management

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April 2011

REGULARS First Thoughts Your Feedback In the News Perspective

FEATURES Cover Story Special Feature

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MANAGEMENT New Knowledge Hands on Management Smart Leadership

BUSINESS MATTERS Corporate Case Study The Entrepreneur Business Standards Money Matters HEALTH

LEISURE Top Read Motoring

OFFICE DIARY

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66 APRIL 2011

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FIRST THOUGHTS

April 2011 KSHS 300 TSHS 6,000 USHS 8,700 $4 FRW 2,500

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All shapes and colours challenges of team leadership By: MIRIAM M. CHEGE

I

n a highly charged and dynamic performance-based environment, one of the difficult roles of a manager is to inspire team achievement and offer sound leadership. Over the years, I have dealt with many people, and have been able to classify them into various personalities: Sensitive Sussy – Temperamental and comes with a ‘handle with care’ sticker.

Before talking to her, think of what to say and how you say it because she picks non-verbal cues and easily forms opinion of what you think of her and the situation.

Don’t talk to her when you are angry.

Appreciate, nurture and encourage her.

Courage the Cowardly Conrad – Cannot decide, will not decide. He is always sitting on the fence, timid, and a decision freak. He fears making major decisions lest they backfire. Don’t intimidate him when he makes a wrong decision; allow him to learn from the mistake. Start with what went right first before talking about what went wrong.

Correct him behind closed doors and praise him from the rooftops.

Passionate Paul and Enthusiastic Esther – These people are always positive, full of energy and have a positive attitude. They inspire you and give you the courage to go on especially if the pay doesn’t. They can move mountains (challenging projects) and their battery lasts longer when others are long dead.

As the team leader, don’t see them as a challenge. Appreciate them and use them for team advantage. Give them leadership roles, and let them help you achieve more and you will go far. Don’t forget to reward them.

Slow Solomon – Always seems to have a rare resource – time. He tends to procrastinate and you have to keep checking and reminding him of what he has to do. Though he tries your patience, do not lose your cool. Work with him closely. Guide on a project step by step and let him know what is urgent and priority. When he meets a deadline, make it a very big deal.

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Rigid Rodgers – Is a cousin to Slow Solomon. Flexibility and dynamism do not exist in his vocabulary. Focus on end output and not to wallow in the motions of getting there.

Difficult Dolly – This is the stubborn mule in the team. She challenges team effort, causes turmoil and has a way of making everyone’s life at work difficult. Understand her. Probably she is afraid or does not know how to tackle the task. Make her your personal project.

Morphat the Mole – He is the chief rumour monger. He gnaws the wires and glue that binds the team together. Keep him close to you, give him challenging tasks, let him lead in others. Don’t confront him about spreading a rumour.

Instead slowly convert him from a quiet trade unionist into a leader who must inspire solutions.

Fussy Fred and Baby Bob – These people always have a wet diaper which you must change. They throw tantrums, complain, cry wolf, and always come to you for solutions. Throw them in the dipend and let them come up with a solution to implement. If it works they start growing up; support them. If it does not, sit with them and ask what they would have done differently.

Smithy the Smart Brain – Always ahead, innovative, curious and creative; he is the solution guy but when no one is looking, mischief is his middle name. In a team, he can give the best results but if left alone his creativity can be a recipe for disaster.

Tap his creativity to team advantage.

Make him busy and reward him; have an eye on him but don’t choke him by putting walls around him, both of you can loose.

In the process of managing a diverse team, team leaders develop unique and interesting characteristics. In the May issue, I will discuss these traits and their impact on team achievement and development.

Miriam is the Chief Manager, KIM Membership and Media Services Division.

Email: mchege@kim.ac.ke

MANAGING ON HEELS

PUBLISHER THE KENYA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, Luther Plaza, 2nd and 3rd Floor, Nyerere Road/University Way Roundabout P.O. Box 43706 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 020 2535277 Email:kim@kim.ac.ke; Website: www.kim.ac.ke CHIEF MANAGER, MEDIA SERVICES AND MEMBERSHIP UNIT: Miriam Chege (mchege@kim.ac.ke) EDITOR: Carole Kimutai (ckimutai@kim.ac.ke) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Janet Abondo (jabondo@kim.ac.ke) SUB-EDITOR: Brenda Otindo (botindo@kim.ac.ke) STAND IN SUB-EDITOR: Charles Wachira (wachira2002@yahoo.com) STAFF WRITER: Murugi Ndwiga (ndwigam@kim.ac.ke) DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Nelson Ngaara (ngaara@kim.ac.ke) )CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Caleb Atemi, Daniel Mayabi, Danny Mucira, Mike Eldon, Macharia Kihuro, Simal Raicha, Fred Nabangi, Sammi Nderitu, Beth Kimani, Mark Kirumira, John Odyek, Kinoti Gatobu, Thuranira Mutunga, Jackson Biko, Olive Burrows, Tom Odhiambo, Milcinovic Nguyo, Tom Kwanya, Diana Ngaira, Eva Kiplagat, Berna Namata, Zainab Turuku PHOTOGRAPHERS: Emmanuel Jambo, James Oluma, Charles Kimani and Sammi Nderitu MAKE-UP ARTIST: Muthoni Mbari ADVERTISING SALES: Anthony Githendu, Titus. C. Omondi, Elizabeth Mbinya, Mary Ngumbi, Linda Gakuru, Mourine Oloo, and Eunice Kiarie ADMINSTRATION: Laura Wahinya (lwahinya@kim.ac.ke) EDITORIAL BOARD: Dr. Tom Odhiambo, Joe Otin, Barrack Muluka, and Jerry Okungu PRINTED BY: Colourprint Ltd KIM OFFICIALS Dr. Arch. Reuben Mutiso –

Chairman

Alfred Lenana

– Vice Chairman

Constantine Kandie

– Chair, Membership Development

Dan Awendo

Jonas Okwaro

Committee

– Treasurer/Chair, Finance and Investment Committee

– Chairman, Audit, Risk & Governance

Committee

Eng. Kariuki Muchemi

– Chair, Media Services Committee

Auma Kapere

– Chair, KIM School of Management

Philip Kisia

– Chair, Centre for Leadership,

Governance & Development

Committee

Richard Konzoro Isiaho

– Chair, Centre for Enterprise

Salome Gitoho

Development Committee

– Chair, Human Resources

Development Committee

Stella Muendo

– Company Secretary

David Muturi

– Executive Director/CEO, KIM

David Mwaura

– Director, Operations

Nicholas Letting

– Director, Strategic Business Units

Leah Munyao

– Director, KIM School of Management

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EXPERT WRITERS DIANA NGAIRA Diana is a PR consultant with a passion for making that ‘people-connection’ with a love for writing. dyngaira@gmail.com

FRED NABANGI Fred is an Engineer and Management Consultant with focus on Performance management (productivity and quality) frednabangi@yahoo.com

EVA KIPLAGAT Eva is the Managing Director of Customer Service Consulting Company, a pioneer consultancy and training company specializing in Service Excellence. eva@csconsulting.co.ke

SIMAL RAICHA Simal is an Area Manager of IMSM (East Africa) Ltd. He has over 14 years experience working in senior capacity of management in Kenya in different sectors.

His forte is management, leadership, and communication. simalraicha@imsm.com

MACHARIA KIHURO Macharia is a Risk Management Practitioner at Panafrican Housing Financial institution, Shelter Afrique, headquartered in Nairobi. jkihuro@yahoo.com

MIKE ELDON Eldon is a management consultant and a Fellow of the Kenya Institute of Management.

He has spent 40 years as an executive in IT vendor companies, overseeing large, complex projects in public and private sectors. He is the author of the book: ‘Kenyans, Yes we Can!’ MEldon@symphony.co.ke

TOM KWANYA Tom is a communication consultant. tkwanya@yahoo.com

DANNY MUCIRA Danny is a Retail Director at Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited. The company deals with asset management, life assurance and unit trusts. danny.mucira@oldmutual.com

Are you in the business of offering risk and security related solutions?

Banking and money transfer security solutions?

How fast can you prevent, detect, and respond to fraud and security risk!

Car tracking systems?

Security solutions?

You have the solutions?

Let your potential clients know!

In our June issue MANAGEMENT magazine will carry a special feature on Fraud and Security Risk Management.

Contact Mary Ngumbi on 0723012403, 0202610921 , 020 2535277 • Email: mngumbi@kim.ac.ke.

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YOUR FEEDBACK MR. DEMBE MAKES MY DAY I am a regular reader of MANAGEMENT magazine, and my favourite column is Office Diary. I would like to thank Mr. Dembe for sharing about the challenges he faces in the office. I really enjoyed reading the February article titled ‘I’m Pregnant’. I am looking forward to read about what happened next.

Moses Musa Musiitwa, Kampala, Uganda COMMENDABLE COVER PHOTOS The MANAGEMENT magazine looks very good and has great content. I have noticed the covers look different since the relaunch issue – Bob Collymore (Dec 2010 Jan 2011) and most recently the James Mwangi cover in the March issue. Good work on moving away from the mundane ‘statue postures’. Mwangi looks relaxed on the cover and his photos inside are commendable.

However, I think you should improve on some of the inside photos that are not of good quality.

Alex Musau, Nairobi, Kenya SET A NEW AGENDA Congratulations for putting such a wonderful informational magazine together. I have noticed that you go out of your way to tell a story differently from what we read in the newspapers. I encourage you to be a trend setter in the coverage of business and management issues in East Africa. Don’t cover the usual, go deeper in your business news coverage and analysis. For a long time, the agenda has been on politics, and we have forgotten issues like integrity; no wonder we can never slay the dragon of corruption (to use a cliché). The challenge is on you as media to present issues through a different lens that moves away from the usual.

Lastly, as a media consumer, I would like you to increase more sources of news/information. For example, I have noticed that when journalists write about banking, they only interview select CEOs. I wonder why they do not talk to the other executives from the 40 plus banks. My point? Go the extra mile, tell us the deeper story, and give your readers all sides of the coin.

Prof. J.S Nairobi, Kenya

GREAT QUOTES ABOUT WOMEN “There cannot be true democracy unless women’s voices are heard.

There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives.” ~ Hillary Rodham Clinton

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult. It’s complicated by the fact that in most nations women receive substantially less education than men.” ~ Melinda Gates

“It seems to me that the fact that I am a woman is a bigger issue than the fact that I’m from the East. For me it isn’t really important. I’ve only ever known myself as a woman.” ~ Angela Merkel

“I think women have proved themselves beyond a shadow of doubt that they are as capable and as confident in delivering results.

The “B” word.. babies or biology is a complicated one. Because it doesn’t mean that women can’t do the work, it means that women have a point, a period in their life of maybe... depending on how many children they have, of five to 10 years where they have a lessened amount of availability.

And in many corporate settings you have to be available for face time in the office and travel. And when you make the choice to have a kid you also make the choice to be not available as much.” ~ Suzy Welch

Management magazine group LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome feedback from readers. Please include your name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

Mail: MANAGEMENT magazine, The Kenya Institute of Management, 2nd and 3rd Floors, Luther Plaza, off University Way Roundabout/Nyerere Road • P.O. Box 43706 - 00100 • Tel: 2445600, 2445555, 2535277 • E-mail: management@kim.ac.ke

The views expressed in this magazine are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute.

The Editor welcomes articles from readers on subjects of interest to the Institute or to Management practices. Reproduction of any articles or pictures without permission is prohibited.

MANAGEMENT

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PERSPECTIVE

Make office politics work for you

E

By David Muturi very so often you get exasperated by office politics, particularly when some people are not playing very clean. And office politics can be truly irksome. Some people try hard to avoid getting involved, but the politics do not avoid them. Take it or leave it, office politics is a fundamental part of the work environment, for as long as you are working with human beings. So, spare your energy. Do not waste time worrying about reality that you cannot change and instead make such reality work for you.

Before you can make anything work for you, you must have a thorough understanding of the situation and why it exists. Office politics is essentially about power. Different people have different sources of power within the organization.

These range from hierarchy to expertise and from charisma to experience and even age. Power gives people influence.

It is influence that cuts vertically, horizontally and even diagonally.

You must appreciate that the work environment is competitive by nature.

There is competition for resources, competition for promotion, and competition for attention. Competition is not always fair. Some people want to use shortcuts. Others want to undercut and to backstab. Amidst all this, the organizational culture, for its part, supports different brands of politics.

Indeed the institutional culture is the bedrock of politics in the organization.

Politics is also about goal searching and goal finding. The goals are often sought after competitively. But the search can also be cooperative. There are collective and competitive goals among the players. In essence, goal conflict is what propagates politics. For one, there is always the conflict between organizational and personal goals. This struggle is continuous and involves everyone in the organization. Trying to balance the two always provides fertile ground for office politics.

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There are many people who claim that they are not involved in office politics. This is a far cry from the truth.

This is unless you are confusing office politics with something else – maybe gossip or unethical behaviour. Plato, the philosopher, famously said that one of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. These will be people with less experience, knowledge and skills. Of course we desire, in our minds, the ideal environment that is devoid of politics, unfair competition and undercutting. But that is something you will work towards for the rest of your life but never achieve. It is not there, it has never been. So make good of what you have.

The best of office politics To make the most of the office politics start by collapsing the formal known organizational structure and drawing it afresh in your mind. Ask yourself who the key people are. Who influences decisions? Who commands respect across the board? Who are the brains behind the organization? Who are the key drivers of the organization? You should then watch the informal networks.

Are there cliques? Who regularly sits with whom over lunch? Who are the persons involved in interpersonal conflicts? Who has the most trouble in getting along with other people? Where there is friendship, what kind of friendship is it? Is it based on mutual respect, manipulation or prior engagement?

Start building your relationships and networks and remember you will reap what you sow. If you start building relationships on the basis of manipulation that is what you will get in return. Build your relationship on a foundation of trust and respect. Avoid camps and camp building and instead engage in multiple networks. Seek to obtain from the network what you can give to it without feeling manipulated and used.

While building your network you must

be a very keen listener. Listen to what is said and what is not said, without being judgmental. This helps a lot in improving difficult relationships. The networks provide information. Get as much of this as possible, even what you may seem not to have immediate use for. It might be important in future.

You will get to know people who would want you to fail. Get to know such people better and try to understand why they would want you to fail. It might just be a perception, misinformation or malice, where they might not be holding themselves high enough. Address their issues soberly. They might be your greatest assets in the very near future.

Finally, do not get carried away.

Small successes here and there may tempt you to get excited. Not everything you try will work, so be confident, but not aggressive. While remaining true to yourself, you must learn and change positively. To provide leadership in your own way and shape the office politics positively, you do not need to shout at meetings about how bad office politics are. You can instead be a model of integrity. Stop whining and complaining, we all have our share of problems.

Rise above interpersonal conflicts and focus on organizational perspectives.

Most important of all, politics thrives on information, true or false information. Do not be in a rush to act on information obtained. Take time to consider things before acting.

Email: dmuturi@kim.ac.ke

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Classes start date: Graduate Programs: Sept. 2011 KSMS Diploma & CAF: April 2011 Professional Programs: July 2011 MANAGEMENT

APRIL 2011

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IN THE NEWS

APPOINTMENTS

Prof. Olive Mugenda Named to Commonwealth varsity Council Kenyatta University Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Olive Mugenda, has been nominated unopposed to the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Council. Prof. John Wood, the ACU Council Secretary General, said Prof.

Mugenda will sit on the Council for the next two years. The Council, he said, looked forward to working with Prof.

Mugenda, who has already been asked to attend her first Council meeting in Hong Kong in April. The meeting will prepare grounds for the ACU’s Executive Heads meeting at the same place.

There are only three nominees from Africa: Prof Mugenda, Prof. Ihron Rensburg (University of Johannesburg), and Prof. Ishaq Oloyede (University of Ilorin, Nigeria). The three will represent East, South and West Africa, respectively.

Rachel Gathoni Muiruri Rachel has been appointed the new KCB Foundation Manager.

She joins KCB from Family Health International Kenya where she held the position of senior programs specialist for two years. She has over nine years experience in senior leadership positions in development programs in the region, having previously worked with Vodacom Tanzania as the Head of The Vodacom Foundation and Family Health International Tanzania as Senior Program Officer. She holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts degree in Project Planning and Management at the University of Nairobi.

Byford Mutimusakwa Byford has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer for Metropolitan Life Insurance.

Byford has over 25 years experience in the life insurance industry having worked in the Southern Africa market with Fidelity Life Assurance and First Mutual Life Assurance, and the Western Africa market as Head of Life Operations with ADIC Insurance in Nigeria.

Byford holds an MBA degree and is an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).

MANAGEMENT Gift hamper winners

Say cheese!..An elated Wamuyu Njongoro, (left) a HR practitioner receives a BIDCO hamper from Eunice Kiarie, Advertising Executive, MANAGEMENT Magazine.

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Congratulations!..Anne Wainaina,(left) an Accountant cannot hide her joy as she receives a BIDCO hamper from Nelson Ngaara, Head Graphic Designer, MANAGEMENT Magazine.

Its all smiles as Mwingirwa Kithure,(left) a hotelier receives a gift hamper from Anthony Githendu, MANAGEMENT Magazine’s Head of Sales.

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IN THE NEWS

Best Business 2010 goes to HACO

HACO Industries Chairman, Chris Kirubi (3rd right) proudly displays the Country of the Year Award presented to HACO Industries. Looking on from left to right is Groues Guillaume, Area Business Manager Central and Eastern Africa, Anthony Mburu, Sales Director, HACO, Wambui Migwe, BIC Marketing Manager, David Kamau – Marketing Director HACO, Polycarp Igathe, Managing Director HACO, and Mike Conway, Managing Executive Tiger Brands.

HACO has been voted the best business in the Emerging Markets

by Societe BIC in the year 2010. The award is in recognition of outstanding volume growth in BIC products that are manufactured and marketed by HACO under license from Societe BIC France.

The products are Ball pens, Shavers and Lighters. Overall BIC Volumes produced

by HACO increased by 38 percent compared to 2009.

The award was presented to HACO at a colourful ceremony which was part of BIC Emerging Markets Convention held in Acapulco Mexico. On hand to receive the award was HACO Chairman Chris Kirubi flanked by HACO’s management team namely; Polycarp Igathe Managing Director, David Kamau – Marketing Director, Anthony Mburu – Sales Director, and Wambui Migwe – Marketing Manager BIC. Also present at the ceremony was Michael John Conway

a Non- Executive Director at HACO representing Tiger Brands.

The BIC Emerging Markets Convention brought together over 200 participants and was held to commemorate 60 years anniversary of BIC product presence in Global emerging markets. Emerging Markets territory covers 130 countries around the world, with 1.3 Billion inhabitants within 13 different time zones.

Sarova Panafric gets a facelift When the quest for Africa’s independence raged in the 1960’s, Sarova Panafric was the center of liberalism and hushed political meetings hosting many of Africa’s nationalists and future African statesmen. Named in honour of the Pan African movement, Sarova Panafric was inaugurated by the first president of Kenya H.E. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on 5th January 1965 as a representation of Neo Africa.

Sarova Panafric has embarked on major product upgrades intended to offer guests a contemporary African experience.

The series of product upgrades at the hotel are aimed at enhancing guest experience, offering a home away from home.

The hotel features a new entry foyer, lobby and reception all themed on neo African décor and tone. The lounge is intended to offer a pleasant working environment for business executives and other guests staying at the hotel. The new lobby’s architectural theme is complemented by newly commissioned uniforms for all staff, whose designs are a blend of African print and contemporary fashion trends. To further enhance the arrival experience for the guests, the hotel has installed a state of art

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security feature and a new gatehouse that will ensure minimal inconvenience and a smooth flow of guest vehicles into the hotel.

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IN THE NEWS

SMEs to get access to capital In an effort to encourage the growth of venture capital markets in Kenya and East Africa, and deepen the financial markets, the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) is spearheading an initiative to unlock the potential of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Speaking during the launch of the CMA East Africa Impact Investing Task Force Report in Nairobi, the CMA Chief Executive, Stella Kilonzo said CMA in collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation has established a Task Force which identified challenges and proposed solutions to help SMEs access funding. “The Task Force was important in providing insights on the challenges faced by impact investors with a keen interest in early stage ventures in East Africa, an overview of the impact investing opportunities, and propose creative solutions to help overcome the challenges over the medium to long term. We are extremely pleased with the broad policy and regulatory reforms proposed to enhance access to domestic capital,” explained Kilonzo.

Vincent Rangwe (left), Senior Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, and Stella Kilonzo, CMA Chief Executiveduring the launch of the CMA East Africa Impact Investing Task Force Report. The report identified challenges and proposed solutions to help SMEs in the ICT sector access funding.

With significant growth of international venture capital markets, CMA is taking proactive steps to identify methods to facilitate venture capital investments in Kenya. “The capital markets in Kenya and East Africa as a whole offer appealing exit strategies,

through IPOs and listing by introduction, for venture capital and private equity investors,” said Kilonzo. Impact investors are an emerging class of venture capitalists seeking to optimize financial returns while pursuing a positive social/ environmental impact.

Shell exits Uganda

By John Odyek Energy giant Shell has agreed to sell most of its African downstream activities to Swiss group Vitol and Africa-based Helios Investment Partners for US$1b.

“Shell announced it has agreed to divest the majority of its shareholding in most of its downstream businesses in Africa to Vitol and Helios Investment Partners for a total consideration of US$1b,” said a statement.

“We have signed an intent. The transaction takes a long time. It can six months to complete,” said Ivan Kyayonka, chairman and managing director Shell Uganda Ltd. The pending partnership deal between Shell and a new oil stakeholder in Uganda has left many stake holders in the industry pondering the next move.

Ivan Kyayonka, chairman and managing director Shell Uganda Ltd says the company was still present in Uganda adding that the decision to change the ownership of Shell would not affect the management and operations of the company in Uganda.

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Kyayonka said Shell’s interest was to sell its entire or majority of the portfolio in Africa to one group. Vitol Group is a global energy trading company with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Vitol is in partnership with Helios Investment, a South African based private Pan African equity firm to buy the majority shares of Shell.

Ivan Kyayonka, chairman and managing director Shell Shell said last April Uganda Ltd. it was reviewing its downstream businesses in Liquid Petroleum Gas business in South 21 African countries and other regions Africa (all other downstream businesses to focus on fewer, larger markets. The in South Africa are not in scope). businesses under review in Africa are On the question of whether the limbo profitable Shell stated. Tanzania and created by Shell would enable a number Kenya form part of the 21 countries. of small oil competitors to enter the Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Cote market, Kyayonka says they were free d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, to enter the market since it was a free Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Cape Verde, market economy.

Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar, Mauritius and La Reunion, plus the

SAA introduces wide body aircraft to Kenya South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it will be introducing a wide body aircraft on the route to Nairobi, Kenya, effectively increasing capacity on the route by 582 seats per week.

SAA previously operated the Airbus A319 and the Boeing 737-800 to Kenya, with the route now alternatively being served by the Airbus A340-200 and the A340-300.

The change of aircraft type means extra seat capacity on the route, as well as the introduction of a lie-flat business class seat offering with touch screen in flight entertainment for business travellers. “Kenya is a key destination in our East Africa operations and the introduction of a larger aircraft type on this route is an important step towards increasing the flying options and comfort for our loyal travellers,� said Aaron Munetsi, SAA Regional General Manager for Africa and the Middle East.

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TOP EVENTS VALENTINE DIVA DINNER VENUE: INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL DATE: NARC-K Makadara chair Waithera Chege (left) with New Dawn group's CEO Michelle Foudo.

11TH FEBRUARY 2011 PHOTOS: CHARLES KIMANI

(L-R) Diana Nyambura, Chris Kirika, Crystal Wawira and Catherine Njeri.

Denise Gordon performing.

Martha Karua with her daughter Crystal Wawira leading divas on the floor.

THE CENTENARY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION - Kenya Women and Children Wellness Centre ( KWCWC Awards) VENUE: INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL

DATE: 8TH MARCH 2011 PHOTOS: SAMMI NDERITU Deloris Jordan (left) Founder- Kenya Women & Children's Wellness Centre and Prof. Olive Mugenda, Vice Chancellor Kenyatta University.

Beth Mugo, Minister of Public Health & Sanitation presenting a Health Award to Doris Mayoli for her efforts in breast cancer awareness.

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Julie Gichuru, (left) Citizen's News Anchor and Mumbi Kaigwa.

Gina Din Kariuki (left), MD Gina Din Corporate Communications and Mary Okelo,Executive Director Makini School.

IN THE NEWS

Annual CEO Forum held The 2011 CEOs- Collaborative Forum conference was held in Barcelona, Spain from March 13 to 15. The conference was geared at assisting global business leaders identify and explore practical solutions to critical problems ranging from finance and capital mobilization, board and other stakeholder items, through sales channels, market segmentation and other commercial issues to operational challenges such as hiring and retaining senior staff. Delegates attending the conference also learnt and shared best practices in business management through a collaborative initiative with IESE Business School at the University of Navarra in Barcelona.

Attended by 100 global leaders, the forum is an exclusive community of international growth-company leaders either based in Europe or with strong business interests in Europe. Kenya was represented by Michael Macharia, Chief Executive officer and Founder of Seven Seas Technologies.

Bio-fuel answer to energy problem Developing nations have an untapped resource that could enable them to fight poverty, create jobs, gain energy independence and help to both limit and adapt to climate change, says a report published on 10 March by the International Institute for Environment and Development.

The report urges that nations to take advantage of their dependence on biomass fuels — such as wood and charcoal — and move towards green economies in which the poor benefit from producing sustainable, clean energy. The report points out that reliance on biomass fuels is set to treble from 10 to 30 percent of global energy consumption by 2050. Advanced new technologies can convert wood to liquid and gaseous fuel or can produce wood bundles or pellets that can be ‘gasified’ to make electricity.

While developed nations are taking this seriously, developing nations are generally lag behind, and treat biomass energy as traditional and dirty, a health

hazard, poverty trap and threat to forests. But the report shows how they can turn their already heavy biomass dependence into an advantage.

Biomass energy is highly flexible and can be readily converted into all the major energy carriers (heat, electricity, liquid and gas). This means it can meet many of diverse energy needs: from irrigation pumps and illumination, through agricultural processing and refrigeration to transport and telecommunication.

“Many governments in developing nations dissuade people from burning wood or charcoal as fuel as they think it is backward, but this just criminalises poor people for their energy needs and does little to limit deforestation,” says Duncan Macqueen, a senior researcher in IIED’s natural resources group and co-author of the report.

“Instead government should embrace and legalise biomass fuels as a source of energy and enact policies that make supply chains sustainable.”

Central Bank of Sudan pumps more foreign currency into economy The central bank of Sudan (CBoS) is injecting more foreign currency into the banks and Forex bureaus with indications of improvement in the country’s reserves of hard currency.

According to CBoS, the optimism stems from increases in oil prices, Sudan’s main export, and better utilization of local gold production and selling it abroad leading to more inflow of hard currency.

Furthermore, the top financial authority noted its decision to enter the market as a buyer of gold and building reserves of it for the purpose of exporting it to build “comfortable” reserves of foreign exchange.

Most of Sudan’s oil reserves are in the south, and there are fears that if it becomes independent the north’s economy will suffer a shock.

As part of an austerity package approved earlier in 2011, the government banned certain imports to reduce the outflow of hard currency and prevent what officials labeled as “economic collapse”.

The CBoS imposed harsh restrictions on cash transfers abroad and the amount of hard currency travelers can carry.

Many banks have said that they are unable to meet customers’ demand for Forex.

An incentive system was introduced by the CBoS in November 2010 aimed at encouraging people with hard currency to come forward and sell their holdings at a price higher than the official exchange rate.

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(From Left) Wakonyo Igeria, Company Secretary-Consolidated Bank, Gladys Ogallo, MD-Virtual HR, Shivani Patel, MD-Zen Garden and Norah Odwesso, Public Affairs & Communication Director-Coca-Cola East & Central Africa Ltd

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COVER STORY

Defining success

By Carole Kimutai

Photos: Emmanuel Jambo Make-up: Muthoni Mbari Location: Serena Hotel

T

his issue comes one month after the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day marked on 8th March.

After many days of planning and long working hours, I am proud to present to you the inaugural MANAGEMENT Women Issue. The idea of having an annual women issue was floated during an editorial meeting early this year. It was an Aha! moment that carried us away as we brain stormed on how best to highlight successful women in East Africa.

The objective of this issue is to have a historical record of inspiring and motivating stories about women who are making a difference in the society; from the workplace, family, business, leadership, sports, the arts and music.

We want to inspire younger women, break the myths that women have to be treated with special gloves, and given special consideration. The women we have featured in this issue represent many women who work hard just like their male counter parts, and are proud of their achievements.

There are very many successful women but when we embarked on this assignment, I was warned not to highlight the usual women who have been covered in the media many times.

“Give us fresh faces,” said a colleague.

As the magazine Editor, one of my biggest headaches has been getting a woman to put on the cover of the magazine – you see unlike men, for some strange reason, I find myself justifying why the woman on the cover deserves to be there. Who is she?

What makes her so unique? These are questions I am often asked but for this issue, we decided to break all the rules and stereotypes just like the 34 women

from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda we have featured.

With expectations high; our next challenge was coming up with names and deciding how to treat the stories.

How many women will we interview?

How do we classify them? After setting deadlines, the research team made up of Murugi Ndwiga and Beth Kimani got to work. I remember we met more than 20 times to comb through the names and wondered if we had missed someone.

Some women I knew, others I was hearing their names for the first time.

The list of women was very long and it was very difficult dropping some names because of the space available.

After short listing, we decided we wanted to know their definition of success and how they have reached where they are today. It was a challenging experience.

When we called them to schedule interviews; some women were delighted, others refused, and others cancelled at the last minute. It was frustrating and discouraging.

Because of the logistics involved in taking individual photos we opted for a photo shoot at a Nairobi hotel where we would gather all the women together.

That meant making more phone calls and negotiating a time with them. Some were available, some were not. With the help of photographer Emmanuel Jambo, and make-up artist Muthoni Mbari we spent six hours directing poses until we got the perfect shot.

So what is success? There are many definitions as you will read from the interviews with these women. In my definition, success is having a dream and making it happen. We had a dream of publishing a women issue and we made it happen – that to me is success. To all the women in the world, I salute you!

Email: ckimutai@kim.ac.ke

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COVER STORY Maggie Ireri Managing Director, Synovate Kenya What has contributed to my success, is my diverse experience in business management competence ,coupled with technical skills in research honed over the last seven years.

In addition, I have experience in strategy formulation, implementing sales and marketing initiatives and general business management.

I started my career as a contract field work researcher in 1999. My job involved going out into the field with questionnaires seeking respondents and collecting data for the company’s clients. At the onset of my career in research, I nurtured the confidence that I would one day rise up to senior management level but I did not anticipate that I would one day be the MD of the largest research company in the country.

During my career in research I have made various achievements in the set up and management of Synovate subsidiaries in Africa. As a Country Manager at Synovate Uganda, I built research capacities of local staff, set up systems and structures which led this office to becoming the second largest Synovate Pan Africa subsidiary.

As the Business Development Director, I successfully transformed Synovate Zambia from a loss making operation to a profit centre in 2007.

I spearheaded the setting up of Synovate’s Nigerian office and it has grown to become a key market in West Africa. These achievements have enabled Synovate expand its geographical presence across Africa, thus revenue growth for the company has burgeoned.

My experience in the set up and management of Synovate subsidiaries in Africa has enabled me to learn the skills necessary to run a successful business, arguably preparing me for my current position as the MD of Synovate Kenya.

The motivation behind my work is my passion for two things- doing research and working with people. As I work passionately with people I achieve excellent research results.

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Melissa Baker CEO, TNS RMS East Africa (formerly Research International) Success is being at the top of the Industry; enjoying what you do and keeping the passion alive and giving back to the people around you.

A factor that impacted my career was working at BBC in the research department as well as liv ing in South America. It gave me a different perspective towards life and put me on the path I am on right now. My achievements is being able to do global research and syndicated studies like digital life, mobile life and Tru and our youth study which we carry out every year over and above what we do for our clients. All this has helped the company chart the way for technology research, which is the future, as well myself being in a better position to understand the market.

We have managed to make Retail Audit a pan African audit. We have managed to build up the knowledge of Africa and consumer trends on the continent I worked as a typist, waitress at an art centre (where I got the love for art) but it was at the BBC Research Department that I got the passion for research; also living in South America for six months gave me a vision to do social research.

My challenges are dealing with perceptions of a female boss as well as the normal challenges of running any business but I stay motivated by doing research- what I enjoy.

COVER STORY Angela Ambitho Founder & CEO, Infotrak Research & Consulting Success is the ability to move from one failure to the next without any loss in enthusiasm ,said Sir Winston Churchill, an iconic British Statesman.

Success emanates from accepting that in the quest to achieve, challenges and failure will exist.

In learning from my numerous failures since I founded Infotrak, I believe that slowly but surely, I have discovered the formula to success. It has meant having more patience, endurance and dedication; never giving up; always looking at the glass as half full rather than half empty. Over and above that, the belief in one self; dexterity and passion and wisdom are other key attributes to performance.

I got into management at the age of 24 when I was employed. Whilst the company I worked for was not a large corporate, I chose to stay on, rise up the ranks and garner all the necessary skills pertaining to business management. By age 28, I was Managing Director of the organisation.

My tenure with the firm not only resulted in business growth, but the development of a stronger and well structured corporate entity. I negotiated equity participation in lieu of remuneration which meant that I also became a minority shareholder of the firm. I was a senior business executive who was tasked in doing all that pertains to business management and growth, pray for having majority shareholding like most entrepreneurs.

After nine years in employment, I delved into full scale entrepreneurship. In 2004 April I quit my job and in October I started Infotrak.

During the nascent stages of the business, I was everything; a driver, messenger, receptionist etc but as work trickled in, I got a personal assistant. Infotrak currently employs nearly 30 full time staff and works with a pool of 500 enumerators throughout the country. We have expanded regionally with capabilities to do work in neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania including in the Western African state of Nigeria.

I have never really looked at success as driving a big fancy car or living in a big fabulous house. To me those are ‘value adds’. What is important is impacting positively; changing lives and living one’s dream. Success is not so much about material things, but about people; relationships and ultimately happiness.

I think we all achieve a measure of success every time we learn from our mistakes and try again.

Remember that success is not a destination, it’s a journey!

Emmy Kosgei, Gospel Musician I started my music career as a back-up musician for Esther Wahome and back then, the thought never crossed my mind that I would ever become a professional artist.

Hard work and consistency, going the extra mile and making a lot of sacrifices have been the pillars of my success. You have to be innovative so as to stand out by providing something that is not commonly found among other artists. You have to constantly renew yourself by remaining open to new ideas. I have also learnt to play as a team and to be prepared to swallow criticism and make adjustments where necessary.

The motivation behind my music is the word of God and seeing how it changes, inspires and impacts other people’s lives.

In the continuous process of working toward my goals, like in any other career, there are many challenges.

I always believe what comes my way makes me stronger, so I take every challenge positively not allowing them put me down or determine my direction or goals in life.

Through dependence on a higher power, I maintain my focus.

The journey to success is a process and I feel I’m still in the process. Every achievement is a stepping stone to the next level, it never stops.

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COVER STORY Emily Waita Corporate Affairs Manager - Lafarge Bamburi Cement I believe that when one is very clear about what they want, the universe conspires to make it happen. I wanted to become a doctor but missed joining medical school by just a point.

Looking at where I ended up, things turned out better than I had imagined.

I have come to realise that life is really just very simple - just stay true to yourself and the red carpet will roll open no matter what barriers or negative situations happen.

There are various factors that have contributed to where I am today. Focus and going the extra mile doing more than is expected of me, networking ,a passion for what I do and

mentorship, tapping into highly inspirational individuals who have succeeded in their various capacities in my career and in life. It is truly amazing what you can learn from those who have walked the path before.

If I were to name one of my most outstanding achievements in life, it would be a year of aggressive research, media monitoring, fundraising, lobbying and long nights rehearsing presentations in order to get the board of Greenpeace International to open offices in West and East Africa at a time when the organisation was not convinced of the ability of the region to sustain such an office.

In my current job, it would have to be in the area of managing stakeholder relations and Financial Reporting and Investor Relations - this has led to the company receiving accolades both locally and internationally for these achievements, they have also been the most challenging but rewarding areas of my work.

I think one of the most common challenges for someone who works in the wide PR field undergoes is the broad nature of the job, especially in a large and listed company, it can be quite overwhelming! At the beginning you feel like you are trying to swallow a whole elephant and I have had a few failures here and there, luckily not serious ones.

However it is in making these mistakes and struggling that you begin to master the right way to do things. You don’t have to swallow the whole elephant, just start with a small bite.

Daphine Mwanza Managing Director, Elle Interior Designers What is your definition of success?

Being surrounded by those that I love through every circumstance, living a life of purpose, being able to make sound decisions and see them to fruition, growing those who look up to me, enjoying spiritual soundness and being able to freely give without the worry that whatever am giving will ever run out.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

The support from my husband Jan since I decided to take the path of entrepreneurship. He’s helped in raising capital for the business and develop structures in the company but has also offered moral support through the most challenging moments of my journey.

What stands out in your career achievements?

Developing a professional work force to deliver outstanding business results; Ensuring that the company gives consistent and exemplary customer service; The formation of long-term relationships with strategic partners for business sustenance and continuous growth and Investing in marketing, research and advertising opportunities to add value to our brand.

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What was your first job and what was your vision when you started Elle?

The first job I did was for a friend and it was basically getting new curtains for his house. It was challenging as I had not yet made the right contacts in the market and I had not yet developed a thick skin for ‘fundis’. My vision for Elle then and now is to be ‘Africa’s leading Interior Designers and Decorators’.

What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are?

Getting the right staff who share your vision and passion, it has also been challenging setting up structures and systems that work both internally and externally, getting my new brand out and also managing brand perception, raising finances to implement new ideas and programs and also developing a strong portfolio for the business.

What keeps you motivated?

Reading motivational books and material, not letting down people who look up to me. I’m also motivated by progress, growth and challenges.

COVER STORY Carole Mandi Publisher, True Love Magazine I had two parents who were literary, my father worked as an editor and my mother wrote books as a hobby.

I would say it was an inherited talent that was identified by my teachers in primary school and then nurtured.

So from a tender age, my career was carved out.

I’ve faced no challenges that other women do not go through. First, I work in a male dominated field. Then there is the challenge of balancing a demanding career with the demands of the home front. I’ve dropped the ball many times, missed some of my children’s concerts including sports days. Those have been the hardest times for me. Anything else, from difficult employers or employees, to seeking capital for my business, I believe I can handle.

For my career to thrive I believe is as a result of a hard work ethic.

And I’m not afraid to put in the time to get what I want. Also, I am very determined and unafraid to take

risks. I also have lots of faith in God. I’ve had several highlights one being the successful launch of women empowerment programs like the Eve Woman of the Year and the Phenomenal Woman workshop. Another, is editing successful women’s magazines like True Love. For almost two years, I hosted a popular woman talk show Sebuleni., on the public broadcaster.

Publishing was a good fit for my skills and aptitude. Also, it is a career I enjoy so immensely that I would sometimes do it for a paltry or no pay. I put in a lot of passion behind my work.

The money is secondary. My desire is to see people, women in particular own their destiny and make choices that will improve their lives and this is what drives me.

For me success is a journey, not a destination. The accolades and platitudes are nice but I also prefer to look at the whole picture relationally. My relationship with my children, husband and family is critical to my definition of success. If it’s good at home, then I’m good.

Susan Wakhungu-Githuku Founder and MD – Human Performance Dynamics Africa, Founder and Publisher – Footprints Press Limited I define success as arriving at a place where you have the latitude to work on your passions. It is also the simple decision to make a tangible and positive difference in the life of another human being who is with me at this time on this journey of life.

The freedom to choose where I played has perhaps been the most critical factor in impacting my career. I was brought up by parents, most importantly, a mother who told us to aim for the sky and do as we wished. This freedom unlocked every door as it allowed me to experiment with several careers. I have also had the great fortune of working with very bright, intelligent colleagues and excellent managers from whom I could learn and grow. Lastly, and perhaps most significantly as a married woman, my life partner is a man who believes in me and my dreams and who gives me wings to fly.

Among many other achievements, being ranked Kenya’s Number 1 tennis player many years ago and representing the country across many arenas, I could not have been more proud.

In the 1990’s when I worked on the USAID Programme, Training for Development which sought aspiring Kenyans with leadership potential and provided them scholarship opportunities for long and short term development programs in the USA. My role was to seek out, identify and present these high potential individuals. Amongst them were former Minister for Information and Communications, Mutahi Kagwe; former Ambassador and Chairman of Toyota E.A , Dennis Awori; current Commissioner of Customs, Rose Wambui Namu; former CEO of EABL Gerald Mahinda and current Deputy

Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya Dr. Hezron Nyangito. I hope and believe that the programme ignited in them a resolve that has in some small way contributed to their onward successes.

Recently, the launch of my first bookLife Journeys: Seeking Destiny has been a milestone of which I am proud of.

Looking at Human Performance Dynamics Africa which is a boutique Organizational Development and HR Consulting firm and Footprints Press, a publishing house which seeks to publish positive books on the experience of the contemporary African, I believe that much work lies ahead and we have plenty to do.

My overall life career objective is to spread positive enthusiasms and to unlock latent potential in individuals and in so doing impact our country, positively.

The challenges I’ve had to overcome have been few, maybe because of my attitude. I believe in the lessons that come from failing. I cherish challenges as they compel me to be resourceful.

My motivation comes from the love I feel from those close to me, blessings from above, the need to challenge myself differently. My life mantra is that I have no excuse.

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COVER STORY Marion Gathoga Country Director, Cadbury Kenya and East Africa

Gladys Ogallo, Managing Director, Virtual HR She has over 12 years experience in the human resource profession. Her career began at African online, by then the largest Internet Service Provider(ISP) in Africa.At the time, she was the head of training, in charge of nine countries, before moving to UUNET. Later she left and set up her own human resource consulting company, virtual HR, where she says she has the freedom to work as she wishes with her clients’ of choice.

She comprehends the complexity of her career. Her decisions can break or make her clients’ organizations.

So delicate is the affair of dealing with hiring, firing and sometimes retrenching company employees. The secret to succeeding in this sector is not gaining popularity or helping people, she says. This means that you will sometimes make enemies as you carry out your duties and sleepless nights cannot be ruled out.

“I remember one experience where the industrial changes I was making in a clients organization included having to retrench workers. This incident left me so emotionally drained I had to seek professional help to get through it,” she reminisces . a“Never be afraid to ask for help when a task seems too overwhelming to handle by yourself”, she reveals another secret to her success. She also surrounds herself with a strong network of friends. She sits in four company boards where she is able to view companies from different levels and is able to implement her skills.

She believes that for leadership skills to really take root in a society, it is important to mould these qualities to people while at a young age. She is carrying this out practically by offering free training at Kianda School, here in Nairobi, where she is running a leadership course, that assists students to learn the ropes of setting up goals and how to focus on achieving them.

She does this with her eyes and heart determined to prepare students for the workplace and also helping them to take charge of their own lives.

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I joined Cadbury Kenya & East Africa in 2008 from an SME project - Circle Pharmaceuticals in Zambia, where I held the position of Commercial Director. Prior to that, I worked with Bayer East Africa Limited in Sales, HR and General management and Nestle Foods (K) Limited in the Marketing department. I have always wanted to continue improving myself as a person and as a leader and I think in the pursuit of those goals, I have assumed responsible roles that have supported that mission of “focusing on progress not perfection”.

Over the years I have gained strong operational and managerial experience through continuous learning, reflecting and re-dedicating myself to a higher purpose. This has meant that all business goals as well as personal goals for myself and my colleagues are very clear and balanced and that they can be measured and improved upon – always.

What contributes to my success is always striving to keep my commitments and to deliver my best at all times. This has been driven by the fact that I believe that we become what we think we are. That is why I always try to make certain, that at the deepest, most private level I am supporting what I want to be. When I falter I get up and walk even further.

The true self- belief that I will become wiser, more capable and more confident as I lead teams to great success, through focusing on the things that I do well keeps me motivated.

The main challenge I have faced in my career is balancing my accountability. I tackle this challenge by seeking the advice of my peers and my mentors, truly understanding the challenge and the lessons I can learn from the experience.

Success to me means to have a balanced life and it is an ongoing goal which one can get better at over time. It’s very fulfilling to be part of making dreams a reality for the children at Palm house foundation. It is extremely fulfilling, to see that you are touching people’s lives positively, by helping them grow and make something of their lives. If this article encourages or inspires other leaders it would have served a good purpose.

But I know I could always do more.

After all, nothing happens, unless first we dream it!

COVER STORY Susan Mudhune Safaricom Board member I was born and raised in Maseno in a family of eleven children. Being the sixth, I had older siblings to look up to and younger ones to take care of. Thus leadership and responsibility was instilled in me at an early age.

My older siblings set very high standards for me to emulate. I had two older brothers who went to Alliance High School. This gave me a strong drive to excel and I joined Alliance Girls’ High School. I then went to Nairobi University for my BA certificate. By this time, after growing up with parents who were great mentors and among achievers, I was confident that nothing was and is too difficult for a determined mind.

After University, I joined the teaching profession but changed to banking in 1978, joining the National Bank of Kenya( NBK) as a Management Trainee.

I then took study leave for my MBA certificate, a year later, on realizing that I needed to build my capacity so as to succeed in my new career. On return to the bank, I worked in various management positions and took early retirement in 2000.

The highlight of my career was when I was elected as Chairman of KCB Group 2003, the first time a woman was elected to chair a listed company and a commercial bank board in Kenya. Back

then, KCB was going through serious performance and image challenges. With a committed team, I was able to lead the bank back to profitability, rebrand it and expand its operations to Southern Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda by the end of my term in 2008. That period called for audacity in decision making to enable the implementation of necessary changes.

My experience over the period made me more resilient. I learnt that to lead successfully, you must have the ability to influence your team positively. Currently I serve on other corporate Boards that is Safaricom, Pan Africa Insurance Holding, Eveready East Africa Ltd and Centre for Corporate Governance.

The mere fact that people appreciate the steps I leave behind is my motivation.

It’s gratifying when young women come up to me and request that I be their mentor. It is like cheering up a sportswoman to go on with the race.

Today’s upcoming managers must work hard and be disciplined at work to earn respect and recognition. They need to arm themselves with relevant skills and knowledge, build useful networks and decide on their career paths early enough, so as to compete effectively and in a focused manner.

Maggie Otieno Artist I am provoked by people’s ignorance on the arts. I want to see their perception change. Once people have a change of discernment about the possibility of making a living in the arts, I will experience liberation. The main challenge I have faced as an artist is making people appreciate that art can indeed be a career, including making constant sales of my art work. In another life, I still would want to be an artist.

As a manager at africancolours.com, the challenge is in making sure that the market believes and trusts that art is an investment like any other.

I’m motivated by discipline and self motivation and the urge to be the best. I manage and balance my time efficiently. The key to success for me is doing much in minimal time. I grab an opportunity when it comes and I do not dwell on failed projects. As a result africancolours, whose country representatives are dotted all over Africa and the Diaspora, has grown. Our Success is making an impact where it matters most. Last year, our website was rated as one of the 10 Great African Art Websites.

Just recently my Director came across a website that read MyWeku’s 20 Rainmakers for 2010. I was shocked to find my name there. I did not know that people outside this country who have never met me would rate me highly, based on what they see us doing. I was greatly humbled. Does this mean I have achieved success? I am yet to own my own Gallery and Auction house.

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COVER STORY Fatuma Hirsi Mohamed Head of Marketing, Corporate Affairs & Communications, Gulf African Eckhart Tolle, author of Power of Now said, “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”

In my youth, my parents played a big role in ensuring that I went to good schools. They also made sure that I completed my studies despite the existence of gender insensitive mores within our Somali community that snookered the teaching of girls. My community also contributed to the direction my life took when they voted for my father ,as the area MP. We then moved to Nairobi and this opened up opportunities for me.

My first job was in the international and public relations department of the Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation ( KPTC). While there, I travelled a lot. This exposed me to different cultures and behaviours which made me mature socially. Even in my buibui,I can hold my own today, against anyone, because I have learnt to be diplomatic and entertain diverse views and opinions.

For the first half my career, I was part of a team that set up a department, when I was re-designated to the Communications Commission of Kenya(CCK), the communications regulator, where we set up structures, because it was a new entity. I then joined Kencell Communications Ltd, the predecessor of what today is Airtel, which was the first GSM mobile company in the country. And there again I found myself in a start up company. Thereafter, I joined Nation Media Group ( NMG) and I went ahead to set up the corporate affairs department. And finally again, I am at a start up company.I guess that is why today, I am inclined at calling myself a ‘start-up’ expert.

The things that have given me the most pleasure are those

that served people through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes of the companies I have worked for , but what comes to mind ,is the famine relief when we took food donations to Turkana, when I worked at Kencell and in collaboration with the Save a Life Fund, including the general public we raised millions of shillings and collected loads of food and clothes for the needy during the drought period then.

I am who I am today due to hard and smart work. I did not somersault my way up the corporate ladder. Instead, I slowly and gradually upgraded on my academia including in my professional life .It is also important to have courage and self belief. One should be ready to push themselves away from their comfort zones, going all out to achieve their personal goals and vision for their life..

My journey is not over yet. I will continue learning, giving my time and expertise to those who need me and being grateful for all that comes my way. I believe the best is yet to come.

Shivani Patel Managing Director, Zen Garden What is your definition of success?

Success is when you set yourself a goal in business and achieve it.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

My education has played a big role in shaping my career. Studying at a boarding school from the age of 11 made me very independent. I was away from my comfort zone from a very young age, and I learnt a lot from different people.

What stands out in your career achievements? How has this impacted your company and your career?

Graduating with a BSc in Business Management from King’s College London and qualifying as a Chartered Marketer, after completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing. These achievements have given me the confidence to implement strategies into the business, as well as successfully manage the company.

What was your first job and what was your vision then?

My first job after I graduated was as a Marketing Assistant at a law firm in London.

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My goal at the time was to gain experience in PR, marketing and managing events in the service sector.

What keeps you motivated?

I am very passionate about the business and I look forward to coming to work every day. My family keeps me very motivated, as they are all very ambitious and always they encourage me to work harder. When clients give us good feedback about their experience at Zen, it puts a smile on my face and motivates me even further!

What did it take for you to set up the business (Zen Garden) and why did you settle on this type of business?

Zen garden was a very ambitious project. My mother and sister are both interior designers, my mother inlaw has a passion for cooking & with my marketing background, we all teamed up to develop the concept of Zen. Our inspiration came from the Far East and we wanted to replicate the Pan-Asian dining concept in Nairobi. It took us two and half years to develop our plan for Zen. It was an extremely challenging process, as we didn’t have any experience in the restaurant business. However, through hard work and determination, we managed to complete the project and we have been operational for over two years now.

COVER STORY Jennifer Riria CEO Kenya Women Holdings My mother always told me that she did not work so hard so that I could become just like her. She worked hard in the farm and at home yet received no appreciation. I grew up knowing I was not meant to end up like her.

I started off as a high school teacher at the Kabete technical and later taught at state house girl’s high school for a year before leaving to study at the UK joining Reeds University where I studied for a master in education. I returned and started working at the Kenyatta University college, while studying for my PHD in women, education and development. I joined KWH, formerly known as Kenya Women Finance Trust some years later. When I took the job, young and bold, I did not realize that the company I bargained to join was on the downhill trend with over Ksh 2 million in uncollectable loans and only five members of staff. It had at the timer ,no capacity to cater for women.

We had to revive the organization, that meant putting proper channels in place, developing proper channels and procedures and raising funds. That task was more difficult than starting a new company, but it paid off. In 2010 we dispersed 13.5billion in loans to women. We are now the largest microfinance company in Kenya and in Africa south of the Sahara. We have just received a global award for being the fastest growing microfinance institution; best managed microfinance institution and the best growing microfinance institution which I am going to receive in New York, U.S. This shows the strength we have gained so far and what we have achieved so far is what we had set to achieve at the very beginning.

Creating an institution of international standing is something to be proud of. But it is not my biggest achievement. When I joined Kenya women, I had a lot of problems with family, friends and I even received threatening letters that alleged that I was giving women ‘big heads’ by loaning them money. That was the time when women could not get a loan without the husband’s signature or a male family member.

Women were not considered to be credit worth. This institution’s main aim was to change that belief. It was to empower women to be in the mainstream of the financial setup. For me to see all the banks with projects and billboards targeting women, is an answered prayer. That was what I targeted to do. Mindsets have been changed and now women are viewed as bankable. That is a battle we have fought for over 21years and we have won. For me, that is the ultimate success.

Salome Gitoho Strategy and HR consultant The biggest challenge I have had to face was the abrupt ending of my job in 2008; turned out this experience would later play out as an opening for me to get into my next phase of life.

It jostled me into reviewing my past as a professional employee. The saving grace was my well established database of networks and contacts as people started calling me for one assignment after another. I had to quickly coordinate the work and ensure that I was available for all my clients. This marked the birth and steady growth of my private practice, Lincoln Consulting.

In order to succeed I have to keep focus on my set goals, work hard and seek to understand what is required at all times, then going ahead to deliver beyond the required expectations. It helps to work with a great team and to be ready to venture in to unfamiliar territories in terms of new assignments.

I have had two phases in my career, one a 24 years phase in employment and as a private consultant. I started off as a Personnel Officer in the Ministry of Culture and Social Services, then moved to Kenya National Library Services, Green Corner and Twigs Restaurants, ICRAF and finally The Nairobi Hospital a total of 10 years as a HR Manager, seven years as a Director of strategy and three years in Business Development. My thinking mode while employed was to grow within the corporate lines. Consultancy was not on the radar.

I have two dreams: One is to prepare young employees and those in between jobs for employment and mentorship in entrepreneurship, the other is to play a role in inculcating a culture of customer care in the matatu industry.

The recipe to success includes dropping certain vocabulary like I cannot, I do not know, too much work, why me, I always have too much to do. Your contract is with God and only He knows what He has in store for you, setbacks will come, but look beyond to see what is yonder. If you do not do this you may miss the opportunity while you are focusing on slight grazes and dusty clothes.

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COVER STORY Zipporah Musau Managing Editor, Standard Media Group

My first job introduced me to politics. I was posted to Parliament as a Hasard Reporter after graduating from the University of Nairobi. It was an interesting job and I got to know more about the workings of Parliament and politics.

I went back to university for postgraduate training in Mass Communication in 1996 then did an internship stint at UNEP where I was introduced to environmental journalism. I joined the Standard Group thereafter as a sub-editor where I also wrote articles on the environment which won me international awards.

In 1999, I moved to the Nation Media Group and left in 2005 to study for a MA degree in the UK. I returned in 2007 and re-joined the Standard Group as a deputy managing editor, rising to my current position of Managing Editor - Magazines

During my career, I have made some achievements. I joined the Standard during its re-launch period and therefore was able to take part in the redesigning and rethinking of the newspaper.

I was part of the team that introduced new newspaper products commonly referred to as magazines that target female readers — mainly the Eve family comprising Eve Woman, Eve bridal and Eve Gal. The responses to these products has been tremendous, so much that we have come up with an Eve Club, where women can meet, network, bond inspire, mentor and discuss issues affecting their lives.

Mainstream media has its challenges and you have to contend with them if you are to succeed. Print media, especially, is still very much a male-dominated field and a female’s competence to handle the workload and the intrigues is constantly challenged. You may also have to contend with long working hours and working over weekends and over the holidays.

However, the job I do gives me a lot of satisfaction, especially after seeing the impact it is having on people’s lives throughout our country and beyond. Again, I believe in mentoring young journalists and when I see them shine it makes me happy.

To be where I am today calls for proper training, hardwork, tact and professionalism. A thick skin is an added advantage, since you cannot please everyone. However, seeing the difference the media makes in ordinary people’s lives makes it all worthwhile.

Annabel Wanjiku Artist My career as a painter began in the early 80’s. I had never considered it as a career and painted out of love for it. This was until I met Ruth shaffner, the owner of the famed Gallery Watatu who came to Kenya to set up her own gallery and help market African art to the outside world. She became my mentor and critic and thus began the shaping of my career as an artist.

I remember two exhibitions that helped escalate my career.

One was in Germany and the other was in Japan. This exposed my name to the international front and opened up many outlets for me to be able to market my art.

Kenya is not a good market for art and therefore if you want to make a name for yourself in the art scene, you need to be able to make sales in other countries.

Over the years I have exhibited my works in many

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countries. I moved from my home country Kenya to Uganda, but my art is not affected by my location as I have always had to travel.

This kind of schedule calls for a lot of flexibility and dedication to your work. Having made a name for myself as an artist, art collectors seek my art pieces.

What motivates me is the treasure I have for my God given talent. It’s not everybody who can paint and therefore I chose to nurture my gift. It’s also satisfying to see people appreciate my work enough to want to own it and this serves as a driving force to continue painting.

A level of success is something I set and strive for everyday. For me, the most important thing is to be able to mentor another artist and to help the young talented artist to be able to get their footing in the art world.

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COVER STORY Norah Odwesso Public Affairs & Communication Director, Coca-Cola East & Central Africa Ltd What is your definition of success?

I view success as the achievement of my purpose in life. A couple of years ago, I wrote a personal purpose statement which is “to positively impact the lives of everyone I interact with”. I still continue to deliberately pursue this. Attaining this would be ultimate success for me.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

My faith in God; my belief that I am responsible for my life and can succeed; Having people who believe in me, and my passion to want to make a difference, have all impacted on my career and life, in a positive way.

What stands out in your career achievements? How has this impacted your company and your career?

One major thing that stands out in my career was my decision to switch careers from Finance & Strategy into Corporate Relations in 2003. Corporate Relations provides a platform

for me to drive change in how our reputation is seen, in and out of the company. In 2010, Coca-Cola made a decision to work with local farmers in Kenya and Uganda and initiated a partnership with Technoserve and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to enable small-scale mango and passion fruit farmers in Uganda and Kenya to increase their local productivity and to participate in the Company’s supply chain. I am proud to have been involved in pioneering this thinking, and that it has now literally borne fruit.

What was your first job and what was your vision when you started?

My first job was with an international audit firm. I was quite young then, and I trained as an accountant, having acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Nairobi, and first worked as an audit trainee. At that time, I didn’t have a clear vision for my life.

What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are?

As a career woman, wife and mother, I have experienced more demands on my time, energy and resources. I have had to devise practical ways to integrate my work and life and often this guilt comes from outside sources like pressure from family and friends. The realization that the corporate world is extremely competitive, even though everyone has an opportunity to create their own success. I have had to make choice decisions, and be deliberate on how I manage career expectations. Over the years, I have also had to work with, and manage other people’s different attitudes, perceptions and expectations of me. Internally, I have had to deal with my own personality, my temperament and my limitations, which in the early years of my career, were a challenge.

What keeps you motivated?

The people around me, the thought that I can leave a lasting impact on their lives, and the very fact that there is so much more yet to accomplish..

Wanuri Kahiu Film Director

My career chose me. It beckoned and I followed. I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker at the age of 16. Every film I make is an achievement. From the beginning to the end, you struggle with finances and at the end you contend with distribution. When a film is finally finished, and you watch the reaction of the audience, it all seems worthwhile. It has made me grow a thicker skin and become more creative when it comes to problem-solving.

I think the resilience is what keeps me growing, within and beyond the film industry. I am not successful yet, I work towards it. Success for me is the ability to feed my family and for the extended family of filmmakers, the cast and crew I work with to live comfortably off the earnings we generate. We must all be strong in order for one of us to stand tall and say ‘I am successful’, there is no ‘me’ but all of us.

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COVER STORY Patricia Murugami Director of Executive Education at Strathmore Business School

What is your definition of success?

My definition of success is knowing your purpose and doing what it takes to fulfil it by developing good habits. This also means that if one is successful, their good habits become part of their character and are integrated in all aspects of their life to achieve an anchored personal brand.

Walter Cronkite said that Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

Most important has been my family. Their support and belief that one should develop and use their talents fully has been instrumental. Having great, sincere mentors all along and having good critical friends who were not afraid to correct me if I veered off-course.

What stands out in your career achievements? How has this impacted your company and your career?

The most important career achievement has been growing and motivating a team of young professionals who have since become confident, self driven people with initiative and the ability to follow through and complete significant tasks well. This impacted the company in terms of an increase in innovative services as well as the company having employees who were

Tabitha Wa Thuku Artist I grew up in the depths of central province in an era where books as writing surfaces were a luxury and not affordable to those in my locality. Thus my first piece of art was drawn on the ground, the same place I leant to write the letters of the alphabet. At first, I did not realize the value of my art pieces.

I drew and displayed them in my parent’s house and handed them to anyone who admired them.

It was much later after I had studied clothing technology that I leant that I could exchange my paintings for money. But eventually persistence pays and you find your way to a steady market for your art pieces.

Success as an artist comes when one operates as a straight line, which is remaining constantly committed as opposed to operating as a dotted line, which is one who is not fully committed. I’m fully committed to my work. Some of my paintings are among the permanent collections of the Kenya national museum, to be viewed by generations to come.

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fully engaged and committed to achieving the brand promise.

What was your first job and what was your vision when you started?

My first permanent job was an audit assistant in KPMG. I had been a part- time cashier and piano teacher to young primary school children. All these jobs taught me life skills that are fundamental for my current roles. My vision was to get into a role that would enable those who worked with me and my clients to achieve their highest potential through training, learning and development initiatives. This vision was not realised until when I worked in Bamburi Cement as leader of the Business Continuity Planning process, which entailed training and influencing my colleagues to adapt a new way of preparing proactively for any disaster.

What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are?

I have faced several challenges such as a negative bias based on gender and age. Another challenge has been constantly trying to attain the appropriate balance between personal, family and work life.

What keeps you motivated?

I am motivated by faith and hope in Our Lord as well as knowing that I am working towards fulfilling my purpose on earth. Ralph Waldo Emerson captures the essence of what I am trying to achieve: “What is success? To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!”

COVER STORY Agnes Wanjiru, Board member

My first degree was a B.Ed from Kenyatta University. Within a year, I already knew that teaching wasn’t my calling, so I opted to study and graduate with a Diploma in Marketing from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. My restless spirit took me through several employment positions before it occurred to me that I needed to be my own boss, to derive satisfaction from my career.

I left employment to run an insurance agency known as Davida Insurance.

The upside to this was that rubbing shoulders with industry leaders and other high net-worth individuals meant that getting business from them was eased somewhat.

That other people tend to see more in me than I do of myself, and tend to ‘push’ me forward. it has taken rather long for me to take full responsibility for all that I could be. I should have seen the signs when I started playing golf straight after my first University degree and ended up representing Kenya abroad as a core cog of the National team in only two years! . All in all, a good challenge brings out the best of me.

I had the privilege of being one of the founding staff members (reporter) at the newly founded Kenya Television Network (KTN) back in 1991. In 2003, I was appointed as a member of the

first Board of Directors of the newly reclaimed Kenyatta International Conference Centre (K.I.C.C). This was a particularly exciting challenge, as we had the mandate of formulating policies that would govern this landmark building in the days to come.

I took the presidential appointment as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Kenya as a sign of recognition of the dynamism and integrity I had stood for in the KICC Board. I immediately enrolled for my MBA in Strategic Management, reasoning that this would add value to my contribution in this new challenge.

Indeed during my term at Central Bank of Kenya, I was the Chairman of the Human Resource Committee. I was also a member of the Audit Committee both at the CBK and at the Kenya Institute of Monetary Studies ( KIMS), where I was also a Board member.

My driving force is not money.

Rather, I am driven by the desire to do things right; to serve with total dedication, upholding my dignity and that of those around me, by insisting on principle rather than expedience. To benefit others with my knowledge is also a driving factor, hence the continued search for higher education. I believe in working smart as opposed to working hard .Quite obviously then, a constant challenge is my fix!

Catherine Ndereba, Athlete She attests her success to hard work, commitment and determination.

In 2009 during the London Marathon, she got a blister on her toe and by the time she was finishing the 42km race at position seven, blood was oozing profusely from the injured toe. Her determination she says was inspired by her fans in Kenya, “I had to finish so as not to disappoint my fans. Thank God He helped me finish the race.” Her biggest challenges are getting physical injuries, the worst being in March 2010 when she tore the hamstring muscle of her left leg and had to withdraw from the Boston Marathon. She had to recuperate and took a low profile, getting back on track in August 2010. When she was starting out, her biggest deterrents were the women. “In my hometown( Nyeri County), nobody understood my thirst for running and women would caution my mother to advise me to seek some other venture.” She has had her trying moments before she eventually got her big break. Initially, she was left out of races because of her shuffling steps that were not recommended for athletes, but she persisted and used it to her success. “It does not matter how many times you get disappointed, you should use it as a stepping stone, because that is what I use and gotten to where I am today.” Her biggest source of inspiration is from the word of God and uses her God given talent to the glory of Him.

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COVER STORY Wakonyo Igeria Company Secretary/Head of Legal Services, Consolidated Bank What is your definition of success?

My definition of success is being the best that I can be every single day that I am alive. Success means growing other people to go further than I have gone.

One can only be successful when one leaves a legacy.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

My career has been impacted most by my faith in God and thus ultimately reflecting in me a belief in myself, to work hard, be industrious, innovative and not just think outside the box but to go a step further and getting rid of the box altogether. Career mentors also have had a positive impact in my life. I encourage every person to look out for career mentors.

What stands out in your career achievements?

Setting up the Legal Department in the Bank; centralizing the legal function from all the Branches and departments to the

Legal Office; Working on a mentorship model within the Bank for Head Office Managers to mentor the Branches; Mentoring the staff “one on one” within the business both professionally and on life skills; Taking graduate clerks through “Personal Branding” during their orientation programme; Being one of the two Senior Managers working with the Privatisation Commission and the Transaction Advisors on the on-going Privatisation of the Bank.

What was your first job and what was your vision when you started?

My first job was in a law firm where I worked for ten (10) years.

My vision was to be a great lawyer and a mentor to other lawyers coming after me.

What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are?

Balancing out family, career and other spheres of my life without hurting any area; The stereotypes that society places on women such as ‘it’s a man’s world’. It has been a challenge to me and I am sure to many other women ,that we may be strong women but still remain feminine. We can be great career women and still live balanced lives.

What keeps you motivated?

I am motivated by the fact that every person around me has unique gifts and talents. I must utilize my own gifts, talents, academic abilities to work together with those around me to add value to wherever I am. I am motivated by new ideas, challenges and horizons. I see these as a staircase to my next level. I am motivated by the fact that I am a solution to a problem everyday of my life and so I get up determined to be a solution and not a problem.

Margaret Chacha Managing Director, Tanzania Women’s Bank What is your definition of success?

Define success as an achievement of what I set to do within given timelines and which has a positive impact on a targeted audience.

What critical factor has most impacted your career?

The negative perception against women- I left National Social Security Fund as a manager to work with Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (CRDB) as a trainee manager. I was hoping that I would get promoted to a managerial post after two years, but instead it took seven years, while men whom I had been hired with ascended to managerial positions after two years. That experience made me reflect on my capabilities despite being a woman and that is why I am whom I am today.

What was your first job and what was your vision when you started?

I started as a research assistant at public leaders’ college Kivukoni College in 1979. I had a chance to work with Julius Nyerere and other big public leaders who inspired me. I envisioned myself one day holding a top position like the ones they were holding at the time.

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What challenges have you had to overcome to reach where you are?

A patriarchal system is among the hurdles that I have had to deal with. In the 1990’s, it was difficult to find female managers. So our men compatriots including our very own women folk found it difficult to take orders from women, and that understandably, made my work difficult.

In addition in my formative years I had a problem getting proper primary education because my guardian did not value formal education, a phenomenon that reduced me to struggle alone, at a very tender age.

What keeps you motivated?

The fact that I work for women, majority of whom are equipped with various capabilities in generic fields but who unfortunately have not been given an opportunity to exploit. As far as I am concerned I will not rest on my laurels until an enabling and empowering environment, for women, becomes a reality.

COVER STORY Josephine Aguma Omunyidde Manager, Corporate Communications at National Insurance Corporation (NIC), Uganda Gone are the days when experience would only be judged by one’s age. Employers today look for that person who has competence to do the job and the right attitude. Josephine Aguma Omunyidde is just 31 but one of the best communication managers in Uganda.

“My vision has always been a realistic one; to keep a positive attitude at all times while remaining enthusiastic, optimistic and letting myself open to every opportunity, to get the best out of every situation with a focus on maximizing opportunities,” she says.

She started out as an intern at UgandaTelevision now UBC TV after special training in Film and Television at the Uganda Film and Television Institute, United states Telecommunications institute (USTTI), Howard University Television in Washington D.C and later worked with WBS TV for five years having started as a programme presenter and producer, ascending later to

Head of Features production.

She says the ability to take the initiative, to get things done under minimal supervision has made her get to where she is today.

One of her biggest work challenges to date was handling a new project without the requisite experience, which never the less ended up as a huge success in 2009/2010. This was the NIC IPO which was oversubscribed by over 35% despite the challenges that the listing of the company was facing at that time, which included negative publicity.

“It took a lot of concerted effort to achieve that accomplishment and I’m glad to have worked with all the transaction advisors on a project of that magnitude that highly propelled the confidence that Ugandans have in NIC.” She was inspired by the prominent and successful women in Uganda that she was later hosted by WBS TV in the stations Arize Magazine programme.

“Their stories were not different from where I wanted to be and that inspired me bearing in mind that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

She singles out hard work, and being focused as two aspects that have constituted her winning formulae in her career that has also involved balancing it with family. “It is not easy juggling the tasks that come along with being a parent, a career woman work and seeking to further my studies.But giving priority to my family has enabled me to draw support from my husband and once I have that locked up, the rest falls into place easily.”

Sylvia Owori Fashion Designer - Uganda Prior to 1998, the modelling and fashion industry was extinct in Uganda and a few people dared to venture into the virgin territory.

But Sylvia Owori, straight from Newham College in London where she studied fashion design, launched a shop in Kampala – Sylvie’s Boutique that sold imported clothes – and shortly Ziper (now Zipa) Models, a modelling agency. She would later also start up a clothing line, Sylvia Owori, in 2004 and the first high quality women’s magazine of its kind in the region, African Woman magazine, in November 2005. She has since expanded her businesses to Nairobi, Kenya.

First, society treated her modelling business with contempt because it was novel in Uganda but over the years her designs have been appreciated by a very large portion of the public in Uganda and her participation in a variety of events all over Africa has made her a

respected designer.

“It wasn’t easy. It was just like any other business. But the biggest challenge was as a result of myself being the first to venture into the industry and people didn’t take me seriously.” She overcame those setbacks by keeping strong and believing in herself. “Straight from school I started up my businesses and I still struggle to this day,” she says.

“I have never been employed and I have a belief that I can make it ,because of my leadership qualities.”

In June 2006 she received the Presidential Transformers Award and in 2009 the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Top model Trend search.

She says she has been able to stand out from the crowd because of her knack for working hard to get whatever she sets her mind to including dogged perseverance. “I am afraid to fail and I have turned that into a driver,” she says.

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COVER STORY Betty Olive Kamya Presidential Candidate-President/Founder, Uganda Federal Alliance Presidential candidate Betty Olive Kamya is one of Uganda’s most influential women on the political scene. She was outstanding as the sole female presidential candidate in the 2011 presidential elections, where she ran under the Uganda Federal Alliance, political party, an outfit she had formed. The party emerged third in the hotly contested elections that had seven male competitors.

Kamya says women of Uganda have been reduced to playing second fiddle on the political scene. Her ambition is to inspire women to get to top positions of leadership in the country. Kamya firmly believes that sustainable development can only be achieved if women, regardless of their position in society, are empowered with knowledge, skills and finances to sustain their lives.

She recalls that her first job was as a sales person in a tannery industry based in Jinja. She went ahead to become a manager in the firm. However the world first took note of Kamya, as the CEO of the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) at Entebbe , transforming UWEC from the former run down Entebbe Zoo into a modern institution.

Kamya also contributed to setting up Reform Agenda in 2001which morphed into becoming the harshest critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s rule.

Kamya unsuccessfully first stood for MP in 2001, becoming an MP on her second attempt in 2006. Kamya believes in herself. “Many people fear to do things because it will damage their career. If I am right I will follow my thoughts through. I don’t fear to implement what I believe in,” she asserts.

Kamya was born in Kenya, to a Kikuyu mother and a Muganda (Uganda) father. Currently, Kamya sits on many corporate and is a regular guest on radio and TV talk shows including being a columnist in the local dailies on matters of political and civic interest.

Kamya notes that despite losing the Presidential elections, she will continue pushing for the decentralizing of power away from central government.

Rebecca Joshua Okwaci Media Practitioner - Sudan She joined the struggle during her honeymoon. Barely a week after her marriage, the couple was off to a liberation meeting in Addis. She went to the “bush” soon afterwards and joined the media unit as a radio broadcaster. So great was the impact of the unit that the late Dr. John Garang compared it to a division in the army.

She got an opportunity to take a Journalism course at the All Africa Conference of Churches Communication Training Centre and was accommodated by the institution, here in Kenya. As a refugee, it was not easy for her to get a job even with the new qualification even though she had a degree in Literature and Translation from the University of Alexandria before joining the movement. The situation got worse. She even contemplated taking up casual jobs but discarded the idea because it would crash her spirit. She got wind of a job opportunity at the BBC where she worked for six years, resigning 2004, BBC dispatched a manager from London to convince her to stay but she could not; she had set her eyes elsewhere. USAID was establishing Sudan Radio Service and she had been headhunted to be the executive producer. She joined the station and oversaw its set up. In her position, she mentored many youth to become leading radio journalists. She also trained journalists from other private and the government radio stations in Sudan.

She was plucked from the station in 2009 to serve as an Undersecretary (equivalent of PS) in the Government of

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Southern Sudan. In spite of her busy schedule, she still serves in the Advisory Board of the Sudan Radio Service. She is also a board member of the Association for Media Development in South Sudan. Madam Rebecca was also trained in peace journalism at the Institute for Peace and Justice, University of San Diego. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Development Communication at Daystar University, here in Kenya.

COVER STORY Dr. Esterina Novello Paediatrician - Sudan At the age of 10, she knew that she would be a Paediatrician.

In 2004, she obtained her Master’s degree in Paediatrics and Child Health from the University of Nairobi and was one of the doctors who established the Paediatrics wing at the Nairobi Hospital.

“I like working with children and the disadvantaged in society”, she explains with a glowing smile. She believes that her compassion fuels her drive to tend to the little angels.

While advocating for fairness for all, Esterina abhors the perception that all successful women are beneficiaries of gender-equity favours. “Women are excellent when given a chance; when a woman wants to do something, she perfects it”, she says. She has had to compete all her life. When she was looking for a job with Kenya’s Ministry of Health, she had to compete for the three available slots with nationals of other countries as well as Kenyans trained abroad and emerged successful. This is how she joined Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as a Medical Officer in 1996. Thereafter, she also competed successfully for a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for her postgraduate studies.

Esterina is her country’s face in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She has spearheaded the development of HIV/AIDS strategic

framework, policy and treatment guidelines for South Sudan. She is also proud of her role in establishing HIV/AIDS testing and treatment centres in her country.

She is also recognized internationally and serves as the Health Technical Advisor for the Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care (RCQHC) for East, Central, South Africa (ECSA) countries, as well as a Health Technical Specialist for IGAD-IRAPP countries (Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea).

Esterina loves cooking and engages actively in household chores when she can, likes gardening, is a devout Catholic, who cherishes listening to gospel music and reading.

Merekaje Lorna - Secretary general of the Sudan Domestic Election Monitoring and Observation Programme (SuDEMOP) She grew up during Africa’s longest civil war. The girls she grew up with dropped out of school in droves. But Merekaje Lorna somehow escaped this fate to rise to the helm of civil society in South Sudan.

At 33 years of age, she has accomplished what many people older than her only dream of. She has been an administrator in her country’s parliament and served in her government’s team in the peace negotiations between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Today, she is one of the most influential women in South Sudan, as the secretary general of the Sudan Domestic Election Monitoring and Observation Programme (SuDEMOP).

But life has not been rosy for her all along. She dropped out of school at 14 and spent an entire year in the “bush” taking care of her diabetic mother who was actively involved in the liberation struggle. Though not in the frontline, the experience was overwhelming for a teenage girl. But there she was in a hostile terrain doing her humble part in liberating her country. This is why the announcement of the referendum results confirming the independence of South Sudan had a deep impact on her, especially coming just a day before her birthday. She justifiably feels proud of her humble role in the struggle; it was not in vain.

Lorna juggles several balls of responsibility, ambition and family concurrently. She is an opinion leader, role model and mentor for youth and women in South Sudan. Her responsibility of taking care of the school clock prepared her, early in life, to be accountable and true to duty.

Growing up among ten siblings, life was relatively comfortable until she had to flee the country at sixteen to live a refugee’s life in Kenya. She came to Nairobi in 1995 and set out to find a school. In between visits to various offices seeking help, she spent several hours at the Jevanjee Gardens.

She finally joined high School, skipping Form One on account of her age. The academic burden exacerbated by a foreign curriculum was heavy on her but she managed and qualified to join the University of Nairobi where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Technology in 2005.

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COVER STORY Antonio Mutoro Executive Director The Institute of policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda) Antonio Mutoro has been the Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPARRwanda) , an independent research institute based in Rwanda, since 2008.

Defining success as simply, feeling happy with herself about an achievement that has a deep bearing in her life and is treasured by other people, Mutoro is perfect example of someone who lifts themselves by the bootstraps.

Beginning her career as a classroom teacher, Mutoro, today sits on the top perch of the country’s most eminent research institute, a telling reminder, that an individual can rise

to prominence, if they keep their eyes on the ball . “ In my entire life I have worked very hard, giving the very best in all that has been thrown my way .Even when I taught , if you ask, my students then, they will tell you, I taught them with passion and imparted all the knowledge that was required at the time. I take nothing for granted, in life.”

Prior to ascending to her current position, IPAR-Rwanda was in state of flux, as the institution was wrought by a high staff turnover and suffered from a testy relationship with donors.

But since the arrival of Mutoro, the research giant has gotten its groove back, thanks to a dexterous hand at the top, that has crafted a re-awakening strategy that pulls-in administrative and financial systems that have forestalled haemorrhaging of staff and goodwill, from donor partners.

“The opportunity of helping the IPAR- Rwanda take off-theground has been amongst the most exciting and rewarding happenings in my professional life so far,” she says.

Instructively, Mutoro’s life would be meaningless if whatever she did, failed to impact positively on the wider society. In big measure this self- deprecating scholar is convinced that people ought not to ask , what can my country or society or family do for me? But rather they should ask themselves one signature question: What can I do for my country, society or family?

That’s the stuff, genuine leaders are made of.

Rosette Chantal Rugamba Founder, Songa Africa Her first job was at a small self-owned shop based in Jinja where she sold clothes whenever the university she was enrolled in went on recess. Driving her to moonlight was a burning desire seeking financial freedom for herself including an altruistic need to reduce pressure on her parents who understandably had more than enough on their plate, looking after her together with her six siblings.

As a result of her resilience, discipline and dedication, Rosette Chantal Rugamba, is a leading Travel and Tourism operator in Rwanda, as owner of Songa Africa, a company she formed 16 years ago.

Prior to forming Songa Africa, Rosette was employed by internationally recognized brands, amongst them, Euro Star, and then British Airways before returning to her native Rwanda to spearhead a revitalization of the tourism industry. First as Director General of Rwanda tourism (ORTPN) and later, as Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board(RDB).

During her seven years at ORTPN and RDB, she oversaw the transformation of Rwanda’s tourism industry from a singleproduct business attracting a paltry 13,000 visitors annually into a multifaceted one drawing a whopping 790,000, for a similar period. And as a result, Rwanda is today savouring the fruits of her work, since this coffee growing country became one of the most sought after destinations.

One of her notable achievement was the establishment of the Trans-boundary agreement with the neighbouring states of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which outlines, first, the trans-boundary management of the Mountain

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Gorilla population, two, the utilization of revenue earned and three, the establishment of the Greater Virunga Trans-boundary Secretariat.

Rosette strongly believes that to succeed, an individual must demand from themselves the very best, which means, a person should eschew procrastination. Saying in life, the selfwill of a person can make all the difference needed if one is to scale the jagged puzzle that is life. If you can imagine it, you can do it. Rosette remains unemotional and detached from idle talk, for there is too much that still remains to be done. She says opportunity meets preparedness, she wants to be very ready when the next challenge comes calling.

COVER STORY

The faces of success Book highlights stories of 70 Kenyan women

Article by: CALEB ATEMI

A

German philosopher, Johan Von Goethe once said: “Whatever you can do and dream you can do it. Boldness has genius, power and magic.” The story of many women around the world is littered with hallmarks of struggle and depression; sorrow mixed with joy; tears and laughter; victory and tribulation. It is also a tapestry of hope, inspiration and success.

Early this year, Susan Wakhungu – Githuku (featured in the magazine) launched a book titled Life Journeys, Seeking Destiny that compiles astonishing stories about 70 Kenyan women. Susan was a former globetrotting Fortune 100 company executive and once a top ranked lawn tennis player who represented Kenya at the Junior Wimbledon Championships.

Some of the inspiring stories in the book include a biography of lawyer, activist, and former nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Josephine Sinyo who was struck by blindness after a bout of measles during her formative years.

Despite the disability, Sinyo went ahead to ascend the academic ladder attaining a law degree in the process.

The story of Chelenge Van Pampelberg is an inspiration for women who have to balance life as mother and wife. She started painting during her adulthood when her children were already in school and today Chelenge is hailed as a global icon.

These women teach us that to grow, we must forgive our past. We must not allow yesterday’s pain to become today’s reality. Like Iyanya Vanzant tells us in her autobiography, Yesterday I Cried, “Yesterday’s tears can become today’s seeds of hope, renewal and strength.”

Lessons from women The stories in Life Journeys, Seeking Destiny will illicit laughter, others will provoke tears. Still others will steal a smile. The narrative of media personality, Julie Gichuru is one such tale. The holder of a Law Degree from the University of Wales in Cardiff and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Cardiff Business School, Julie has through hard work and sheer determination knit a successful career and family life. The mother of five has broken the myth that it is impossible to simultaneously chart a successful family and career path.

Dr. Phoebe Asiyo, the Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Fund for Women and former Karachuonyo MP risked her life and family when she ventured into competitive politics. She walloped David Okiki Amayo, a political heavyweight aligned to KANU, then the party of the day, and survived death severally, withstanding intimidation, vulgarities and insults for years.

Other women featured in the book include singer Achieng Abura, who uses her songs to inspire change in society.

“If you can change the little corner of your world, your life will have been worthwhile,” she postulates.

Amani, the youthful musical artist, had to struggle against people’s negative perceptions of female artists. Her mother’s support and her strong faith in God kept her focused on her career: “I remember I once told God that I knew the gift He had given me was meant to bring joy and not misery...Life is about fulfilling your destiny and discovering yourself. Find out what makes you happy or what inspires you,” is Amani’s counsel.

Human rights lawyer Anne

“Whatever you can do and dream you can do it. Boldness has genius, power and magic.”

Njogu has survived beatings, torture and public humiliation from state security apparatus. The 2010 winner of the International Woman of Courage Award is driven by a desire to achieve equity, justice and empowerment of women.

Radio personality Caroline Mutoko thanks God and her parents for giving her a good education and a great grounding. Her biggest lesson in life is to count her blessings, to give back to society.

Grace Ogot, a politician and author has few regrets in life. “As a married woman and a mother, my values revolve around helping my husband as his companion and educating our children.

My advice to women is this, when you get married, build a happy home.

Life Journeys, Seeking Destiny, has been written by simple, young girls from Kenya’s vast enclaves. Inspired by Susan Wakhungu- Githuku, the young writers embarked on a leadership journey, imbibing knowledge and wisdom at the feet of some of Kenya’s celebrated women.

Email: calebatemi@yahoo.com

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NEW KNOWLEDGE

Setting the pace in financial management Nairobi Bottlers won the COYA 2010 Financial Management Award for an effective and efficient financial planning system. SAMMI NDERITU spoke to Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Sabco about the system.

Pictures by: SAMMI NDERITU

F

inancial Management is a critical component of any type of business. It is the process of managing financial resources of a business and includes accounting and financial reporting, budgeting, collecting income, risk management and insurance.

Prof. Bradley Lewis, author of several books and journals on Finance and Economics describes financial management as the area of business management that is devoted to the judicious use and selection of capital, leading organisations to attain their goals. The essential objective of financial management is two-pronged. It first deals with recurring, and second, nonrecurring finance.

Recurring finance includes the areas of financial planning, assessing a company’s requirements, identifying and sourcing funds, allocation of funds and income and controlling the utilization of funds towards achieving the primary goal of profit maximization. Nonrecurring functions include preparation of financial plans of a business; financial readjustment during periods of liquidity crisis; valuation of an enterprise at the time of a merger or reorganization, including other issues that may impact on a business, financially.

The emergence of financial management as a distinct management discipline in recent times has been linked to the dynamism of businesses, triggered by chiefly the advancements in Information Communication Technology (ICT), equipping companies in the process with a competitive edge, allowing them to compete in the global market.

The Coca-Cola Company Globally, Coca-Cola, the drinks and beverage behemoth is an exemplar, and is arguably the world’s largest brand, today. With its roots in Atlanta USA, where it was founded in a pharmacy

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Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director, Coca-Cola Sabco

NEW KNOWLEDGE in 1886, the Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, marketing the world’s top five soft-drink brands to consumers located in nearly 200 countries. More than one billion of its servings are consumed daily worldwide.

Coca-Cola Sabco (South Africa Bottling Company) Coca-Cola Sabco is the franchise that trades in Kenya as Nairobi Bottlers Limited and also operates in other parts of Africa and Asia. Coca-Cola Sabco (CCS) describes itself as a consumer driven, customer oriented, manufacturing, sales and distribution company that markets the products and brands of The Coca-Cola Company.

Running this daunting complex global business involves scouring through a mountain of financial information that must be analysed to enable effective planning, and decision making at the multi-billion worth company.

CCS has invested heavily in its financial management system by amongst other things such as sophisticated production machinery, cold drink equipment, advanced satellite tracking and communication technology enabling the organisation to meet the needs and demands of a dynamic, competitive and sophisticated soft drinks

market. This investment including its continuous improvement of its financial management systems recently led the company to scoop the Financial Management Award during the 2010 Company of the Year Awards (COYA) organized by the Kenya Institute of Management.

“We are grateful for being recognised through this award. It speaks about our achievement and motivates us to continue striving for the best. Financial management is embodied in our everyday processes and business plans.

We believe in it and have integrated it as part of our everyday operations,” says Segun Ogunsanya, the Managing Director, Coca-Cola Sabco Kenya.

Segun speaks passionately about the effectiveness of the company’s financial management system which is integrated with other business modules which feed into the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. “We are a consumer driven, customer oriented, manufacturing, sales, and distribution company. Our professionalism and way of doing business has enabled us to control a sizable market within East Africa. We seek to stand out in the way we carry out our business. Every operation at the company is planned for and closely monitored enabling us to

manage processes with great accuracy as part of our Centralized Planning. The S&OP process as a result of integration with the financial management system provides a structured framework for integrated decision making based on demand and supply parameters. This ensures aliignment of the decision making process across the entire business.”

Coca-Cola Sabco has adopted a similar financial management system used by all Coca-Cola franchise holders world-wide. In addition, all Coca-Cola Sabco CEOs in Africa meet annually in South Africa, for a week, to brainstorm, share experiences and learn from each other.

“The financial management systems that we use integrates all transactions done and as a result, we are able to consolidate all financial reports, future planning as well as provide a comprehensive view of all financials across the company,” explains Segun.

At the beginning of every year, the Coca-Cola franchise holders plan how to go about executing their business plans for the year backed by approved budget plans. The plans are detailed into yearly, mid-year, quarterly, monthly and daily plans beginning from the bottling plants, running to distribution centres to the

Now there are three more reasons to love a Mac. The new iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand. All part of iLife ’11. And all part of every new Mac. It’s easy to do amazing things with your photos, movies and music on a Mac. Share your photos in new ways and turn them into treasured projects. Make a Hollywood-style trailer. Create a great-sounding song and even take piano or guitar lessons. Visit Elite Digital Solutions and let us show you everything you can do with the new iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand software.

Elite Digital Solutions Sarit Centre, Lower Ground Floor T: 254 (20) 374 5550 M: 254 (734) 873767 sales@eliteken.com TM and © 2011 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

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NEW KNOWLEDGE

retail stores, each stage is clearly defined and expected outputs registered.

Tracking system The Sales and Operations planning integrated link with the financial management system incorporates Demand Forecast by each specific product, Capacity Planning, Supply Management, Haulage and Logistics in one management platform. This provides accurate financial planning as all business parameters impacting finance are integrated. In addition, staff performance and output is tracked by the system and updated automatically.

“The various departments within the company have been broken down into result oriented teams. At the beginning of this year, we developed achievable plans which every staff is expected to play a part in actualizing them. Through these plans and the systems that we have put in place, we are able to know how many cases of soda we plan to sell, where they will be sold as well as the projected total sales,” says Segun adding that the financial management system used at the company is comparable to the best in the world, despite the system having been customized to dovetail with the specific needs of the company and staff.

During the presentation of the COYA Award, judges noted that the financial management system at Coca-Cola Sabco ensures timely, transparent and fully accountable, financial, social and environmental accountability reporting and disclosure processes, all compliant

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to local and international standards.

“They are timely in the sense that everything is done within the specified time frame and transparent because the numbers are open to everyone in the

"The S&OP process as a result of integration with the financial management system provides a structured framework for integrated decision making based on demand and supply parameters." company who wants to find out about product performance in the market or to track the movement of products,” adds Segun.

Compliance to the international standards means that all procedures of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are observed. The IFRS are a set of clearly defined principles and standards that establish broad rules

as well as dictate specific treatments of company’s financial statements.

Started in America, the IFRS enhances the comparability of financial reports, improves corporate transparency, and increases the quality of financial reporting which in turn benefits the company and its investors.

Working with a big workforce and a wide network of distributors, challenges are inevitable.

“When we implemented the financial management systems, there was the challenge of getting it localized and fully implemented across all the departments in the company. Being something that was new to most of the staff, we had to take staff through training so that they would familiarize themselves with it. We did the same to our distributors and eventually we pulled through the hurdle,” says Segun.

He adds that the company has to train new staff to familiarize themselves with the system so that they can be at par with the rest of the team. “To address this challenge, we require every new staff be mentored for a period of between 2-3 months as this makes their learning easier and faster.”

Coca-Cola Sabco shows that effective financial management integrated with a robust S&OP process brings together several fundamental aspects which work hand in hand to ensure productivity. Some of these aspects include the handling of financial management as a distinct area of overall business management and the prudent use of capital resources. Other aspects of financial management include a careful selection of the source of capital by determining the debt equity ratio and designing a proper capital structure for the corporate. This is in addition to achieving the corporate’s business objectives.

Coca-Cola Sabco’s Nairobi Plant is Kenya’s biggest plant and produces close to 50 percent of the country’s total volume. Other bottling plants are located in Mombasa, Eldoret, Nyeri, Kisumu and Kisii.

Email: snderitu@kim.ac.ke

BUSINESS & ETIQUETTE

Planning a corporate event

Y

our chief guest plays a central role in making a success, or failure, of your event. Sometimes, it takes only a name to attract a full hall or even a few words to hijack the agenda of the day. Being an authority in the area being addressed would greatly help a chief guest. And as we embrace the information-age, people have access to millions of resources on the internet, addressing both their professional and social needs. Also the chief guest must relate to people well; be articulate; be a believer in the vision and mission of your corporate agenda.

Humour helps. Finding the right balance between expertise and dynamism when organising any event is crucial. The internet might be perverse, but replacing the impact interpersonal communication can have is difficult.

If little is known about your guest, include a brief profile, highlighting their competency and achievements in the area they are addressing. Sell your chief guest to the invitee, dangle that carrot.

Venue Accessibility should be crucial. Many commercial buildings are located within the CBD but many businesses are relocating towards the Upperhill and Westlands areas. A venue located, say, along Thika Road would be disastrous if you were having an evening cocktail.

Make it as easy as possible for your guests to reach you. The size of the rooms should also be considered. A small room speaks of disorganisation and can get chaotic. A room that is too large would make your event seem dull, empty even. Most hotels with conferencing facilities will have information ready about the number of people each room can fit.

Parking is also important particularly for Nairobi motorists who are concerned about parking fees and security of their vehicles. Let their attention be with the

Your company is rebranding and you have been tasked to organise an event that will not only be the talk of town, but a case study phenomena that will have people comparing you to the Oscar Awards. DIANA NGAIRA tells you how to live a lasting impression.

program, and not on each alarm that goes off in the distance. If your program is long, and requires patience, organise for a seated arrangement. If it is short, punchy and dynamic, opt for a cocktail setting to take the informality down a notch and encourage people to mingle.

Dress code Your dress code should reflect the spirit of your corporate brand and clearly addressed in your invite. If you work in an informal environment, you don’t need to specify the dress code. The more exclusive you get, you may want to have a dress code, to ensure the theme of the day gels with your event.

Invitations The invitation process is not a touchand-go affair. You need to respect the internal protocol of organisations you are engaging; you would not want to invite a line manager for a meeting with top cabinet ministers without inviting the CEO. This might create tension within that particular company, and it might also do damage to the relationships between the leaders of both organisations.

Theme, date, time, venue, along with any main speakers should all be indicated briefly in the invite. Also the event organiser should indicate whether

the invitation is open or closed to the recipient. Always check your diction very carefully in all the correspondence that is sent out. Do not send out mass messages; try to personalise them as much as possible. For larger occasions, make sure you use the blind copy option for emails.

Invitations need to be sent out in a timely manner; you need to give your guests the chance to commit time on that particular day. In the RSVP note, always include a deadline for confirming attendance. After the deadline has elapsed, politely seek alternative means of communicating with the unconfirmed invitees; they might have been busy, forgot to reply, or may have postponed it to a future day, regardless of the RSVP note. Telephones, email and personal visits can be organised for follow-up.

Assume a friendly stance, remind the invitee why it is important for them to attend the event, but never badger them.

To encourage commitment to a high profile event, and also to cover costs, a registration fee may be included.

Plan well ahead, always have a contingency plan, and above all else, single out the one element that speaks about the nature of your event – live it.

Email: dyngaira@gmail.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

Sharpening the axe works Training employees has a direct impact to productivity writes FRED NABANGI

H

igher performance is usually a result of performance (productivity) improvement programmes (PIPs).

A typical PIP, addresses three basic issues that once executed well result in creating a conducive environment, an appropriate strategy and capacity, sufficient enough, to drive the strategy in a given environment. In order to live in an improved environment, drive a new strategy, develop or maintain a certain capacity one must always make adjustments.

Often it is the easiest and most affordable and within near total control of the individual or organization. In any case the individual or organization has to begin any initiative from its current position

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taking into consideration the available capacity within its reach and affordability.

Training or capacity building is a cost effective, quick and sustainable approach to prepare oneself or an organization to operate at a higher level of performance (productivity).

Training objectives When the training is ill-conceived (not needs based) or poorly scheduled, clashing with other priorities, it can reverse all its benefits. And if it is improperly resourced then it becomes an exercise in futility. It therefore serves only as time- away- from -work with losses to all the parties involved, including the wider economy. It also lowers staff motivation as they may suffer penalties on account of poor performance as expected by the supervisor. The resultant

poor working relationship can only cause further decline in overall productivity with a domino effect resulting. This is the stuff of which industrial unrest is a veritable product. This is not to say training is the solution to all capacity building needs. There will be non-training needs like: better equipment, a safer and healthier work place, better workplace relationships management, mentorship and motivational interventions (packages). All these are also an important aspect of higher performance (productivity) for the individual.

It should not be lost on us that challenges to capacity building in individual staff members do not begin with the training cycle, partly highlighted above. In fact, the ineffectiveness of training often begins from the point of staff recruitment. Putting square

SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING pegs in round holes is probably more responsible for having a very expensive and often ineffective capacity building programmes in most organization. It begins with recruiting staff with wrong: aptitude, basic skills requirements and minimum knowledge. Above all wrong attitudes make capacity building programmes, especially when tied to higher productivity, a nightmare for the human resource (capital) manager.

But not all is doom and gloom, yet.

Experience shows majority of the staff posses the first three ingredients of ability (capacity) but largely, a huge adjustment is required in the area of attitude.

There is a management thinking that states: all factors remaining constant, an individual’s attitude determines their performance altitude.

While no empirical study has been carried out to confirm this, I would put my bottom cent on the truism, but go further to ask the Human Capital managers to focus on this aspect.

Perhaps this may be the justification for the programme on emotional intelligence becoming the next big thing in capacity building.

Current thinking is that the organization that aims to win the competition through the most important factor, labour (staff) must move away from; training programmes to a developing organisation; a learning organization, becoming in the process, the knowledge based organization.

This is an organization where every activity has lessons for members of the winning team, where every one mentors and is also mentored, in an ever growing chain within the organization.

More and more training today targeting individuals has moved into groups and to teams which become chains of transformative structures that are flexible and fast, becoming surreal for managers drawn from the old school.

The virtual organization Welcome to the brave new world of the virtual organization. And it is real even if it sounds surreal! The good news is that it is cheaper even if though it is popularly thought that only shaving of administrative overheads will occur.

The real message here is the resultant change, progressively becomes permanent!

In the new scenario, investment in training is necessary. The organizational transformations taking place, resulting in new work arrangements means there is no fixed abode for the highly mobile capacity (abilities) hence new ways of their acquisition, maintenance and development must be sought and used on a mutually beneficial and sustainable basis. Investment in research and in innovative work, forms management relationships for the virtual enterprise which is the next frontier, focusing on individuals and organisational capacity building.

Levels of training budgets But do current efforts at capacity building work and are the budget justified? The answers are both yes and no. For the period before the E- platform and for the older generation the E-platform remains a mystery. This, understandably, was because of the technological limitations.

Knowledge, meanwhile, was to some extent scarce and its packaging very tedious and its transmission slow and pocket unfriendly.

On a case by case basis some training interventions worked very well while others were merely window dressing exercises which did not improve staff performances.

Where this occurred, budgets were justified but for the majority of cases the converse held.

Effective training should affect the individual’s knowledge, skills and attitudes in ways that the individual on return to work will make, better decisions, less errors, better contributions to the team and faster responses to customers. The

overall effect is higher productivity, not just for the staff but for all the associated resources. After all, the other factors’ productivity is dependent upon the staff’s.

Sadly for some individuals and organizations, training has become an annual ritual which allows staff time- away- from-work disguised as a commitment either to meet a statutory requirement, or to justify reimbursements from the training levy kit, which they are required to contribute by law.

Training should be a permanent aspect of work and responsibility for it should lie with the owner of the human capital asset and not employers alone largely because they are transitional.

However, the handling of this expensive resource and in anticipation to migrating to the E-platform, the repackaging of appropriate training, to create the right mix for transformation of the individual or organization lies as a nightmare for Human Resource (Capital) managers.

Email: frednabangi@yahoo.com

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SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

Why your frontline staff need training

By Eva Kiplagat Have you experienced any of the following scenarios?

The lethargic security guard: You approach the gate, and the guard is still seated. He slowly gets up and looks at you suspiciously. You inform him that you are going to company xyz. He asks you to wait, as he leisurely walks back to pickup the sign-in book. He hands it over and points to where you are to sign in. He doesn’t have a pen. Neither do you. So he walks back….

The inefficient waiter: You have limited time to grab a bite at a restaurant.

You try to get the attention of waiters at the other end and finally one walks up to you. He arrives without a Menu. You request for it. You notice the table and floor needs cleaning. The waiter brings the Menu and you make your order. He returns 10 minutes later to inform you that that they don’t have that particular dish…..

The cold receptionist: You arrive at a reception and there are two people waiting patiently as the receptionist is phone. She does not acknowledge you.

When she ends the call after what feels like ten minutes, she looks up and seems surprised to see the three of you. No greetings. Just an abrupt “Yes?” The first person on the queue makes his request and she starts to dial a number.

There is no acknowledgement of the request…

Unfortunately these scenarios are the moments of truth replayed over and over during customer interactions. The experiences can go from bad to worse if such staff find themselves in a stressful situation facing an angry customer.

Research by Bain & Company indicates that 68 percent of customers move to the competition because they are turned away by poor service. The main reference to poor service in this case, relates to the people serving customers. Ask any customer what they expect from frontline staff, and

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the answer will be unanimous. They expect competent people, who are knowledgeable about the organization’s products/services, and its processes. In addition, they want to deal with employees who are friendly and approachable, responsive to their needs, can think on their feet and use good judgment to make service decisions especially if there is a problem that need to be resolved.

The security guard, waiter and receptionist in the examples above have the opportunity to portray their respective organizations in a positive light. So why don’t they? Why is it that most frontline staff come across as indifferent, incompetent and sometimes even outright rude?

The above examples of poor service could undoubtedly be corrected through proper training. While training is a tool for imparting the required knowledge and skills, it is also a crucial tool in helping employees feel valued and initiate employee loyalty. How do world class organizations use training to communicate that they value their employees?

First, it helps if the frontline employees appreciate how important their roles are, and then understand how the training adds value to their performance. Sharing this kind of information with staff would make them feel important and relevant in helping the organizations achieve its mission and ensure their commitment and participation during the training. At Disneyland theme parks in the US, the employees recognized as most important are the cleaners, and not (as most of us would expect) the ones acting as the famous cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse. The management have identified the cleaners as having an additional role – that of the ‘tour guide’. The importance of their role in welcoming customers and guiding them is reinforced at all times and they are trained and treated accordingly.

Another way to send a positive message to staff during training is to use the session as an opportunity to gather feedback. Though there are other mechanisms for gathering employee feedback, a training session could be used as a safe environment for employees to share thoughts and ideas on how to serve customers better.

The extent to which management values employees will be reinforced, if and when the staff feedback is not only acknowledged, but service improvements implemented.

“I could do my job better if those I depend on could do theirs.” This is one of the frequent comments I hear from participants. The front line staff is critical in providing great service, nurturing relationships and ensuring customers keep coming back. But, equally important is the ‘back office’ staff that must first provide the front line staff with excellent internal service to ensure the external customer is happy. All staff must therefore go through customer service training, as each contributes to the quality of service to external customers.

Finally, organizations that are customer oriented and value their staff invest in continuous training.

The organization may have training in the year delivered by an external facilitator. However, they complement this training with more regular internal training and coaching sessions. In such an organization, customer service training is not a one-off event but a wellplanned programme that reinforces the importance of staff and therefore, their development, to the organization.

Email: eva@csconsulting.co.ke

SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

Rudith International cuts a niche in executive training

By DANIEL MAYABI

W

e are an International dynamic training service institution,� says Gathoni Waziri, Program Coordinator, Rudith International.

Rudith offers strategic business programs spanning the East African region through a network of centres covering Kenya, South Sudan, and Rwanda.

Anchored on the motto of “inspiring others� Rudith International excels in Executive training programs, motivational and inspirational talks, Youth mentorship, Life skills programs, and online learning including team building programs. “Our training palette is exciting. Premised on a desire to understand our client objectives; we conceptualize and design unique programs that befit and surpass clients’ prospects,� says Waziri.

Rudith has been on a growing progression since its inception. “Our strength lies in executive training, girl child education, youth program, team building and manpower services,� says Waziri.

Rudith stands out due to its value addition to customers. “For continuous development we are able to customize

Programs Cordinator

.BEPOOB )PVTF 8FTUMBOET t 1 0 #PY /"*30#* ,FOZB Tel: 020 245 2138/0722 802704/0737464906 JOGP!SVEJUIJOUFSOBUJPOBM DP LF t XXX SVEJUIJOUFSOBUJPOBM DP LF

Inspiring Others!

program for different clientele and offer the same on an e-learning platform. We offer both open and in-house training.

Our work life balance and stress free program has received many return clients,� quips Waziri.

Flagship programs Some of Rudith International’s flagship programs include: Team Building, Credit and Risk Management, Fraud Management, and Talent Management. “Rudith has been growing steadily while developing a loyal customer base; we have in place a strategic plan.� Already Rudith is in Southern Sudan and working towards getting a footprint within the COMESA market. “Our programs have a strong follow up component, which offers value for clients. We help organizations take stock of their training needs. We provide direction to their management team. Rudith supports this process with world-class coaches and facilitators. We have worked with different organizations to accelerate the leadership impact and roles of its staff at various levels. Our highly interactive leadership training and coaching programs are delivered with world wide consistency. At times some big companies get trapped with

past training programmes crafted by traditional players,� adds Waziri.

Gathoni Waziri, Shaking off Program Coordinator, the competition Rudith International. by established players and reducing training budgets especially in the corporate world are some of the challenges Rudith faces on a day to day basis. “On the long haul we envisage strengthening our brand, creating a solid plan with realistic mid and long term goals, we want to be a household name in inspiring others. I have learnt that I am a winner and an asset, and if I put my mind to something I can get what I want. We believe in what we are offering, and have continuously associated ourselves with people who share our vision.�

Waziri attributes Rudith International’s success to a great team, solid plans with simple vision. “We have plans that the whole team is excited about. Our consistent marketing plans, always try to leave a ‘wow’ effect in all workshops and events,� concludes Waziri.

2011 EXECUTIVE

TRAINING CALENDAR Training Practical Financial Management for Schools Management Development Program for Executive Assistants Advanced Leadership Program Finance for Nonfinance Executives Bargaining and Negotiations Skills Credit Risk Management Fraud Management Supervisory Skills The Merlin Program: Enterpreneur Workshop Real Estate Management Team Building

Dates 21ST -22ND April 28th – 29TH April May 26TH -29TH June 28TH-29TH July 28TH – 29TH August 22ND- 23RD August 25TH – 26TH September 29TH – 30TH October 26 -28 November 29 – 30TH December - End year events/parties team building

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SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

KCA University Bridging the gap between knowledge and skills Story and pictures by DANIEL MAYABI The KCA University is a leading training institution in the country.

Under the Institute for Capacity Development (ICAD), the university offers specialised services in various fields of professional training. “Our training is delivered in the form of inhouse customized courses, seminars and workshops and Executive Diploma and Professional Certificate Courses. Our professional partners include ACCA, IFRS, Institute for Internal Auditors for Diploma in Internal Audit (DIA) and ISACA for Certified Information System Auditor (CISA),” says Susan Aduwo, Director ICAD. ICAD falls under KCA University founded under the Kenyan accounting professional body - Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK). The university is hinged on principles of professionalism and integrity. ICAD was established in 1999 to bridge the gap between knowledge and skills required on the job. With the motto: “Enhancing business performance”, ICAD helps industries come up with programs that address emerging issues in various professions including equipping practitioners with relevant skills.

Leader in executive training KCA is a regional market leader in executive training through its provision of technical training in accounting, finance, audit, risk, fraud, ICT, corporate governance, and ethics. The tipping point programmes for KCA have been the Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance, Executive Diploma in Financial Management, Executive Diploma in Internal Audit, Certified Information System Auditor (CISA) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

KCA has tailor made ICT classes for executive currently being offered at Eco-Bank Towers located in the Nairobi central business district.

Audit committee training is a popular program especially with government ministerial audit committees. This

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programme, Aduwo says has been successful because of the organisations strong brand name, associated with the professional body ICPAK. She is optimist that KCA will be the de facto choice for professionals looking for training in Ethics and Governance, and Audit Risk and Finance Management. “We are very strong in this niche especially with corporate governance boards,” she says. Ethical Leadership Seminars are conducted quarterly and targets middle and senior level management in both the public and private sectors.

Beyond borders KCA University in collaboration with Government of South Sudan (GoSS) and in partnership with Unity State Governor, will officially launch a state-of-art University Campus at Bentiu to train over 10,000 Sudanese in areas of accounting, finance, languages, agriculture, health, and management development programmes as part of capacity building.

“ICAD works in partnership with the Centre for Corporate Governance, the Ethics Institute of South Africa (EthicSA), the Caux Round-table (USA) and the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission,” adds Aduwo.

Susan Aduwo, Director ICAD.

To encourage and promote good practice, KCA University holds an annual Pan-African Ethics Conference and the next one will be held in Kigali, Rwanda. As a way of encouraging good practice, the Business Ethics and Governance Awards is organised by KCA University to recognise businesses and individuals that have promoted ethical conduct in the workplace, marketplace, environment, and the community at large. All these efforts by KCA University are aimed at encouraging best practice in organisations and amongst individuals.

EXECUTIVE SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

INSTITUTE FOR

TRAINING PORTFOLIO

C A PA C I T Y DEVELOPMENT

DIPLOMA/CERTIFICATE COURSES

No. Course Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

Dates Jan & June Intake (6 months)

Venue • Nairobi EcoBank Towers, 10th Floor • Kisumu Swan Centre

Diploma in Internal Audit

April & Sep Intake (9 months)

• Nairobi EcoBank Towers, 10th Floor • Kisumu Swan Centre

Diploma in Financial Management

April & Sep Intake (9 months)

• Nairobi EcoBank Towers, 10th Floor • Kisumu Swan Centre

Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance

Jan & Sep Intake (1 year)

• Nairobi Centre EcoBank Towers, 10th Floor & • Kisumu Swan Centre

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS AUDIT COMMITTEES Audit Committees as a Tool for Effective Governance Communication & Relationship Management for Internal Auditors Audit Committee Seminar The Art & Science of Creating Winning Brands Crafting Company Strategies in line with Vision 2030 Fraud Detection & Prevention Seminar Enterprise Risk Management e-Banking Business Opportunities Remittances - Creating Opportunity through e-banking

05 - 08 April 2011

Mombasa, Kenya

10 - 13 May 2011 23 - 25 Nov 2011 MARKETING

Mombasa, Kenya Dubai, UAE

28 - 29 April 2011 BUSINESS STRATEGY

Nairobi, Kenya

25 - 27 May 2011 RISK MANAGEMENT 25 - 27 August 2011 28 - 30 Sept 2011 BANKING 13 - 15 June 2011

Mombasa, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya

16 - 17 June 2011

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya Mombasa, Kenya

ETHICS, LEADERSHIP & CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Professional Ethics Management “integrity at work” Managing Ethical Culture in the Organisation Ethical Leadership & Integrity (Cap 6 of the New Constitution) Ethics Officers Certification Programme (EOCP) - with Ethics Institute of South Africa Making Boards More Effective 4th Pan African Ethics Conference (PAEC, 2011) Theme: “Leadership & Integrity in Public Service” ‘BEGA’ Awards -Gala Event

23 - 25 Mar 2011

Naivasha

19 - 20 May 2011

Mombasa

28 - 29 July 2011

Naivasha

12 - 16 Sep 2011

Nairobi

24 - 25 Nov 2011 ETHICS CONFERENCE

Mombasa

22nd - 23rd Sept 2011

Kigali, Rwanda

BUSINESS ETHICS & GOVERNANCE AWARDS (BEGA) November 2011 Nairobi, Kenya

Enhancing Business Performance

For complete program details, visit our website at: www.kca.ac.ke OR Contact Institute for Capacity Development (ICAD) Marketing Executives on +254 20 2211263/4/8; Email: icad@kca.ac.ke MANAGEMENT

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SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

FKE empowering employers

T

he federation’s main training area is Industrial Relations where it conducts seminars and trainings in New Labour Laws, Industrial Relations, Pre-CBA Negotiations, Discipline Management, Managing Redundancy, Managing Terminations & Dismissals, Managing Casuals, and Contract Staff.

FKE in partnership with United States International University (USIU) have come up with a certification course called the Executive Diploma in Industrial Relations.

This unique program rides on FKE’s expertise and leading role in advocacy and industrial relations and USIU’s strong base on management training is focused on equipping managers and executives with requisite knowledge, skills, attitude and competency in Industrial Relations.

The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) is the leading employers’ organization in advocacy, industrial relations, employment laws and related value-added services through management consultancy and training.

FKE is the leading authority employer organization in Kenya and African Region, representing the employers’ interests both locally and internationally since 1959.

FKE’s membership cuts across all sectors of the economy in both private and public sectors (state corporations).

The members are entitled to free advice on trade dispute resolutions, wage negotiations, discipline management, employment contracts, terminations, collective bargaining agreements and conciliations. FKE also gives members legal representation before the Industrial Court.

FKE conducts both open and in-house training programs in legal, industrial relations, management and productivity improvement. The training services are geared towards improving enterprise productivity and competitiveness as well as developing employers’ capacities in managing industrial relations at the workplace.

The Federation continues to offer other value addition services to its members in areas such as management and organizational development consulting; Project management and labour and socio-economic research.

The available consultancy services include: • Job evaluations and organisational restructuring • Executive selection and recruitment • Strategic plans: development and reviews • Work environment survey and salary surveys • Customer and employee satisfaction surveys • HR manual preparation and review • Performance management and appraisal • Organizational audit and Training Needs Analysis

L-R: Prof. Freida Brown, Vice Chancellor USIU, Nelson Kuria, CEO Cooperative Insurance Company and FKE Vice Chairman, and Jacqueline Mugo, Executive Director FKE after launching the Executive Diploma in Industrial Relations.

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The FKE project portfolio focuses on HIV/AIDS mainstreaming and policy development, Child Labour Eradication, Employee wellness programs, Occupational Safety and Health Audits and training; Fire safety and sustainable enterprise development programs.

FKE’s Research Division collects and analyses information on social and economic indicators for policy advocacy, lobbying and wage negotiation. FKE also reviews current Government policies to assess their impact on the business environment and investment climate.

These initiatives have made FKE’s presence to be felt in every workplace.

TRAINING PROGRAMMES APRIL - DECEMBER 2011 MONTH APRIL

COURSE TITLE

DATES/VENUE

OSH Committee Management Skills Development New Labour Laws Social Responsibility: Management and Standards Effective Industrial Relations

5th-8th, Naivasha 6th-8th, Nairobi 6th-7th, Mombasa 12th-13th, Nairobi 14th-15th, Nairobi

Employee Wellness Implication of New Constitution on Industrial Relations OSH Committee Strategic Customer Relationship Management

5th-6th, Mombasa 5th, Kisumu 10th-13th, Nairobi 14th-15th, Nairobi 18th, Nairobi

JUNE

OSH Committee Negotiation Skills Discipline Management Procurement and Contracts Management OSH Committee

7th-10th, Mombasa 8th-9th, Nakuru 14th, Nairobi 14th-16th, Kisumu 14th-17th, Kisumu

JULY

OSH Committee Outsourcing: Opportunities, Challenges and Legal Implications Negotiation Skills OSH Self Audit (Checklist)

5th-8th, Nairobi 7th, Nairobi 13th-14th, Mombasa 14th, Mombasa 20th-22nd, Nairobi

AUGUST

OSH Committee Managing Employment Contracts OSH Self Audit (Checklist)

2nd-5th, Mombasa 11th-12th, Nairobi 12th, Kisumu

MAY

SEPTEMBER OSH Committee

6th-9th, Nairobi 8th-9th, Mombasa 13th-16th, Eldoret 14th-16th, Nairobi 4th-7th, Kisumu 6th, Mombasa 13th, Nairobi 13th-14th, Nairobi 1st-4th, Nairobi 10th-11th, Nairobi 10th-11th, Mombasa 17th-18th, Naivasha

DECEMBER

1st-2nd, Nairobi 8th, Nairobi

Effective Industrial Relations OSH Committee Strategic Customer Relationship Management OSH C committee OCTOBER Pre-CBA OSH Self Audit (Checklist) Effective Industrial Relations NOVEMBER OSH Committee Negotiation Skills Fire Safety Employee Wellness Employee Wellness Discipline Management

Nairobi Office Waajiri House, Argwings Kodhek Road, Milimani, Nairobi Tel: +254-20-272 1929/48/49/52, 272 0242/62 Cell: +254-733-333 291, 722-203 487 &NBJM GLFIR!GLF LFOZB PSH t 8FCTJUF XXX GLF LFOZB PSH

Western Kenya Branch Office 3F *OTVSBODF 1MB[B 0HJOHB 0EJOHB 3E ,JTVNV Tel: +254 57 2020620 &NBJM GLFLTN!GLF LFOZB PSH

Coast Branch Office 3BMMJ )PVTF /ZFSFSF "WFOVF .PNCBTB Tel: +254 41 2311112 MANAGEMENT &NBJM GLFNTB!GLF LFOZB PSH

Rift Valley Branch Office /BLVSV 1SFTT #VJMEJOH 1SJOUJOH )PVTF 3PBE /BLVSV Tel: +254 51 2216690 APRIL 2011 47 Email: fkenkr@fke-kenya.org

SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

KIM leading the pack in executive training

T

he Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) has cut a niche in the region as far as offering management programmes are concerned. Through its Center for Management Development (CMD), KIM offers consultancy, executive training and placement services for job seekers and corporates. Alex Musau, the head of executive selection at KIM says KIM’s strength lies in its solid foundation in training including its strong brand image founded on integrity and professionalism. “KIM’s exceptional leadership, professionalism objectivity and integrity dossier makes its executive selection a perfect base for organizations,� says Musau.

CMD offers, end to end recruitment services and also conducts psychometric tests. Employment seekers are not charged anything to upload their CVs on a website portal which can be accessed by employers. “We prepare job descriptions, training needs analysis, and prepare objective summary reports on the candidates we interview for clients. We use diagnostics and psychometric tests to reveal a candidates aptitude,� says Musau adding that the department currently has a data base of 2,500 CVs of professionals across East Africa.

Musau says absent or weak industry standards and a proliferation of briefcase “fly by night� consultant’s continue to harm the industry. However, he believes that the HRM Bill 2010 will streamline the industry’s activities and, encourages organisations to outsource recruitment services to professionals as it has many benefits which include saving resources and ensuring objectivity in the process. The KIM executive services

Alex Musau, head of executive selection, KIM

department works with various HR consultants who also offer professional advice in the recruitment process. “We are very flexible, and have no fixed or rigid criteria associated with traditional players. Currently, we are working on a plan to launch an SME executive selection package by mid 2011,� he says.

A new service in the market is the Personality Assessment Test (PAT) that was launched in 2010. “In an aggressive market like Kenya, sometimes all shortlisted persons have the same qualifications, experience and poise for the position. In such situations, a PAT can be used to determine a good candidate,� explains Musau.

O

ur mandate is to provide linkage between employing organizations and job seekers as a bridge in the career value chain. Sample this:

SERVICES TO EMPLOYERS

Recruitment Services Entrust your executive recruitment assignments to us and we promise an objective and professional outcome.

Database Access Services Are you recruiting Executives and want to save on cost and time while guaranteeing the best outcome? Our rich CV database covers over twenty professional fields.

Personality Assessment Testing (PAT) Want to assess candidates’ suitability for a job? Supplement your recruitment with a PAT. Assessment Centre Recruitment If foolproof results are what you are looking for, try our Assessment Centre Recruitment.

SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS

CV Placement Do you want your CV to find you a job? Register it for free in our database.

Professional CV Design Are you looking for a professionally designed CV to ease your job search efforts? Look no farther.

Mock Interviews / Interview Rehearsal Are you faced with an interview and are unsure of how to approach it? Come to us for a mock rehearsal.

EXECUTIVE SELECTION SERVICES 5P TBNQMF PVS DVUUJOH FEHF TFSWJDFT DPOUBDU VT BU Maple Court, 1st Floor, Westlands Road, Westlands Close, Opposite Zimbabwe High Commission 1 0 #PY /BJSPCJ r 5FM &NBJM FTT!LJN BD LF BNVTBV!LJN BD LF r 8FCTJUF XXX LJN BD LF

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SPECIAL FEATURE - EXECUTIVE TRAINING

Inoorero University Executive MBA benchmarks WITH the best Inoorero University (IU) formerly Kenya School of Professional Studies is anchored in over 26 years of excellence in offering professional education.

IU aims at offering relevant practical education that transfers into results immediately impacting on the work place or business enterprise.

In partnership with Copenhagen based CBS –SIMI Foundation, IU launched an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) Programme that is delivered by top international faculty from leading European Business Schools.

Assignments are hinged on participants own companies not just academic theory, but real daily issues of actual companies. Since November 2010, the participants

have completed and defended six incompany assignments and three Group Assignments adding direct value to the participants’ supporting companies.

They have also embarked on enhancing leadership skills through personal leadership development course of the EMBA. The program targets senior management executives in both public and private sectors with aspirations to expand their international operations.

What distinguishes the Inoorero EMBA: • Combines business analysis with personal leadership development • Business value addition to companies through real life supporting companies • International faculty and international quality processes • Experiential learning with team peers.

Dr. Leah Wanjama, Director, Institute of Executive Education & Consultancy - IU

Facts ABOUT the programme • New/different practical approach to MBA • Modular format, three modules of five months each taking a total of 15 months • Highly interactive programme using “live” problem solving approach • Convenience and flexibility- weekend classes

Personal testimonies

Wanjiku Muhato CEO, Tamasha Strategy ltd “This is a highly intensive educational journey. It can shock, overload you with reading and the classes are high intensity experiences. There is a constant push to learn and achieve beyond what you think are your limits, and when you surpass your own expectations, the bar is raised a little higher. As a result, this Programme has had a strong and dramatic impact on me as I use the Leadership and Strategic Innovation courses to re-define where I may wish to focus my future career. I would strongly recommend this EMBA to anyone seeking a truly international understanding of today’s highly competitive world.”

Wilfred Ndolo - Director, Administration, Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan This is an EMBA with a difference.

The teaching methodology is interactive; it makes everyone to be highly involved and focused. Group work is encouraged and this enables everyone to learn from the others and develop a strong network for now and the future. Theory is applied to practice by taking real company cases and finding solutions to improving processes plus the program is flexible and suits busy Executives. I would encourage potential EMBA participants to give this Programme a try, they will never regret!

Lemarron Kaanto - Community Development Manager, Magadi Soda Co. “The course has opened a new world for me, more so because of my previous non financial training.

Now I can relate very well with the overall company business strategy with ease. The personal leadership learning has been an opportunity for self assessment on my leadership capabilities, but much more important getting 360 degrees feedback from supervisors, peers, colleagues and subordinates.

It is quite a powerful tool that will strongly build my leadership skills alongside my learning!”

NEXT INTAKE: AUGUST 2011 For further enquiries, please contact: www.iu.ac.ke/emba Tel. +254-733743575/ 3750255/3514500

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CORPORATE CASE STUDY

Hylton Bannon, CEO, Toyota East Africa.

Driving quality, the Toyota way Toyota EA went through a newly developed excellence model tool - Organisational Performance Index (OPI) - developed by the Kenya Institute of Management and won the 2010 Productivity and Quality Award during the Company of the Year Awards. BRENDA OTINDO brings you the story behind Toyota’s success.

Photos by: James Oluma

T

he car in front of you is always a Toyota is a popular tagline among many motorists.

The endless traffic jams especially in this part of the world has fuelled the popularity of the phrase, and made the Toyota marquee seem like the de facto source of transport, world over.

Kiichiro Toyoda was the brains behind Toyota Motor Corporation.

Hailing from a Japanese entrepreneurial family, Toyoda studied engineering at the University of Tokyo, went to England and worked at a textile manufacturing

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company then proceeded to the United States (US) where he studied manufacturing techniques. He returned to Japan and joined his father’s loommaking business and engineered improvements to the looms’ high-draft spinning frames, and patented a carding machine.

Toyoda began his research into automotives by dismantling and reassembling an imported motorcycle.

After his father died, the company funded research into auto-making.

Toyoda bought a new Chevrolet and together with engineers, disassembled and reassembled it. By 1934 Toyoda

and his team had designed and built their first gasoline-powered engine, and convinced stockholders to fully fund his new division. In 1935, Toyoda built the prototype of the first car, combining Japanese components with Ford and Chevy parts under a Chrysler body to construct what they called Model A1.

According to legend, Toyoda drove the prototype to his father’s gravesite, to show what he had accomplished.

Toyoda vehicles were manufactured in July 1935. In 1936, the spelling of the nameplate was altered from Toyoda to Toyota, as Toyoda believed the new name was easier to pronounce.

CORPORATE CASE STUDY Today, Toyota is the seventh largest company in the world, and the second largest manufacturer of automobiles. It has production facilities in 28 countries and the highest-production facility of any non-domestic automaker in the US. As of June 2006, Toyota had 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries outside Japan and markets in more than 170 countries.

Toyota in East Africa The Toyota East Africa business is based in Nairobi and is currently headed by Hylton Bannon who has the task of ensuring that the business is profitable in line with the global rating of the Toyota brand. Toyota EA has been operating for the past 10 years as a distributor owned

by Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) - the trading arm of Toyota Motor Corporation.

In Kenya, Toyota EA has led the market for the last seven years. The company sells new and used cars, car parts, runs service workshops, and leases vehicles.

They also have motor vehicle conversion facilities and have teamed up with Yamaha motorbike Services, a lucrative business deal.

“We do not compete with Jua Kali artisans due to our high training and services,” Bannon says with reference to the Toyota Motoring Centre where they offer two-year courses for all new technicians in addition to running continuous learning projects. As such, the customer is assured that the technicians are well exposed to the latest technology like the high tech intelligent tester tools. This has enabled the firm to localise vehicles to suit the East African terrain.

Toyota EA scored 62.3 percent in the assessment under the new Operational Performance Index (OPI) excellence model. Toyota EA was rated highly for its continuous improvement culture; support from management for productivity and quality; well documented visualisation of process improvements; and the application of World Class models.

According to Bannon, Toyota EA is part of the Toyota Motor Corporation and follows the mother company’s best practices. In 2010, Toyota EA received ISO 14001 certification, as a mark of distinction for best corporate practices.

The Toyota way For decades now, top US companies like Boeing and Caterpillar have repeatedly

re-built their plants and re-engineered their processes in a bid to make them more like those of Toyota. This was due to the fact that Toyota has always been regarded to be the paragon of efficient production and quality control. Toyota’s approach to manufacturing, especially its emphasis on waste elimination productivity has become more profitably. Dr. Jeffery Liker, a professor of Engineering at the University of Michigan says the Toyota Way of production is ‘a system designed to provide tools for people to continually improve their work.’

There are four sections in the Toyota Way: • Long-term Philosophy • Right processes will produce the right results • Add value by developing your people • Continuously solving the root of the problems This translates into the Kaizen means of production of eliminating hard unnecessary work, and encouraging an increase in productivity. To succeed, the move calls for participation by all workers, preferably in a workstation or a small group. In Toyota, this group is guided by a line supervisor who follows Total Quality Management (TQM). This is unlike the old fashioned Darwin method that focuses more on giving of commands and controlling the workforce. Smaller test programmes are easy to take up through the Kaizen method which can be rapidly adapted.

The sections in the Toyota Way have a number of principles totalling 14. They are summarised below:

Section I Principle 1 – Long-term philosophy Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals.

People need purpose to find motivation and establish goals.

Section II - The right process will produce the right results Principle 2 - Create a continuous process flow to bring problems to the surface Work processes in the Toyota firm are re-designed to eliminate waste – Muda – through the process of continuous improvement (Kaizen). In the process of manufacturing, waste occurs during: overproduction, waiting, unnecessary transport or conveyance, over processing or incorrect processing, excess inventory, motion, and defects.

Principle 3 - Use ‘pull’ system’ to avoid overproduction Supply or production is determined according to the actual demand from the customers.

In instances where the supply time is lengthy and the demand is difficult to forecast, using the pull system method gives a signal when there is need for more material. This process avoids over production and is closely linked to lean management. “We believe and practice lean management which ensures Just In Time Production (JIT) which in turn benefits both the customer and the firm,” Bannon says.

Principle 4 - Level out the workload heijunka – work like the tortoise, not the hare This helps achieve the goal of minimising waste.

This will avoid the creation of uneven production levels.

Principle 5 – A culture of stopping the production line to fix problems and to get quality right the first time round Quality must always take precedence. Any employee in the illustrated Toyota Production System has

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CORPORATE CASE STUDY authority to stop the process should they note a quality issue. They are expected to take up the challenge and be able to inform the team leaders of the errors.

Principle 6 - Standardised tasks and processes are the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment Although Toyota still uses a bureaucratic system, it leaves room for continuous improvement. Kaizen is used to empower employees and help them improve products.

Principle 7 - Use visual control so no problems are hidden Included here is the 5S Programme which includes steps used to make all work spaces more efficient and productive. It helps people share workstations including reducing time searching for tools plus improving the work environment. The 5Ss are: Sort out unnecessary items, Straighten - have a place for everything, Shine - keep the area clean, Standardise - create rules and standard operating procedures, and Sustain - maintain the system and continue to improve it. The 5Ss are able to measure waste in addition to reducing errors.

Principle 8 - Use reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and processes.

It is essential to note that technology is pulled by manufacturing, not pushed to manufacturing.

Section III — Add value to the organisation by developing your people Principle 9 - Develop leaders who thoroughly understand the work, live the philosophy, and teach it to others This principle has to be engrained in the organisation. It must be the way one thinks; employees must be educated and trained.

Principle 10 - Develop exceptional teams who follow your company’s philosophy.

These teams should consist of four to five people and numerous management tiers. Success is based on the team, not the individual.

Principle 11- Respect your network of partners and suppliers by challenging them and helping them improve Toyota treats suppliers much like they

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treat their employees, challenging them to do better and helping them to achieve it. The firm provides cross functional teams to help suppliers discover and fix problems so that they can become a stronger, better supplier.

Section IV — Continually solving root problems drives organisational learning Principle 12 - See and thoroughly understand the situation Toyota managers are expected to use the ‘Go-and-See’ approach. Without experiencing the situation first hand, managers will not have an understanding of how it can be improved.

Managers use Tadashi Yamashima’s (President, Toyota Technical Centre) management principles as a guideline that says: 1. Always keep the final target in mind 2. Clearly assign tasks to yourself and others 3. Think and speak on verified, proven information and data 4. Take full advantage of the wisdom and experiences of others to send, gather or discuss information 5. Share information with others in a timely fashion 6. Always report, inform and consult in a timely manner 7. Analyse and understand shortcomings in your capabilities in a measurable way 8. Relentlessly strive to conduct Kaizen activities 9. Think ‘outside the box,’ or beyond common sense and standard rules 10. Always be mindful of protecting your safety and health Principle 13 - Make decisions slowly by consensus, considering all options then implement decisions rapidly In this principle, the following are often viewed to be key decision parameters:

• • • • •

Find what is really going on (go and see) Determine the underlying cause Consider a broad range of alternatives Build consensus on the resolution Use efficient communication tools

Principle 14 - Become a learning organisation through relentless reflection and continuous improvement The process of becoming a learning organization involves criticizing every aspect of what one does. As such, the general problem solving technique to determine the root cause of a problem includes: • Initial problem perception • Clarify the problem • Locate area/point of cause • Investigate root cause • Countermeasure • Evaluate • Standardise Recall of faulty cars Despite adherence to the principles, the global Toyota market was hard hit by recalls last year but Bannon says the East African region was not affected.

“The recalls were mainly from Europe and North America. We mainly buy our vehicles from the assembly plants in South Africa and Japan. These ones had no problems.”

In the region, Toyota Hilux single and double cab pickups and the 4X4 Landcruiser are popular car models.

“The RAV4 is also popular as it is environmentally friendly,” says Bannon.

“This has given us a name for being environmentally friendly and look forward to investing more in Africa.”

Email: botindo@kim.ac.ke

“Toyota is the seventh largest company in the world, and the second largest manufacturer of automobiles. It has production facilities in 28 countries and the highest-production facility of any non-domestic automaker in the US.”

ENTREPRENEUR’S DIARY

Is your ego becoming a liability?

The best leaders check their ego at the door.

him look smarter. This turned out to be prophetic. After selling his company, this man went on to become a senior officer with a Fortune 100 food company. He was hired for his management skills.

Managing by ego Too much ego can also get in the way of managing effectively. If you must micromanage every project and insist on having the last word on every decision, you are discouraging your staff from taking ownership. And when you prevent your people from growing in their jobs, you keep your company from growing, too.

What’s your ego?

Does ego play a role in your management style? Answer these questions: • Do you find it hard to delegate responsibility?

• Do you implement your employees’ suggestions, or is your knee-jerk impulse to shoot them down?

• When an employee has a good idea, do you give them credit for it?

• Do you tend to micromanage projects?

• Do you facilitate all staff meetings?

Article By: RAY SILVERSTEIN

C

hances are you have a decent-sized ego, or you wouldn’t be an entrepreneur. It takes self-confidence to blaze your own path and assume all the risk and responsibility that come with going it alone. A healthy ego is often an advantage in business.

But once you reach a certain level of success, too much ego can become a liability. If you always have to be Numero Uno, your company and employees are left playing second fiddle. And that can limit everyone’s growth.

No wonder some of the most powerful business leaders are so restrained in the way they wield their power and don’t throw their weight around. Instead, they willingly share their power with others. Take Andrew Carnegie, one of the most successful tycoons of the 19th century. A Scottish immigrant from a poor family, this brilliant man worked his way up from a telegraph messenger earning USD 2.50 a week to co-founder of the world’s first billion-dollar corporation, US Steel.

Yet Carnegie was never dazzled by his own accomplishments. Rather, he is famous for attributing his success to the talents of others. Consider the modest inscription on his tombstone: “Here lies a man who knew how to enlist the service of better men than himself”; now that’s an interesting approach to leadership.

Hiring by ego Visionaries in the mould of Andrew Carnegie not only have a gift for spotting talent – they’re not afraid to share the spotlight with those who might potentially outshine them. Obviously, not everyone’s ego is up to this challenge. In my peer advisory board meetings for business owners, such hiring decisions come up all the time. Over the years, I have observed numerous entrepreneurs reject outstanding candidates because they are consciously or unconsciously threatened by their abilities. Conversely, I have seen entrepreneurs joyfully seize the opportunity to hire a rising superstar.

Years ago, one such entrepreneur told me that he hired people smarter than himself because, ultimately, it made

Time for an ego check If you answered yes to these questions, perhaps it’s time for an ego check. Try to change your outlook by breaking some of these habits. For example: 1. Delegate tasks – Pick a project languishing on your to-do list and hand it off to an employee. Getting it done, even imperfectly, beats not getting it done at all.

2. Involve your team – Start soliciting employee suggestions and then implement some, even if you privately think they are silly. As long as they don’t do any harm, the benefits you’ll reap are worth it.

3. Give employees responsibilities – Instead of leading every meeting, ask employees to take turns facilitating.

You might be surprised by what you learn.

Sure, it’s nice to be the Top Dog, the Big Kahuna, the Grand Poobah of your domain, but in the end, that’s not what solid leadership is all about.

Source: www.entrepreneurmag.co.za

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THE ENTREPRENEUR

Overcoming adversity Story and photo by: MARK KIRUMIRA

N

iccolo Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher and humanist, once wrote that entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between an obstacle and an opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. This best describes the journey of Patrick Bitature, a Ugandan businessman and entrepreneur.

At the tender age of 13, having lived a modest life, he lost his father back in the early 70s but he never let the misfortune dampen his dreams of some day becoming financially well of. He used the challenge, to instead, think of ways of sustaining his siblings and as a consequence he launched a mundane trading business to meet his expectations. “As the eldest child, the onus was on me to help my mother take care of my siblings, so I had to look for money-making opportunities to take care of my family. I dabbled in trading goods, micro-finance, and taxi services all the while I was still in school.”

Bitature studied at Namasagali College located in the eastern district of Kamuli and Nyakasura School in western Uganda. He also did an accountancy course in the UK, which made him a Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).

But on his return from the UK, he faced a lot of disturbances, amongst them, abductions by former President Milton Obote’s army which put his life on the line. “After all these trials, I didn’t just get into business because I had no any experience before hand,” he says.

He singles out Karim Hirji, owner of the Dembe Group of Companies, Mukwano and Sudhir Ruparelia as people who have shaped his way of thinking about business. “I’ve worked briefly for Industry captains in Uganda like Mukwano, Karim Hirji and Sudhir and through them I learnt a lot of business principles, which I have adopted to run my companies today.”

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Patrick Bitature, Ugandan businessman and entrepreneur.

First shop With personal savings, he launched a shop in Kampala that dealt in mobile telephony services and goods like sim cards and airtime cards for Celtel Uganda (now Airtel). But he would later switch allegiance to a new entrant on the market at the time, MTN Uganda, because of their good marketing strategy of targeting the mass market rather than an up-end market.

Celtel at the time was selling very expensive phones and clients, to buy say airtime for example, were required to travel out of town to purchase the service.“When MTN entered Uganda I was fit and agile, I was in the goal post and when they shot I was there because I had read where the ball would go,” he says.

THE ENTREPRENEUR Within the first six months, in partnership with MTN he had signed up about 30,000 customers which in reflection was six times more customers as Celtel had managed to sign up after ironically doing business for four years.

This move led to the starting up of Simba Telecom which would later provide the foundation for a streak of other businesses ranging from broadcasting, electronics, insurance, banking to hotels and resorts.

Today, his businesses have subsidiaries in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria. All these have come into existence in just 11 years. He says starting up Simba Telecom came out of his realisation that mobile telephony was going to be a massive trend in African countries and indeed it has proved that over the years.

According to the Uganda Communications Commission, in 2008, there were 8.5 million mobile telephones in use, making Uganda 68th in terms of countries having the most mobile telephones in use. He says his experience with Kenyans has shown him that they are hardworking compared to other East Africans. He has a dealership with Safaricom, one of the most respected companies in East Africa.

He emphasizes that in order to keep afloat in business, keeping good customer relations is cardinal. “This has assisted me to establish good contacts,” he says. He adds that getting to where he is today has not been a walk in the park as he has had to work hard, adopt determination and honesty, as his guiding lights.

“I think the key to our continued success is flexibility and nimbleness.

We are now a large company, but we have kept our entrepreneurial roots alive while minimising bureaucracy. We are always looking for the next trend and we make sure we jump on early on to it, rather than waiting,” he says. Currently, Bitature’s businesses employ at least 1,000 people and his companies average a 50 percent Return on Capital annually.

To the young entrepreneurs, he says, they need to have a tunnel vision, be patient and network or get mentors who have a track record of success.

Challenges As much as he has managed to create businesses in quick succession, Bitature has faced a myriad of challenges over the years. “As a young businessman, my biggest challenge was gaining people’s trust in me, but as I grew in business one of my challenges or weaknesses was trusting employees who would fleece me off,” he recounts.

Inspiration “My dad is still my biggest inspiration in my life. He was a hard worker, honest, kind, generous and trustworthy; values that I hold in high regard to date,”

he says. But in the business world, he cannot forget Warren Buffet. “He inspires me because of his incredible investment abilities but yet, he still retains humbleness and a plain lifestyle.

Also Richard Branson, a British tycoon inspires me for his ability to build consumer brands and his appetite for risk.” Like they say, luck meets a prepared mind; Bitature has managed to become a successful entrepreneur because he has positioned himself pretty well, allowing him to grab any passing opportunities.

About Bitature • Born: 1962 • Education: Namasagali College in Kamuli District, Nyakasura School in Fort Portal and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), in the United Kingdom.

• Business interests: Started his business empire with a single company, Simba Telecom, an exclusive distribution arm of MTN. From there he expanded Simba Telecom into new geographies of Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania.

• He also started Simba Electonics (upscale electronics retail business) • Simba Distributors • Simba Forex • Simba Tours & Travel • Dembe FM • He started a successful micro-finance business (CMF) which he later sold to Global Trust Bank.

• More recently he built and operates Protea Hotel Kampala, as well as other property development activities.

• Another recent venture is ElectroMaxx, an electricity generation plant in Tororo.

“As a young businessman, my biggest challenge was gaining people’s trust in me.”

• Blitz Video and ice cream

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HANDS ON MANAGEMENT

Managing your risks Story by: JOSEPH KIHURO

I

n the recent past, the global financial crisis ravaged the world’s financial markets leaving an indelible mark on risk management as a discipline. It is one of the quandaries that have forced risk managers to retreat back to the drawing boards. But is risk management really that important? Or is it one of the bothersome tasks heaped upon us by our ever-probing external partners, profit-thirsty shareholders and hawk-eyed regulators? The English say, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ An agile organization never runs away from risks. They craft credible strategies to mitigate them. Indeed well-calculated business risks are great opportunities in the future.

Risk management must be systematic, otherwise it might turn out to be one of those wild-goosechases. First, a business needs a method of identifying risks. Second,

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it should review the probability of the occurrence of risk events. Third, identify the events before they create problems and hatch strategies to counter them.

Fourth, systematize the tools and techniques required to tackle the events.

Fifth, supervise or monitor the risk management approach adopted. There are various internationally accepted techniques and models that can help in identification, measurement and mitigation of risks. The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management - Integrated Framework is one such a model.

So, what are the inherent risks that businesses encounter?

Different businesses experience different sets of risks. It is also not possible that an entrepreneur in Europe and one in Sub-Saharan Africa experience exactly the same set of

challenges. This is the reason businesses must critically evaluate their business processes and succinctly identify the intrinsic risks. Many risk control systems, although varying in shape and detail, commonly involve assessment of risks under the following generic headings: • Strategic Risk: The risk associated with future business plans and strategies such as entering into new business lines, expanding existing services through mergers and acquisitions etc. If a company diversifies by producing a new product, what are the possible challenges to be encountered? The risk radar must aim outside the organisation. The success of such moves will largely be dictated by competitors, customers, the media, and the general economic conditions amongst other factors. To mitigate strategic risk, management ought

HANDS ON MANAGEMENT to have a strategic planning process that addresses its business goals and objectives. For instance, how many organizations can boast of possessing a robust contingency plan that can handle operations of the business in case of an unexpected eventuality? Is risk appetite or tolerance level part of the strategy?

• Operational Risk: The risk that remains after determining financing and systematic risk, includes risks resulting from breakdowns in internal procedures, people and systems.

Operational risks can be disastrous to a business. Nothing would explain it than a real life story. In 2008, Jerome Kerviel, a trader in a bank, made a mockery of the French Société General’s reputation as one of the world’s best-run banks. The rogue trader was accused of hacking into the bank’s computer system. He used his computing skills to hide up to £60 billion of illegal trading, which resulted in losses totalling £3.7 billion. A vigilant business should use tools such as loss event reports, management oversight, employee questionnaires, exit interviews, management self assessment, and internal audit to mitigate such losses.

• Financial Risk: The risk arises from the financial structure of a firm which may stymie its ability to meet its financial obligations. There are numerous facets of the financial risk.

For instance, credit risk, is the loss of principal or financial reward stemming from a borrower’s failure to repay a loan or otherwise meet a contractual obligation. While market risk sees the value of an investment decrease due to market factors such as valuation of the Foreign Exchange rates, interest rates etc. On the other hand, liquidity risk happens due to uncertain liquidity.

Can the business meet its short-term obligations without a struggle?

• Compliance risk is the current and prospective risk to earnings or capital due to non-conformance with laws, rules, or regulations. In financial institutions, various regulations stipulate how businesses should be

Jerome Kerviel hacked into a bank’s computer system.

operated. A good example is the Risk Capital regulations issued by the Basel II Accord. This risk exposes the institution to fines, civil money penalties, payment of damages, and the voiding of contracts. Compliance risk can lead to bad reputation, reduced franchise value, limited

“A vibrant business must critically evaluate its business and identify all the inherent risks and subsequently craft strategies to mitigate them”

business opportunities, reduced potential for expansion , and an inability to enforce contracts.

• Environmental risk involves human health or the environment suffering harm as a result of the presence of

environmental hazards. For instance, in Kenya, you cannot carry out a major project such as a construction development of a certain magnitude without an environmental and social impact assessment. It must be ascertained that the impact on the environment including the community living in the neighbourhood is not injurious. This is a requirement by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA),the principal instrument of Government in the implementation of all policies relating to the environment.

Basically, the list of risks can never be exhaustive. There are many other risks that continue to impinge on our businesses such as IT, HR, Political and reputational risks. A vibrant business must critically evaluate its business and identify all the inherent risks and subsequently craft strategies to mitigate them. Generically, there are four ways of managing a risk. You can, accept it, transfer it, reduce it, or eliminate it.

Randy Pausch,a revered American professor, specializing in computer Science and human computer interaction who died in July 25 due to pancreatic cancer once said, “One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose.”

Email: jkihuro@shelterafrique.org

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BUSINESS STANDARDS

ISO fits all

Article by SIMAL RAICHA

W

e are all aware that there is a shift on how the world trades. It is also apparent that this shift in global trade is opening new frontiers to developing countries. What also will help greatly is the ability for all countries and companies irrespective of size, location or industry to compete on a level playing field.

ISO standards operate throughout the world, represented in over 170 countries, drawn from industrialised, developing and in transition, regions.

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ISO’s portfolio of standards provides business, government and society with practical tools for all three dimensions necessary for sustainable, business growth development, notably, economic, environmental and social.

With trade globalisation, products manufactured using low standards will increasingly find it difficult to be accepted. ISO specialist companies, such as the International Management Systems Marketing (IMSM), work with clients in developing countries, to assist them, put in place a standardisation infrastructure that enables their products

to meet international requirements. In five simple steps your business can trade globally.

International standardisation provides a reference framework, or a common technological language, between suppliers and their customers, which facilitates trade and the transfer of technology. With the global standardisation of industrial bench marks, barriers to trade are broken down. A great benefit of ISO is that it cuts through red tape, a phenomenon that destroys companies. Breaking trade barriers allows companies to breathe and

BUSINESS STANDARDS grow, confident that the ISO mark is an international badge of quality.

ISO standards are the same throughout the world thus creating a level playing field for all nations. Emerging nations, with limited resources and fledging infrastructure, can benefit from the reservoir of knowledge that ISO represents. ISO standards are a powerful business tool, which generic organisations can draw from. The thirdparty registration process is accepted worldwide, partly due to quality improvement and market positioning offered to commercial and government bodies. Customer and regulatory requirements, particularly those sought by the European Union (EU) for example, are met through ISO standards.

Improve quality globally IMSM, the international ISO specialists, supports the development of ISO campaigns as certified in Kenya.

Mirroring the goal of utilizing the standards so as to improve quality, globally, allows companies and countries to compete for new business contracts, irrespective of location.

In the coming years, developing countries will face intense competition and the choice of options available to businesses will be daunting. IMSM believes in offering all businesses, whether start-ups or established ones the opportunity and support to become ISO certified. This will not only strengthen their individual business mission, but also will strengthen Kenya’s position in the international market, as a quality driven nation. International buyers are unlikely to play blind to international standards and therefore local produces will have no choice but to abide both to the written and tacit rules.

In recognition of this truism legions of local companies are adopting ISO standards so as to compete in the international market. The ISO standards can introduce and provide producers to major global buyers and retailers.

Indeed ISO Standards are considered to be one of the ways of promoting social development and environmental sustainability in the global village. The ISO Standards can help SMEs for example, in achieving quality control and safety for their products. This, if it happens, is considered a positive development, encouraging SMEs to implement sustainable and corporate socially responsible (CSR) policies at the workplace.

For emerging nations, ISO standards are an important means of acquiring technological know-how, providing the countries with a basis for making the right decisions, when investing their scarce resources. These developing countries can benefit from ISO as a way of raising their capacity to export and compete in global markets.

In addition, ISO standards provide solutions and benefits to almost all sectors. In addition, the standards make a positive contribution to the world we live in by helping to facilitate fair trade, spread knowledge, disseminate innovative advances in technology, and share good management and conformity assessment practices.

Email: simalraicha@imsm.com

BUSINESS STANDARDS

ISO 9001 Quality Management

ISO 14001 Environmental Management

BS OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety Management

ISO 27001 Information & Data Security

ISO 20000 Information Technology

BS 25999 Business Continuity

ISO 22000 Food Safety Management

TS 16949 Automotive

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MONEY MATTERS

Investing in a volatile market Article by DANNY MUCIRA

T

he Kenyan macro economic environment is currently characterised by rising inflation and exchange rates, modest increases in the interest rates, and political tensions. Investors are anxious but instead of running for the exit, a smart investor greets downturns as a chance to find great investments. Ultimately, the question you should ask yourself is how to ride out a volatile stock market. Below are some basic principles to consider while taking stock of your investments: Make disciplined decisions instead of emotional ones The key to successful investment is the application of discipline. This entails having a strategy and keeping true to it.

One should form their own estimates of the business’s value based on a sound and rational examination of the facts.

Furthermore, you should only buy when the price offered makes sense, and sell when the price becomes too high. The market will fluctuate - sometimes wildly - but rather than fearing volatility, use it to your advantage to get bargains in the market or to sell out when your holdings become way overvalued.

Watching from the sidelines may cost you When markets become volatile, it is tempting to try and guess when stocks will bottom out. In the meantime, investors often park their investments in cash. But just as many investors are slow to recognize a retreating stock market, many also fail to see an upward trend in the market until after they miss opportunities for gains. This is largely because it is never definite when the trough will take the most anticipated turn, either upwards or downwards. So it should not be a gamble. Missing out on these opportunities can take a big bite out of your returns.

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Shilling-cost averaging makes it easier to cope with volatility Most people are quick to agree that volatile markets present buying opportunities for investors with a longterm horizon. What is challenging is to take the actual step in making an investment purchase during a market downtime. Shilling-cost averaging can help reduce anxiety in the investment process.

Shilling-cost averaging is committing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals to an investment. You buy more units when prices are low and fewer units when prices are high, and over time, your average cost per unit will may be less than the average price per share. Shilling-cost averaging involves the continuous, disciplined investments as emphasised in the previous point and this should be done albeit fluctuating price levels.

Re-balance your portfolio by investing in stocks and bonds Investors distribute their portfolio between stocks and bonds as a way to preserve capital in market downturns while still achieving growth of capital through bond income. Investors need to first preserve capital, and then make it grow. The split can be varied based on

market conditions. Portfolio rebalancing is a great exercise that every investor should consider. Re-balancing involves rechecking your investment risk, and assessing it against your current financial position. Question is, is your portfolio as diversified as you think it is? Meet with your financial advisor to find out.

Your portfolio’s weightings in different asset classes may shift over time as one investment performs better or worse than another. Together with your advisor, you can re-examine your portfolio to see if you are properly diversified. You can also determine whether your current portfolio mix is still a suitable match with your goals and risk tolerance.

Tune out the noise and gain a longer-term perspective With so many opinions about the market, the best thing to do is remain calm.

While the media is a valuable source of information for you, think long term for now and put your own investment plan in a longer-term perspective and bolster your confidence. There are no real secrets to managing volatility and the best way to navigate a volatile market is to have a good long-term plan and a well-diversified portfolio. Avoid short term moves that may divert your attention from the long term goals you have put in place.

MONEY MATTERS

Frugal living Article by: MIRIAM M. CHEGE

T

here is an old English proverb that says: Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. This means, if you take care of little things, with time, they can add up to become big things. Here are ten frugal living ideas to help you in financial management.

1. Look for ways of increasing your income – see how the things you love doing can contribute extra income beyond your full time employment without jeopardizing your formal job – utilize the extra hours in your day to earn some extra income.

2. Cut on the luxuries – How much do you spend on premium cable subscriptions, expensive shopping malls and social meetings?

Check where else the same products and services can be offered at half the price. A salon or gym near your house can make a lot of difference in your budget.

3. Track your expenditure – How much did you spend on food items last month? What about the utility bills? And your lunch while at work? If you have no actual figures for these items, make a budget to help you plan your monetary spending if you want to achieve financial freedom.

4. Cut impulse buying – this sounds cliché but opportunities of spending are always beckoning. If you decide to idle out in a supermarket over lunch, you end up buying unnecessary things. Be disciplined in your spending.

5. DYI – Meaning Do It Yourself - this one I got from www.frugaldad. com. Recently, I began washing my car to the dismay of my neighbours. Paying your own bills and picking up a cheque yourself saves you errand fees.

6. Buy in bulk – Bulk purchases save you a lot in the long term. Shop wholesale rather than buying one item at a time.

7. Carry a packed snack to the office – This is a healthy way of eating and avoiding over priced hotel/restaurant food. You can pack a fruit and salad and please, don’t eat at your desk!

8. Live below your means – Keeping up with the Joneses can drain your energy and your resources as well. Buy only what you need and what you can afford.

9. Get into good debt – KSh 100,000 to buy a new couch or a hometheatre is certainly not good debt. The more you have this kind of debt the more you get into the rat race and the more you need to borrow for more utility things.

10. Convert your family –cannot achieve financial wellness if you are surrounded by wasteful people.

Miriam M. Chege is the Chief Manager, KIM Membership and Media Services Division. She is a Motivational Speaker and a Communications and Media professional.

Email: mchege@kim.ac.ke

10 tips on investing in real estate Article by: DAN OJIJO

A

re you thinking of going into real estate business? Dan Ojijo, Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Mentor Holdings has the following 10 tips.

• Weigh your options – Have a proper plan that will guide you through your business. Draw sustainable options that that will guide you to your desired goal.

• Learn as much as you can – research. Attend real estate exhibitions and read what is out there in the market.

• Start small - You don’t have to go for opulent houses as this may strain you financially if you don’t have enough capital and requiring you to borrow.

• Be creative – Seek to do something that is different from what everyone else is doing.

• Have basic house maintenance skills and maintain the house in good condition if you want to continue giving you more money.

• Partner – seek partnerships with legally registered real estate agents and learn from them.

• Always use a lawyer - Never get into deals without a lawyer – he/she will help you understand the legal aspects that the law requires you to observe.

Involve your lawyer in all financial transactions and agreements.

• Background check – Check out the property you want to buy, use a valuer of a registered company.

• Total costs – Know all the costs involved; i.e. the cost of land, building materials and where to source them from, cost of labour, etc.

• Be prepared to handle challenges in real estate i.e. getting the land, water and the sewerage system while undertaking construction.

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ADVERTORIAL

The CIC all family protection medical cover

T

he CIC MEDISURE Family Health plan is a medical insurance policy designed to meet prevalent medical needs for individual persons and their nuclear family members.

The Policy offers a flexible, comprehensive and affordable inpatient medical cover tailored to provide adequate protection against a wide range of hospitalization expenses arising from both illness and accident, including chronic ailments and HIV/AIDS. Members access medical services using a Medical Card through a countrywide network of medical service providers appointed by CIC Insurance, including major hospitals like Aga Khan University Hospital, Gertrude’s Children Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital (Private wing), Nakuru War Memorial Hospital, Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital (Eldoret), and many others.

In-patient expenses covered by the policy include: specialist doctors fee, prescribed physiotherapy/chemotherapy/ radiotherapy, nursing care, prescribed medicines/dressings, diagnostic tests, emergency Air evacuation, emergency ambulance services, emergency overseas treatment, among others.

The policy is presented in six plans each loaded with attractive benefits package matching the level of cover: Membership eligibility The maximum policy entry age is 55

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Cover package

Overall cover limit per family (KSh)

CIC Prestige

5,000,000

CIC Premier

3,500,000

CIC Superior

2,000,000

CIC Comprehensive

1,000,000

CIC Standard

500,000

CIC Essential

300,000

years. However, members can remain on cover up to a maximum age of 74 years.

Children aged 30 days to 21 years are eligible for cover.

Benefits covered The benefits vary with the cover plan selected. Main benefits covered include hospital accommodation, chronic ailments and HIV/AIDS, pre-existing conditions (declared), maternity, post hospitalization, congenital defects, health check-ups, psychiatric / psychotherapy, ophthalmologic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, dental surgery, gynaecological surgery, major organ transplant, and funeral cash.

Salient features • Affordable and highly competitive premiums • Eligible members - persons aged 30 days to 74 years, but not older than 55 years at the policy inception date • Cover is renewable annually (after 12 calendar months) on the anniversary date • Cover is per family - members of a family share one cover limit and

claims are paid on a first come basis • Cover is offered in six plan options with blended benefit packages for customer choice • No excess or co-pay - medical bills are payable in full within the benefit limits (no deposit, contribution or security required) • Waiting period - from 30 days depending on specific benefits (no waiting period for accident claims) • “No claims discount” (NCD) based on claims experience • Emergency Road Ambulance services through E-Plus Emergency Services, a subsidiary of Kenya Red Cross • Emergency Air evacuation services through AMREF • A countrywide panel of medical service providers Optional rider covers Emergency excess of loss cover This is an optional cover that pays excess in-patient medical expenses resulting from an accident after the overall annual cover limit per family is exhausted. The benefit limit is attached to the cover plan purchased.

Personal accident cover An optional cover includes the following benefits: • Hospital cash payout - Payable on a weekly or lump sum basis for the duration the principal family member is hospitalized following an accident.

• Permanent total disablement Covers the principal family member against the risk of Total permanent disablement as a result of an accident.

• Accidental death - Covers the principal family member against death following an accident while the policy is in force.

Life Cover The Life cover is a 24 hours worldwide cover that pays a sum insured of KSh 500,000 in the event that the principal family member dies from any cause(accident or illness) when the policy is in force.

For more details on this product please contact any of our branches countrywide or CIC Insurance Agent.

ADVERTORIAL

IPv4 internet addresses exhausted The future rests with IPv6 Article by: Fiona Asonga

A

critical point in the history of the Internet was reached on 3, February 2011 with the allocation of the last remaining IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) Internet addresses from a central pool. This means the future expansion of the Internet is now dependant on the successful global deployment of the next generation of Internet protocol, called IPv6.

The final allocation of Internet addresses was administered by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a function of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The Internet technical community has been planning for IPv4 depletion for some time. But it means the adoption of IPv6 is now of paramount importance, since it will allow the Internet to continue its amazing growth and foster the global innovation.

The Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are independent, not-for-profit organizations that provide technical coordination for the infrastructure of the Internet. Those last five blocks of IPv4 addresses were allocated to the five RIRs during a ceremony in Miami of the Regional Internet Registries. The new Internet protocol, IPv6, will open up a pool of Internet addresses that is a billion-trillion times larger than the total pool of IPv4 addresses (about 4.3 billion). This means, the number of IPv6 addresses is virtually inexhaustible for the foreseeable future.

Dwindling addresses Two “blocks” of the dwindling number of IPv4 addresses, about 33 million of them, were allocated at the end of January 2011 to the RIR for the Asia Pacific region. When that happened, it meant the pool of IPv4 addresses had been depleted to a point where a global policy was triggered to immediately allocate the remaining small pool of addresses equally among the five global RIRs.

The allocation of the final IPv4 addresses is analogous to the last crates of a product leaving a manufacturing warehouse and going to the regional stores or distributions centres, where they can still be distributed to the public. Once they are gone, the supply is exhausted. In this case, the RIRs will distribute the last IPv4 addresses to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), universities, governments, telecommunications companies and other enterprises.

In Kenya, only 16 organizations have acquired IPV6 address space and of these, only seven use it to peer at KIXP. With the current pace of internet penetration in Africa, it is likely that in the next two years, any organization that shall not have began the transition process of deploying IPV6 alongside IPV4 should begin to close shop and exit the IP based business. The need for IPV6 may be sooner than expected to keep us connected on the Internet and this will required of different stakeholders: Enterprise customers: Email, web, and application servers must be reachable via IPv6 in addition to IPv4. Open a dialogue with your ISP and equipment vendor about providing IPv6 services. Each organization must decide on timelines, and investment level will vary.

Internet equipment vendors: There was probably limited demand for IPv6 in the past. Demand for IPv6 support will become mandatory very, very quickly. Introduce IPv6 support into your product cycle as soon as possible.

Broadband access providers: Your customers want access to the entire

Internet, and this means IPv4 and IPv6 websites. Offering full access requires running IPv4/IPv6 transition services and this is a significant engineering project.

Multiple transition technologies are available, and each provider needs to make its own architectural decisions.

ISPs: Content must be reachable to future Internet customers. Plan on serving content via IPv6 in addition to IPv4 is important. Implement a plan that will allow your customers to connect to the Internet via IPv6 and IPv6/IPv4.

Businesses are beginning to ask for IPv6 over their existing Internet connections and for their co-located servers.

Communicate with your peers and vendors about IPv6, and confirm their timelines for production IPv6 services.

Fiona Asonga is the Chief Executive Officer Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya/ Kenya Internet Exchange Point.

Email: tespok@tespok.co.ke

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63

INSPIRATION

Brains beyond borders

From the Uganda to the Tanzania stock exchanges, Robert Mathu is now transforming Rwanda’s capital markets.

Story By: KINOTI GATOBU

O

n my first day in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, President Paul Kagame was being interviewed on television: “People have a very different picture of Rwanda especially when they come here for the first time. There is a big difference between the Rwanda they expect and what they find. A very big difference,” the president said in the interview.

The president was right. Probably I was one of those visitors with the biggest disparity between what I expected and what I found. Never had I expected Kigali to be such a beautiful city and Rwanda such a prosperous country.

Kigali: a capital city that summarizes the progress of a small nation’s one and half decade of massive development.

The city is clean and so is the entire Rwanda nation, signally because polythene papers are not allowed in the country. Around the capital city are mega construction works by both the private and the government sectors.

At Kigali’s city centre, the country’s tallest building- Kigali Trade Centre- is nearing completion and so are many other skyscrapers. The government is determined to improve the country’s infrastructure.

In just a matter of a few years, Rwanda has spread some of East Africa’s best quality roads across its largely hilly landscape. The highway leading to the Kigali airport is undergoing a grand makeover. My Kenyan friends living at Remera area near the airport tell

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Robert Mathu, Executive Director, Rwanda Capital Markets Advisory Council.

me they are surprised by the fact that the government ripped off the Kigali airport highway to remake it while it didn’t have even a single pothole.

Outside the capital city, the fibre optic cable is being laid to every nook and cranny. And the president says Rwanda’s Information Communication and Technology victory will not end with the arrival of the fibre optic in the villages; children will even get laptop computers and much more. The Rwandese development machine is driving at full throttle. Amid all this, one institution is playing an important role, ensuring the government and the private sector get the money required for development,

namely, The Rwanda Capital Markets Advisory Council.

East Africa capital markets Robert Mathu has been at it again; having overseen the formation of the Uganda and Tanzania stock exchanges.

Mathu is now at the helm of the Rwanda Capital Markets Advisory Council as the executive director. He doubles up as the chairman of the East African Securities Regulatory Authority. His has been a big success story at the epi-centre of Rwanda’s economic boom. And his Rwanda experience began in a way very similar to what President Kagame described:

INSPIRATION “When I landed here in 2008, I found the roads from the airport very clean and thought to myself, that perhaps the authorities had just done this to impress visitors, only to realize that Rwanda as a whole is a very clean and organized country,” Mathu recounts.

His tenure at the capital markets began under challenging circumstances.

The country had no capital market laws and the running of the markets legally depended on the company’s Act. All through the first year, the market only traded government and a few corporate bonds mainly from the Commercial Bank of Rwanda.

This led to the rise of the equity market, once the cross listing of Kenya Commercial Bank shares in Rwanda occurred. This landmark was followed a year later by another major development: the cross listing of the Nation Media Group shares. Three years later, the humble beginnings of the Rwandese capital market is quickly developing into a mega African success story: “We have done more trade on the cross listed stocks than any other stock exchange in East Africa. We now look forward to more success upon the listing of Rwanda’s own company- Braliwa. Bank of Kigali and eleven other companies could also be coming onboard soon.

Moreover, the exchange will be adopting electronic trading before the end of the year. In fact, the Braliwa initial public offer (IPO) was done electronically with the assistance of CDSC Kenya but we will soon put in place a Rwandese electronic system,” the executive director explains.

The Braliwa IPO was oversubscribed by 174 percent and this boom went on even to the actual trading that started in late January where the share hit highs of 220 Rwandese Francs(RF), compared to the IPO price of RF136.

Other than the start of trading of Braliwa shares, the Rwandese capital markets have seen bigger progress this year, upon the unveiling of the Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE) in January. The RSE has set the stage for even more progress now that it will operate as a separate entity from the Capital Markets Advisory Council. The council has been running the show for years now, since

there was no effective legal framework allowing formation of a capital markets authority and the stock exchange as two separate bodies.

The success of the capital markets in Rwanda goes beyond the trading of securities: it trickles down to the common man, a case that has not been witnessed in many other African countries. The advisory council has embarked on a countrywide sensitization of financial markets. Mathu is optimistic that the sensitization will prepare the populace to take a more active role in the running of the financial markets and therefore reap more benefits from them.

Training professionals More training is being done on the professional front to ensure that as the capital markets develop, they will have qualified individuals to man them.

Consequently, the Rwanda Capital Markets Advisory Council in partnership with the Securities Industry Training Institute and with funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private wing of the World Bank has rolled out training for professionals in the capital markets, including brokers. All these developments seem to point to the direction President Kagame indicated in the television interview. “It’s about the people. Much of what we do here is aimed to empower the people.”

With a tainted past and host of many other challenges, the question in the minds of many is how has Rwanda managed to get so far so fast? I posed the same question to Mathu. He took a deep breath, turned lightly on his chair and looked outside through his office window on the fifth floor of Ecobank towers on Kigali’s Avenue de la Paix.

Turning back to me, he composed his answer: “Leadership. We have a very efficient government here. Moreover, the government is committed to implement laws and there is no ambiguity on law enforcement.”

To this end, Mathu gave me a copy of the country’s tax incentives, published in the government gazette, which showed that the incentives could be one of the reasons why companies in Rwanda are developing more interest

“We have a very efficient government here. Moreover, the government is committed to implement laws and there is no ambiguity on law enforcement.” in listing at the exchange. The incentives are broken down in six parts, some of the most outstanding ones being the drastic reduction of corporate income tax to 20 percent for companies that sell at least 40 percent of their shares to the public. In addition, the government offers no corporate income tax for a period of five years for venture capital companies registered with the capital markets authority.

It emerges that government legislation and other support has been vital in Rwanda’s success not only economically but in many other ways as Mathu explains: “There is thorough organization here. One idea Rwanda can sell to the rest of East Africa is the Muganda programme. Under this plan, every last Saturday of the month from 7 am to noon is reserved for sprucing the town’s environment. If you are found driving a motor vehicle the authorities have the power stop you.

But the rise of Rwanda hasn’t been without challenges. The country’s land locked position and the high cost of energy are some of those challenges, as well as limited access to long term capital. Mathu is however optimistic that the developing capital markets will help solve some of these challenges: “As our markets come of age, we hope to access more long term capital mainly in the form of pension funds from Kenya and Uganda,” he says.

Email: kinotigatobu@yahoo.com

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SMART LEADERSHIP

How to get the best out of your board Board members are not necessarily messengers from hell. They could be an invaluable asset waiting to be discovered writes MIKE ELDON.

O

ver the years, I have seen a good number of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) doing a superb job nurturing their boards, but there are far too many who make heavy going of the crucial relationship. Often, the problems boil down to the struggle for power and control. In some cases, CEO’s feel if they resign their reigns, the centre of the universe and any attempt to influence their actions will be seen as ‘interference’. They starve their boards of information and expect them merely to rubber stamp their decisions. At

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the other end of the spectrum, we find intimidated CEOs, who live in fear of their bosses, uncertain, who next will try to destabilise them. What can CEOs do to promote productive win-win relationships with their boards? How can they see their directors as more than ceremonial decorations? How, when they become disablers against whom they feel they must engage in ongoing struggles, can they wind down the war?

The CEO and the chairman At the centre of the relationship is the one between a CEO and a chairman.

These two share the prime responsibility

of creating and maintaining a healthy, positive approach of working together – as two individuals and as two teams.

Each must contribute to and benefit from the relationship. Each must reach out to the other. They must be clear about their respective roles and responsibilities, and all must abide by an appropriate code of conduct. Finally everyone’s performance must be managed, with the board assessing both a CEO and itself.

In the best situations, board assessment of themselves also includes input from a CEO and their team.

But at these highest organisational levels, roles and responsibilities are too

SMART LEADERSHIP often left vague and undefined, and insufficient (if any) attention is paid to how well either individuals or the whole are performing. People continue doing what they have always done, however good, bad or indifferent and they keep on getting what they have always gotten, however good, bad or indifferent.

The same goes for the overall group dynamic, the way people behave with each other. This is a function of a number of factors, not least the relative forcefulness of the personalities involved.

(Not always related to their levels of competence!) The more assertive the character the greater the courage required by others to stand up to them – and the greater the temptation to just go along with them, for the sake of a quiet life.

Political manoeuvring Some players – maybe a CEO, maybe some of the directors – cannot resist the thrill of political manoeuvring. They plot and undermine, trying to further their position and their interests. Such politics can too easily determine the way prime energy is spent – and wasted. Politics is typically about going for win-lose outcomes and in the long run, never mind for the organisation as a whole, this almost inevitably results in lose-lose.

Much of my work these days, whether as a director or as a consultant, involves aligning energy within boards and also helping boards and their management teams work well together.

As a director I am one of the players, participating from within over an

extended period; as a consultant I am a dispassionate external observer, often on the scene for a shorter period. But in either role I am always on the lookout for opportunities to help people become good members of high performance teams, and to feel good about being a member of it – collectively and individually.

For many years I was a CEO, well placed to be the spreader of positive energy and conscious of the need to act as a 360-degree motivator and mediator.

Such attitudes and such activities are there for anyone to adopt, and not least the chief executive. The CEO is not only at the top of the management pyramid, overseeing the entire staff, but he or she provides the vital link with the shareholders, as represented by the board.

Most CEOs understand that their job involves getting the best out of those who report to them. But not enough appreciate that an equally significant aspect of their responsibilities requires them to get the best out of their directors. They must reach out to the men and women who presumably have been appointed or elected to their positions as a result of their wisdom and experience.

Being under-utilised The most demotivating thing for a competent and responsible director is to feel they are being under-utilised.

They are reluctant to push themselves at making contributions, for fear of being seen as ‘interfering’ or ‘micromanaging’;

of being accused of acting as ‘control freaks’ and of wanting to become too operational. It is a delicate business, for while many directors have no such characteristics or desires, some are more comfortable getting buried in operational details than evolving and overseeing policies and strategies. CEOs (and more so board chairs) must help such folk to expand their comfort zones to focus on what they are really there for.

The key forum for interaction between CEOs and directors is the board meeting, and they will do well to think long and hard about these make or break opportunities for regular constructive engagement. Does the CEO dread such meetings? Are they deadly dull? Or worse, endlessly and predictably poisonous? One awkward board I chaired required me to rein in fellow directors who took delight in finding constant fault with the CEO, however justified or otherwise. They would miss no opportunity to stick pins into him over the pettiest of matters – while ignoring or taking his achievements for granted.)

On the other hand, do participants look forward to open, robust, focused and stimulating conversations, where everyone leaves feeling the meetings were worthwhile?

No one ever said the job of the CEO was easy. It is often lonely. Yet if CEOs become skilled at reaching out to their directors, at treating them as normal human beings who, like others, need motivating, then strange things may happen, like one day finding themselves on a board or two.

Email: meldon@symphony.co.ke

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10 QUESTIONS

Yes women can Elizabeth Kariuki, Senior Programmes Executive at the Kenya Association of Women Business Owners spoke to MURUGI NDWIGA about women in business, leadership and management.

Pictures by: SAMMI NDERITU 1. What role does KAWBO (Kenya Association of Women Business Owners) play in the lives of women entrepreneurs?

KAWBO facilitates women entrepreneurs in Kenya to grow their businesses and achieve entrepreneurial excellence by offering them business development skills, enabling business to business networking and providing business mentorship to budding entrepreneurs.

2. What is your advice to women planning to go into business?

Women who have a bankable business idea to plunge into business must develop the idea and perform due diligence to ensure that the idea is feasible. They should also be aware of the implications of externalities such as changes in national and international political climate, natural disasters etc to business and prepare a contingency plan from the onset to cushion their businesses from unforeseen shocks.

3. What challenges do business women face?

Starting a business comes with the potential for mistakes especially if one is going into business for the first time.

The biggest mistake that women make while starting a business is skipping the planning phase which eventually has deleterious effects to the business. This however is not unique to women owned business and is especially characteristic of small businesses. Failure to adapt new technology for increased efficiency, develop a clear marketing plan, develop and monitor business goals, keep overheads at a minimum and lack of skills in interpreting financial information for decision making are all major contributors to the downfall of women owned businesses.

4. Can women be trusted with leadership positions?

Yes! Many of those that have been entrusted with leadership positions have done us proud.

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5. What needs to happen to get more women in leadership positions?

At the work place, unless organisations take steps to eradicate gender bias, women leaders will always be undermined and misjudged, regardless of their talents or aptitudes. Companies need to take active steps to combat stereotyping by instituting more rigorous and transparent evaluation processes, as well as educating managers and executives about stereotyping. The achievements of women leaders also need to be showcased, particularly those in traditionally male-dominated fields.

6. Why is there a stereotype towards women in leadership?

Responses to women and men in leadership roles are conditioned by a social structure traditionally dominated by men and one that has over time given rise to gender stereotyping.

Consequently, women leaders are relentlessly held to a higher standard than their male counterparts. This is a truism that women who intend to get into, or are in leadership positions should keep in mind.

7. How should women deal stereotypes in the work place?

Women in leadership positions often face what has come to be referred to as the Double-Blind Dilemma, that is, Damned if You Do and Doomed if You Don’t. When women act in ways that are consistent with gender stereotypes, they are viewed as less competent leaders and when they act in ways that are inconsistent with such stereotypes, they are considered unfeminine. Thus on top of doing their job women are forced to continuously prove themselves as well as manage the stereotypes. Women must walk a fine line in the corporate world, especially in longer-established industries such as financial services, insurance, automotive, and manufacturing.

8. How does one manage to balance work and home life?

Attaining work-life balance requires

deliberate effort. Critical to achieving work-life balance are managing time, prioritizing and developing the habit of leaving work at work.

9. Do you women make better managers/leaders?

I do not think that gender influences quality of management or leadership given that leadership is a function of many factors.

10. Is there a difference between women and men leaders?

I find women leaders to be more assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need to get things done and are more willing to take risks than male leaders. Women leaders are also more empathetic and flexible, as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than their male counterparts enabling them to read situations accurately and take information in from all sides. website: www.kawbo.or.ke

SMART SOLUTIONS

TECH Q&A

What is the right software for your business?

Effective board management Article By: CAROLE KIMUTAI

Many businesses are now spending money on software as part of streamlining their business processes. CAROLE KIMUTAI spoke to Beth Kariuki, Senior Technical Trainer, Tezza Business Solutions.

W

hat is your definition of the term technology in relation to business?

Technology is defined as newer and advanced methodologies to improve services, operations, communication, use of product, and business processes.

In business, the term technology as applied could involve the use of ‘software as a service’, use of advance hardware, communicate channels and advanced network platforms. The use of technology, in business, is to facilitate better management, greater efficiency in business, increase in marketshare, and increase in customer satisfaction in service provided.

What does software quality assurance involve?

Software quality assurance is the process of ensuring that software meets the customers needs /requirements / desires, has less or no errors identified, is manageable by user, and has met the quality characteristics given as per ISO 9126 standards. It also involves ensuring that software standards, processes, procedures are followed, and well documented for traceability. To achieve this, a software undergoes various, vigorous testing to assess if the software has met the above goals, therefore making ‘software testing ‘a critical part of software quality assurance.

What are the characteristics of software that will ensure efficiency of business processes?

As defined by ISO 9126 there are six major characteristics: I. Functionality – A good software must complement business operations, processes, mission and vision of a business as well as provide expected returns on investment.

II. Reliability – This can be measured by the response time in providing correct output, large volumes of data, number of users, and level of network traffic and is not prone to failure at any given time.

III. Usability – Refers to the ease of use for a given function. The users are the key determinant of how well software complements business operations.

IV. Efficiency – This characteristic is concerned with the resources used when providing the required functionality.

V. Maintainability – The ability to identify and fix a fault within a software component is what the maintainability characteristic addresses.

Maintenance of software could involve upgrading, updating fixes on software and configuration management.

VI. Portability – Refers to how well the software can adopt to changes in its environment or with its requirements.

Good software should be flexible to operate or be deployed either on different software platforms, integrate and work other devices such as mobile, applications and network platforms.

How do you ensure you get a return on investment on good software?

A business must first understand its current business operations, challenges and align them with goal, mission and future expectations and identify them as ‘business needs’. From this business needs, the business will then be in a position to acquire a solution that will address those needs.

When you say software is cost effective, what does it mean?

A software is considered to be cost effective if; a) It provides service at a cheaper cost and is more efficient than compared to human input b) It provides services that enable business to grow and improve business c) The cost of software deployment and maintenance is manageable d) The returns of software are greater than cost of deploying the software e) Business profit margins are predicted to increase over time with use of software Email: beth.kariuki@tezzasolutions.com

It is Monday morning and the Board of Directors are gathered in a boardroom preparing for their quarterly meeting. The room is silent and instead of bulky files and shuffling papers, each of them has an iPad or laptop from where they can view the minutes of the last meeting, the chairman’s report, resolutions made in the last meeting, and the company’s financial accounts.

Welcome to the world of eBoard where every thing is online, and information is just but a click away. The eBoard system has been designed

by Software Technologies Ltd and is meant to ensure transparency, enhance corporate governance and make company boards more efficient and effective.

How it works The eBoard is based on a Software as a Service mode (SaaS) model and is hosted on a remote server that can be accessed through the internet.

Examples of SaaS are the ‘free’ email (web-based email) like Gmail, Yahoo mail, Hotmail etc. Information about a company is uploading on a site and each member of the Board is given an access password. The information can include: product or business overview, compliance certificates, strategic plans, forecasts, agenda of meetings, financial statements, risk registers videos and other critical information.

The person in charge for example the CEO or Company Secretary can decide on the number of users (Directors, committee members) who can access the system and define their roles and privileges within the system.

STL hosts all information in a Data Centre which is co-located in 10 locations around the world. This means in case of a disaster or system failure at any one site, a company can still access information from any of the other nine sites. Clients pay based on the number of users who can access the system and information is accessible anywhere in the world. The software needs a minimum of 10 users and the minimum contract period is 12 months.

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EXECUTIVE STYLE

Get fit at home

Keeping fit can still be done at the comfort of your house, at your own leisure and having fun while at it. BETH KIMANI explores some of the workout equipments.

Ab tightener It makes tightening the flab developing around your tummy area easier; develop defined abs, a sculpted waist and chiseled chest.

Body Gym You can hang in on the top bar of your door for those arm exercises or place it on the floor as you do your quick sit-ups.

Body sculpture aerobic bouncer You can shed the extra pounds and have fun at the same time. The aerobic bouncer reduces shock on your knees and your ankles compared to exercising on a hard surface, such as the floor or the pavement.

Gym Ball You can use it for a dozen of exercises. With it, you can do your push-ups, perform squats, stretch out your back after a long work day or even throw it up and down to tone up your arm muscles.

Hollow handgrips and solid hand grips Builds up your hand and forearm strength; you can have an exercise session while watching the news or during your short lunch break.

Dual action air elliptical strider It combines skiing, cycling and jogging exercises. With a computer hand monitor, it can time your speed, distance and the calories burnt during the session.

Kettle Weights Training with kettle weights tones your muscles with dynamic movements.

Motorized Treadmill The advantage of this treadmill is that you can jog in the comfort of your home. A beginner can set their own pace in treadmill speed not to mention that you can set your workout duration at 20 minutes in the morning and 30 more after work.

All items available at the Nairobi Sports House.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment with sense Reviewed by OLIVE BURROWS

WEBSITE REVIEW

MUSIC CD Title: Nishikilie Artiste: Kambua Genre: Gospel Nishikilie which means ‘hold me’ in Swahili is Kambua’s first album. The song is perfect for her voice, which is too soft for my taste, but nit picking aside she carries the emotion in the song beautifully.

Unfortunately, I can’t credit the lyrics to her. She’s done very little song writing on the album. Three of the nine songs on the album are not original compositions.

Nimkimbilie Nani (who do I run to?) is a medley executed to perfection. Ngoma Tucheze, a Coastal favourite, underwent some tweaking as did the hymn Draw Me Nearer but not to make any meaningful contribution to the original

versions. The overall sound of the album is mellow with Walking having a NeoSoul feel to it. Apart from English and Kiswahili expect to hear some Kamba on there in the song Tandia Wanda, something else apart from their past that she and Mbuvi share.

EASTER WEEKEND OUT The long Easter weekend will provide an opportunity for rest and travel. If you will be in Nairobi or the outskirts, below are three gems within the city you can visit.

The Kazuri Bead factory It is located in Karen. You will be able to see the bead making process of the jewellery plus the addition of pottery section.

The Karen Blixen Museum The home of the famous author Karen Blixen, now a museum, is open to the public. Having lived in Kenya as far back as 1914, her home makes for interesting viewing.

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The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a sanctuary for orphaned Elephant and Rhino calves.

Visiting hour is from 11am to 12pm.

WEBSITE: www.muchene.com If you are on your lunch break and you’re not planning to leave the office, Muchene. com could provide some welcome relief from spread sheets, word documents or Power Points. If you are looking to have a laugh and not improve your English, Muchene.com is an entertainment site to go through. The articles are written with the aim to entertain so they are not too long and the pieces are not, it seems as a rule, fair, objective or accurate; which comes as no great surprise given the blog quality of the writing. The site also seems tailored to men given the pub stories, which gives the site authentic Kenyan flair, sports and model pages. In a nutshell, if you have got a significant amount of testosterone pumping in your blood and are looking to escape the drudgery at the office Muchene.com is your playground.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOK REVIEW

EVENTS • The Friends Ensemble will be

Title: What should I do with my life?

Author: Po Bronson Genre: Self-help/Careers Available at: Book Point Moi Avenue Price at time of purchase: KSh 600 Po Bronson terms What should I do with my life? a social documentary. His style is similar to that of Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich but different from Hill in that Bronson shares success stories. Bronson doesn’t offer a 3, 5 or 7 step guide to getting what you want.

He simply presents a story he believes you could benefit from and offers up his suggestion. If you are looking for something other than the ‘one size fits all’ solution to whatever it is you’re going through then What should I do with my life?’ is an excellent choice.

showcasing the play ‘the boy is mine’ from April 1 to 3 at the Alliance Francaise. The play is about a widower in a dilemma between his daughter and his lover. Tickets will be sold at KSh 500. The Friday show starts at 6pm. There will be two shows on Saturday and Sunday at 3pm and 6:30pm.

• ‘The cloth that reveals’ exhibition will be running all through the month of April at the Nairobi gallery and will be tracking the history of the Khanga.

• Elani an Urban Afro band will be showcasing music from their upcoming first album on April 29 and 30 at the Alliance Francaise.

MOVIE MOVIE TITLE: Dinner for Schmucks GENRE: Comedy STARRING: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis This movie is an exception to, ‘truth is stranger than fiction,’ with scenes too ‘out there’ to be believable and unhinged characters. The only sober character is Tim who is looking to climb up the corporate ladder; a move he hopes will make his girlfriend finally accept his marriage proposal. His climb up the career ladder however, hinges on his finding an idiot who will take the cake at his boss’ dinner for idiots. This is a good pick if all you are interested in is some mindless fun. If you are looking for something more, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The characters have no real depth and the roles ascribed to the cast offered no real challenge.

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HEALTH

The dangers of secondhand smoke Story By: THURANIRA MWENDA MUTUNGA

A

ccording to the World Heath Organisation (WHO), almost 95 percent of the world’s population is unprotected by laws banning smoking. Children and teenagers belong to the most-at-risk segment of the population.

In its second major report on the ‘tobacco epidemic’, the UN agency said second-hand or passive smoking kills nearly 600,000 people annually.

The WHO notes that despite seven new countries passing comprehensive smoke-free laws in 2008, only 17 countries have laws meant to protect non-smokers. The situation is so dire that

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it warns that tobacco is still the leading preventable cause of death, killing five million people every year. “Unless urgent action is taken to control the tobacco epidemic, the annual death toll could rise to eight million by 2030,” the report warns.

Other than declaring their premises non-smoking zones, most employers hardly do anything else to curtail the dangers of smoking and its attendant labour waste. After work, their employees proceed home or to social places where they engage in their pastime to the detriment of their families and other patrons. Rather than treat smokers as pariahs, who, as a consequence, partake in their muchmaligned habit while huddled up in washrooms and dark corridors, it would be more prudent to establish a tobacco quitters club at the workplace and help them through the demanding process of dropping their unhelpful craving.

That way, employers would save health related costs and assure themselves of more manhours from their staff that would have been lost.

In 2008, smoke-free laws enacted

in seven countries – Colombia, Djibouti, Guatemala, Mauritius, Panama, Turkey and Zambia – covered an additional 154 million people. But that still meant only 5.4 percent of the world’s people were protected, the report said. The agency urged governments to implement the 2005 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which 170 nations have signed so far.

The convention urges countries to adopt measures to prevent smoking – by offering people help to quit, enforcing bans on tobacco advertising and raising tobacco taxes – and to protect nonsmokers from secondary smoke.

Passive smoking A recent survey has found that nearly one in a hundred deaths worldwide are related to passive smoking, with the study estimating that 600,000 people die from second-hand smoking each year. The report by WHO is one of the first global assessments of its kind looking into the effects of second-hand tobacco smoking. The findings indicated that 165,000 children die each year due to a tobacco-polluted environment showing that children are more exposed to second-hand smoking than any other age-group.

When parents of sick children take these children to hospital or give them homecare during recuperation, man hours are lost affecting productivity.

Inevitably, medical expenses go through the roof and employers run huge medical cover bills.

The research reported that two-thirds of the deaths recorded occurred in Africa and South Asia. The assessment of the impact of passive smoking indicated that out of the people most affected, 40 percent were children, 35 percent women and 33 percent men. Of the people around the world who have died due to complications from second-hand smoke, 379,000 are estimated to have died from heart disease, while lower respiratory infections having caused 165,000 deaths, with asthma causing a

HEALTH further 36,900 deaths and 21,400 from lung cancer.

Effects on children Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are particularly vulnerable to disease and illness, which include pneumonia, asthma and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In adults, second-hand smoke can lead to serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which include coronary heart disease and lung cancer. Passive smoking in pregnant women can contribute to a low birth weight of the baby.

Deaths among children caused by second-hand smoking were mostly confined to poor and middle-income countries, while deaths recorded within adult groups were spread across all countries. In high-income countries within Europe, 71 child deaths were reported with adult deaths estimated to be above 35,300. Across the African continent, it was estimated that more than 43,000 children and 9,100 adult’s deaths were due to the effects of passive smoking.

It is instructive that the real beneficiaries of tobacco’s filthy lucre are Western corporations, yet the developing countries bear the brunt of tobaccorelated complications. In the poor nations, tobacco manufacturers cannot be too bothered to process cigarettes to refined levels, similar to what they make in their home countries where health and quality standards are higher and are more stringently enforced.

Even more worrying, is the fact that the total impact of tobacco-related deaths worldwide per year is about 5.7 million, a figure that includes the 600,000 deaths that occur as a result of passive smoking.

There have been calls for countries to strengthen the enforcement of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which highlights measures such as plain packaging of tobacco products, a ban on marketing and an increase in tax on tobacco products; measures that are thought to hold the key to significantly reduce exposure to passive and active smoking.

Thuranira Mwenda Mutunga is an educationist and a journalist.

Email:thuraniramutunga@yahoo.co.uk

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Mixed vegetable salad with chick peas

By MILCINOVIC NGUYO INGREDIENTS 200g mixed lettuce, Romaine, and Lollo Rosso – Both are rich in Vitamin A, folate, Vitamin C, and vitamins B1 and B2. Lollo Rosso is also an excellent source of fibre and minerals such as iron, molybdenum, phosphorus and potassium.

• One red and one yellow pepper – Known to be beneficial to the mucous membranes. It is also good for eyesight as well as smooth skin. The vegetable encourages healing and helps the body ward off infections.

They promote cardiovascular health by helping lower the blood pressure.

The vegetable has antioxidant properties, which help neutralize the free radicals responsible for damaging tissue and cells.

• One cucumber – Raw, unpeeled cucumber contains Carbohydrates, Sugars, Dietary Fibre, Protein, Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), Vitamin B6, Folate (Vitamin B9, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

• Two tomatoes – Rich in lycopene; a potential agent for prevention of some types of cancers.

• One red onion – Rich in thiosulfinates, sulphides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulphur compounds.

The cysteine sulfoxides are primarily responsible for the onion flavour and produce the eye-irritating compounds.

The thiosulfinates exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. Onion is not as potent as garlic since the sulphur compounds in onion are only about one-quarter the level found in garlic. Onions are used to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina,

coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.

• 100g Chick peas – Good source of folate and protein. Folate is a watersoluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food, they are also very high in dietary fibre and thus are a healthy food source, especially as a source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. They are low in fat, and most of the fat content is polyunsaturated. Chickpeas are also a significant source of calcium and also contain high mineral content.

• Rice wine vinegar to taste • Olive oil METHOD • Boil the chick peas in salted water until they are soft, drain and cool • Dice the onion, tomato, cucumber and peppers • Place the above, add the chick peas in a mixing bowl, and add the mixed lettuce • Sprinkle the vinegar and olive oil to your taste and season • Mix well and serve HANDY TIP: Raw cucumber, when applied on the skin, can help reduce heat and inflammation. The diuretic, cooling and cleansing property of cucumber makes it good for skin. Fresh cucumber juice can provide relief from heartburn, acid stomach, gastritis and even ulcer.

Placing a cucumber slice over the eyes not only soothes them, but also reduces swelling. Daily consumption of cucumber juice helps control cases of eczema, arthritis and gout. Cucumber has been found to be beneficial for those suffering from lung, stomach and chest problems.

The writer is a Sous Chef.

Email: chefshospitality@gmail.com

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TOP READ

Great men die but their spirits live on

Reviewer: TOM ODHIAMBO Book title: RECOLLECTIONS: AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF KENYA’S JOURNEY FROM COLONY TO MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY

H

abel John Nyamu is one of hundreds of Kenyan civil servants who retire, die and are forgotten.

Not many a civil servant is celebrated as a

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hero in this country.

The reason for this seemingly public amnesia about civil servants is because they work for an amorphous institution: the government.

And because the government has set rules and policies, which civil servants are expected to implement, many people who work for the government end up looking like robots; working for an unseen master.

Yet Nyamu worked in a different kind of civil service; one where the civil servant was involved in all aspects of policy generation and implementation, with little interference from the politicians.

Nyamu’s book Recollections: An eye-witness account of Kenya’s journey from colony to multiparty democracy (Longhorn, 2010) was published posthumously. Nyamu died in October 2009 leaving behind a manuscript that rivals many historical accounts of Kenya’s postcolonial history.

The book takes the reader from Gichugu, Kirinyaga district to Alliance High School, Makerere University, the Public Service, the Kenya Institute of Administration,

which he headed, and the now defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya.

His memoirs paint a picture of a family man as well as a committed civil servant. It is full of anecdotes about his experiences in the countryside, in public office and after. His love for his family runs through the book but his concern for his country’s welfare will overwhelm any reader. What emerges forcefully in the story is that Nyamu was among the last breed of ‘true civil servants.’ These were individuals who performed their duties as ‘servants’ and not bosses, as many civil servants tend to behave today. He was not afraid to criticise the government when he felt that it would improve the professionalism of the civil servants or lead to better delivery of services to Kenyans. For instance Nyamu was probably the only civil servant to raise objections to the policy decision to allow civil servants to engage in business by the Ndegwa Commission Report of 1971. He questioned the rationale of allowing public officers with influence over policy to engage in private business when they might have to make decisions affecting business. His thoughts were summed up in an Occasional Paper, “The State of the Civil Service Today” (1975). Many scholars on corruption in government have identified these recommendations as the root birth of abuse of office by public servants and endemic theft of public resources.

This is a book is of interest to those who worry about the state of public affairs and service in Kenya. The book is available at most bookshops in the country at KSh 1000.

Email: Tom.odhiambo@uonbi.ac.ke

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1

Across 1. Olympian sovereign

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17

10. Shaving name 14. High mountain, to Henri

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5. Cheese city

Puzzle ID: #D534ZT

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15. Fiery felony 23

16. Greek ars 17. Chief motive

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19. Enlist again, for short

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21. Span on a game box

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23. Makeshift river conveyance

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33. Tin Man portrayer

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38. Mystery writer Lesley __40. Sparkling headwear 42. Thailand once

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43. "Up ____," AI Smith's autobiography

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Down

28. Southern constellation

60. Water, in JuĂĄrez

1. Here Hannibal was defeated

29. Larger ___ life

61. Depend (upon)

51. Churchill successor

2. Greek resistance force in W.W.II

30. "___ the World"

64. Last Hebrew letter

54. Head-shakers' syllables

31. Orpheus, musically

65. Santana's "___ Como Va"

3. ___ the air: uncertain

55. Beverage at a Japanese restaurant

35. Some creepy-crawlies

4. Wences, et al.

36. Memorable Cowardly Lion

5. Unbridged area

37. Andy's buddy

6. Rink great

39. "Last but ___"

7. Voice of America grp.

41. Tag sale caveat

8. Doorbell sound

48. Chekhov play, with "The"

58. "Walk, Don't Run" costar 62. Emile Zola novel 63. City neighboring Newark, N.J. 66. Some first responders, for short

9. Actress Pier

44. First word of the Declaration of Independence

10. Makes bouquets

46. Sandy ridge

67. "I will drain him dry ___": "Macbeth"

11. "And __ Wrote": Shearing

49. Rip again

68. Actor Julia of "The Addams Family"

12. Beauty aid

50. John Irving hero

13. Harsh, once

51. Dancing de Mille

18. Hosp. scourge

52. Vagabond

22. Declaim

53. 50 minutes after the hour

24. College campus gp.

56. Ill at ___ (uncomfortable)

25. "Fiddler on the Roof" song

57. Wimbledon winner: 1975

27. Huntley of 50's-60's NBC news

59. Snarl

69. Measles symptom 70. "Superman" actor Christopher 71. Be devout

Sudoku Puzzle #

Presented by Puzzle

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MANAGEMENT

APRIL 2011

77

MOTORING

Buying a car – the option of importing Article by: GILBERT NGANGA

A

Story by Gilbert Ng’ang’a

s the number of Kenyans seeking to own vehicles rises, first time buyers face the dilemma of whether to import or buy locally.

Following the upturn in the performance of the economy and the ease with which customers access personal bank loans, Kenyans are increasingly buying cars. This in turn has fuelled the growth of car dealership businesses.

“Which car to go for depends on individual needs and financial capability,” says Michael Mwai, a Nairobi based motoring expert. “Each option has advantages and disadvantages so it is normally difficult to say which one is better.”

For a first time buyer, weighing the pros and cons carefully is always advised. Speak to people who have bought a car locally and those who have opted to import. Get all sides of the story and then make an informed decision.

“In totality, importing might be a cheaper option but again, it involves a lot of work and checks,” says Moses Mugambi, a

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car dealer. “Again, you buy a car that you haven’t seen physically although you still have a chance of rejecting it in case it is not pleasing,” he says.

Importing process Before one closes a deal on a car, there are several steps they go through; from identifying a car model, seeing it, agreeing on a price and then paying for it. Experts at Auto Dealer Kenya, a vehicle dealership advise that the first step in buying a car should be figuring out what kind of vehicle best meets your needs be it fuel economy or the colour of an automobile. “From there, you can do an internet research by reading opinions from automotive critics and journalists regarding the cars you are interested and talking to people who own the car model you want to buy,” says an Auto Dealer Kenya officer.

When you are sure of what you want, you might also want to visit a car showroom in person in order to identify the vehicle that you want to buy. This option might not be available in the event you chose to import a car. It is prudent to contact a dealer that you trust and are

clear about the details of the car you are interested in purchasing, and that you don’t get side-tracked by other ‘deals’ that you might be offered.

When importing a car, you first need to understand the Customs Duty you will pay and this depends on several factors among them the make of the car, the model, year of manufacture, and the engine capacity. Mugambi says once you have identified a source dealer through who you will import, he will most likely tell you to pay a certain percentage of the car price. “It is advisable for an importer to enlist the services of a clearing agent who will process the import documentation through Kenya Customs to clear the goods on your behalf. If you decide to import, send your desired car model to the dealer and they will send you a quotation of the average price of the car,” says Mugambi. The dealer will then send the car after you have paid a deposit and the balance will be paid as it lands at the port where you will not have to clear the duty.

The paper work And now enters a critical part of the

MOTORING buying process; check and ensure the car has all the correct paperwork. The seller should be able to provide you with a number of documents regarding the legitimacy of the vehicle and any claims made about its condition, age and provenance. Such documents include the Import Declaration Form and the Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center (JEVIC) certificate.

The former indicates that the car or truck has been declared to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), while the latter proves that it has been inspected for roadworthiness.

Next, the bill of lading and a Customer Transaction Voucher, which proves that the required taxes have actually been taken care of. As with the above documents, these will all be copies of the originals, which are archived by KRA. In addition to any inspection paperwork, you should ask to see the car’s current logbook, which should be an original and not a copy – showing the current registered owner of the car or truck.

When you have checked the paperwork and confirmed their authenticity, you can now do a physical examination of the car to make sure it is intact—for example look out for any deformity on the car body be it dents, scratches, engine etc. “In such an event, you can be accompanied by a mechanic or car expert whereby you can even do a test drive on the car which should give you a feel of the status of the braking system, acceleration etc,” says Ashok Shah, a Nairobi based car dealer.

As a car buyer, it is important to know the following when buying a new car from a showroom or importing a second hand car:

Showroom Pros: •

Warranty on parts and possibly free service depending on dealer

•

Low maintenance cost

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Higher resale value depending on model

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Better fuel consumption and better safety standards

• Lower rate of parts failing Cons:

Second hand import Pros: •

Low cost of purchase

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Long list of options at marginal or no extra cost

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Better value for money for low income bracket and access to expensive European models that are out of reach in local showrooms

Cons:

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High cost or purchase due to duty and mark-ups

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High cost of repairs (suspension upgrades, tyres etc

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Substandard after sales service at some dealers

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Chances of losing money through unscrupulous dealers

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High cost of genuine spare parts

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Lack of spare parts locally

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Inadequate expertise to service modern computerised engines

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No warranty on parts

MANAGEMENT

APRIL 2011

79

OFFICE DIARY

The intern called Maria

By JOHN DEMBE

I

survived the avalanche, the new order.

But our marketing manager didn’t survive. Miss Short skirt’s head rolled.

Oh, well, not like anybody misses her in the office. She was a shameless exhibitionist with no results and the new GM’s hands were tied on that decision really because he needs results. Her departure sent a very strong message out; if you snooze, you shall be axed. A new sheriff is in town and he doesn’t care much for long legs. The mood has changed drastically, no more gossiping by the water dispenser, no more long lazy lunches and Facebook has been cut out. And people who used to have their boyfriends pass by the office and watch them work have stopped. I’m not mentioning names.

But there is another phenomenon in the office in the form of an intern called Maria.

I knew she would be trouble the moment I heard she was called Maria. Anyway she is from a local University, interning in the finance department.

Yes, she has brains. Thing with Maria is that she is one of those women who are aware of their sensuality and they flaunt it. The traffic to accounts has never been higher; a claim, requisitions, inquiries, more claims….Every man I know has to find business to do at accounts. And she loves all the attention, you should see her graciously crossing the main office floor headed to the washrooms, and the hungry wolf eyes that escort her! But she is good for productivity because since accounts normally works late you will always find most guys burning the evening oil. But, I particularly find her too naïve.

On a more personal front, my department is posting some meagre sales this month. It’s not even because

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of the time of the year, it’s because there is a new competitor in town; the damned Chinese. This competitor has perfected the art of guerrilla warfare; he brings in cheap products, sells them at a ridiculous

price and isn’t scared of paying bribes and kickbacks to get big business. Not that we aren’t, I remember mentioning here that I’m not running a church project and that ethics have no place in business.

It is about the bottom-line. So I’m all for his guerrilla tactics. I’m not too worried though, I have put out intelligence to monitor and document their tactics, once

we have identified their weakness I shall hit them in a place which will hurt for a very long time.

My mistress has been having issues of grandeur, so we broke up. It was nasty. She threw an ashtray at me (she is a smoker) and when that didn’t hit me, she tried using words.

I walked out, and never walked back. Do I miss her? No. There is a training seminar that I’m organizing for my staff; they need all the skills now that the Chinese have landed and are threatening to pull the rag from under our feet. I need about KSh 700,000 for this seminar but the Operations Director who I report to is dragging his feet and treating it like a request to get money to buy myself new suits. My boss is one of those people who should have retired when tapes the dance twist was on. He is removed from the new corporate order and does things the old fashioned way. He isn’t bad person, only too slow for my liking. So my request is sitting somewhere on his desk. And I’m getting restless.

Today I worked very late, looking at some figures. I love being alone in the office when everyone else has gone. I like to remove the whisky from my drawer and pour myself a shot or two of the harsh drink and sit there and work. Only what happened was that Maria passed by to say bye (we don’t even talk apart from the usual hello, I try not to engage interns from other departments other than mine) . She was wondering why I was drinking on the job (attempt at humour) and I said I have a drinking problem. She asked why I wasn’t offering her some and I told her she hadn’t shown me her ID. She took offense, mumbled a good evening and left me with a broad smile on my face.

Do you have anything to tell Mr. Dembe?

Email: management@kim.ac.ke