. I would send emails randomly, an average of 200 emails a day.

Breakthrough My breakthrough came when one of the biggest architectural firm in East Africa responded to my email.

They were constructing a 100 housing units at the NanyukiMt. Kenya World Life Estate.

I had no samples, IKO had initially refused to work with us because we were starting up. I didn’t give up. I wrote to them about the project. Interestingly they hadn’t get the distributor they were looking for and had searched for me.

The Shingles were technical to fix and most companies were not willing to technically train their workers about it.

I rooted for a sole distributorship for East Africa and got the deal. It was IKO entry project in Africa and one of our major project at Rexe. They came in and trained our staffs. To date we annually go to Canada for training.

We met a fair share of challenges after winning the distributorship. We were branded as quacks, incompetent and many defaming names by some of our competitors. It was a difficult moment for me because no one wanted to work with IKO but now every distributor was on their case.

Despite not being an architect or engineer, I held my head high because AgaKhan wasn’t a medic but has one of the leading private hospitals in East Africa. I could equally do it, I encouraged myself.

The Shingles were very unique. We started gaining recognition in the industry because we weren’t just pushing a unique product but fixing them correctly as well.

The Hub Karen shopping mall.

Finding hope Challenges abound in this industry. What has kept me strong is my relentless energy to find hope even where none exist. I am a member at Keroche Foundation Mentorship. I always look at people in the industry who are doing amazing things against all the odds and Tabitha Karanja came out as the best. I have had my low moments. I could face stiff competition and other vices which could make me feel low. But Karanja’s success story has kept me going.

The Foundation brings captains of industries together where they meet, share thoughts and inspirations on how to overcome challenges and succeed as entrepreneurs.

She built a very robust team. I learned that people have to come and work, to benefit themselves as well as the organization.

I also learnt a lot from IKO-a leading Canadian construction company with over 100 years of operation. From them, I saw the need to establish elaborate structures and long term strategy.

Every employee at Rexe, whether family or not has a term of reference and what is expected of them.

My advise to ladies? Believe in yourself and your abilities.

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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14

Sacco’s

Tai Sacco Soaring Higher Tai Sacco feted as the most consistent institution at 2016 champions of governance awards. Now set to redefine members experience through a new commitment

Tai Sacco Board Members.

I

nitially formed as Kiambu Tea Growers Savings and Credit Cooperative in 1992, Tai Sacco ran back office operations and mainly served tea farmers. In 1999 it launched a front office operations and computerised its systems in 2004. In 2008 its board took a deliberate decision to upgrade its system and rebrand it to Tai Sacco in order to serve enterprising individuals and the larger population, other than just farmers.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

To date, it has several operational branches across Nairobi and Central Kenya and aims to expand its footprint to have a national outlook.

To date it has several operational branches across Central Kenya and Nairobi, and it aims to expand its footprints to have a national outlook.

Mr. John Mwangi, chief executive at Tai Sacco explains the decision to rebrand

and expand was based on the fact that its initial targeted customers were exclusively tea farmers. They depended on rain fed agriculture for survival. Their income was controlled by weather and many other seasonal changes which had an impact on their financial capabilities. It was irregular, he says. However banking on entrepreneurs and opening up membership to many individuals with regular incomes has paid off in a major way, he adds. The Sacco now has close to

The Sacco’s departmental heads.

100 employees and had a total asset base of 1.7 billion by October 2016.

The Sacco has robust governance principals guided by a strategic plan. On his part, the CEO has a mission to ensure that the strategic plan in place is adopted, and walked to fruition.

“I provide strategic advise to the board of directors as well as advising them on daily operations of the institution. We have different departments which include ICT, finance, marketing and human resources among others. My duty is to ensure coordination and unity of purpose.”

Tai works with Co-operative Bank of Kenya to offer Visa enabled ATMs and personal cheques

This has led the Sacco to embrace tech in a major way. It has embraced mobile banking that brought efficiency in disbursement of funds according to the CEO. A customer can be able to transfer cash, pay pills and transact over their phones.

Strategic partnerships with mainstream financial institutions has also seen the Sacco boost its customer experience. Tai works with Co-operative Bank of Kenya to offer Visa enabled ATMs and personal cheques.

Other diversified products included emergency loans, business loans, agribusiness loans and education loans.

Mr. Mwangi admits that ensuring that customers get the best experience is always key for the Sacco. As such, its liquidity ratio must be in balance so that any customer who walks in to the banking hall is assured of getting the funds he needs amongst other services.

Tai aims to be the financial institution of choice in positively transforming livelihoods and enterprises.

“We want our members to have a different experience. By this I mean satisfying their needs through offering diversified financial products in the most efficient way,” offer Mr. Mwangi.

Members of the Sacco being served at one of the branches.

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16

The CEO speaks during an annual general meeting.

There is also a junior account where members can save little funds for their kids over time so that when a need arises like paying school fees, they don’t really need to break their bank accounts.”

The operations of the Sacco is further guided by a service charter, and rules and regulations. It is regulated by SASRA and form memberships to other reputable associations.

Corporate governance Tai has 9 board members which forms three supervisory committees. These included finance and audit, credit and administration as well as business management. Each committee is tasked with different roles and answerable to the larger board. The board is drawn from different areas of professionalism and specialisation. It further works

in tandem with the organization to ensure that everything runs smoothly and the objectives of the Sacco are met.

Ushirika Day Awards Tai Sacco was feted as the Best Sacco in Training and Education Services-Farmer/Rural category by the 2016 national council for Ushirika Day celebrations.

It was also recognised as the most consistent institution at the 2016 Champions of Governance Awards.“We were excited when the judges ruled that we are the most consistent institution on a national platform. This shows our ability to retain and grow members is strong compared to others.

It is a rigorous process and whoever comes on top must be the very best.Judges looked at many things from as simple as how fast you settle a complaint to compliances, operational policies and board charter among others.”

Soaring further Going forward, the Sacco looks to revamp its operational system to increase efficiency by January 2017.

Some of the trophies won.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

“We also want to embrace credit information sharing to understand the credit history of our customers and improve on our loan book. We are looking to embrace agency banking in a major way. Setting up a stand-alone branch-a brick and mortar way is costly and unsustainable, but with agency banking we will able to increase our reach in an efficient way and create more networks,” he ends.

Part of Tai Sacco staff mmbers.

Delegates follow proceedings during an AGM.

Tai Sacco Githurai Branch.

Tai Sacco Gatundu Branch.

Delegates follow proceedings during an AGM.

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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18

Construction

Savannah Cement Bets Big on Infrastructure Projects

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ocal cement manufacturers, Savannah Cement has significantly enhanced its supply focus to local and regionalinfrastructure development projects.

The strategic focus on infrastructure development projects such as roads, dams and related large ticket initiatives is geared at diversifying the firm’s revenue streams while enhancing its market share.

According to Savannah Cement Managing Director Ronald Ndegwa, the firm has been actively pursuing supply opportunities to local and regional infrastructure development projects successfully riding on the firm’s consistent product quality – a hallmark of the latest technology installed by the firm.

Savannah Cement Marketing Manager Joseph Mugambi MD Ronald Ndegwa Sinohydro Engineer and Corporate Sales Advisor Zubesh Yoon.

Sinohydro Corporation’s Chief Engineer Mr. Zhou Chong said that the Chinese firm had settled on Savannah Cement because of quality assurance.

Speaking during a customer visit to Outer Ring Road Construction Contractor Sinohydro Corporation and paving blocks manufacturer KenBro in Nairobi, Ndegwa confirmed that the firm has enhanced its corporate sales capacity in response to market demands.

“We have had consistent quality and efficient service delivery.

This means that we can also be assured of consistent quality of our products and work because cement is a very key ingredient,”said Mr. Zhou when the Savannah Cement team toured the project.

The construction of the largest single roads project in Nairobi’s Eastlands is set to transform the densely populated area, bring down the cost of transport and attract new investors.

The installation of the second grinding plant next year is expected to double the firm’s production capacity to 2.4million tons annually up from the current 1.2million tons.

Hesaid that the firm was also looking forward to supplying the Naivasha leg of the Standard Gauge Railway Project.

Further, Savannah Cement, is undertaking preparatory works to facilitate the installation of its second grinding plant at its Kitengela manufacturing complex to boost production capacity.

At the Kshs 8.5billion Outer Ring Road expansion project, Savannah Cementis supplying up to 2,500 tons of cement every month for the dual carriage road project that is designed to ease traffic congestion in the city’s Eastlands area.

The Outer Ring road project is one of the major infrastructure projects using Savannah Cement products being the brand that meets the customer’s stringent quality requirements.

“We have the very latest technology at our Kitengela plant which means that we can guarantee quality consistency. The technology also helps us run a dust-free operation with low energy footprint which keeps our cost of production per tonne very competitive,” said Mr.Ndegwa.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

The Outer Ring Road project, financed by the African Development Bank and the government, is scheduled for completion by September 2017, easing the traffic nightmare in Nairobi’s most populated suburbs.

In addition to these mega-projects, Savannah has also exclusively supplied cement to the construction of Garden City, the region’s largest mall, JKIA expansion and the University of Nairobi towers and the Karuma Dam in Uganda among others.

Savannah, which started operations in 2012, currently produces 1 million tons annually at the Athi River plant, which has an installed capacity of 1.2 million tons.

The company expects the additional capacity to be in place by mid-¬2018 as it joins other major cement makers in the country looking for additional capacity to satisfy rising local and regional demand.

SME Financing

Jijenge Credit Excites Customers With Innovative Products Peter Macharia, managing director, Jijenge Credit Limited.

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owadays, consumers have become more informed as far as financial products are concerned. Most of them are shopping around for the cheapest possible products, but which meets their financial needs.

With reference to this, financial institutions must embrace product innovation and focus on what satisfies their customers’ needs. This is why Jijenge Credit came up with a product that allows lending to salaried staff. “We realized that most commercial banks are shying away from lending to the unsecured market,” says Peter Macharia, managing director of Jijenge Credit.

Other products offered by the institution include local purchase order (LPO) financing, loans against title deeds, listed shares, logbooks as well as stocks.

Selling proposition The managing director says

Use Your Logbook To Get A Loan In

1

Hr

For all your financial needs; Business or Personal

• Pay School Fees

the microfinance institution has a unique service delivery.

“Our turn around time is short as we are able to process some loans within one hour.” Besides, competitive interest rates, open door policy and lack of hidden charges are other strengths that set the company apart.

Having worked in the banking industry for 23 years, the managing director has adequate knowledge of the sector and he is committed to transfer that knowledge to his staff through training. “We hire and train graduates from local universities in order to equip them with the relevant industry skills,” he observes.

Financial market stability Mr. Macharia notes that currently, the financial market is stable due to the positive economic growth. He however urges lenders to be more vigilant, strict and ensure that all their assets are covered in order to manage risks during the approaching election period.

• Medical Bills

• Expanding Your Business

General Requirements √ Latest 3 months bank and M-pesa statement certified √ Original and 3 copies of National ID √ 3 Copies of KRA Pin Certificate

√ 2 coloured passport size photos

√ Original and 3 copies of Vehicle logbook √ Comprehensive insurance certificate √ Personal cheque book

√ Certificate of registration / Incorporation (if in business)

√ Latest 3 months pay slips (if employed)

√ Employment card / employment contract copy * TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

For more information contacts us on:

P.O . Box 9578 - 00200, Nairobi Town House, Kaunda Street, 6th Floor, Suite 604/605 Cell: 0717 282 727 / 0711 282 727 Mobile: 0722 843 770 Email: info@jijengecredit.com jijengecreditlimited

jijengecreditlimited

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20

Main Story

Going Against the Grain: Financing Low-middle Income Earners via Tech Products include banking, lending and insurance underpinned by services such as smartphones and mobile banking

By Sylvester Okumu

E

ver since it hit the global arena, technology has virtually revolutionised everything centering on human life. Huge tasks have been simplified both at an individual and organizational level.

For instance smartphones and mobile money adoption.

According to a recent research finding

by Global Smartphone Connections Intelligence (GSMA) smartphone connections are projected to triple in the next three years. This provides a perfect launching pad for enhancing financial inclusion through mobile banking technology.

It is against this backdrop that GetBucks, a brand of MyBucks, has been empowering thousands of lives financially. According to Anthony Maulgue, chief executive of GetBucks Kenya, mobile money has made it easier to conduct transactions:

“We already make significant use of various mobile money solutions on the continent in our products. We foresee a big shift coming in the next few years. With Block chain and Open Banking fundamentally changing the way we transact, regulators have no option but to keep up. They need to focus on development and take the stance of being enablers in order to foster more innovation which will change the global financial landscape for good.”

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Dave Van Niekerk, CEO, MyBucks.

The majority of our loan applications are completely online and there is no human to human interaction

GetBucks set up operation in Kenya five years ago.

Previously operating on brick and mortar payslip lending, it has overhauled its systems to fully embrace fintech.

“Our loan applications are completely online and there is no human to human interaction. Not that we do not want to see the client but the system is timely and efficient. Physically giving credit

through queues in a banking system can be an arduous process,” says Anthony.

Online loan application is simple. Clients have been educated on how to use the apps and online platforms.

Anthony admits that the platforms are fast, secure and accessible to nearly everyone.

Working around the clock, it takes an average of five minutes from the time a request is made to actually disbursing the funds.

The firm’s product portfolios are innovative and diversified, to the expectations of targeted customers. “From Mama Mboga selling groceries along the streets, to fishermen in Lake Victoria to the taxi guys in town, they all find haven here,” reveals the executive.

Traditional SME financing take an average of three to four weeks. GetBucks has completely redefined this experience via tech. it is now much faster and takes an average of two to three days. On some cases it can even take a day where the application processes are completed in the same day.

There are other targeted products for asset financing, agriculture and group loans.

“Most low income earners here in Kenya and many other emerging markets have been financially excluded. While most lack operational bank accounts, they can access Mpesa or any other form of mobile money.

We have taken a deliberate decision to finance them and we have relevant risk mechanisms with our digital algorithms

Anthony Maulgue, chief executive of GetBucks Kenya.

to analyse their credit worthiness and finance them accordingly.”

Going into a market which everyone considered too risky, and improving livelihoods through responsible financing is fulfilling

Besides using traditional media like radio, print and outdoor billboards, we also make use of digital platforms like, Facebook and WhatsApp to communicate with our clients

According to Anthony, the institution has a better understanding of its targeted clients including their social and economic lifestyle. As such it makes use of relevant platforms to reach out to them and create awareness. “Besides using traditional media like radio, print and outdoor billboards, we also make use of digital platforms like, Facebook and WhatsApp to communicate with our clients.

Milestones Since setting up shop in Kenya, GetBucks has steadily grown to become a force to reckon with within the financial landscape in Kenya. It now has close to 70 employees working in 14 branches nationwide.

“Going into a market which everyone considered too risky, and improving livelihoods through responsible financing is fulfilling. It is equally exciting to see a client move from a street vendor to a shop owner or parents educating their children through our loan products,” shares Anthony.

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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22

Enabling Virtual Financial Inclusion Through Technology

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yBucks S.A is (WKN: A2AJLT, ISIN: LU1404975507, Ticker Symbol: MBC: GR) is a FinTech company based in Luxembourg that delivers seamless financial services via technology. Through its brands, namely: GetBucks, GetBanked and GetSure, the company offers unsecured consumer loans, banking solutions as well as insurance products to customers. MyBucks has experienced exponential growth since its inception in 2011 and today has operations in twelve African and two European countries. MyBucks aims to ensure that its product offering is accessible, simple and trustworthy, in comparison to traditional, non-technological methods, ultimately working towards enhancing the benefits to the customer. The MyBucks’ product offering enables customers to manage their financial affairs easily and conveniently.

Edge Magazine highlights how the firm aims to deliver a buffet of financial products and services that meet the financial needs of targeted customers through technology Do Fintechs have space in high growth emerging markets?

Fintech is to banking and financial services what the mobile phone was to landlines in Africa.

Like mobile phones, Fintechs reach will surpass the physical banking halls and branches, which Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

MyBucks Head Office team, South Africa.

have limited reach on the continent. It is a game changer because it makes financial services more cost-effective, convenient, and with greater reach.

If managed correctly, it is the answer to financial inclusion in emerging markets.

Our partnership and recent acquisition of some of the Opportunity International Banks on the continent has diversified our clientele ranging from low to middle class. We can now offer them Fintech solutions.

Our partnership and recent acquisition of some of the Opportunity International Banks on the continent has diversified our clientele ranging from low to middle class

Apart from that, we educate our clients through Financial Education programmes, while offering them Digital Savings, SME, education and Agricultural loans. Our primary goal is to bank our clients as we believe having a bank account is the cornerstone of financial inclusion. Technology makes this easier.

What are some of your greatest accomplishments?

The recent rollout of our SME/Nano Loan app called Haraka in Kenya, has been a resounding success, in less than three months we have had thousands of downloads in Kenya alone. The app provides short term loans to informal entrepreneurs.

Assessment and KYC (Know Your Client) is

performed by the app which pulls data from the applicants mobile phone and social media account and then further interfaces with our artificial intelligence engine called Jessie to determine the size of the loan to be granted. We are also working on a technology-based financial education programme funded by a very prominent international donor in Uganda, in collaboration with Opportunity International.

How do you make use of tech to enhance financial inclusion of targeted customers?

We use technology as a means to deliver the product to a customer’s mobile phone, computer and or a tablet PC equipped agent. We utilise our artificial intelligence, self-learning algorithms to understand and assess customers in the absence of credit bureau information.Our systems make the process safer, faster and more reliable for the customer. We also equip our customers with a mobile budgeting tool, and integrate with existing fintech and technology partners to deliver a complete financial experience for customers.

What’s the role of financial technology in the social and economic transformation of emerging markets?

Fintech has already made a substantial positive impact in terms of social and

Part of GetBucks Kenya staff.

economic transformation. To use one of the pioneers, Mpesa as an example. Mpesa has 21.8 million registered users in Kenya making payments person to person (KSh 106 billion), person to business (KSh 23.5 billion) and business to person (KSh 27.8 billion) per month.

These numbers are just scratching the surface of what the global impact is or can be. You will also notice that other mobile money services in various forms are now available in almost every country in the continent.

What does the future hold with a vibrant Fintech sector? And what will be MyBuck’s role in shaping these projections?

The recent rollout of our SME/Nano Loan app called Haraka in Kenya, has been a resounding success, in less than three months we have had thousands of downloads in Kenya alone

There is a Fintech boom across the globe at the moment.

MyBucks feels that it is uniquely positioned as it provides the technology and the underlying services and products.

There are many banks buying fintech firms, and fintech firms providing technology only. MyBucks is a fintech firm doing the opposite, by doing this we wish to enable rather than disrupt. We are also focused on reaching the underbanked, and providing access to not only credit, but also savings, insurance, and other products, there is potential to positively influence the fortunes of many Africans.

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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26

Customer Service

By Carolyne Gathuru

Why do Companies Always Feel Compelled to join in the Festive Mayhem?

Sustainability is the name of the game. The one hit wonder that is the festive season will not do the trick. Customer experience excellence is a journey and customers must feel from start to finish

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nternal and external customers will for the next two months that demarcate the festive season, experience a variety of delightful activities set out to create a thrill to last all year long. A host of activities are carried out at this time – staff parties, team building sessions, goody bags and gifts for customers, festive season cards and messages, special discounts and offers, entertainment‌ the works! Everybody looks forward to it, and with the commercialization currently witnessed, vendors nationwide commence the festivities one and a half months in advance creating a celebratory atmosphere quite early.

Let’s stop for a moment and ponder - why doorganizations both large and small feel compelled to join in the festive mayhem all at the same time, all with the same initiatives and all hoping to create the same impact?

It is usually in a bid to have their customers know and understand that they appreciate them, and that they value their support and business partnership all year long.

Appreciating customers is an important tenet of delivering service excellence, and ensures customers continue to have a warm regard for the brand. This principle lies at the heart of exceptional customer service and cannot be taken for granted or replaced by any emerging modern solution. What may change may be the creativity and innovation applied in Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

expression, or the activitiesundertaken to communicate, but the role appreciation plays in winning over and keeping customers is age old, and isn’t poised to be superseded any time soon.

The challenge that arises though, as a result of the simultaneous appreciation onslaught is that customers get ‘festivity–overload’.

When one’s bank, insurance, hair dresser, hospital, school, tax consultant, local grocery supplier, cabbie, florist and every other provider all decide to send happy festive season messages and flood the customer’s inbox and in tray at the same time, it all loses meaning.

Many a customer has at the receipt of numerous similar goodies, failed to open the packages and blessed their colleagues or next of kin with the very same gifts, rendering the original sender’s intention null and void. The biggest items that fall victim to this rendering are calendars and diaries. Organizations traditionally print and dispatch these items to customers end year.

Ideally a customer can only accommodate one calendar in their office and possibly only use one diary all year.

Customer experience excellence is a journey and customers must feel the partnership of their providers from start to finish; not just because a season has arrived or that there is need to go with the flow because ‘everyone’s doing it’.

They therefore choose the one that has the most creative appeal to them, or the one from the supplier that they have the closest affiliation to. All the rest find other avenues for issuance or dispatch. From a marketing angle, branded items even if they find a home that isn’t the originally intended one, serve as a marketing or brand visibility tool.

However, from a customer appreciation angle, which constitutes the primary reason for the gift, the desired emotional engagement to be elicited, falls on barren ground.

Another heartwarming initiative that many brands take up during the festive season is to reach out to children’s homes and other community centers that cater for the needy.

Indeed providing service to humanity is a sincere expression of customer service,and is quite noble. However, during the festive season homes receive an endless stream of gifts and goodies from organizations and well-wishers; donations of clothes, shoes and other essential items; as well as food stuff

for consumption both perishable and dry, including ceremonial cakes. This tradition has gotten to a point where lately, organizations make a list of homes not frequently visited by others,to avoid an overload of items in one place.

What then can organizations do to appreciate customers during the festive season whilst at the same time not get caught up in the routine ordinariness of doing it, how it has always been done and will most probably always continue to be done?

For starters, it is important to focus on the intended impact, which is for customers to know how much they are appreciated by the business. This can be achieved away from the main end year festive period. Gifts and tokens of appreciation have a higher impact when they are not competing with a truckload of others; often with the customer viewing the gift with judgmental lens on the basis of the size and estimated price in comparison to others. Corporates could choose another less ‘competitive’ festive season at a different time and then tone it down by sending a courtesy message end year. On the other hand, if the organization feels strongly attached to the festivities, it is important to be deliberate about personalizing gifts. The customer must know that special attention was paid to the selection and packaging. This works all the time, every time. There is no customer that would be averse to receiving a personalized gift and message, and letting customers know they are thought of in a special way never fails.

Sustainability is the name of the game. The one hit wonder that is the festive season will not do the trick. Customer experience excellence is a journey and customers must feel the partnership of their providers from start to finish; not just because a season has arrived or that there is need to go with the flow because ‘everyone’s doing it’. The ‘everyone’ label has never and will never be a good customer experience strategy.There’s only one solution for it – Desist!

The author is an accomplished brand specialist, marketing strategist and founder of LifeSkills Consulting. Email: cgathuru@life-skills.co.ke

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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28

Human Capital

By Perminus Wainaina

Top Mistakes SMEs Make When Setting Performance Standards Don’t hire an elephant and expect it to jump. Elephants don’t jump and will never jump

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n the course of my HR practice I have acted as a consultant for SME’s and large organizations in the areas of recruitment, performance management, organizational review and training. Over time I have noticed a great difference in the way large organizations are run compared to SME’s (small and medium sized organizations).

In this article, I will address the issue of staff performance and specifically mistakes that SME’s make when it comes to setting expectations. While staff performance is crucial to the existence of any organization, it becomes more critical when it comes to SME’s. Due to resource constraints and the fact that SME’s are operating in a very competitive environment it is important that the issue of staff performance be handled well and from the very beginning.

So what are the key /major issues that SME owners need to address when setting performance standards?

1.

Job Descriptions & KPIS. Do your employees know what is expected of them and is it written? Are job descriptions updated as often as possible?

Beyond the job descriptions, have you defined what success looks like through the Key performance indicators? Are your targets realistic? Most SME owners and Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

SME’s can make a great change by looking at their staff as partners and only then will staff give their very best.

managers having done the job themselves assume that it is easy for employees to know the job and to execute well. They assume that what comes natural to them should be the same with everyone. On the other hand, employees thrive where expectations have been made clear from the word go. If you are running a business that lacks simple HR processes like job descriptions, KPI’s for each role and a communication plan on how to achieve targets then you shouldn’t be surprised when your staff does not deliver.

2.

Hire Right.

Are you placing the right people in the right positions? There has been a great debate on whether you should look for skills or for attitude. If you are an SME owner or manager you should hire for skills first followed by a great attitude. It is true you can train and mould an employee with a great attitude. Unfortunately time and resources are not available to many SME’s. In my experience recruiting for SME’s, I have seen many employers fall for the wrong candidate by giving too much importance on things like how well-spoken the candidate is, their background, their salary expectation, their qualifications etc as opposed to what they have done and can do.

If your organization is small or medium sized only hire candidates who have demonstrated experience and track record in whatever you want done. Don’t hire an elephant and expect it to jump.

Elephants don’t jump and will never jump.

If you are in real estate looking for sales executives, you are more likely to find a higher performer in candidates already acquainted with real estate.

However, you can still hire a candidate without experience if you are willing to train, have the resources to cater for their salary as they learn and the emotional stability to incur a greater risk should things not work.

3.

Offer Support.

You’ve come up with job descriptions and

well spelt out KPI’s. You’ve hired a skilled employee with the right attitude.Still, the employee who showed so much potential at the beginning is not performing.

In my experience and especially when it comes tosales staff the question is what kind of support are you offering? I know of cases where a sales executive joins the firm on Monday and by Wednesday is already out in the field and by Friday the manager is demanding results. Have you taken the time to train the staff on your products, client’s expectations, the sales process itself and even challenges they should expect? Proper induction is important.

Are your targets realistic? Are they well communicated? It is not proper to ask an employee to deliver X when the targets have no basis other than the company requires this amount in the bank.

Another common mistake is where a company expects staff to perform without proper tools of trade. Are you facilitating the staff by giving adequate transport?

Do the staff have sales material be it brochures, business cards etc. Simple things make a difference.

You can also offer moral supportwhereby as a manager or business owneryou regularly inquireon the progress made not because you are looking for faults but to develop the individual; and especially when a staff is new as they try to find their footing. Performance review should therefore be an ongoing process where positive or negative feedback is shared periodically as opposed to waiting for year end.

4.

Remuneration.

Remuneration goes hand in hand with performance. In HR we talk of equal pay for equal work. I remember a colleague who once told me that employees do not report to work to make their companies and bosses rich, they do so to meet their daily needs and they are always comparing what they are getting versus their input.

If you expect your staff to put in extra

hours to meet client expectations it is only fair that you meet their needs too. That is why large organizations have bonuses tied to performance. That is why such companies have medical cover for their staff. That is why they offer non-monetary benefits to their staff. They do this with the sole aim of taking care of employee needs and concerns such that the staff can concentrate on work. What is the probability of an employee willing to work extra hours when there’s no transport home or where they have to worry about what to eat after leaving work at 7.30pm?

What are the chances of a young mother giving her best when she has to worry about her sick child at home? She will be at the office physically but her mind will be somewhere else.

From the above, what SME’s lacks are proper HR systems and follow through. Proper HR systems include job descriptions, KPIs for each role, Appointment letters, HR policies, performance appraisal system among others. Failure to have them is akin to starting a journey without a map. You might get to your destination but it won’t be a smooth ride. Send an email if you would like to implement a working HR system.

Another thing to consider is that performance should be looked at in a wholesome perspective. Whenever we task employees to deliver superior results, we should also ensure that we are providing a favourable working environment that aids good performance. From providing tools of trade, constant review and feedback, market rate remuneration and benefits, respecting staff and having open communication. It would be unwise to think that individuals are working because they are desperate. SME’s can make a great change by looking at their staff as partners and only then will staff give their very best.

Perminus Wainaina is the Managing Partner & Head of Recruitment at Corporate Staffing Services Ltd. Email.

Perminus@corporatestaffing.co.ke.

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30

Finance and investments

By Michael Obuya

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Post-Interest Regulation Era: How Kenyan Banks Should Cope

he Enactment of the interest rate regulation in August 2016 has ushered in an era where banks are constrained in their interest rate setting. The interest spread between lending rate and deposit rate has become slim currently at 7 per cent. As a result, bank’s interest income has fallen over the past 3months.

Although banks like cooperative bank have registered a pre- tax profit of ksh.15.2 billion for Q3 2016, the real extent of the impact of the interest regulation is yet to be felt. Kenyan banks are already feeling the pressure to reduce costs and find new sources of revenues and they have begun to implement a number of coping strategies including: Purchase of government securities With the reduced expected income from private loans, banks are likely to develop a high appetite for low-risk government securities. Already the treasury bills have remained oversubscribed averaging at about 120 per cent. Most of the subscription for the treasury bills have come from banks looking to lock in attractive yields on the treasury bills especially the 364 day T-bill that has a current yield of about 10.8 per cent.The demand for sovereign bonds has also risen for instance the demand for re-opened 15 and 20-year bonds was about 76.3 per cent subscribed generating KSh.22.2 billion.

Again, Most of the investors of the bond were banks that were attracted by a yield of 14.3 per cent on the 20-year bond. It is obvious that a bank would go for low-risk government securities with a return of 14.3 per cent instead of offering more risky private loans at 14.0 per cent.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Staff rationalization programs Staff Rationalization program alternatives include staff layoff, re-training, new job hiring freezes etc. With the interest regulation constraining interest income, most banks are likely to consider staff rationalization programs in a bid to have a cost efficient and more productive staff. A number of banks have started rationalizing staff. Equity bank announced retraining of some of its staff to relationship managers to fit into its strategic shift to digital banking. Standard chartered bank has already announced planned redundancy exercise for hundreds of staff after relocating shared services center to India. Family Bank and Sidian Bank have already retrenched their workers, and other banks are likely to follow. I may argue that this staff rationalization programs have come very close after the interest rate regulation.

Cross-border lending In search of higher returns, bigger banks with financial muscles are expected to expand into markets abroad within the Eastern African region by building on their existing foreign branches and representations in order to expand their cross-border business. Large domestic banks like KCB and Equity are expected to expand and strengthen their operations regionally in the long run. Already Equity bank and KCB have subsidiaries in Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda among other countries. I expect this banks to strengthen their international subsidiaries in the interest unregulated markets that promise high-interest incomes. Expansion abroad is good for the economy in terms of the balance of payment stability as returns from foreign investment translate to Forex inflows.

Shift from brick and mortar to digital expansion models Previously, banks have recorded expansion in activities especially the brick and mortar model by opening branches in a number of towns in Kenya. However, with the new regulations, banks are expected to shift their growth strategy from opening up new branches to expanding on the digital platform since brick and mortarmodel is associated with increasing operational costs components like staffing, rent and security costs. For instance, Eco bank plans to close 9 branches by April 2017 and shift

business to the digital platform. The concern to minimize operating costs will push banks more to the digital growth model. Banks are expected to focus on pushing their products on the digital platform backed by increased internet and mobile technology penetration in Kenya’s populace. Already banks have stepped up their presence on the digital platform through means like mobile loans and social media marketing. Take for instance Equity Bank’s Eazzy App and Co-operative Bank’s Co-op App. This shift is expected to grow revenues exponentially while keeping operational expenses relatively stable.

Re-classification of accounts In theory, banks have always operated three types of accounts that are savings, fixed deposit, and current accounts. During this era of interest regulation, with the deposit rate pegged at 70 per cent of the CBR, banks are expected to re-classify interest earning accounts especially savings accounts. Already they are introducing new conditions on interest earning accounts like reduced number of withdrawals on savings accounts, increasing minimum amount to have in an account to enjoy interest, increased frequency of deposits and closing dormant accounts. The re-classification is done with the main intent of reducing the amount paid out as interest expense to depositors.

Merger and acquisition in the banking sector For small banks facing pressure of reduced incomes and competition from larger banks, consolidation is viable strategy to counter mounting solvency problems in the industry.

The tier-1 banks may remain largely unaffected.

But tier-II banks which are relatively smaller may be forced to either merge or accept additional capital injection by selling some stakes. This may go simultaneously with new core capital requirement by CBK of KSh. 5 billion. CBK is already negotiating sale of Chase bank’s majority stake to be completed by Q1 2017. Other financial unhealthy banks may follow suit.

Parting short Going forward, banks are expected to continue adjusting their lending activities to more non-traditional banking during the post interest regulation era for as long as the act is in place.

Michael Ochieng Obuya, a Consultant with Radiant Consulting and Event Management Ltd And Finance and Economics lecturer At MKU Nakuru Obuyamike@gmail.com January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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32

Transport

How Uber is keeping you safe over the holidays Nate Anderson Uber General Manager East Africa.

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s the party season kicks off in Kenya, we are faced with the perennial challenge: how are we going to get home safe once the celebrations are over? While Alcoblow and “Don’t drink and drive” campaigns encourage us to be safe during the festivities, Uber would like to make riders aware of a few top safety tips that will help to make trips as festive and trouble free as possible.

The app which is safe, reliable and convenient covers all the basics of getting you around during this festive season.

Make the safe choice and always count on Uber to get you THERE. Here are some tips on how you can keep safe over the holidays.

Uber’s Safety features

First, before you get into the vehicle, verify your driver-partner and vehicle registration using the information in the app. This way, you know exactly who is taking you home! You can also share your ETA (Estimated time of arrival) with a friend or family member in order to provide accountability in the event you do not arrive in time. As a rider you can also make use of Uber’s GPS features that allow you to track your trip by viewing the route on the map in the app. This way, you are able to know if you are heading in the right direction, especially if not familiar with the route.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Riders and drivers are able to rate each other after every trip.This allows riders and driver-partners to see each other’s current rating before getting into the vehicle, and allows Uber to query any negative feedback.

Uber also offers in-app support, which is simple and easy to use. Whether you want to ask about something you lost on a night out or submit a question about a receipt that looks wrong, you simply need to go to the ‘Help’ section and you will have your answers in a few taps.

You can give detailed feedback after a trip which will allow Uber to respond to any concern. For more help, you can visit https://help.uber.com/ and leave your contacts and a report and the Uber support team will get in touch with you.

Plan ahead Think your after-work drinks may get out of hand? Plan in advance and take an Uber to work. You can even schedule your ride in advance so you don’t have to worry about breaking the festivities until your driver comes. Or, if the party takes you by surprise, leave your car at the office and pick it up over the weekend. While this may seem like extra work at first, it is less costly than compromising your safety and the safety of others by drinking and driving.

Know that you’ll get a driver, even in peak times During the festive periods, there is often a concern that there may not be enough cars to go around. As an innovative and evolving App, Uber goal, is to ensure that you can push a button and always

get a ride within minutes- whatever the weather and or time. Thanks to our dynamic pricing model or “surge” pricing as it is known, it’s possible to get a ride when they need it most – especially during the busiest nights of year, like New Year’s Eve, Christmas or Jamhuri Day.

During times of peak demand, it is important that there are enough driver-partners on the platform to accommodate those looking for rides.

For this reason, Uber increases fares to encourage more drivers to pick up riders who need to get somewhere.

You will know when surge pricing is in place before requesting your ride.

A notification on the surge price will pop up with a fare estimate so you know what fare charge to expect once you accept the surge. This allows you to either accept the surge and request the ride or decline to request the ride and get notified once the surge is over.

Have fun, without worrying about your ride When it comes down to it, the festive season is all about enjoying the fun times. It’s about taking care of the little things so you can have a good time.

By taking advantage of ride-sharing options at your disposal, you don’t have to worry about parking being ‘over the limit’ or how you’re going to get home.

We can all relax – Uber will get us home safe.

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Leadership

By Betty Muthoni

Patriarchy has a big hand in determining who ascends into the male privileged positions.

Patriarchy defines who can ascend to Leadership Positions

I

n Africa, most cultures are patriarchal and societies are organized around male leadership, preference and privilege. The birth of a male child is given preference and recognition in comparison to that of a female. In fact, female infanticide (killing of the foetus) is common especially in countries such as India, where dowry is given by the parents of a girl. The male preference has to do with the family lineage and inheritance.

With this comes male privilege and entitlement that are unquestionable. One such privileges and entitlements is that of leadership.

Women who train their attempt at leadership are often judged harshly for daring to get a seat that is not theirs.

Leadership Leadership has more to do with the Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

responsibility of influencing people to do certain things in an organization, company or even a country. Men and women have unique identifier that give them strengths in different areas. For example women tend to be more relational and risk averse and are detailoriented whereas men tend to be better strategic and risk drivers. Both strengths are important components in leadership because if a leader has great strategic direction but does not manage those risks well, there could be serious limitations to that strategy. Likewise, a strategy that does not serve the people that it is intended for will fall flat on its face. Thus when organizations, companies or countries miss out on women’s comparative advantage in leadership, they miss out an important component.

Gender stereotypes Unfortunately, gender stereotypes are so deeply ingrained that it is difficult for people to see their biases.

That is why we call the barriers placed against women invisible glass ceilings. For example, the Rockefeller Foundation recently did an analysis of how male and female CEOs are covered in the media. Of the articles analyzed, 49 percent mentioned gender when the piece was about a female CEO—while only 4 percent mentioned gender when the piece was about a male CEO. Double the number of the articles focusing on female CEOs were more likely to discuss their personal lives than those focused on male CEOs. When discussing a female CEO’s personal life, 78 percent of the articles mentioned family. None of the articles analyzed discussed a male CEO’s children or family. Instead, these articles highlighted a male CEO’s background, personal plans for retirement, post-career ambitions, or their social life. And when evaluating articles written about CEOs during a time of crisis, 80 percent blamed the female CEO compared to only 31 percent that cited the male CEO as the source of blame.

Yet of the 50 percent of women who have held the position of CEOs in Fortune 500 companies through 2014, 42 percent were appointed during times of crisis, compared with 22 percent of men in the same period—making the chances of females’ success less likely as well as their transition to another CEO role at a different company.

The same cannot be said when talking about men.

Political arena The political arena is where raw power is exercised much more

than in other leadership positions because of its visibility and span of influence. When women thus attempt to aspire to those positions, there is more resistance because it challenges male privilege and entitlement. That is why in this arena, more divisive and negative features are used against women as opposed to men. Again women’s personal and private lives will be encroached on with microscopic lens and any iota of wrong doing found will be a recipe for impeachment. On the other hand, male privilege allows them to do anything and still remain qualified to be leaders.

Society demands that for a women to qualify for an elective leadership post, she must first meet all the traditional qualifications of a “good” woman. Secondly and most importantly, she has to be publicly validated by a man. To illustrate my point on this issue, we will look at a few women that have ascended to powerful positions.

Latin-America has had the largest share of women in powerful political positions. There is Christina Fernandez of Argentina, who succeeded the presidency after the death of her husband.

Dilma Rousseff, the President of Brazil was elected through the influence and campaign of Lula da Silva, the former President. Michelle Bachelet President of Chile was a unique candidate because she was the first female in Latin America to ascend to presidency without any affiliation to a man. Asia also paints a similar trend where women get to power through marriage or inheritance from their fathers. They include: Indira Gandhi of India, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Corazon Aquino and Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, Megawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia all of whom have ascended to powerful positions through political dynasties of husbands or fathers.

In Kenya the trend is similar. In 2007 the Ninth Parliament had the largest number of female elected leaders. Over a third of those were from the Kalenjin community. It was interesting to note that many had ascended to prominence through marriage or validation by men. There was Sally Kosgey who ascended to power in the 1990’s under the wings of former President Daniel Arap Moi. The others included Professor Kamar, Beatrice Kones, Joyce Laboso, Peris Simam and Professor Sambili all who were closely connected to influential leaders.

This is not to say that there aren’t women who have been elected without male validation, however, patriarchy has a big hand in determining who ascends into the male privileged positions.

The author is a senior lecturer at Kenya School of Government betty.gachire@ksg.ac.ke

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THE PIVOTAL ROLE

OF THE NEXT AFRICAN UNION CHAIRPERSON IN DELIVERING AFRICA’S AGENDA 2063 perhaps it is as a result of this that the election that was to be held in Rwanda in July, was suspended and ultimately scheduled for January 2017.

Writes Martin Dias After serving one term at the helm of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s time in Addis Ababa has come to an end. Indeed, time has come again for the AU member states to find a suitable candidate for this crucial position.

Come January next year, the African Union (AU) is set to make the huge decision that could shape the fate of the organization and the African continent for years to come.

As ever, there are demands that the very best candidate for the job is found and Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Regardless, there is a common consensus that if the next AUC chair is to be a success, it will require much more than just finding a competent and effective technocrat to take the outgoing leader’s seat.

profile and truly feels at ease on the global stage.

In addition, the new chair should have a game plan to translate Africa’s blueprint for development - Agenda 2063 - into concrete short-term objectives, milestones, goals, targets and measures.

The new AUC chair should not only have a clear vision for a prosperous and peaceful Africa, but he or she must also have a strategy for how to achieve it and a proven track record for getting things done.

In essence, Agenda 2063 is a program of social, economic and political rejuvenation that links the past, present and the future in order to create a new generation of Pan Africanists that will harness the lessons learnt and use them as building blocks to consolidate the hope and promises of the founding parents for a true renaissance of Africa.

Another prerequisite is an intimate understanding of the continental context, as is the intellectual and creative courage to seek bold and innovative solutions to the problems ailing the continent. It should also be a given that the next AUC chair has a well-established international

Laid out by heads of state and government during the 50th anniversary of the AU in 2013, it is expected to be a source of inspiration for development of national and regional sustainable development plans, so as to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation within the next 50

years.

All in all, the next chairperson’s success will depend on unity of purpose; transparency; placing citizens’ first; sound governance; willingness and capability to assess performance and correct mistakes promptly.

The candidates who have thrown their hats in the ring are Botswana’s Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Equatorial Guinea’s foreign minister Agapito Mba Mokuy, Senegal’s Abdoulaye Bathily and Kenya’s very own Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

Significance of the job At the AU’s founding, significant power and authority was vested in the chair of the Commission. Like the UN Secretary General or the World Bank president, the AUC head shapes the long-term agenda and influences the decisions of the entire organisation including the AU Assembly, the highest decision-making body made up of the heads of state of AU member states.

He or she will not only be responsible for shaping the continent’s economy and trade, political and security agenda but will also be instrumental in mobilising common African positions on matters of global governance in addition to championing Africa’s voice on the global stage.

The implementation of Agenda 2063, Dlamini-Zuma’s signature legacy and Africa’s political and socio-economic development blueprint, will now be the key responsibility of the next chairperson as well.

Indeed, today more than any previous time, what the continent needs is an AU led by the very best. In this age of globalisation, the AU needs a leader who aggressively pursues the negotiation of African partnerships and international engagements by African states as a bloc.

Promoting the structural transformation

of African economies and fast-tracking regional economic integration is the only path for a prosperous economic future.

Ours is also an age of transnational and regional security challenges, calling for effective continental cohesion and leadership.

The AU faces an uphill battle The AU currently faces many challenges, some of which require urgent and immediate action and others, which can only be resolved through long-term planning.

For example, the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and securing the peace in South Sudan, Burundi, Libya, and other states and regions consumed by violent ethno-cultural conflict require urgent and immediate action from the AU. Issues requiring long-term planning by the AU include helping African countries improve their governance systems, strengthening the African Court of Justice and Human Rights, facilitating economic integration, effectively addressing issues of extreme poverty and inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, responding effectively and fully to pandemics, and working towards the equitable allocation of water, especially in urban areas.

Finally, there is the AU’s dependence on foreign aid for its financing. When Dr. Dlamini Zuma took over as chairperson of the AU Commission in 2012, she was quite surprised by the extent to which the AU depends on budget subventions from international donors and feared that such dependence could interfere with the organization’s operations.

Case in point, the AU budget for 2016 is US$ 416,867,326, of which US$ 169,833,340 (40 percent) is assessed on Member States and US$ 247,033,986 (59 percent) is to be secured from international partners. The main foreign

donors are the United States, Canada, China, and the European Union.

Within Africa; South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, and Algeria are the best paying rich countries. Other relatively rich countries, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Cameroon, are struggling to pay. Libya’s civil war and its inability to form a permanent government is interfering with its ability to meet its financial obligations, even to its citizens.

Nevertheless, it is hoped that South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Egypt, and Libya, the continent’s richest countries, will eventually meet as much as 60% of the AU’s budget and help reduce the organization’s continued dependence on international donors.

While these major continental and international donors are not expected to have significant influence on the elections for leadership positions on the AU Commission,they are likely to remain a determining factor on the types of programs that the AU can undertake.

Dealing fully and effectively with the diverse issues that plague the continent requires AU Commission leadership that is not only well-educated and skilled, but that has the foresight to help the continent develop into an effective competitor in the global market and a full participant in international affairs.

Need for a leader with pan African ideals Today, Africa is faced with a plethora of challenges. Many countries, including the regional anchors, are lurching from one crisis to another. Almost all are consumed by internal pressures as well as major political and economic troubles.

A common thread running through all of them is the lack of visionary leadership with pan African conviction.

It is now more important than ever for the AU Commission to have the best leadership so as to help member states develop and adopt institutional arrangements and governing systems that guarantee the rule of law, promote the protection of human rights, and advance inclusive economic growth and development.

However, what matters in the selection of the new AUC chair is not the citizenship of the nominee, it is the Pan Africanist vision that the appointee embodies. The new chair should be committed to the Pan African vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a

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dynamic force in the international arena.

Five years ago, the AU spelled out five criteria for choosing the candidate: education; experience; leadership; achievement; and vision and strategy.

That is a start. But Africa should not be content with a person who simply meets the standards. Africans should demand the very best person.

where she has demonstrated solid leadership and strong negotiation skills, which have seen Kenya re-position herself in the international arena.

In less than four years since her appointment, Amb. Mohamed has been instrumental in the restructuring, reforming and rationalization of Kenya’s

with Kenya as a member of the AU Committee of Ten on the Security Council reforms.

Amina Mohamed’s vision for the AU Indeed, what Amb. Mohamed has done for Kenya she can replicate for Africa as the next chair person.

Her vision offers the key for unlocking Africa’s vast potential, highlighting the importance of an AU leadership that will emphasize the need for stronger intra-Africa trade and investment through strong regional economic blocs as the key to broader continental integration.

As chairperson, and without loosing focus of all the commitments of Agenda 2063, she has pledged to begin by prioritizing programs that have the greatest potential in answering to the urgent needs of the continent.

In that regard, she has highlighted industrialization, trade, addressing the impact of climate change and strengthening the African Peace and Security Architecture, as her top priorities.

After all, it is a truly demanding job. It demands visionary leadership, political credibility and acumen, and managerial skills. It is not a job for a political crony, but someone who can truly reach out and inspire the African people.

Foreign Affairs and its Missions abroad, and has in addition chaired the team that drafted Kenya’s foreign trade policy.

Amina Mohamed; the right candidate for the job

During her tenure she has been able to re-write the international narrative about Kenya, amplifying its role as an unparalleled regional hub for conferencing, trade, investment and innovation.

It is under these considerations that I can confidently assert that Amb. (Dr) Amina Mohamed, the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, has the right set of qualifications to get the job done.

She has also been influential in promoting Africa’s agenda in multi-lateral forums including in the World Trade Organization where she chaired the 10th Ministerial Conference, successfully hosted in Nairobi.

Amina Mohamed boasts of a distinguished career in the Public Service spanning over 29 years covering a broad spectrum of domestic and international assignments.

She was also elected President of UNCTAD 14 for the next 4 years and was the Co-Chairperson of the Ministerial segment of the first TICAD Summit to be held in Africa.

She rose through the ranks in Kenya’s diplomatic service from that of a Legal Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the highest level of Ambassador/Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya to the UN in Geneva.

In the same tone, she is the first woman to have chaired the three most important bodies of the World Trade Organization; the Trade Policy Body, the Dispute Settlement Body and the Governing General Council of the WTO.

Her credentials include being the first woman to lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Kenya

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

She continues to champion for Africa’s voice to be heard within the United Nations System through the proposed United Nations Security Council reforms,

She recognizes the potential of these sectors in addressing key economic problems such as youth unemployment, accelerating poverty reduction, and the potential of agriculture and trade as drivers of economic development for Africa.

Since she will be serving as president of UNCTAD for the next four years, being chairperson of the AU commission will present an ideal opportunity to mainstream Africa’s trade agenda in the international arena; which adds more to her suitability for the position as chair.

I strongly believe that under her leadership, Africa will be the destination of choice for foreign direct investment (FDI), innovation, trade, industry and tourism.

Seeing as there is no way to determine who will win the election for the coveted position, we can only hope that the next chairperson will be an embodiment of pan Africanism, driven by a commitment to Africa that will propel the continent to growth and prosperity and towards the attainment of Agenda 2063.

Contributed by Martin Dias CEO-FAPCL GROUP md@fapcl.com

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Maua Kaing Bld, First Floor, Next to Central Petrol Station 0705 658389 Thika Pushpa Plaza, First Floor, Kwame Nkrumah St, Next to Consolidated Bank, 0705 658388 Matuu Next to Premier Hotel Opp. Furaha Clothing Textile 0700 279509 Ruiru CK Plaza, next to Ruiru Plaza Second Floor, 0728 969308 Murang’a Mugama Union Building Below Co-operative Bank Ground Floor, 0705 658428 Nyeri Mbaki House, Second Floor Next to Mathai Supermarket 0705 658424 Nanyuki Laipha House, Second Floor Room 20 Next to Total Petrol Station 0705 658425

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Co-operatives

E-farm aims to redefine affordable housing and agribusiness in Kenya

Mr. Wallace Mwaura, E-farm Housing Co-operative Society founding chairman.

C

ooperatives are a juggernaut in Kenya. The country has the strongest cooperative movement in Africa which plays a key role in social and economic development. Government statistics indicate that the movement controls a sizeable portion of the GDP, employing thousands of people and creating economic opportunities for millions of others.

hustle is difficult to get. E-farm wants to solve this problem in a major way,” he says.

Driven by the major spirit of pooling resources together for proper utilization, members always derive benefits from social to financial empowerment.

How can they solve this?

To begin with,E-farm has an affordable housing project where each unit goes for Kshs 980,000.

This targets lower to middle income individuals who are single and/or young with families or are looking to start a family.

There are numerous categories of cooperatives offering members various forms of opportunities and benefits, ranging from agribusiness development to housing.

Owning a home is more of a journey and investing in it should be profitable and worth every bit of your time, investment and resources.

E-farm Housing Co-operative Society envisions to define the whole experience of home ownership, property and agribusiness development.

According to its founding chairman Mr. Wallace Mwaura, one of the challenges that bedevils those aspiring to own homes is the high cost of land. “Majority of desired areas where one can live and commute to one’s work place without a Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Owning a home is more of a journey and investing in it should be profitable and worth every bit of your time, investment and resources.

Mr. Mwaura defines affordable housing as a structure that is affordable for the needs of low to moderate income households. He goes on that such housing should be priced so that these households are also able to meet other basic living costs such as food, clothing, transport, medical care and education.

The units are improved studio apartments with a defined extra room that can be used as a bedroom.

“Normally, such a house which is 40sqm would cost close to Kshs 2 million but we are offering it at nearly half that cost.”

He notesthat: “There are many young people living on rented premises with dreams of owing

their own homes. We are giving them a stepping stone towards living their dreams of home ownership.”

The 1st phase of Zao Bora project is in Embu while the 2nd Phase in Mwea zone. Members have an option of buying and leasing a plot at affordable rates, says Mr. Mwaura.

“We want you to start that journey today with E-farm,” he adds.

Phase 3 is touted to be the biggest project ever done by the co-operative. It is a 300 Acres of land project with a quarter an acre selling at Kshs 300,000 and a lease of Kshs. 100,000 for five years. E-farm will be growing Maize, vegetables and fruits for 3 seasons harvest per year.

Besides just acquiring land and developing homes in it, the co-operative has developed other forms of value add.

Zao Bora “We have an Agri-housing system dubbed Zao Bora to promote agribusiness which has a certain promise of returns, ranging from 30 per cent to 80 per cent. The proceeds that we get from agribusiness also goes to subsidize the cost of materials and labour force hence making us sell houses at a cheaper cost,” observes the chairman.

Plans are also underway to establish a reserve to advance credit to members with little or no interests at all. For instance when members invest in Zao Bora project, one can get an emergency loan of up to 50 per cent his contribution.

One can repay under two weeks with zero interest.

Barely two months since setting up shop, E-farm memberships currently stands at 500 which is growing day by day.

E-farm has partnered with Perfect Pick Limited, a specialist agribusiness firm to ensure the project is a success.

One can register with Kshs 2,000 and buy minimum shares of Kshs. 5,000. Thereafter enjoy a product or investment of choice.

Zao Bora has insurance coverage which makes the deal juicier according to the chairman.

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Furniture

The Furniture Boss

Firoze Bachu, CEO, Furniture Elegance.

S

tarted in the year 2002 at the basement of one of an iconic Nairobi building Furniture elegance has been in the lead supplying quality furniture and accessories in Nairobi. For furniture elegance, the urge to supply quality furniture is what has lead to the growth of the company from a small shop in a basement to two well stocked showrooms one in Paramount plaza and a second on at Bunyala road round about.

Our Mission is to be the preferred supplier of Office, Home, Institutional and decor furniture in Kenya and the East Africa Region and our vision is to improve the everyday life by providing quality and affordable furniture to our esteemed customers.

At the pinnacle of the company is a charismatic CEO who embodies the instincts of a transformational leader and the charisma and creativity of an interior designer. When it comes to selecting furniture for the showrooms, Mr Firoze humbly admits that he always has the customers taste and preference in mind.

Mr Firoze acknowledges that the challenge in Kenya is that we are multi cultural and this will greatly influence the selection and preference for furniture, so when considering furniture for the showrooms, furniture elegance always go for a wide selection of furniture to cater for every customers need.

Main show room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Roundabout showRounadbout room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Rounadbout Main show Grsales@elegance.co.ke Floor, Murang’a Main Rd; Globe 0702 842 room 500 /Paramount 0722 20 60Plaza, 60 / E: 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 E: sales@elegance.co.ke Mombasa Rd Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 E: sales@elegance.co.ke Mombasa Rd Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout Mombasa Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout 0738 220Rd222 / 0705 824 455/ E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke 0738 220 222 / 0705 824 455 E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke 0738 220 222 / 0705 824 455 E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke www.elegance.co.ke Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Furniture Elegance has been recognized for its achievements and in 2013 it was feted as one of the top 100 mid size companies in Kenya. This confirmed furniture elegance commitment in the supply and delivery of quality and affordable home and office furniture.

The overall business strategy is to target the fast growing middle class segment of the economy, who are constantly on the lookout for items that match with their lifestyle. Uniqueness of our furniture is what gives our prospective clients confidence to purchase from furniture elegance. We consider this our competitive edge and what sets us apart from the competition. Our furniture target different market segments. We have Home furniture this is specifically targeted at the middle class and upper class. We also have institutional furniture; these are for academic institutions, hospitals, and parliament. Lastly we have office furniture such as desks, cabinets and any other furniture an office needs.

If your dream is to give your office a modern look without sacrificing comfort and functionality, we have just the right office furniture for you to impress your clients and keep your workplace looking sharp. You can browse through our furniture collection to create a streamlined look, or select separate pieces to suit your current needs. You can choose from chairs, lamps, storage and desks, and our accessories will add splashes of colour to any office, reception or lobby. With Furniture Elegances’ office furniture selection, you are guaranteed to get just what you are looking for at just the right price. In addition we will give you tips on office space utilization including planning and interior design whether you are in a high-end office block or a small shared office space we are there for you.

Furniture Elegance high quality, durable Institutional furniture is specially designed for challenging environments. Our Furniture go beyond being institutional furniture’s, they integrating contemporary design and color with robust structural integrity. At Furniture Elegance, we take pride in our reputation of making the highest quality Institutional Furniture. The furniture always arrives assembled, ready-to-use and is assembled to meet stringent quality standards before leaving our showroom.

From customer service excellence to full custom capabilities, including colour, shape

Part of the team at Furniture Elegance.

and sizes, tells you why institutions choose us for their furnishing needs. Without doubt we can furnish to completion auditoriums, classrooms, hospitals and even parliament.

There as been a growth in the uptake of interior design in the market, and as an experts, we always first assess the needs of our clients, putting into consideration the conservative concepts that many clients are still holding to, and then help enhance Main show room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Roundabout Main show room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Rounadbout 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 / E: sales@elegance.co.ke 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 E: sales@elegance.co.ke Mombasa Rd Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout Mombasa Rd0738 Mukurweini highway ; Bunyala roundabout 220 222 Building,Uhuru / 0705 824 455/ E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke 0738 220 222 / 0705 824 455 E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke www.elegance.co.ke January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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them with new ideas. As you know Furniture plays a critical role in enhancing image & portraying personality and of course, eventually ambience comes into play. What will define an interior job well done is how people start looking at space with a renewed sense of presence and appreciating the design elements. This is how Furniture comes to play.

There is a positive uptake of interior design services as we receive more inquiries by the day, which is encouraging. We also do appreciate the fact that developers are now doing smaller housing units, hence the need for interior experts to come on board to enhance the living experience and at furniture elegance we are always happy to share our advice.

Office furniture.

quality we offer we are only targeting the upmarket clientele, on the contrary our pricing is well attractive for a majority of the middleclass.

Our products are affordable and of high quality, which as always worked to our advantage over our competitors, this has made us one of the key players in the Furniture Market. On the other hand some people tend to believe that because of our location and the

Finally, the interest rates have gone down significantly and we have partnered with one of the leading financial institution KCB Bank to offer a loan scheme that will enable Furniture Elegance customers own quality affordable furniture without straining their budgets. The loans are specially designed for our customers with an amortized repayment period of up to 36 months on a reducing balance. Imagine you paying as little as Ksh5, 000 per month for a sofa set going for about Ksh150, 000, it cant get better than this. The process of accessing the loan is simple, visit any of our showrooms, select your furniture, and fill in the loan application form and attaché all relevant documents for loan processing, and within 48 hours your furniture is delivered to your home During this time and age of the digital space and the Internet, any store that does not embrace this space will soon be out of the consumer’s radar. With this in mind, Furniture Elegance launched the first ever fully-fledged premier digital shopper marketing experience. The online store gives customers a walk through a wide range of furniture selection, making it easier to select, pick and pay for furniture of their choice. With the shopping cart enabled on the website in addition to a safe and easy payment option, you can purchase and get your furniture delivered right to your door step just by clicking on it. The website is easy to navigate and the sections are easy to find without going through a series of clicks. Try it out and experience the ease of shopping.

Our showrooms are Open from 8 to 5 on weekdays and for weekends from 8 to 2, our location is easily assessable and with ample and secure parking our customers can spend more time

Sales representatives.

inside the showrooms accompanied by our well conversant sales representatives. Our show rooms are located in two locations for convenience, we have one at paramount plaza ground floor, this show room has ample space to display more furniture and ideal show room for window shopping you can visit us through out the week including weekends Saturday and Sunday. Then we have our show room at bunyala road round about, it is conveniently located and easy to access.

With a fleet of delivery trucks and support staff we make it easy for our customers to receive their furniture in good conditions and are fitted as required.

Main show room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Roundabout MainRounadbout show room Paramount Plaza, Gr Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe Rounadbout Main show Grsales@elegance.co.ke Floor, Murang’a Rd; Globe 0702 842room 500 /Paramount 0722 20 60Plaza, 60 / E: 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 E: sales@elegance.co.ke 0702 842 500 / 0722 20 60 60 E: sales@elegance.co.ke Mombasa Rd Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout Mombasa Rd Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout Mombasa Rd222 Mukurweini Building,Uhuru highway ; Bunyala roundabout 0738 220 / 0705 824 455/ E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke 0738 220 222 / 0705 824 455 E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke 0738 220 222 / 0705 824 455 E: bunyala@elegance.co.ke www.elegance.co.ke Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Your Fi

rtner Pa

na

s

ial Serv ice nc

BIMAS

VISION “To be the leading microfinance institution in Kenya”

OUR PRODUCTS »Business loan »Micro-insurance Loan » Health Loans » Education Loans »Women Loans »Group Project Loan »Dairy Loan

»Investment loan »Group Loans »Tank Loans »Development Loans »Savings »Afya Bora » Maji Kilimo

MISSION

“BIMAS exists to offer innovative financial and non-financial services to rural economically productive poor for sustainable wealth creation”

»Consumer loan »Solar Loans »Youth Fund loans »Emergency loan »Agri- business Loan »Agribusiness

At BIMAS We’ve Got Your Back OUR BRANCHES Embu office Tel aviv plaza near urban primary school next to neema plaza 0720211623 Nairobi office Enkei center-ngara same building with KCB 0788410342 Nakuru office Uchumi house next to Tuskys supermarket 0721616273

Nyahururu office Mbaria plaza 0715576414

Nkubu office Kariigi plaza 0723793050

Kiambu office Geoma house opp Equity bank 0720738343

Masii office Peter Mulei building 0728390916

kitengela office Gate house next to gate petrol station 0714360403

Kerugoya office Opposite FEP 0727873985

Meru office BIMAS House Opp Barclays bank 0720738343

Emali office Next to post office 0727102359

Makueni office Double K Plaza 0723817142

Kiritiri office Jodi enterprises building 0723110989

Chuka office Nthiga plaza next to KPLC 0724229395

Tala office Fiona complex next to KWFT 072368855211.

Nyeri office Peak business centre 072816077818

Mikinduri office Mwimbi building 0721945955

Marimanti office Next to knut office 0722960709

Kitui office Fena house near mosque 0723418921

Mwea office Next to coop bank 0715576414

Maua office Next to forester fashion 0721623434

kibwezi office Tarabu house 0720046147

Thika office Biashara plaza opp Equity plaza 0775277978

Machakos office Kinyali building behind equity bank 072881215723.

Nanyuki office behind IBIS HOTEL. O725681446

Mwingi office Kasina house 0720382814

Matuu office Free market store 0714396224

Murang’a office Muguma building next to Barclays bank 0702716323

Laare office Opp Kampala house 0701623622 Kasarani- pivoli heights building .opp PCEA kasarani church Loitoktok-Next to metropolitan Sacco Limuru- Next to metropolitan Sacco Siakago-Muriuki building Opp peko petrol station

HEAD OFFICE Bimas plaza|off shell petrol station Manjego area,behind Chief Camp (Embu) Po Box 2299-60100 Embu | Tel: +254 068 31645 Wireless: +254 020 3570169| Fax: +254 068 31645 Email: info@bimaskenya.com Website: www.bimaskenya.com January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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EDGE Lifestyle

More than just EDGE, its a LIFESTYLE January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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48

» Hotel Review After 40 is defined by its service, which is always effortless, personal and genuine.

After 40 Hotel brings the crème de la crème of modern food and drink to life, to indulge the inner gourmet

By Oroni Tendera

L

ocated along Biashara Street within Nairobi’s CBD, After 40 Hotel captures the essence of the city-combining international sophistication and African cultural creativity.

The 10-floor hotel stylishly blends African art with luxurious accommodation to create an oasis of tranquility in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD.Offering state-of-the-art interiors combined with efficient service for all guests, the hotel has 63 exquisitely furnished and air-conditioned rooms and suites. The style of each room is a testament to world-class comfort and function-

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

ality. From a choice of pillows to surroundsound high definition TVs and high speed internet.

Conference rooms are tailored to specific needs-from small private events to larger conferences. Each conference room is fitted with modern audio-visual equipment and connected to high-speed Wifi. Event planning is always tailored to what customers require and the hotel’s team makes sure that business is always a pleasure.

After 40 hotel brings the crème de la crème of modern food and drink to life, to indulge the inner gourmet. World class

chefs deliver authentic cuisine, created to the highest standards. Guests can partake coffee and snacks at the coffee shop on the ninth floor or simply visit the restaurant at the tenth floor to indulge their taste buds in a memorable experience.

After 40 is defined by its service, which is always effortless, personal and genuine.

Its standards are uncompromising, fast and unobstructive. Beyond that, the hotel’s service is also about providing the unexpected: the little details, the fine touches that leave guests feeling well cared for and special.

Holiday time is Family Time

20% OFF

ACCOMMODATION AND FAMILY EVENTS

1ST DECEMBER 2016 - 31ST JANUARY 2017 Offer Includes: Complimentary daily breakfast • Complimentary WiFi internet access Daily housekeeping services • 24 hours reception * Terms and conditions apply* Full payment is required to guarantee the discount and confirm your reservation. The payment is non - refundable

Biashara street, Nairobi l Tel: +254 710 599 557 l Email: reservations@after40.com After40 hotel

@ After40 hotel

www.after40hotel.com

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50

» Arts & Culture Mr. USIUAFRICA on Winning Mr. University Kenya, His Musical Journey and What Keeps Him Grounded

T

omideAkinyemi is a final year student at USIU-AFRICA pursuinga Bachelor’sdegree in Information System Technologies with a minor in Marketing, Management and International Processes. He is a musician, instrumentalist, music producer, a model and an aspiring entrepreneur.

He talks to Edge Magazine about how growing up with a dad who loves music shaped his perspective about life, and joining a University thatgave him a priceless platform to realise his dreams. He envisions managing creatives in Africa and transforming the social and political fabrics of the continent.

Congratulations on being crowned Mr University Kenya. Was this a childhood dream?

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be a model.

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

I had to learn and get it right. I’m now using the platform to propel my ambitions in life.

Prior to joining the University, were you modelling?

Not at all.

The modelling platform came in handy. It gave me a head-start and a ready audience as a musician. It is a major confidence booster and has taught me a lot.

Did you expect to win Mr. University Kenya?

I don’t go into anything expecting to lose.

My ultimate aim was the prize. I needed to put my best foot forward because I was competing with other experienced contestants from across the country.

What worked for you?

I am a very cautious person. I look at things deeply and from every angle.I make sure that I am the best in every single thing however minor it is. I knew my strengths and weaknesses and acted accordingly.

Has USIU-Africa shaped you into what you are today?

Definitely Yes! I come from a musical background and prior to joining USIU, I had all these visions in mind.

Coming here and seeing all the resources and platforms that I could use to launch my projects was amazing. I have met many people from multicultural orientations that are now part of my life. My entrepreneurial ambitions even came of age here. The whole experience, both within and outside the class has shaped me into who I am today.

classical and electronic dance music come in as a fusion. I’m also a music producer.

What inspires you?

Pan-Africanism. I look at social and political fabrics of the society. The creative industry is now becoming more influential in all aspects of our lives. So I want to use my creative abilities to change Africa and ultimately the world, in a better way.

Every day when I wake up I make sure that my attitude and work ethics are aligned towards that goal.

Do you have a role model?

Yes, my father and a bunch of others. I have seen him build himself from scratch to what he is today. Politically, I look at people like Nelson Mandela who went against the odds and greatly impacted the society.

He made what was impossible possible.

Biblically, David and Joseph stand out. In the music industry, I look up at Kendrick Lamar’s renditions.

What do you do for fun?

Music and adventures. I also appreciate art a lot.

How is your day like?

I wake up early, study the Bible, work out then plan for the day. I mostly spend my day in classes, meetings and focusing on my personal projects.

Your best outfit/style?

I am versatile. I don’t have a particular preference. I would go from smart casual to extremely official on any outing. My best outfit would be anything that brings out my character.

Future plans?

I want to focus on developing my music, and my talent management venture.

Advice to young people?

Never underestimate the power of a platform. Pursue your dreams to the fullest.

“

Never underestimate the power of a platform

“

When did you realise you can model?

During my 3rd year of study, I realised that for all the things I do in music, I would never gain traction without getting a grounding. This meant that I had to appeal to the student body and entire USIU fraternity.

What kind of music do you do?

Let me first say this. My father is a pianist, plays jazz, classical music, afro pop and actively listens to music. I grew up in that environment which influenced my style. I am a multi-instrumentalists but my core genre is hip-hop. While I might be rapping mostly, elements of jazz music, afro pop,

January 2017 I Edgemagazine.co.ke

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52

» Book Review Africa’s Premier Novel Turns 15

I

n November 2001, a young Kenyan novelist with a background in IT published a novel entitled, ‘When the Whirlwind Passes’ online. This made it arguably Africa’s first e-novel and the author, Alexander Nderitu, has since published three more e-books and gained literary recognition. In November, When the Whirlwind Passes’ clocked 15 years of existence. To celebrate, the crime/suspense novel has been reissued, with a new cover, new ISBN number, and various edits.

About the new edition:

Plot summary: A red-hot romance between a young fashion dynasty heir and a ghetto princess ends up in the murder case of the decade.

Type: General Fiction Genre: Crime

Size: 166 pages

Cost: USD$ 5.00 (e-book), USD 12.50 (paperback), Kshs 150.00 (in Kenya) Format: Print (via POD), Adobe PDF, E-PUB, Amazon AZW, et al.

Distribution: Author’s official website and Lulu.com

The literary landscape has changed drastically over the last 15 years. Some of the outstanding changes include:

‘Pre-Internet, the only way you could succeed as an author was to get signed by a major publishing house because they controlled all the distribution. But now, you can write a book yourself, publish it yourself, market it yourself and keep all the money.’ - Stacy Johnson of MoneyTalksNews.com

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

• E-readers like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook have revolutionized the reading experience. A typical e-reader can hold hundreds of books – a virtual library – and weigh less than the average paperback.

• Publishers and booksellers of digital books have mushroomed - as have online bookstores (that may deal in physical books, but are themselves virtual).

• Print-On-Demand technology has bridged the gap between e-books and physical books.

If a reader wants a single copy of an e-book on a platform like Lulu.com or Amazon CreateSpace, then he can pay in advance and the book will be manufactured and sent to them.

• Young writers have taken to the Internet like ducks to water. Internet and social media have become the place to share and promote one’s work and events, as well as get the latest literary news and gossip.

• Bloggers have become the new literary critics. Some blogs like BrittlePaper and AfricanWriter.com focus entirely on African lit. Some authors also double up as bloggers and engage in literary criticism, review or promotion:

EVERY DAY, OUR GAS MAKES COOKING TASTY MEALS EASIER AND EASIER We see families and friends enjoying eating together.

So we know what a difference a quick, clean and easy gas flame can make.

With over three million of our LPG cylinders in use across sub-Saharan Africa, more people are relying on us to make their lives easier. And their cooking better. oryxeveryday.com

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54

» Song Review

K

haligraph Jones teamed up with his girlfriend Cashy Karimi in this undisputed Kenya’s best hip-hop collaboration of 2016.

While Cashy has been low key she generally stepped up to deliver in this classic. Much hasn’t been heard about her but when you team up with Khaligraph-a high riding Kenyan hip-hop musician, you just have to show up.

Since its release in November 2016, Micasa Sucasa which is a Spanish word for ‘My Home Your Home’has received major reviews and airplays in Kenya’s media, not to mention over 200,000 YouTube views in just two days after release.

Title: Micasa Sucasa Artiste: Khaligraph Jones and Cashy Karimi Genre: Hip-hop Reviewer: Sylvester Okumu

While he has disappointed Khaligraph Jones in his past videos, Johnson Kyalo-the visual director, upped his game in this. The props were right with a different combination of black and grey.A brighter backdrop would have been perfect.

The clip features the singers in front of a grey backdrop.

As the music video progresses we see the singers stepping up in a dialogue. Cashy complements Jones and we hear them speak up about their lyrical prowess whilstleashing out to competitors. The camera focuses on their facial expressions, moves and gestures making out a clear dialogue scenario.

According to Jones, the song seeks to promote the local music industry by calling out on local deejays and media outlets to play Kenyan music. He says there is enough musical content in Kenya.

The song starts with a slow tempo and rhythmically build up as the rap progresses. Cashy and Jones surpassed expectations in Micasa Sucasa, and one would break a sweat to outdo this collaboration in many years to come.Is Kenyan hip-hop back on its feet?

Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

Ebenezer This project is located 5 kilometers off Kangundo road, within the Joska locality. Ebenezer Gardens is serene, tranquil and very affordable. The project is in close proximity to the Nairobi CBD and is adjacent to the upcoming Greater Eastern Bypass; which starts on Thika/Garissa Highway, through the Lukenya hills and terminates on Mombasa/Nairobi Highway.

Access to these region is via Kangundo road. The road from Kangundo road in a graded all weather road.

Gardens

Presented By Diamond Properties

The project's land parcels are an eighth of an acre. Ebenezer Gardens is in near the new Children's Welfare Association headquarters. There is a private water supply line running adjacent the property The project is a buy and build ( the plans are pre-approved and development is controlled and in a gated community).

The plans are for bungalows and maisonettes.

The project has a perimeter fence and a gate. The land parcels are well demarcated with visible, numbered surveyor's beacons.

The close proximity to the city of Nairobi has made the area a focus of many developers. There are numerous projects ongoing and upcoming adjacent.

DIAMOND PROPERTY MERCHANTS The Home of Strategic Land Investment

Phone: 020 221 5252 sales@diamondproperties.co.ke

Website: www.diamondproperties.co.ke

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prices Bungalow Maisonette

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56

» Product Review Five tips to consider when buying a label printer

K

eeping your home or office space tidy and organised is a lot easier to do when you have the right tools at your disposal.

Short of hiring a personal organiser to do it for you, labelling is one of the best ways to keep living and work environments clutter-free, relieving stress and promoting better focus in the process.

Thankfully, label printers make light of what used to be time-consuming work. No need to break out the markers and sticky tape – now you can easily create and print your own custom labels at home or in the office for just about any use – from clothing and storage bins to files and stationery items.

It’s important to consider your options carefully when looking for a label printer for home and work use. Epson shares a few handy tips to keep in mind.

1. Portability and ease-of-use

Whether for home or office use, opt for a label printer that is light weight and simple to use, like Epson’s LW300 and LW400 label printers that fit easily into the palm of your hand. The LW printer series also has a backlit two-line display screen as well as a user-friendly interface, allowing you to create clear, beautiful labels in a matter of seconds.

2. Battery life It’s also important to choose a label printer that you can use without having to plug it into an electrical socket, to allow you to move around with ease. Look for a label printer that offers an alternative power source, such as batteries, which will ensure that you are able to make use of it any time you need to, whether at home or work.

3. Quality and suitability of label tape From labelling spice and condiment jars in the kitchen to bringing order to a cluttered garage, make sure the label tapes you Edgemagazine.co.ke I January 2017

purchase are fit for the purpose intended.

Opt for a high quality and durable labelling tape that won’t wear or peel off easily over time. For labelling on items that are kept outdoors or in storage units, use tapes from reputable dealers and stockists that have been tested for durability, in order to avoid the hassle and confusion of fading.

4. Variety in tape options Choose a label printer that can be used with various types of tape to ensure you get maximum use out of it. Epson offers high quality tapes in a range of materials and colours, including attention-grabbing fluorescent and reflective tapes for safety applications. The extensive range also includes a glow in the dark option, which is particularly useful during a power outage, as well as iron-on tapes ideal for adding labels to clothes.

5. Special features Additional features, such as the ability to play around with symbols, emoticons and different font styles make organising and de-cluttering a great deal more fun – especially for the kids! There are a number of label printers on the market today that offer new and exciting ways to label your life and make ‘tidy-up time’ more fun for the whole family.

About Epson Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 67,000 employees in 90 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

www.rexeroofing.com

Roofing and waterproofing specialists

# Roofing the world, one project at a time Some projects done: The Hub Karen shopping mall, Mt. Kenya Holiday homes, Aberdares Spa & Safari Lodge

Head office: Menelik Lane, off Kirichwa road, Kilimani Tel : 020-2138191, cell: 0704 646 664 / 0731 068184 Branches : Kitengela Eldoret Naivasha.

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