FRESH.INSPIRING.ANALYTICAL
MARCH 2020 STARTUPMAGAZINE.CO.KE
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Human Capital
Inside
How to Tell if Your Employees Are Performing
Interview
Your Ultimate Guide to Wealth Creation
Motor Review
The Beautiful Aston Martin
Real Estate
How a Career Pilot Opted for a Multi-billion Real Estate Venture
Travel
Lake Kivu: Explosive If Unexploited
mTek- A Game Changer in Africa’s Digital Insurance Sector mTek is available on Google Playstore as a mobile app. It allows customers to purchase insurance directly from the insurer and file for claims - all from the convenience of their phones
SCAN ME
Bente Krogmann, co-founder and CEO, mTek Services March 2020
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April 29th & 30th, 2020 Kigali Marriott Hotel, Rwanda
AFRICA
A Deep Dive Into the changing Dynamics of TV and Telco
Nextv CEO Africa is proud to expand its coverage by launching:
New B2B content marketplace in Africa!
www.nextvceoafrica.com Nextv CEO Africa brings together the leading Pay TV operators, Telcos, Broadcasters, OTT platforms, Technology suppliers and the whole entertainment industry from Africa to meet, network and discuss the future of TV, Telco and entertainment. During two days, get ready to engage with top African buyers in the Nextv Content Africa area. Network with influential industry players to promote and sell content within the African growing market.
+200
Attendees
+60
Industry leading speakers
+80%
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C-level executives
networking
Key hot topics: • Building a resilient African FTA industry • Mobile operators going OTT: Format & business model • Integration of mobile money solutions for OTT and Pay TV operators • Shifting TV viewing habits and usage of multiple devices: How to adapt to that reality? • Monetisation of African sports content • The public broadcasters of the future • Africa’s booming music streaming industry • Nollywood producers going OTT: What format for international distribution? • TV and OTT advertising: How can brands target its consumers?
March 2020
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Contents
10 Maro Rocks: Your Ultimate Aide Towards Wealth Creation
14 How a Career Pilot Opted for a Multi-billion Real Estate Venture
34 Lake Kivu: Explosive If Unexploited
32 The Beautiful Aston Martin Vantage Roadster
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March
2020
Contents 10
Wealth Creation
24
Four Strategic Priorities For African Telco Oerators In 2020
Maro Rocks: Your Ultimate Aide Towards Wealth Creation 14
Real Estate
26
28
16
Leadership Make Friends With Pain
Interior Design How Prime House is Redefining the Interior Design Sector With State-ofThe-Art-Solutions
Human Capital How to Tell if Your Employees Are Performing
How a Career Pilot Opted for a Multi-billion Real Estate Venture
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Innovation
30
Food Security More Funding Needed To Combat Locust SWARMS ‘Unprecedented In Modern Times’
Cover Story
Coffee Break
mTek- A GAME CHANGER IN AFRICA’S DIGITAL INSURANCE SECTOR 22
Interview Techie Champions the use of E-receipts
32. 34. 36. 38.
Motor Review Travel and Leisure Book Review Song Review
March 2020
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INSIDE
>Innovation
A Sure Bet to Keep Africa Moving Forward
> Koto Housing
Build Your Dream House in Only 21 Days
> Interview; Andrey Yakunin Understanding the hospitality market in Russia
>Travel & Leisure What to Know about the Marine Parks at the Coastal Kenya
The Driving Force To a Successful Family Business Esther Muchemi, CEO and Founder, Samchi Group of Companies
January 2018 I startupmagazine.co.ke
Managing Editor Sylvester Habil Okumu sylvester@startupmagazine.co.ke
Photographer Versatile Photographers
Associate Editor Adisa Hudson Oroni Tendera
Creative Designer Kreative Hub Media
Contributors John Foley Perminus Wainaina Shalini Gadhia Njeri Muchunu
Published By
Business Development Washingtone Terry Nickson Juma Marketing Executive Irene Okoth Operations Simpson Ayodi
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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. Important Information for Contributors to StartUp Magazine By submitting content before publication you confirm that: (a) You (and/or other named contributors) are the sole author(s) of the content submitted; (b) The content you submit is orginal and has not previously been published (unless you specifically advise us on the contrary); (c) You haven't previously licensed the use of the content you submit; (d) So far as you are aware, the content submitted will not infringe any third-party rights, be defamatory or in any way illegal.
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How organizations can create high performance management teams that last
Guest Piece
Human resource development can take the form of trainings, exposure to concepts being utilized by companies in similar industries and rewarding innovations. This way people feel that they are moving forward and they have a career and not just a job. Expansion of knowledge outside the daily routine can go a long way in making an employee feel valued, leading to high performance and sustenance of this resource within the organization.
By Shalini Gadhia It is very ssential for organizations to build high performance management teams. Hiring human resource with the right skills and competency levels can do this. However, how do we build teams that can last for decades? We need teams that not only perform but also are here to stay in the organization. Companies invest a lot of resources in their staff hence retention of this staff should be a vital objective of the organization. 1.Hiring based on goals and values Apart from the skills a potential employee has to offer, it is very important that hiring be done after considering one’s goals and values. Are the employees’ values and goals aligned to the company’s goals and values? This will determine if he or she is likely to perform and become a part of the organization in the long term. Our beliefs form our values; therefore it is necessary that the employee believes in what the organization does. Having the same beliefs means that the employee will strive to push towards contributing to the organization’s goals, resulting in high performance and is more likely to stay in the company for a longer time as he or she gets a sense of fulfillment when working there. If not, he or she will not be motivated to contribute towards the company’s goals and is less likely to stick around. 2.Continuous development This is an essential aspect of developing high performance teams that last in organizations. People just do not want to carry out their day-to-day tasks and go home. They have a need to grow and expand their knowledge base beyond their comfort zones. Team members need to feel that they are growing on the job.
3.Using a collaborative approach Organizations tend to make decisions ‘at the top’ and trickle them down to their teams in order to achieve desired results. However, it is important to note that understanding what happens ‘at the bottom’ is key to a business’ success. This means that data and feedback should be collected from the ground and used to design business objectives that are realistic. This will drive high performance teams, as they will feel heard and that they are part of the company making them more likely to stay in an organization where their opinions are valued. This approach also makes the strategy formulation process more effective as it is being based on facts and figures from the ground rather than an executive team trying to promise what may not necessarily be achievable. 4.Motivation Employee motivation goes a long way in impacting employees’ performance and longevity in an organization. One form of motivation can be giving rewards. Rewards can take the form salary increments, team lunches and bonuses amongst others. Direct rewards provide employees with an incentive to continue working hard, which gives them a sense of fulfillment hence a higher chance of them staying in the organization. Another way is recognizing employees for their contribution. When employees are recognized (this can be in form of seasonal awards, special recognition for certain projects etc.), they are more likely to feel valued and feel like they are part of the organization. This may encourage them to last in an organization as they feel that their work is making a difference, giving them a sense of purpose.
5.Respect + forgiveness It is vital to remember that the employees that are hired are as human as we are. In that context, how we treat our employees in times of conflict and challenging situations will go a long way in determining their performance and longevity in the organization. Having a culture of respect and forgiveness (this does not mean staff should not be penalized for causing damages or losses to an organization). Forgiveness here means not holding grudges and not taking issues personally. This means that focusing on solutions rather than playing the blame game is likely to help instill a positive culture in an organization. Employees tend to thrive in such environments as mistakes are not condemned and are likely to feel more confident hence perform better and may more likely stay in the organization in the long term. Employees who feel confident at the workplace are also more likely to be innovative, as they do not hold any fear in communicating new ideas. 6.Open communication An organization’s communication culture goes a long way in impacting its performance. It is essential to have clear and open communication channels. When new ideas and ways of doing things are welcomed, employees tend to be more open-minded and are likely to think for the good of the organization. Keeping open communication channels ensures free flow of information that drives curiosity and innovation. These are very healthy facets that enhance performance and loyalty.
The author is a marketing professional with 10 years of work experience across various industries. Email: gadhiashalini@gmail.com
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StartUp Stories
Letters to the editor
“Transport is the highest direct cost we have to contend with because we have to hire pick-up trucks to ferry the briquettes whenever there is an order.” Cecil Chekizie (Kenyan) Founder and CEO, Eco Makaa The 22-year-old engineering student from the University of Nairobi was motivated to start the eco-friendly charcoal-briquette business after the government banned logging of trees. The charcoal prices have since increased sharply prompting him to provide more sustainable and cheaper fuel alternatives for his community. He makes briquettes in Kitengela on the outskirts of Nairobi where he has employed two young men and a woman. He plans to get a pick-up vehicle to help in transporting the prod-
ucts the market as part of his preparation for increased orders. His Eco Makaa, an e-commerce company that connects local fuel briquette producers to customers has seen him win big ticket supplies including leading hotels in the city. He has now set his sights on households to provide them a better alternative to the charcoal as a cooking fuel The entrepreneur has sold about ten tones of eco-friendly briquettes and believes he has saved about 75 trees that would have been cut down to produce charcoal. He recently bagged Sh 1.2 million prize money to boost his business at the Anzisha awards.
“Financial institutions see farming as risky. Moreover, farming is still a male-dominated sector and as a woman you have to triple your effort.” Anna Phosa (South African) Founder, Dreamland Piggery & Abattoir Phosa is often called a ‘celebrity pig farmer’. She is one of Africa’s foremost young and successful pig farmer. She first started her pig farm in. Soweto, South Africa in 2004 with a savings of USD 100. Starting up wasn’t easy as she says she faced a couple of challenges key among them being lack of financial support to scale her operations. But she kept it small and opted to grow organically.
This later rose to 100 pigs per week in a deal worth over USD 1.9 million three years later. She now runs her business in a 350-hectare farm which she bought through bank financing and employs over 50 people on permanent basis and a couple of casual labourers. In addition to the pigs, the farm has an abattoir and maize field. Its main clients are big retailers.
Tansportation and logistics The last edition of Startup where you featured Little for a cover story was insightful. In particular, i liked how you covered the topic in depth and highlighted how ride hailing apps have revolutionized the transport and logistics sector in the country. I hope you feature such insightful stories in future. Namasaka Eric Via Email-Bungoma
Good design and outlook I came across Startup online and got hooked by the elaborate coverage. Curiosity led me to buy the print version and i was impressed to say the least. A very well done magazine with good design and editorial. Keep up the good work. W. Nguyo Eldoret
Music review I get to read monthly editions of the magazine and i am impressed by the quality of the print version. I am also quite impressed in what you cover at the magazine, moreso the music review which is always fresh and interesting. Keep the good work. Mary Wanja In Kitui
Starting with 4 pigs, she grew her enterprise and within four years she was contracted by Pick n’ Pay supermarket to supply 10 pigs per week. Her deal soon skyrocketed to 20 pigs per week in what she saw as her biggest breakthrough.
“We must inspire our kinsmen to look beyond the now and to see the big picture. If we don’t roll up our sleeves and get dirty, no one else will.” Abasiama Idaresit (Nigeria) Founder and CEO of Wild Fusion Abasiama is the founder and CEO of Wild Fusion, a digital marketing agency based in Nigeria but with presence in Ghana and Kenya. He is a graduate of Information Systems and Management from London School of Economics. He founded his company in 2009 with believing that the internet holds the future of marketing in Africa and across the world. After starting up, he spent the first 8 months without making money before he landed his first client. At
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the time, digital marketing was quite unpopular in Nigeria. With little budget, he was able to turn around the sales fortune of his client to the amazement of Google. Google decided to adopt the firm’s digital strategy as an internet marketing study case. Wild Fusion became Google Adwords’ first certified partner in Nigeria. In 2011, it was named Nigeria’s best digital agency. The next year, with no external funding, the company had an annual turnover of USD 6 million. Today, Wild Fusion boasts clients like Unilever, Vodacom, Diamond Bank, Planned Parenthood, and many other African and international clients.
HAVE YOUR SAY ONLINE The editor welcomes reader’s opinions but deserves the right to edit them for publication. Please email to
info@startupmagazine.co.ke More comments are published online about news stories published on startupmagazine.co.ke
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NEWS Increased flower exports makes Kenya a key market for Emirates Cargo ates Fresh Active and Emirates Fresh Breathe - for airfreighting different kinds of perishable cargo including food items and flowers. In particular, Emirates Fresh Breathe provides ventilated cool chain solutions for fresh cut flowers. “Since we launched Emirates Fresh in 2017, we have transported around 400,000 tonnes of perishables annually. We believe that the export of perishables helps local economies. As a result, we have been able to stimulate global business partnerships and trade by opening new markets for Kenyan exporters through our flight connections across six continents through Dubai,” said Mr. Abdulla.
Kenya remains an important freighter station for Emirates SkyCargo with 2,000 tonnes of flowers having been airlifted in January this year. Last year, Emirates SkyCargo transported over 46,000 tonnes of flowers across the world with over 24,000 tonnes, originating from Kenya. Emirates Cargo Manager East Africa, Mr. Saeed Abdulla said; “Flowers, especially roses and carnations are the most hauled products from East Africa by Emirates SkyCargo. We met our seasonal Valentine’s Day flowers demand with our freighter service between Kenya and the Netherlands as well as the Middle East. This year, we deployed two additional freighter services to meet the demand for transport of flowers. As an airline, we have invested heavily on in
our fleet and infrastructure to deliver fresh flowers to customers across different markets.” Every day, Emirates SkyCargo transports fresh flowers across its global network of over 155 destinations on board dedicated freighters as well as in the belly hold of passenger aircrafts. The journey of a flower begins on a farm where they are harvested by hand. The freshly harvested flowers are then sorted, arranged in bouquets and hand packed into boxes, which are then loaded on the aircraft. In order to ensure maximum freshness and shelf life, the flowers are maintained in a temperature-controlled environment during the transport process. In addition, Emirates SkyCargo has designed a specialised three-tiered portfolio of solutions - Emirates Fresh, Emir-
Emirates SkyCargo operates Boeing 777 freighters that can carry up to 100 tonnes of cargo allowing uplift of a large volume of cargo. The airline continually offers cargo capacity through its Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft that can take up to 23 tonnes of cargo on a full passenger flight. Last year, the air cargo carrier moved closed to 2.6 million tonnes of cargo. In 2020, Emirates SkyCargo is geared up to facilitate global trade and cargo movement through a combination of innovative product development and investment in ‘fit for purpose’ infrastructure. With Expo 2020 Dubai set to kick off in October 2020, Emirates is working with its partners to provide specialised airfreight services manage the upsurge in movement of goods to and from Dubai.
March 2020
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WEALTH CREATION
Maro Rocks: Your Ultimate Aide Towards Wealth Creation
Words Oroni Tendera
In one of his first assignments as an auditing intern, in the 1990s, Jacob Njeru, the Director of Trading and Investment at Maro Rocks Limited learnt that members in an exclusive and elites club made purchases of expensive and exotic drinks on impulse during new year auctions and then they had to humbly return them, once they sobered up and found that they bought a bottle of whiskey for Kes 50,000 whose real price is Kes 10,000. This experience, he says, is mirrored in the investment and trading landscapes where incomplete and white elephants litter the domains after investment decisions were made on hunches and impulses. For public financing, this is not usually a painful experience, but for private capital, this is a matter of life and death. In the following interview with StartUp Magazine East Africa, he explains how Maro Rocks ensure ventures and capital outlays deliver their sponsors strategic intents, safeguard capital and where feasible earn sustainable yields, and integrate risks optimally. Startupmagazine.co.ke
March 2020
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w
hy was Maro Rocks incorporated? Corporates leverage resources, risks and yields through their business models. Maro Rocks helps such enterprises clarify their business models, resources, yields and risks against their targets. This is informed by where the enterprises compete (their domains), how they win, and what they are leveraging to deliver their goals. It is a complex process, which without integrated modeling will be difficult to conceptualize and deliver a validated analysis to an individual, a team or market. Thus, Maro Rocks provides integrated advisory in corporate processes, finance, trading and investment. The advisory will also crystallize optimal strategic responses. This covers model maturity, productivity, up scaling and sustainability.
What are your leading financial services/solutions? We offer advisory in three categories: processes excellence, financial and trading/ investment. Finance is not just about numbers. It integrates various elements to arrive at aggregated outlooks. However, numbers best communicate these outlooks and positions. Who do you target in view of the above? We target enterprises or individuals making investments of at least Kes 1m, $10,000 and above. Our top limit is around Kes 1b, $10m, by which level, the enterprises should have anchored and grounded this expertise internally. Failure at this level is usually due to hubris or political friction, rather than lack of expertise per se. Do you think you’re the best in the industry? If so, why? We have our bragging rights based on
is a complex model, but it is has been with us for close to 7,000 years and it is still relevant. What are the simple tenets of achieving financial independence for individuals/ businesses? Avoid over trading. Do not be overzealous. Like they say in sports development, some athletes undertrain and over compete. That happens a lot in careers, trading and investments.
Jacob Njeru, Director-Trading & Investments MARO ROCKS LTD the entities that we have helped realize their deliverables profitably and capital put to productive use. The industry has many peers and trail blazers as well. We believe we have very cohesive and validated models that will bring out the best conceptual models, deliver credible feasibility analysis and simultaneously offer platforms for renewal and transformation, ultimately delivering sustainable ventures. Why is financial planning important for individuals, startups, SMEs and corporates? Financial contract is a vital lever of our modern civilization, but not well understood by many players in the economic domains of competitive and comparative advantages. Expertise in this area, as well, is specialized combination of study and practice. Thus, not everyone can provide the integration and leverage advisory we offer, and also be able to manage the emotional roll coaster that playing in the markets entails. That is the vehicle and platform we provide, just as you need a ferry to cross the ocean channels safely, from time to time. We help you transport your savings/yields into the future, while realizing your dreams/ambitions in the present. It
You need first to differentiate life and lifestyles. Financial play is about lifestyles. The lifestyles will depend on one’s appetite for risk, one’s initiatives and resilience. Since lifestyles go through many phases, cycles, growth boom and bust cycles, one needs to identify their phase and craft responses based on the key characteristics outlined above. Responses to various environments are not systematic patterns of growth and adaptation but are choices, implicit and explicit. In every situation, crystallize how you are anchored and grounded, what you need to renew and transform and the sustainability assumptions. That conversation will deliver some credible results. You will need Maro Rocks to do it effectively and consistently. Which success stories can you point out to since the inception of Maro Rocks? Currently, we are helping a coatings enterprise expand their business. We have also assisted a healthcare provider find appropriate capital partners and we are in the process of working with an entertainment outlet to raise funding and manage liquidity challenges. Are there emerging trends in your line of business? Yes. Like every other industry, the delivery channels and consumption patterns are changing. Complexity has increased, March 2020
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WEALTH CREATION just like possible frameworks and analytical tools. Communication is also becoming fragmented as the players are bombarded with new ideas and thus, many struggle with self-doubt. Going forward, what can we expect from you? A strong team with requisite skills and passion as well as a satisfied clientele. Any other pertinent issue? The market needs to distinguish banking from advisory. Banks are more like ports, where you onboard or offload cargo and passengers. The personal and corporate models required to deliver value sustainably require much more than throwing liquidity and resources at social and economic challenges. The
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March 2020
comforting thing is that we have capacity to rise to challenges when they emerge though not deliberately. The disappointing bit is that as Brooks Adams observed in his seminal work on civilizations, “The Law of Civilization and Decay an Essay on History, 1848-1927, quote, “another conviction forced upon my mind, by the examination of long periods of history, was the small part played by conscious thought, in moulding the fate of men. At
the moment of the action the human being almost invariably obeys an instinct, like an animal, only after action has ceased does he reflect”. Our models and solutions invite players to reflect on their resources, yields and risks’domains proactively, have appropriate respect to challenges in their envisaged adventures, and when they choose a successful path, celebrate and enjoy their victories and milestones.
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REAL ESYATE
How a Career Pilot Opted for a Multi-billion Real Estate Venture Words Oroni Tendera
a
fter six years as a realtor in the US managing and selling properties, Mwenda Thuranira opted to take the challenge home. The real estate sector had collapsed due to the US financial crisis between 20042007. Mwenda had gone to study piloting at Orlando Flying School and thus acquired a private pilot’s license. After graduation, he worked at a construction site. “I released piloting was not my thing and settled for a career in the construction sector.” Working at a construction site soon opened up him to a wide array of opportunities in the real estate sector and he fell in love with. Excited with this new journey, he enrolled for a six months realtor course which was instrumental in shaping his knowledge on mortgages, property deals, loans and other forms of property financing.
Mwenda Thuranira,founder and CEO MYSPACE PROPERTIES
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Coming back home, he set up shop in Mombasa in 2008. “There was growth opportunities in Kenya, many players were investing in diverse projects. The coastal region was attractive as it gave me an opportunity to create a Niche, as then Mombasa was not known as a real estate investment destination,” says
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Swahili Center Mwenda Thuranira. “As an entrepreneur, where there are challenges I know there are opportunities”. Mwenda is the CEO of Myspace Properties which was recently listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange under the Ibuka programme to improve its market positioning. “Our business is capital intensive. We need funds to enhance our capacity and pro-actively compete in the market in a way that enables us to give our cus-
tomers, investors and stakeholders value proposition.” The firm is also interested in helping the government achieve its housing ambitions under the Big Four Agenda. “Kenyans need a structured real estate solution they can trust,” says the CEO. This has formed the basis of the property firm to introduce modern mini-malls to meet the growing demand of affordable space from retailers and vendors.
According to the executive, the high cost of rentals spaces and lengthy commuting distance from residential areas has kept small scale traders and retailers out of business. “Mini-malls are part of our strategy to come up with properties that will accommodate various clients and bring markets closer to homes,” he says. Mwenda who first started his company in a makeshift office in Mombasa, always wanted to work in business. And seeing his company growing organically over time with over 75 per cent of referral business excites him. Asked what has been the secret ingredient to his meteoric rise he points out to his incredible team at the firm. “Our people have been the greatest aspect of our growth. We also keep our word and build sustainable relationships.” Having set foot in Nairobi, the property firm hopes to innovate and bring more solutions to the people at it embarks on a growth strategy.
March 2020
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INTERIOR DESIGN
How Prime House is Redefining the Interior Design Sector With State-ofThe-Art-Solutions
ter, shapes it perspectives and communicates the moods of an environment,” says Mr. Maliazo during an interview with StartUp Magazine at his office at Mountain Mall, opposite Garden City along Thika Road.
Words Adisa Hudson
i
nterior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to enhance a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space-according to Wikipedia. Prime House Interiors, a local interior design company formed by Roston Maliazo in 2011 is aiming to redefine the interior spaces in Kenya and across the boarders through their innovative and state of the art designs. Startupmagazine.co.ke March 2020
Their ingenuity in designing spaces that keeps clients overwhelmed has inevitably drawn attention to them across the country. “A display gives an interior its charac-
Studies indicate that interior design can create aesthetic appeal in virtually all parts of a home or office space. Prime House Interiors Ltd is composed of a skillful and creative team with vast experiences in different aspects of interior design and décor. With ability to know the tastes and pref-
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the industry I registered Prime House Interiors as a business entity. At this point our trust in our clients grew up and we started getting referrals,” he says. The company now prides itself in having a dedicated and skillful team of experts who can handle any kind of project big or small ranging from commercial to residential spaces.
Prime House Interior team erences of every client who comes in contact with the team, Prime House Interiors ltd prides itself in transforming people’s lives through transforming spaces that people work or live in. Our approach includes accompanying our Clients right through the project timeline: i.e. from the initial conceptualization through completion of the Project. This includes Project Conceptualization, Architectural Drawings Production, 3D Renders Production, Budget Making, production of construction documents, materials & product sourcing, Furniture and Decorative Item selections and general project coordination; always with precision, professionalism, attention to detail, exceptional customer service and demonstrated expertise in project management skills. Prime house ultimate goal is to ensure that the client’s vision is delivered to meet his or her expectations on time and budget. Proper interior design helps to ensure that an office or living space fulfill its purpose, he adds. Mr. Maliazo came to realize that he had a passion in interior design and décor after having tried doing several things which didn’t work well for him but eventually led him to discovering his passion in interior design. Today he has successfully established a dynamic interior design company under the name Prime
House Interiors ltd. “The love for beautiful spaces I would see around when visited malls and other commercial buildings kindled my passion. I was fascinated by the interiors of the buildings especially suspended gypsum ceilings and I kept wondering how I could execute this on my own,” he said. This prompted me join jua kali sector and I started doing mjengo with an aim of learning the art of making and creating beautiful spaces. I earned meagre payment from the construction job but my desire was to learn the craft much as he could. He later teamed up with a friend to start an interior design company but his friend opted out. This motivated him to start his own. By this time, he had a better knowledge of interior design having worked on a handful of projects. He bootstrapped his company based on the networks and clientele based he had created as a casual laborer. The entrepreneur was once employed in a pharmaceuticals firm but resigned to pursue his passion in entrepreneurship which has eventually paid off. Starting with a few clients, Prime House Interiors has grown in leaps and bounds over time serving a diversified clientele base. “I started it alone and I would hire 1 o 2 guys on a casual basis to help me when I had a small project. After 3 years in
Mr. Maliazo is the lead designer at the firm having learned everything on the job. He also researches widely to stay ahead of the curve. “We have a strategic approach to everything we do and we treat clients with keenness. Once we get a project we try and do to the best of our knowledge and trends in the market, and in the end, we surpass client’s expectations. This probably explains why we have repeated businesses and growth through referrals,” he shares on the journey. “Our job is to transform the lives of our clients through what we do and we have to do it well,” notes the entrepreneur. “This has worked magic for us because when a client is happy they act as good ambassadors for your brand.” Over time, he has learned importance nuances that will help one stay ahead of the game as an entrepreneur. “You have to be passionate, highly driven and resilient to challenges for you to thrive. Be honest and deliver on your promises,” he advises. Going forward the firm aims to expand and establish a footprint in the sector as well as venture into real estate in the long run. You can reach them on Tel: +254 721 502 251 | +254 777 502 252 or Email: info@primehouseinteriors.co.ke Website: www.primehouseinteriors.co.ke March 2020 Startupmagazine.co.ke
COVER STORY
Bente Krogmann,co-founder and CEO mTek Services
mTek- A GAME CHANGER IN AFRICA’S DIGITAL INSURANCE SECTOR Words Sylvester Okumu Startupmagazine.co.ke
March 2020
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F
or many years, the local insurance industry has been struggling to reach the uninsured. However, new players are beginning to realize the benefit of integrating technology in their operations to increase efficiency and even more important reconnect with customers. Insurtech firms tend to focus on increased personalization, greater speed and efficiency of services to meet changing customer needs. Many are now making use of AI (Artificial Intelli-gence), Blockchain and IoT (Internet of Things) to come up
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with innovative insurance solu-tions. Whereas some are focused on displacing the industry heavy-hitters, others are working with leading insurance underwriters as agents as they transition to the age of digital innova-tion-one such provider is mTek Services. “Digital disruption has transformed many industries over the past decade. In the same way, the transport and logistics sector was disrupted by Uber, and hospitality by Airbnb, the world of insurance is being shaken up by insurtechs,� says Bente Krogmann, the co-founder and CEO of mTek Services during an inter-
view with this magazine at their office in Westlands Nairobi. mTek is an innovative mobile application currently available on Google Playstore. The plat-form provides an entirely paperless end-to-end platform for the insurance industry. The app allows customers to purchase insurance directly from the insurer and file for claims - all from the convenience of their phones. mTek offers customers paperless insurance in motor, health, evacuation and recently travel. “The app allows one to purchase in->>
mTek Services executive team: (L-R) Christopher Osore, Bente Krogmann and Rafiq Shariff March 2020
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20 extremely a ‘mobile’ nation, says Bente. “Just like mobile money has deepened financial exclusion, we are making use of mobile apps to take insurance to the un-insured.”
COVER STORY surance from a specific or underwriter of choice in real time and claims can be settled faster. Instead of taking days or even weeks, using mTek takes only a few minutes,” she adds. The app has several functionalities as a client can compare policies from different underwrit-ers and opt for the one they see fit. mTek’s developments are mirrored by industry research which suggests that up to 25 per cent of small business insurance premium could be digitally underwritten by the end of 2020, a proposition supported by demographic trends
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We cannot mitigate disasters when they happen, people need to understand that. And the only way we can cushion ourselves against eventualities is through insurance
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In some African countries, more people have access to a mobile phone than they have access to electricity. We are Startupmagazine.co.ke March 2020
“When a country has less than 3 per cent penetration of insurance like we do, it means there is a problem. The sector needs to adapt, make use of technology to communicate to clients in a language that they understand. Tech will help curb fraud, drive down costs, streamline in-ternal processes and ultimately tailor products to the needs of specific income
groups,” she notes, adding that, “The more we have less human interaction in distribution of insurance, the more efficient we will be, especially in reducing fraud.”
and changing small business owner behaviours. Mobile penetration is also making this possible. As of 2018, FSD Africa indicated that about 5 in 10 people in sub-Saharan Africa had a mobile phone. In Nigeria, it was more than 70 percent and in Kenya almost 90 per cent.
Mobile technology gives insurtech providers a way to reach a large and growing market through a cost-efficient digital platform.
The app allows customers to purchase insurance directly from the insurer and file for claims - all from the convenience of their phones.
“We cannot mitigate disasters when they happen, people need to understand that. And the only way we can cushion ourselves against eventualities is through insurance,” advises the executive. Insurance is also key to the welfare
>>
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mTek Services team mebers pose for a group photo at their Nairobi Office. plans of communities in developing markets like Kenya. An eventuality, like illness, theft or accident can leave families without money, food or even shelter. “With this hindsight, we started mTek in 2017 to insure the uninsured and contribute to the welfare plan of communities,” says Bente. Their ultimate goal was to simplify customer experiences and deliver solutions through a mo-bile app. The firm was launched in 2019 after a two-year development period. “With the complexity of the local industry and integrating with different systems and part-ners, it is not easy to come up with a one fit all solutions. We also had to build a robust sys-tem with integrity, security, sustainability and options to scale,” says the entrepreneur. She further believes in building people
and helping them to deliver their best. At their Westland offices, their staff is graced by youthful and enthusiastic employees. “We have other members of staff such as the IT associates who work from home. We are al-so proud of our modern working culture which brings out the best in people,” she reveals.
novate. Attracting and retaining the right talent is also a nightmare. “There is also lack of enough data to draw meaningful insights and use them for customized solu-tions,” she says. Despite the challenges, she’s bullish about the insurtech industry and upbeat to make use of the platform (encourages other underwriters to use mTek) as a distribution channel.
“You can only grow as an organization when there is focus and energy,” says the 32-year-old CEO, who ventured into the industry out of passion. Now at the helm of the budding firm, she is optimistic that the company will continue to innovate and make a difference in the indus-try. As the CEO, Bente accepts that the insurtech industry has its own challenges. For instance, there are no regulations that govern the digital insurance space, making it difficult for the industry to inMarch 2020
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INTERVIEW
Techie Champions the use of E-receipts nities informed the birth of Kibo Capital Group. Payment Gate and Tsenda are one of our key solutions that we have successfully rolled out in the market.
j
asper Ochieng’ is the founder and Ceo of Kibo Capital Group. Kibo Capital Group is a finance and technology company that is committed to supporting creation of capital, financing and creation of real time solutions to everyday problems facing the African entrepreneurs and businesses around payments. In the following interview he shares why the company is set to redefine the fintech landscape in Kenya through a revolutional digital receipt and other payments integration solutions. Tell us about yourself? When and why did you form Kibo Capital Group? Startupmagazine.co.ke
March 2020
I have a wealth of experience in finance, banking and innovation having worked for some of the leading Kenyan banks for over ten years. The past decade has seen a disruptive fintech space and supporting infrastructures that have opened up opportunities for businesses like us to operate and thrive. Technology has revolutionized finance and the whole banking experience. Any kind of banking activity can now be done on a mobile phone or laptop; there is no need for one to visit a banking hall. From paying for bills to transfer of money among others, mobile money and related innovations have made life convenient for Kenyans. Such opportu-
What is Payment Gate? Payment Gate is simply a receipting solution service provider that avails Universally Verifiable electronic receipts for both Mobile Money payments and banking deposits, online banking or via (Paybill). This innovation delivers unique solution that is tailor made as per client’s specification for purposes of records management and comes with a marketing/Communications/ads management functionality that directly saves clients stationary costs and huge spending on marketing and advertisement. Unlike most other traditional advertising channels, Payment Gate delivers a whole new world of functionalities with superior analytics hence giving one real value for investment. What informed the launch of Payment Gate? From my experience, Kenyans have a peculiar habit of throwing away receipts after shopping at supermarkets and malls. Why cut trees only to throw them away? We need to keep our environment in check. Another observation I made was that after a mobile money transaction or bank payment that is linked to an SMS,
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a client might delete the text by mistake which makes it hard for them to keep track of their payments records in case of any eventuality. What then makes Payment Gate unique? PaymentGate makes sure that the records are kept safe in a secure clouds server. The receipt that is generated has some key features showing the payment details but without revealing other key details such as the client’s mobile money balance or number. Other key features are zero human error in sales entries and a feedback monitoring mechanism as clients can share their feedback on the platform. Businesses are also guaranteed to save on their stationery costs as the solution removes the necessity for physical printouts. The receipting solution is also universally verifiable, for example for a firm, a manager can be sent the link by a staff member in the field and when she clicks the link, she can view the transaction. How it works 1.Your Customer Pays using your mobile money (Paybill or Buy Goods or swipes using a credit or debit card). 2.The Customer receives a Text on their mobile phones (second step only if using MPESA or banks that send text notification on transactions). 3.The client receives a (second) text from PaymentGate with a link to a receipt. When they click on the link. A receipt like the one below appears where you can advertise new products. The receipt has a verification mechanism. The platform has been useful across many sectors with many firms embracing it including Microfinance banks, Sacco’s, supermarkets and real estate firms among others. What other solutions have you rolled
want to have a part of it but will not pay for it. They will want it for free and if you do not accept the paltry offers, they will duplicate your products and services. Contrary to what we see elsewhere with Facebook acquisition of WhatsApp, IG and what Microsoft did for LinkedIn and many other examples.
Jasper Ochieng’, founder and CEO KIBO CAPITAL GROUP out? PaymentGate above M-PESA, Mobile money and banking transactions, we also have done invention around making the long supermarket receipts available on the same system. Comes as a link and you see all your items purchased. Tsenda is a service that allows Kenyans to purchase airtime for any network by sending a simple instruction to a toll-free short code. Through Tsenda one can send their number followed by a hashkey and the amount of airtime to 40512, they’ll be prompted to enter the MPESA PIN and they get the airtime. They can also purchase Kenya Power tokens using the short code. Kibo Capital has another service offering for loans that targets Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The Chapeo app, which can be downloaded from Google, has been in use by a select few clients of the company since 2016. What formidable lessons have you learned as an entrepreneur in Kenya? It’s very painful especially because the things we read in books and what we see overseas is not true here at home. Many people will love your work and
What are the Social and economic impacts of digital receipts? The impact is infinite: we see global warming today the cases in Australia and elsewhere in the world, the reduction of pressure on our forests is a must do and weather patterns today are no longer predictable. Our receipts are tamper proof and billions of shillings that are lost annually in fake claims and payment records can never be re-emphasized. This is definitely a game changer. Additional benefits include provision of millions of jobs in Kenya through the advertising space that we offer on the receipts. Today we ship billions of dollars overseas on google ads, Facebook ads, Twitter ads etc: we have our own digital invention; made in Africa for Africa and export overseas. What advise can you give to young fintech entrepreneurs? A- My biggest lesson is from Steve Jobs, on love and loss: You got to find what you love, follow it and even when things look darkest, you can hang onto the love. It’s doable, keep moving a day at a time, there’s definitely no overnight success story. But for sure a day is coming. Keep improving yourself every day, collaborate where possible, find a mentor and someone to walk with. Above all always look up to God, it’s always something special.
March 2020
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Four Strategic Priorities For African Telco Oerators In 2020
iNNOVATION
SAMANTHA NAIDOO
A
Naidoo Is a Telco Industry Value Advisor at SAP Africa
frican telco operators face a landmark five-year period as they strive to reimagine their business models and build new capabilities that will ensure their future success. Currently, non-traditional market entrants are putting pressure on telco operators’ profit margins, forcing them to look at ways of quickly delivering new services to meet customer demands. The introduction of telco operator -enabled IoT networks and the upcoming rollout of 5G is also creating a new battleground for connecting a sensor-based world. The potential benefits to telco operators for 5G rollout are immense: total revenue from 5G is expected to reach $1.6-trillion by 2026, while the revenue opportunity for telco operators to use 5G to address industry digitisation is as much as $582-billion.
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March 2020
However, to unlock this, telco operators will need to reimagine their business models: 72% of 5G growth potential requires operating model transformation. The key to success in the experience economy is building intelligent enterprise capabilities that connects experiences with operations, and operations with data to guide business decisions. An intelligent enterprise collects insights from customers, employees, products and brands at every touchpoint, and uses powerful technologies to sense opportunities, risks and trends before turning this intelligence into action. In the year ahead, telco operators need to transform their business models by changing focus from products to customer-centric experiences. It’s vital that they start closing the gap between insights and actions by listening and adapting
25 to customer needs while operating on a single intelligent experience platform. Once telco operators can anticipate and deliver on the needs of customers, they can start transforming their generic sellto and sell-through business models into an ecosystem approach that can build success in markets other than traditional connectivity. In light of this, telco operators need to look at four key priority areas for 2020 and beyond, namely: Putting the customer first Customers that have become accustomed to the digital experience provided by Internet companies are expecting the same of their telco service providers. By 2025, successful telcos will gain and retain customers by providing proactive digital customer experiences across all touch points, delivering tailored solutions and services to consumers and enterprises. To get there, telcos need to enable automation and high levels of personalisation to improve customer experiences at the right cost, using tools like chatbots and machine learning technologies. By developing a deep understanding of customer behaviour, telcos can transform their businesses by expanding in adjacent industries and markets while adopting new business models. Fostering operational excellence Over the past decade, average revenue growth among telco operators has been slowing down as over-the-top (OTT) providers and other disruptors put pressure on traditional revenue streams. Telcos are now faced with huge capital expenditure from the rollout of 5G infrastructure at a time when operational expenses are increasing. In the past, telcos have faced high maintenance costs and
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low return on investment along the asset lifecycle, mostly due to broken processes and inconsistent or inaccurate data. The 5G requirement will only add further pressure. The introduction of digital twin technology brings greater visibility of contingent workers, equipment, network sites, spare parts and cables to equipment providers, maintenance contractors and tower owners. This opens the door to an operating model that enables greater sharing and collaboration. And with new technologies for managing connected assets, telcos can streamline infrastructure operations by creating a digital representation of the network sites in the cloud, giving them granular data over
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By 2025, the most successful telcos will transform into digital life providers, data brokers, digital transformation enablers and cloud service providers.
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the financial and operating performance of individual towers and other assets. Diversifying revenue streams Telco operators are under no illusion that basic communication services – ‘connectivity only’ – is the future of their business success. Telcos need to elevate their position in the value chain by going beyond just a ‘dumb pipe’ business model. By 2025, the most successful telcos will transform into digital life providers, data brokers, digital transformation enablers and cloud service providers. To get there, telco operators need to optimise new revenue streams targeting consumers and enterprises. Mergers and acquisitions will extend their capabilities and unlock new markets or ge-
ographies, but it’s important that telcos have a digital core that can seamlessly integrate new service offerings without affecting the customer experience. An ecosystem model that enables telcos to adopt, enable and retain digital partners and their innovations will open up telcos’ own strengths and capabilities to the ecosystem to create a powerful collaborative approach to market. Enabling intelligent connectivity Faced with steep infrastructure costs and uncertainty over how to maximise return on investment into 5G technology, telcos need to carefully consider the business case for 5G. In these early days, the key is to operate 5G networks as efficiently as possible while maximising revenue potential from new features made possible by this next-generation technology. A combination of the intelligent enterprise model and the telco industry’s intelligent connectivity provides the clearest path to new business models and revenue streams for 5G. By 2025, telcos could become leading enablers of the intelligent enterprise for other industries, with networks becoming smarter, more virtual and closer to zero-latency. Telcos will use new technologies to anticipate congestion, predict failures and even self-heal. The key to achieving this is to start optimising infrastructure management now. Predictive models that minimise equipment downtime and improve network performance can be enabled by developing a single, holistic view of real-time, repeatable and pre-emptive insights. We may also see new models of co-innovation around 5G, bringing various role-players into a collaborative coalition that accelerates innovation around edge computing, smart cities and other value drivers enabled by 5G. March 2020
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How to Tell if Your Employees Are Performing
HUMAN CAPITAL
PERMINUS WAINAINA
j
ust what is performance anyway? By clearly understanding this, your life as a manager will be so much easier.
Performance is simply the production of valid results.
Wainaina is a Certified HR Consultant and the Managing Partner at Corporate Staffing Services where he manages a team of 20 staff. He helps CEOs, executives, and managers solve their biggest HR pains, dysfunctions, and key challenges and turn their teams into a well-oiled machine that contributes dramatically to business success.
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March 2020
There may be many other answers to this question, but it all boils down to: can the employee produce the results expected of them? You can recognize this via certain key performance indicators. Top Performers These are the people who get the job done with amazing ease. You never have to chase them up or hound them for results. They just get it done.
Top performers are able to align their results with the overall objectives. They know why their job exists. Take an office cleaner, for example. If they are good at their job, and they are a top performer, one of their performance characteristics is that they know what a clean office should look like. They will know that the end result of their efforts is to achieve a clean office. You don’t have to come along after them and point out that they missed the windows, or that the corners are still dirty. They know what the objective is before they get into action — they can envision the end result. What a joy it is to work with such people. By contrast, how frustrating it is to work
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with people who cannot see what they are supposed to be achieving. Non-performers have to be continually directed. You cannot take your attention off their area because you know it will go off the rails if you do. What does this do for your sanity? This Really Happened Here’s a true story, and a good example of an office cleaner who did not understand that the end result of their job was a clean office. He thought he was being paid to do certain actions, rather than achieve specific performance results in his work. So, there he was, mopping the floor. That was the action he was supposed to perform. But, because he had no concept of the end result, he saw no problem with the fact that he was using a dirty mop! Consequently, he was spreading dirt from the mop along the lower edges of a clean wall, which now had ugly dirty marks on it. As far as the office cleaner was concerned, he had done his job — he had mopped the office (that’s the ACTION). But with no idea of the purpose of the exercise (the RESULT), he had actually produced the opposite of that which was required; he had produced a dirty office instead of a clean office. And the pity of it was, he could not see what all the fuss was about. “What are you complaining about? I mopped the floor, like you said…” This says a whole lot about his performance characteristics How do you ensure employees are performing to your expectation? While top performers don’t need direct-
ing, 80% of the staff has to be guided and you do this through a performance system Good performance system should be: Simple. Easy to administer. Relevant to the job and the employee’s performance. So, how do you construct a performance and appraisal system that will meet these criteria? It’s simple — you base it on the actual performance that can be measured. The very first thing you must do to ensure that your performance appraisal tools will work is to define exactly what result
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Giving your employees an appraisal based upon an agreed measure of the results they produce can be very powerful.
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you want this employee to produce As has been said before, you pay people for the results they achieve. Results are measurable, tangible things. If you think they are not producing a measurable result, what are you paying them for? If they suddenly disappeared, what results would be lacking in your operation? With some jobs it is very easy, of course, because the result is right there in front of you, for example: A salesperson produces sales, or revenue, or some such. A production worker produces completed production items. But how about a secretary or an accountant? You need to look a little harder to
establish the valuable results they produce. But you will definitely find them. Here are the key questions to ask yourself when establishing the results for a particular employee: Is it of value to another part of the organisation? Is it measurable? Is it within the employee’s control to influence the result? By focusing on the valuable result that the employee is supposed to be producing, you can now talk in terms of facts that can be measured as statistics. You can now set some specific benchmarks and targets against which to measure their performance. Your performance appraisal tools are now in the realm of numbers that can be measured and compared. There’s no opinion involved with saying, “Well, the target was 25,000 and you only achieved 15,500. That’s not very good.” They can’t argue with that. A secretary can argue with an opinion that they “did not give sufficient support”. What’s “sufficient”? Or a training manager could attack an opinion that they “did not run good training programs”. What’s “good”? If you can eliminate the opinion and replace it with measurable statistics, you immediately remove the complexity from the process. Giving your employees an appraisal based upon an agreed measure of the results they produce can be very powerful. They know exactly where they stand and there can be no argument about the results when your performance appraisal tools are used this way! March 2020
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Make Friends With Pain
LEADERSHIP
NJERI MUCHUNU
Njeri Muchunu is a Leadership Curator and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She has extensive experience in the legal profession spanning over 17 years. She has worked in private legal practice, as an executive in the Corporate sector as well as the Public sector.
Startupmagazine.co.ke
March 2020
T
he forces of pain and pleasure impact every area of your life: from relationships, to finances, to how you feel about yourself and others. Everything you do is to either avoid pain or to gain pleasure. So, what do you do with pain? I believe we need a fresh perspective. We need to make friends with our pain.
Happiness wants you to think about maximising your benefits while difficulty and suffering send you on a different course. Athletes often play when they are hurting. They know they have to make friends with their pain. Why do they continue putting themselves through such pain? Because they love playing and understand that their aches and pains are the price they must pay to stay on a field and compete on a field.
Many of us are obsessed with the pursuit of happiness but we often feel empty, alone, obsessed and without meaning.
My friend, do you want to be a better leader? Raise your threshold for pain. Do you want your business to reach
29 higher goals? Reluctance to face pain is your greatest limitation. There is no growth without change, no change without loss and no loss without pain. If you are not hurting, you are not leading. Your vision for the future has to be big enough to propel you to face the heartaches and struggles you will find along the way. I can tell you my friends, you will only grow to the threshold of your pain. I consult with leaders and I understand your hopes and hurts because I’ve been there and I’m still there everyday. When I begun consulting with leaders, I asked God for two gifts: detached concern and favour. I get calls from people and they don’t call me because they want to hear interesting stories or pass time because they are bored. They call because they are in pain and they want some answers. I tell them that the remedy will cause more pain before they can sense relief. To get stronger, they have to go deeper. Why? Because like a patient in surgery, you have to be willing to feel worse before you can feel better. I’ve known leaders whose potential hit a ceiling and stopped when they refused to break through their pain threshold. Some completely bailed out, but most settled for something less – often far less – than the grand design God had for them. Their pain threshold became their ceiling. My hope for you is that you’ll acquire a heart, perspective and skills to continually raise your pain threshold. All in all, I hope you will find courage to do three things: 1.See pain as your greatest teacher – Don’t avoid it. Don’t minimise it. And don’t numb yourself to it. Pain never just goes away. When it is not resolved, it sinks deep into our minds, creates anxi-
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ety in our hearts, causes resentment and depression and creates tension in our relationships. Face the pain sooner and you will learn important lessons about God, yourself and how to help others grow as they encounter difficulties. Pay now or pay later. If you pay later, the results may be devastating. The choice is yours! 2.Let your vision drive you – Keep the vision fresh and strong. Don’t let your mind be consumed by your immediate pain and obvious limitations. If you interpret your pain as bigger, more important, more threatening, more comprehensive – than your vision, you will define your vision down to the threshold of your pain. Focus on the bigger picture and let your anticipated legacy give you the courage you need to face each day’s struggles. Your vision will continually renew your hope, restore your courage and refresh your perspective. It will enable you to pay the price and face the pain and take the next step forward. 3.Have a rigorous personal development plan – If you have a plan to grow spiritually, relationally and professionally, you will incorporate difficulties into the learning process. Don’t coast. Read the best authors, spend time with courageous leaders and craft a plan to sharpen your skills. At many points, you will bump up against various obstacles – internally and externally, real and perceived. As you face each of them with courage, you’ll raise your pain threshold and you’ll become a better leader. In the process, you will see pain as your friend. My friends, in conclusion, without a fresh perspective on pain, a compelling vision and a clear plan, every heartache has the potential to stop you in your tracks. A driving sense of destiny opens your eyes to the lessons you can learn from betrayal, crisis and failure.
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FOOD SECURITY More Funding Needed To Combat Locust SWARMS ‘Unprecedented In Modern Times’
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MOTOR REVIEW The Beautiful Aston Martin Vantage Roadster
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TRAVEL & LEISURE Lake Kivu: Explosive If Unexploited
March 2020
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More Funding Needed To Combat Locust SWARMS ‘Unprecedented In Modern Times’
FOOD SECURITY
UNITED NATIONS
Along with climate shocks, conflict and acute food insecurity, the East Africa region now faces a hunger threat from desert locusts, top UN relief officials warned on Tuesday, saying action now, will avert a major food crisis later.
The United Nations.
T
he locust upsurge is “a graphic and shocking reminder” of the region’s vulnerability, said a joint statement from Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); Mark Lowcock, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator; and David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). “This is a scourge of biblical proportions”, the statement read. “Yet as ancient as this scourge is, its scale today is unprecedented in modern times”. GROWING PLAGUE
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March 2020
Although the UN agriculture agency sounded the alarm in January, calling for financial assistance to control the outbreak, resources have been too slow in coming. Since FAO launched its first appeal to help what was at the time three affected countries, the locust swarms have moved rapidly across vast distances and as of 12 February, have been sighted in Djibouti, Eritrea, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. Each day, more countries are affected. Last week, a swarm crossed into South
31 Sudan, one of Africa’s most food-insecure and fragile countries. And just this week, one swarm reached the eastern boundaries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo – a country that has not seen a locust incursion since 1944. The potential impact of locusts on a country that is still grappling with complex conflict, displacement, Ebola and measles outbreaks and food insecurity would be devastating. COST TO COMBAT SWELLS As the locusts continue their invasion throughout eastern Africa, and more details emerge on the scale of need in affected areas, the cost of action has shot up to $138 million to support Governments in controlling the ravaging pests, especially over the next four months. The money would fund activities to combat the locusts before new swarms emerge, provide help for people whose crops or pastures are already affected and protect families and their livelihoods.
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ACT NOW TO AVERT FOOD CRISIS Desert locusts have a reproduction cycle of three months. In just a few weeks, as crops begin to sprout, the next generation of locusts will take wing in a renewed frenzy of destructive swarm activity, threatening to devastate East Africa’s most important crop of the year.Today, mature swarms are laying eggs within vast areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, many of which are already hatching. “But that doesn’t have to happen”, the UN leaders said. “The window of opportunity is still open. The time to act is now”. They maintained that action to control and contain the locusts before the new swarms take flight and farmers crops first break soil is “critical”. At the same time, FAO needs additional resources to immediately begin boosting the resilience of affected communities so they can better withstand some inevita-
ble shocks. “Acting now to avert a food crisis is a more humane, effective and cost-efficient approach than responding to the aftermath of disaster”, the statement underscored. They welcomed the $33 million international donor response that has been received or committed. “But the funding gaps are clear, and needs are growing too rapidly”, they flagged. “We need to do more”. WFP has estimated the cost of responding to the impact of locusts on food security alone to be at least 15 times higher than the cost of preventing the spread now. It is time for the international community to act more decisively. “The math is clear, as is our moral obligation”, concluded the statement. “Pay a little now or pay a lot more later”.
March 2020
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Motors
The Beautiful Aston Martin Vantage Roadster Startupmagazine.co.ke
March 2020
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in our hair and so on. Think how much better that experience would be if the car in question was an Aston Martin. This legendary yet sometimes financially troubled British company never fails to raise the bar in the automotive beauty pageant and the new Vantage coupé, launched in 2018, is no exception. The much-anticipated Roadster is finally here and it has been well worth the wait. About The Vantage Roadster The Vantage Roadster shares the Vantage Coupé’s absolute commitment to driving thrills. Powered by Aston Martin’s 4.0L twin-turbo 510PS (503bhp) 685Nm V8 engine and driving through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, this gorgeous Roadster accelerates from 0-60mph in just 3.7sec and is capable of 190mph with the roof up. Although necessarily heavier than the tin-top sibling, the weight increase is minimal thanks to a new, lighter Z-fold roof mechanism and optimised exterior and chassis revisions throughout.
We herald the arrival of the much-anticipated Roadster variant and it does not disappoint.
With a typically no compromise approach to feel or refinement, the roadster offers Adaptive Damping, Dynamic Stability Control, Dynamic Torque Vectoring and an Electronic Rear Differential. There is a bespoke tuning set-up for the rear dampers, Adaptive Damping System software and ESP calibration.
At this time of year, in the Northern Hemisphere at least, our thoughts turn to the approach of Spring and Summer. That’s certainly the case here at MHH International and for the car enthusiasts of the world that means the return of the desire for open-top motoring; the wind
Driving As is expected from a dedicated sports car, the Vantage offers a choice of Sport, Sport Plus and Track chassis modes (also tuned specifically for the Roadster) giving the driver full control of the car’s dynamic character and behaviour. Working
Words MHH International-A Prestige Car Importer
in harmony with the power-train modes the set-up offers the ability to progressively increase the car’s overall responsiveness and excitement, meaning the Roadster has a tremendous breadth of ability and feels equally at home on the road or the race track. There is also a new range of optional alloy wheel designs in a choice of finishes. Old-school enthusiasts will also welcome the manual 7-speed transmission being offered as an option. Comfort The tautly-tailored fabric hood features a compact, powered Z-fold mechanism that ensures rapid operation (lowered in 6.7 or raised in 6.8 seconds at speeds of up to 50kmh/31mph). In fact, the roof of Vantage Roadster has the fastest full operating cycle of any automatic automotive convertible system, apparently. An impressively low stack height when lowered creates a seamless rear profile with minimal impact on the Roadster’s luggage space. Indeed, with a boot capacity of 200 litres, it is possible to stow weekend luggage or a full-sized golf bag and accessories. The interior is, as can be seen from the images, the usual mix of traditional style and brand new technology. The seats are superbly ergonomically designed for maximum comfort and hold. The oblate steering wheel, with paddle-shift, offers fingertip control for some functions and the rest fall easily to hand in the driver-focussed cockpit. This car is not cheap to be fair, but with the Vantage range starting at £114,850, not as expensive as some. If any of the cars in the Aston Martin range are of interest perhaps we here at MHH International can help. March 2020
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Travel & Leisure
Lake Kivu: Explosive If Unexploited Words Oroni Tendera
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March 2020
Lake Kivu is at risk of exploding from built up gases. The 18th largest lake in the world has dissolved gases composed majorly of 300 cubic kilometres of carbon dioxide and 60 cubic kilometres of methane, trapped below 260 metres depth. According to http://www.lake-kivu.org,
these gases are dissolved ‘like in a bottle of coke.’ But what exactly would disturb the tranquility of lake Kivu? “The methane may not spontaneously
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cause an explosion on the surface. There are numerous ignition sources above and around the lake,” said Professor Robert Heck from the Large lakes Observation at the University of Minnesota to a BBC reporter. Hallbwacks et al(2002-03-09) in Investigations in Lake Kivu (East Central Africa) after the Nyiragongo Eruption of January 2002: Specific study of the impact of the sub-water lava inflow on the lake stability argue that ‘sufficient volcanic interaction with the lake’s bottom water (that is rich in methane and carbondioxide) would heat water, force the methane out of water, spark a methane explosion, and trigger a heavy simultaneous release of carbon dioxide.’ This would be catastrophic to people living on the shores of Lake Kivu in eastern Congo and western Rwanda. Scientists, nevertheless, hypothesize that extracting the gases from the depths of the lake decrease the impact if the lake does explode. The government of Rwanda has already established three methane extraction projects in Kibuye.
Top: People selling and buying bananas at the shores of Lake Kivu. Bottom: A fsiherman at the Lake
Methane deposits in the lake are estimated to produce about 700 MWe of electricity for 50 years. This will definitely make Rwanda a major exporter of power in the region. Bonus •Lake Kivu, Lake Nyos in Cameroon and lake Manoun also in Cameroon are the only three lakes in the world known to be saturated with carbondioxide. •Lake Nyos experienced a limnic eruption on 21st August, 1986 that triggered the release of approximately 1.6 million tones of carbondioxide. 1700 people and 3500 livestock died of suffocation. •Lake Monoun exploded on 15th August, 1984. 37 people died.
March 2020
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36
Coffee Break
Good to Great: Why Some Companies
Book Review
Make the Leap...and Others Don’t Author: James C. Collins Reviewer: Publishers Weekly In what Collins terms a prequel to the bestseller Built to Last he wrote with Jerry Porras, this worthwhile effort explores the way good organizations can be turned into ones that produce great, sustained results. To find the keys to greatness, Collins’s 21-person research team (at his management research firm) read and coded 6,000 articles, generated more than 2,000 pages of interview transcripts and created 384 megabytes of computer data in a five-year project. That Collins is able to distill the findings into a cogent, well-argued and instructive guide is a testament to his writing skills. After establishing a definition of a good-to-great transition that involves a 10-year fallow period followed by 15 years of increased profits, Collins’s crew combed through every company that has made the Fortune 500 (approximately 1,400) and found 11 that met their criteria, including Walgreens, Kimberly Clark
Google Small Business
Business Review Site Reviewer: Hatchbuck Link https://smallbusiness.googleblog.com/ About the Site This is Google’s official blog for small business owners, where the company discusses new releases, new Google tools and how to make the most of them, and instructional information like how to set up
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March 2020
and Circuit City. At the heart of the findings about these companies’ stellar successes is what Collins calls the Hedgehog Concept, a product or service that leads a company to outshine all worldwide competitors, that drives a company’s economic engine and that a company is passionate about. While the companies that achieved greatness were all in different industries, each engaged in versions of Collins’s strategies. While some of the overall findings are counterintuitive (e.g., the most effective leaders are humble and strong-willed rather than outgoing), many of Collins’s perspectives on running a business are amazingly simple and commonsense. This is not to suggest, however, that executives at all levels wouldn’t benefit from reading this book; after all, only 11 companies managed to figure out how to change their B grade to an A on their own.
your first data feed, and experts weighing in on how to make the most of social media. The blog is somewhat promotional— after all, it’s mostly about Google products and tools—but it’s still very useful.
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March 2020
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At the back
Song Review
A lot 21 Savage Ft J. Cole Adam McDonald
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March 2020
21 Savage gets into a confessional mode in his latest breakout track “a lot” featuring J. Cole. The trippy beat and some flawless verses by both artists make this song something to remember. “a lot” appears in 21 Savage’s second studio album titled ‘i am > i was’ released on December 21st, 2018. It is the first track on the album and gives an intro to the entire theme of the album, which roughly stands to mean how he has moved forward in life. The album title ‘i am > i was’ stands to mean that his current state (“i am”) is better/bigger (mathematical symbol “>” where anything on the open end is bigger than the closed end) than his past state (“i was”). He could be talking about his personal life, musical career or state of mind. 21 Savage speaks about having a lot of enemies, having to do a lot of dirty business,
having to survive, and going through heartbreaks in his journey of self-progress. J. Cole joins on the track to back 21 Savage, as he raps about his struggles in making it out as an artist.
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March 2020
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Analogue.
Digital.
Your end-to-end digital insurance solution!
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