Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Man Kills Form Four Student After Catching Him in Bed With Wife

Police in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County have launched a manhunt for a man linked to the death of a high school student on Monday.

The suspect, Japheth Bii, reportedly caught the 19-year-old Edmond Kipng’etich in the act with his 35-year-old wife in their matrimonial bed.

Kuresoi DCIO Peter Obonyo confirmed the incident saying Bii stabbed Kipng’etich several times with a sword, inflicting grievous injuries.

He said the form four student at Kapsumbeiywo Secondary School succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

“It was reported that Edmond Kipng’etich, 19, a form four student was found in the house of Bii allegedly having an extramarital act with his wife Judy Chelang’at who is about 35. Bii attacked the student in his house who was luckily rescued by members of the public,” Obonyo said.

“After the rescue, Kipng’etich was rushed to the Olenguruone hospital before he was rushed to the Rift Valley General Hospital where he succumbed after his situation worsened,” he added.

The fatal attack was reported at the Olenguruone police station where a probe was immediately launched.

As of Tuesday, August 31, the suspect was still at large.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/man-kills-form-four-student-after-catching-him-in-bed-with-wife.html

Murkomen To The Rescue of Suicidal Form One Girl

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has pledged to educate a girl who had attempted suicide after failing to join High School.

Winnie Jebiwot, 14, from Kipsaina Village in Elgeyo Marakwet County, ingested a poisonous agrochemical on August 25, 2021, after her parents failed to take her for form one admission due to lack of fees.

Her father, Philip Kemboi, said they rushed her to a hospital where she was treated and discharged. She is still recuperating.

Kemboi lamented that he had spent all his resources in educating Jebiwot’s elder siblings but they are yet to secure meaningful employment.

The family’s plight was aired on KTN News, catching the attention of Senator Murkomen.

The politician said he would ensure that Jebiwot got admitted to school on Tuesday, August 31. The teenager was placed at Turesia Secondary School.

“I have arranged for Winnie Jebiwot to be taken to a good boarding school. I will take care of her shopping and school fees. She should be in school by close of business tomorrow,” Murkomen stated.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/murkomen-to-the-rescue-of-suicidal-form-one-girl.html

As We Start a New Month, This is What’s Trending in Nairobi

On this first day of September, let’s look at what’s trending.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/as-we-start-a-new-month-this-is-whats-trending-in-nairobi.html

Clout Will Never Take You Anywhere, Jalang’o Tells Vincent Mboya Over Sh18,000 Donation

Kiss 100 presenter Jalang’o has blasted an aspiring artiste who gave him an ultimatum to collect his donation of Sh18,000.

Vincent Mboya had given Jalang’o 48 hours to collect the amount which the radio personality had given him to settle his rent arrears a fortnight ago.

When asked why he couldn’t wire the money directly to Jalang’o’s phone number, Mboya posed: “Ningejuaje ako na Fuliza?”

“Unajua unaeza tumia mtu pesa upate imekatwa na Fuliza. Kwanza yeye mwenyewe hakunitumia kwa Mpesa straight, he sent to the bank,” he added.

Jalang’o directed Mboya to send the funds, saying: “You have my number, send the money to me. I bet there is an M-Pesa shop in your hood. Deposit the money and send it. I did not give you cash.”

The radio personality further wondered how someone who had knelt before him pleading for help could turn out to be so ungrateful.

“He came genuinely asking for help. He even knelt, but I asked him not to. The same guy who knelt is asking me to collect the money within 48 hours. Some people request even Sh 500 to eat and it hurts me so much. How I wish you knew how many people have slept hungry,” Jalas said.

The comedian also apologised to Mboya if he felt belittled by his lecture telling him to work hard instead of begging.

“I told him carrying placards will not help him. Instead, I told him to look for a job and work extremely hard. If you think I belittled you I am sorry,” he said.

“I know what he was going through because I remembered my house being closed while living in Mwiki due to non-payment of rent,” he added.

Jalang’o further noted that he could have helped Mboya with his music career but the 22-year-old burned that bridge.

“Instead, he went clout chasing saying I had insulted him. I do not have the time to insult anyone. Someone is using him for clout. Clout will never take you anywhere, the secret is hard work,” he said.

But Mboya denied that he is chasing clout saying he just heeded what Jalang’o told him.

“He told me to go and work hard. How would he know that I haven’t worked hard?” He posed.

Mboya revealed that he got an endorsement deal that has allowed him to get back on his feet.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/clout-will-never-take-you-anywhere-jalango-tells-vincent-mboya-over-sh18000-donation.html

Y’all are SICKENING! Tanasha Donna Slams Wash Wash Links

Musician Tanasha Donna has rubbished reports linking her to the infamous wash wash syndicate in Nairobi.

The former NRG Radio presenter was among several celebrities linked to the gang in a viral expose by Instagram blogger Edgar Obare on Friday.

Tanasha Donna was reportedly an associate of the late Kevin Omwenga. The businessman was said to be one of the players in the money laundering syndicate before he was shot dead at his apartment in Kilimani on the night of August 21, 2020.

According to Obare, Donna was close friends with Omwenga. He is said to have bought the singer a blue BMW.

This prompted Tanasha to respond, slamming those who have been linking her to the illegal business.

“I’m not one to address things but YO! All these false rumours are getting out of control. How does someone wake up one day and decide to fabricate a fake story just for attention?” she posed.

Donna insisted that she works hard for her money and she can account for everything she owns.

“I work hard and very hard for my sh*t! Everything I own today I bought with my own hard-earned money and sweat. Don’t involve my name in Y’all BS! Some of y’all are sickening. Sickening.” Tanasha Donna blasted.

Also Check Out – Jalang’o Denies Profiting from Wash Wash



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/yall-are-sickening-tanasha-donna-slams-wash-wash-links.html

Chimano – I Realised I Was Different as a Teenager

Sauti Sol’s Willis Chimano says he realised he was different in his teens.

In an interview with Wabosha Maxine on her podcast series, ‘Letter to my younger self’, Chimano opened up about his love life saying his first crush was different.

“It was different because I was different. I will keep it at that. What I liked was not necessarily what most people liked. As a teenager that is when I realised that and I said ‘cool’,” he said.

Chimano also said he had a difficult childhood growing up as an introvert.

“I was not as playful or as talkative as the other kids on the playground. To an extent, my folks were over-protective of me. I was very polite. I used to love seating and reading. I had a drawing book where I would draw houses I wanted to live in,” he said.

“I was such a mama’s boy. Sometimes I think of my childhood and it wasn’t very interesting. I hated sports. I tried in Kakamega High, they had introduced softball and trying to be a boy I tried to play but it didn’t make it any better. This is not me. It didn’t make it any better.”

When asked what advice he would give someone in his situation. Chimano said:

“You are amazing and that there is nothing wrong with you. If anyone tells you otherwise, you tell them that that is a ‘they problem’ and not a ‘you problem’. You will go through emotional turmoil,” he said.

“It isn’t world war three. People will say a lot of things but stand your ground and be happy. You’re going to be okay. Also, be careful. We are still in a place where such support can be far and far between.”

Chimano added that one needs to lead by being amazing at what they do.

“You almost don’t have a space to fail. Let your feelings flow. Aim for excellence for even your peace of mind. You fight with so much of what society is. Even how do you talk, how do you? It’s such an ongoing fight. People don’t let people be. Opinions evolve over time in society.”



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/chimano-i-realised-i-was-different-as-a-teenager.html

‘What a Lucky Baby’ – Vera To Treat Newborn to a Life of Luxury

Vera Sidika is pulling out all the stops to ensure that her firstborn baby leads a life of comfort and luxury.

The popular social media personality has revealed her plans to import assorted baby items from abroad. These include clothing and a crib, which Vera says will be shipped from the UK and the US.

“What a lucky baby. I didn’t grow up lucky and in such luxury but the amount of glam and luxe this baby is about to experience… I wish I was this baby,” she wrote on Insta.

Vera Sidika added: “Her baby crib, clothing, and everything is getting shipped from UK and USA. We work hard in life so we can give our kids the best life we did not have while growing up. God bless all mothers out there doing all it takes to provide and give the best to their children.”

According to the businesswoman, giving your all to your children does not mean giving them an expensive life, but doing the best to provide for them.

“Everyone has their maximum stretch and being rich doesn’t mean it’s only you who can give the best,” she said.

“Every parent out here gives their kids the best to their capabilities and that’s what matters. My parents weren’t rich. I didn’t grow in luxury but they gave me the best they could ever give.”

Vera and her hubby Brown Mauzo are expecting their baby in early November. She has since indicated that she will splash up to Sh1 million for the delivery.

“They say CS is expensive but if you really want it you’d prepare better even if you don’t have money. That’s nine months of saving. For private hospitals, the case is super different,” she said.

“May God grant us a healthy baby & safe delivery in Jesus name. Sema AMEN 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 Can’t wait to be a mom. I’m ready for all the sleepless nights, endless cries & pure happiness & joy. God bless anyone yearning for such a blessing. May God grant your wish desires ❤️🙏🏽” Vera wrote.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/what-a-lucky-baby-vera-to-treat-newborn-to-a-life-of-luxury.html

WEDDING BELLS For Corazon Kwamboka and Frankie

Corazon Kwamboka and Frank Kiarie ‘JustGymIt’ have decided to take their love affair to the next level.

The popular social media lovebirds are engaged to be married after the gym instructor asked for the socialite’s hand in marriage.

Frankie Just Gym It proposed to Corazon Kwamboka in Zanzibar, where the lovebirds have been enjoying a baecation.

Ms Kwamboka quickly took to social media on Tuesday, to break the good news to her over 730k followers. She also flaunted her engagement ring with a picture giving her hand in marriage to Frankie’s.

“I said yes!!!! To happiness, to love and to a whole lot of fun with the one person I don’t ever want to live without. @frankie_justgymit can’t wait to say I do,” she wrote.

The couple started dating in 2019 after Frankie broke up with his baby mama and vlogger Maureen Waititu. They have since been blessed with a baby boy named Taiyari Kiarie, who turned one earlier this month.

Corazon and Frankie also celebrated their two-year anniversary in late July.

In June, the two spoke about the possibility of walking down the aisle, with Corazon saying:

“I hope he proposes one day. But I’m not really looking forward to it. I’m taking one day at a time, if it happens and it’s the right time, I will say yes,” she said.

“Right now I’m just enjoying getting to know him and being parents.”

Frankie simply said: “This one is mine. Trust me.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lilythegenie (@corazon_kwamboka)



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/wedding-bells-for-corazon-kwamboka-and-frankie.html

Vincent Mboya Blasts Mulamwah For Riding on his Name For Clout

Vincent Mboya says comedian Mulamwah made empty promises to him to gain fame.

Apparently, Mulamwah had promised Mboya Sh2,000 but he failed to fulfill the pledge. Mulamwah recently claimed that he had withdrawn his offer after Mboya asked Jalang’o to collect his Sh18,000 offer.

“He(Mulamwah) said he will add Sh2,000 when Jalang’o gave me Sh18,000, but he never did that. I respect him soo much but him saying he wanted to help me is extremely wrong; there is nowhere that he helped me,” Mboya said.

The aspiring musician said he was not shocked when Mulamwah rescinded his music sponsorship deal.

“News ya Mulamwah kutonisaidia haikunishtua because hakukua na mahali angenisaidia,” he said.

“Hiyo siku Mulamwah alisema atanisaidia ku-record ngoma, let me just say the truth, it was just for the camera and everything. He was riding on my name.  He said he will help me and after two weeks he starts saying the projects are ongoing,” Mboya added.



source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/vincent-mboya-blasts-mulamwah-for-riding-on-his-name-for-clout.html

‘It was Weird’ – Rotimi on Vanessa Mdee Meeting his Mother

American singer and actor Rotimi says the two most important women in his life broke down in tears when they first met.

Speaking in an interview on ‘The Angie Martinez Show on Power 105.1’, Rotimi said he introduced Mdee to his mother about a month after they had started dating. He said it was an emotional moment when they finally met.

“It was the weirdest thing. It was like a ‘finally’ moment. It was so weird. They met maybe a month into me and her dating,” he said.

Rotimi also spoke about the moment he knew it was time to propose to Vanessa Mdee.

The former ‘Power’ actor said six days after he met Vanessa Mdee, they went through their phones and deleted any other love interests they had before.
He then proposed to Mdee on New Year’s Eve last year.
The lovebirds met at the Essence Festival and became official in 2019.  Shortly after they began dating, Mdee relocated from Tanzania to Atlanta to live with Rotimi.
Mdee noted that people initially doubted her when she said she knew Rotimi would be her husband after only a few weeks of dating.
“The world laughed at me when I said I knew YOU were my husband only days after spending time with you. I didn’t blame them, after all, it’s an uncommon and inexplicable feeling when you meet your soulmate. ( Also they’d met the Vee who had no plans to be married).”


source https://nairobiwire.com/2021/09/it-was-weird-rotimi-on-vanessa-mdee-meeting-his-mother.html

Monday, August 30, 2021

Jalang’o Denies Profiting from Wash Wash

Kiss 100 presenter Jalang’o has denied claims that he has any links to Nairobi’s wash wash gang.

On Friday, Instagram blogger Edgar Obare posted viral stories explaining the workings of the most famous wash wash people in Nairobi. An informant provided him with details, photos and screenshots that proved what many already knew, and connected the dots on other aspects.

Several celebrities were linked to the group, either directly or indirectly. Among those who found their way to the exposé were Jalang’o and Betty Kyalo.

On Monday, the media personality and aspiring member of parliament took time on his morning radio show to categorically deny having any links to that underworld.

He said that he works hard for his money, and his Kiss job pays him well. On top of that, he explained that he has multiple brand endorsements with top companies, that also pay him well.

Watch him explain.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/jalango-denies-profiting-from-wash-wash.html

Are Chat Rooms Still A Good Idea To Hookup Online?

Are chat rooms still a good idea to hook up with other singles online? Unfortunately, they are not the best way to find friends and dates. Many dating sites have changed and added chat features over the past couple of years, and some sites are no longer free to join. This article will compare chat rooms with other dating sites that may be more appropriate to find dates.

You have to initially consider what type of dating or hookup site you want to be on. There are multiple dating sites, and each one has its benefits and drawbacks. Some are free to join and only require you to put in a small fee. These are known as paid sites and are becoming less common as time goes on. The other type of chat rooms are completely free and are great for people who are shy or don’t want to have to pay to use a chat room.

Both types of sites are available, but most people choose the paid ones because they tend to be safer and secure. Most of these rooms have rules and terms of service that make them distinct from each other. Free chat rooms tend to have many users, so there are more people out there meeting people. This means that there are more people with whom you can share your information.

If you were to talk to someone on a free dating site, you wouldn’t know whether or not they were a person. While chat rooms do have people on them, they are usually aged adults looking to have fun online. I guess you could call them dating sites, but they aren’t classified as such.

Suppose you are interested in getting more personal with someone, then you might consider going with a dating site. Most of the paid dating sites offer chat rooms for users. They allow you to create a profile that includes your picture and personal information. Make sure that you read all of the guidelines and read the others, as some rooms are extremely strict about who can view their rooms.

Some people are fine with it, while other people are not. It is also a matter of safety for some people. Also, be sure to keep your personal information and where you live private at all times.

It’s also a place where you can vent out your frustrations about work, school, or other things that are stressing you out. The only problem is that people are more apt to do something with someone else in this environment. 

Yes, you still have to meet people in these rooms. But you don’t want to be in a public chat where others might harass you. There’s also a difference between free and paid for rooms. Paid ones usually require a monthly subscription, while free ones are free to use. Free and easy-to-use sites for meeting people are more likely to be used than the paid ones.

Yes, it’s more private than an ordinary chat room. And most importantly, you get to meet with people who are willing to get to know you better before you decide to meet with them offline. Unlike a public chat room, where you might run into an ex, you don’t have to deal with that. Private chat rooms are also safer since no one can see your screen.

Now comes the tricky part. Free and easy-to-use chat rooms can be a real draw for the wrong types. These free and easy-to-use sites for meeting people are always full of fake profiles, and they are sending us teens and younger people to find their soul mates. Abusers prey on innocent young people who are looking to get to know someone new.

Paying for rooms to meet people is more secure. Chances are if you pay for rooms to meet people in real life, they are full of people looking to get married. Some married couples use free chat rooms to try and find their matches in real life. I’m sure you’ve noticed how some sites try to lure in young people to their site. These sites are filled with creeps looking for a soul mate to start a family with.

To start with, you need to meet a few requirements before you register to chat on any site. Make sure to understand the terms and conditions before you give out personal information. Chat rooms are good for getting to know others, but they aren’t suitable for making a lifelong relationship or even just friendship. 

Don’t waste time using these rooms if you don’t have anything going on in your life that you feel would be good for dating. According to OK Magazine, It would be best if you were single and wanting to meet someone for a hookup.

Most online dating sites will also have sections that are devoted to married couples. You can browse through this section to see if there are any married men or married women online with someone to start a relationship with. 

If you do meet up with them, then everything should be smooth sailing. If you meet up with someone and things don’t work out, then be honest about it. That will keep anyone from being suspicious of your motives.

So, are chat rooms still a good idea to hook up online? It sure is, if you only use it to find a fellow adult or just trying to meet fresh people to spend some time with. If you use it to have a sexual affair with other minors, it can get you in serious trouble.

Yes, free, and easy-to-use chat rooms are still a good idea to hook up online with people with different views. Anonymity is one of the significant advantages of using a chat room, and you can meet new people with other goals and opinions without revealing your identity.

It’s also easier to find people based on your interests as there are no reasons involved; the name you use is your screen name and the site you are a member of. You can use this room as a forum where you can meet other people with similar interests and goals.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/are-chat-rooms-still-a-good-idea-to-hookup-online.html

The Trending Pics in Nairobi This Last Day of August

On this last day of August, this is what’s trending on social media.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/the-trending-pics-in-nairobi-this-last-day-of-august.html

Sunday, August 29, 2021

The Trending Memes and Tweets This Monday

As we start another week, this is what’s trending on Twitter today.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/the-trending-memes-and-tweets-this-monday-6.html

CRAZY: Funny Memes Going Viral on Social Media

Take a peep at our weekly compilation of viral memes trending on the Kenyan interwebs.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/crazy-funny-memes-going-viral-on-social-media-15.html

Q&A on Police Brutality With IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori

Anne Makori, the chairperson of The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa), answers your questions via Sunday Nation.

The recent spate of extra judicial killings by the police is of great concern. Over 20 Kenyans have lost their lives over Covid-19 curfew and on suspicions of being criminals. How will the authority fight this menace? Dan Murugu, Nakuru

In line with Section 25 of the Ipoa Act and in enforcement of the National Police Service Sixth Schedule of the NPS Act of 2011 on the use of force, Ipoa commits to investigate all deaths and injuries on civilians arising from excessive use of force in the course of police work. Upon concluding these investigations, Ipoa will recommend for prosecution or disciplinary action against all culpable officers.

The next General Election is less than a year away and Kenyans are concerned that police brutality may rear its ugly head again during this period. Please assure Kenyans this won’t happen? Komen Moris, Eldoret

The authority has for the last two years beefed up its investigations team to be able to handle the increasing number of complaints. Ipoa has also commissioned a continuous monitoring assessment of the emerging trends and patterns in policing, which will inform top-level decision-making on its work. Apart from making operational recommendations to the NPS, this will determine how Ipoa will monitor police operations and investigate police conduct.

There has been cover-up in cases involving police killings. How is the authority handling this? Komen Moris, Eldoret

Indeed, cover-ups bedevil police accountability worldwide. Where it has occurred, Ipoa’s resolution has been to hold to account all involved officers for frustrating justice. Further, the authority has also pursued command responsibility for senior officers in-charge of lower rank officers for failing to undertake their managerial functions.

Shouldn’t the police curriculum be revised to align it with our human rights focused constitution? Dan Ondieki, Nairobi

The law prescribes that police officers must endeavour to minimise the use of force in the course of their work. It further outlines that where force must be used, it must be proportionate to the situation. Whenever excessive force is used, Ipoa conducts investigations to ensure justice is done.

Separately, the nature of crime patterns and security environmental trends dictate that police training curriculum should continuously be reviewed to ensure professional policing. Towards this, Ipoa has periodically made recommendations for inclusion in the police training curriculum. Ipoa has also routinely provided resource persons to train police officers in various police training colleges on professional human rights focused policing.

Your recommendations for prosecution or other disciplinary measures mostly target junior police officers like constables and corporals. We rarely hear of Ipoa holding to account senior officers who give instructions to their juniors, say during riots. Kindly address this anomaly. Fred Kilonzo, Nairobi

In most instances, contact between the police and the public happens with officers in the lower ranks hence the higher percentage of our investigations are directed at them.

We have also, however, made recommendations specifically targeted at senior police officers especially where they give unlawful orders or where they do not take overall managerial and operational responsibility over the work of their juniors.

On the night of August 17, Jetro Okwiri Obulo, 32, was fatally shot by a Kenya Forest ranger in Lugari Forest near Lumama in Kakamega County over allegations of illegal logging. Is Ipoa mandated to investigate such deaths arising from other members of disciplined force apart from the police? If yes, what progress has been made in the case? Francis Awiti, Kakamega

Ipoa’s mandate limits the authority’s work to the oversight of the National Police Service personnel only.

How long should Ipoa take to investigate a matter and have it concluded once a complaint has been lodged? Karani Arnold

All investigations are unique and the time taken to complete them also differs. Completion is certainly hastened by availability of witnesses, expert reports and testaments besides the evidentiary threshold being strong enough to sustain a case. You can also call our contact centre at no cost through toll-free number 1559 for an update of your case.

What disciplinary action do you take on senior police officers implicated in wrongful arrests? Andrew Maranga Ratemo, Nairobi

All police officers are subject to the same criminal and disciplinary actions when they commit offences. Begin by lodging a complaint against such an officer. If our investigations establish that he is culpable, then the law shall take its course.

The Kianjakoma brothers’ case has seen both Ipoa and the Internal Affairs Unit run parallel investigations. How do you reconcile such investigations? Is the Internal Affairs Unit under any obligation to share the information they have with Ipoa? Jared Mwenda, Embu

Section 6(d) of the Ipoa Act on functions of the authority gives Ipoa oversight function over the Internal Affairs Unit of the police and its investigations. It gives Ipoa power to monitor, review and audit investigations and actions taken by the Internal Affairs Unit.

Ipoa thus monitors how the IAU undertakes its work. The difference between the two institutions is that one is run by police officers while the other is run by civilians.

The Teachers Service Commission has come up with a way of naming and shaming rogue teachers who have been caught in disciplinary issues and struck off the roll. Would Ipoa, in consultation with the National Police Service Commission, consider such an approach? Maryann Omondi, Ahero

We will certainly discuss it amongst ourselves and the other security agencies and explore how best to implement this. Ipoa, however, publishes an inventory of all police officers found culpable of misconduct by its investigations annually in its performance reports available online.

What do you think the public is not doing right that sometimes necessitates the police to resort to violence? Janetrix Mwangi, Dagoretti

Ipoa conducts public and police officer sensitisation on its work and their policing rights. Part of this outreach activities entail educating the public on responsible citizenry. Police officers are also educated on the use of force in their contact with the public.

The number of convictions of rogue police officers remain low in comparison to the number of complaints Ipoa receives. Some cases like CDPE/Feb/19/24 are still pending at your offices. Why is this so? George Wahome, Nyahururu

Our desired outcome is facilitate the National Police Service to become a fully professional service . We aim to do this through recommending policy change, improvement of operational procedures, suggesting best practice and when this fails, making recommendations for disciplinary and criminal action. For your case, the reference you have provided does not align with how we number our cases.

We use an Electronic Content Management System, which is foolproof and ensures there is accountability for every report filed.

The intelligent system further assigns references to every report keyed in. This reference number is, therefore, not traceable to our system and more importantly, it bears no characteristics to those generated by Ipoa ECM system. I encourage you to contact any of our offices for clarification.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/qa-on-police-brutality-with-ipoa-chairperson-anne-makori.html

Hilarious Posts by Kenyans on Social Media For Your Monday Blues

Scroll through for your weekly dosage of random and humorous posts going viral on the interwebs.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/hilarious-posts-by-kenyans-on-social-media-for-your-monday-blues-60.html

Career Path With Head of Pharma Company, ‘Novartis’, in 46 Countries

Racey Muchilwa is the Head of Novartis Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), leading 46 countries. She is also the recipient of the 2020 Leading Women Awards by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), for exemplary leadership during the Covid-19 crisis.  She is the first African female leader to win such an award.

The mother of two is also the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Regional Action Group for Africa (RAGA), in the social intervention-working group on Women Economic Empowerment and Financial Inclusion.

Racey shares her career path with the Sunday Nation.

Tell us about your childhood and family life.

I am the firstborn of eight children – six girls and two boys. As is the case in many African communities, being a firstborn comes with certain responsibilities, chief among them being a good role model to your siblings.

My mother was a teacher and my father was an entrepreneur. My parents believed that girls are just as capable as boys were and he strongly inculcated this mindset in us from a young age.

I recall one time when I was in primary school, my dad promised to take me to Nairobi on a plane if I got admission to a national school. It was overwhelming! You can imagine as a young girl in the village, I only saw planes flying in the sky. Sometimes we could run after them until the sound died down. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that I could fly in a plane that young.

My dad’s promise greatly motivated me to work hard and it paid off. I got admission to Alliance Girls High School. It was equally a major source of pride for my parents when I went to university.

Growing up in Western Kenya, I recall many wonderful experiences. However, the ones that would make me sad were health-related ones. Back then, malaria was a major cause of death. Our family was when my younger sister developed a severe bout of malaria at the age of four. I’m grateful that my sister is alive today due to the treatment that was available. However, many children still die before the age of five years, yet this is a treatable disease.

I also recall many incidents of women giving birth and the babies dying shortly afterward.  Of course, many people attribute it to witchcraft but years later, I learned the disease is Sickle Cell. Such heartbreaking stories inspired me to look for solutions for my community and that ignited my interest in health.

Educational background.

I hold a B.Sc. Biochemistry (Major) and Zoology from Egerton University and a Master’s in Business Administration (International Business Management) from the University of Nairobi (U.O.N.). I am also learning French, which is critical because 18 of the countries in my region are francophone countries.

I must emphasize though that learning never ends. To remain relevant in the marketplace, you must continuously upskill yourself. There are many courses on LinkedIn, Coursera or professional papers that could prime you. The marketplace is very dynamic and with the constant changes, one can quickly become obsolete unless you have a growth mindset.

Alongside learning, you also need to unlearn things that have been overtaken by events or do not work; these could be biases, stereotypes, social or cultural misconceptions.

Share with us your career journey. 

I began my career as a Medical Representative in one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in Kenya and held varying positions of responsibility within general management and commercial functions. Interestingly, the distributor I worked for is now one of our key distributors in the country. I mention this because it is critical not to burn your bridges when exiting a company. Equally important is how you show up at work or for people. Show up well.

My first encounter with managing a team was when I was 28 years old. My biggest challenge was being a new manager who did not have management experience and I experienced a lot of self-doubt whether I would do it well or not. Another challenge was managing a team where some of my colleagues had been in the company and industry longer and had excellent relationships with most key stakeholders within the health industry. I wondered, “what I will tell them that they did not already know?”

Some of them were also much older than I was and majority were male. In some cases, they had higher and more qualifications. I am highlighting this since throughout my career journey, I have come across many people who always find a reason to second-guess themselves saying; “I am too young, I have no leadership experience, the team is male-dominated, am I good enough?”

I see imposter syndrome permeating in organizations, and it robs people’s confidence and it is certainly not good for your mental wellbeing. I have seen women turn down promotions or simply refuse to apply for senior roles. We need more women in senior roles to build a critical mass that can instigate lasting change to help other women trying to break the proverbial glass ceiling. Young girls also need role models. I always say, do not be the person who stands in your own way.

I have been in the pharma industry for more than 20 years across different multinationals, of which seven years are in Novartis. I joined Novartis as a Business Franchise Head for Established Medicines. Later, I was appointed as Country Group Head for English East and Horn of Africa. I also worked briefly in Basel, Switzerland before l got a promotion to Head Novartis Pharmaceutical Division as Africa Cluster Head, based in South Africa before I moved to my current role.

Currently, I am the Head of Novartis sub-Saharan Africa, managing 46 African countries. I am based in Nairobi Kenya, which serves as the headquarters for SSA. I am leading a major business transformation that has integrated three major divisions and we have a bold mandate to reach patients irrespective of their income status. This region is home to the world’s largest underserved patients and shoulders 25 per cent of the global disease burden. As a daughter of Africa from a small village in Western Kenya, I want to help improve the lives of people in this region.

What do you remember most about your career journey? 

I would sum it as the paradox of my life; meaning the similarity and yet the difference of the younger me versus the older me. As much as my surroundings have changed over the years, my values have remained the same. I remember putting a lot in my work then, wanting to excel at what l was doing, being curious, aspiring to be an inspirational leader, treating people with respect, putting in the hard work and seeking alignment where l needed to and so on.

This is still the case even now. The one thing l have had to work on continuously has been, being courageous and brave enough to stand up for myself when I am being disrespected by anyone, without the fear of being judged. I have learnt to challenge back respectfully and to accept challenges too. I invite even my children to challenge me when they need to, but respectfully. The same goes for all my colleagues.

What has been the key driver of your growth? Lessons learnt, highlights and failures?

My Christian beliefs have played a big role in modelling my values and behavior towards work. One of the key drivers has been purposing to work with excellence, not because I am being paid to do the work, but because I am passionate about what I do and it’s in line with my purpose.

Leading with the heart and always remembering that the biggest asset you have is your team and treating them, as you would like to be treated. I have also learnt the power of surrounding yourself with the right people, smarter people.

As a CEO of your career, have a personal board of directors for self-governance, insights and foresight. You should have people or a person who will keep you accountable, those who will cheer you, mentor you and advocate for you.

You must also have a challenge network, a concept I picked from American author Adam Grant. These people push you, call you out and help panel beat the rough edges. In life, not just your career, having a challenge network is just as important as your cheering squad.

Who would you single out as having been useful in your career growth?

The approach I have in life is, no matter the experience, whether good or bad, you learn something from it. You learn what to do, or what not to do, and who to be and who not to be. I have used the positive experience to appreciate that l have people in my life who have and will always have my back.

On the other hand, the negative experiences remind me that human beings are unique and different and l should embrace the difference, but have the wisdom, not to allow these experiences to bring me down but instead learn from them.

I have been fortunate to have good mentors, coaches and managers who believed in me even when I did not. My first manager in Novartis was one of them. He saw in me what others, including myself, did not see. He helped me navigate times when l was not sure, pointing out the areas of improvement and always reminding me to celebrate the smallest wins.

This has been the thread with all the managers I have had in Novartis. I have an excellent mentor in Novartis who, despite the executive role she holds in the company, has remained authentic and true to her purpose, leads by example and is never afraid to be vulnerable. I can relate to this because as leaders, we should always remember we are not leading “statistics or things” but people, who deserve to be treated with respect.

Key decisions you might have taken along your career?

Carefully deciding whom to appoint as my Board of Directors for my career. Giving opportunity to employees who displayed a good attitude with bandwidth to be upskilled for better performance. An average performer with the right attitude can be upskilled; the best performer with the worst attitude can bring everyone down because of the negative energy.

Advocating for hiring women because of their merit, not gender. I believe tokenism can do more harm by denying the right person the job. However, in a patriarchal society, encouraging an equitable environment to play in and deliberate policies in our organizations to empower and support women are paramount.

These policies should support equality and equity competitively. I am a firm believer that organizations should not hire women just to tick an affirmative box or diversity agenda, but inclusion in decision-making is critical to avoid unbalanced representation not just in the workplace but also in the economy as a whole.

I turned down a regional role for a national role to raise one of my children as I got the hang of motherhood. This was important to me and my sons needed more of my time.

What would you tell your younger self?

Considering, I’m the firstborn and the responsibilities that come with that, I think I was too harsh on myself while growing up. If I was to do it again, I would have more self-compassion, take myself less seriously, reward myself more, stand up for myself when bullied, listen, reflect more and be happy. I would have this sticker everywhere reminding me, “The happiest people do not have the best of everything, they make the best of everything they have.”

Considering I’m a recovering perfectionist, I would also tell my younger self to make more mistakes and learn from them; I absolutely love Albert Einstein’s quote “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”.

Knowing what I know now, another nugget of wisdom would be the sky is not the limit but the stepping-stone.

What would you advise the youth in Kenya and Africa today?

Do not just have dreams, but dreams that scare you into action. Surround yourself with those who have your best interest for your success, be it your business or career. Learn relentlessly since life will never stop teaching.

Develop and foster good work ethics, always working with excellence and integrity, whether you are employed or own a business. Work hard, but also work smart. Treat everyone with respect; we are all human beings and that’s the bare minimum human beings deserve. My late dad used to say, “respect all, fear none”. Respect opens doors for you, fear closes these doors and prevents us from moving forward.

Lastly, stay true to yourself, always. It is an authentic state and you live a happier life.

Your future plans?

I’m giving my very best in my current role to make a difference in the lives of people in Africa and globally. Our SSA business model is unique to us and we have a bold mandate to reach as many patients as possible irrespective of their income status. That’s certainly no mean feat. Which is why we are working with as many partners to help address current and emerging health challenges across Africa. I have a passion for people and making a difference wherever l am placed by running impactful commercial enterprises. In future, I hope to do the same in a different role but in an expanded region.

What do you do for fun? 

I am an avid reader, and currently I am reading Multipliers by Liz Wiseman. To unwind, I dance to any music with a good beat. I also love spending time with my family and have daily spiritual reflections.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/career-path-with-head-of-pharma-company-novartis-in-46-countries.html

How We Retired at 40 – Real Estate Couple

Leonard and Emily Mcharo are the founders of Tsavo, a real estate company based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Leonard and Emily retired from their careers in 2016, aged 42 and 37 years respectively. Leonard was an architect while Emily worked in finance and both rose from earning entry-level salaries to high figures as they rose in their careers.

They started saving and investing for early retirement in 2004 after setting up an ambitious 15-year financial goal to find economic autonomy and earn Sh500,000 passively.

They own apartments in Athi River, Embakasi, Thindigua, Rongai and Roysambu and others are under construction.

And after building their real estate company and surpassing their target, they now focus on teaching and enabling other investors to replicate the same in their own lives.

Why Leonard and Emily decided to retire early

Leonard (L): We knew each other in college back in 1998. I was at the University of Nairobi (UoN) studying architecture while she had enrolled in a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) course.

Emily (E): We met before I was a banker and then got married but we’ve always worked together.

L: When both of us were getting into college, our families were supporting us. We weren’t doing too well financially. Both our families had a rags-to-riches story, so we started out life planning very seriously for our future. I wanted us to start something that if we lost our jobs, we had a passive income to fall back on.

E: The idea for building hostels came from campus. My family lived in Bungoma while I was in school in Nairobi. So I would see my mother pay Sh2,500 for hostel accommodation which was a high amount then.

How they started

E: I was earning about Sh30,000 monthly and Leonard didn’t have much either. Fortunately, at the time my husband had just finished a project and had about Sh400,000. So we went to Athi River to look for land near Daystar University, with the vision of building student accommodation. We got one acre that was going for Sh1 million and the seller, a woman, knew we could not afford it. She extended the grace for us to pay for the land slowly. We made installments of Sh27,000 a month. I had to work extremely hard to pay it off. We had to live a simple lifestyle earning little, paying that loan, saving in a Sacco, and still meeting our needs.

L: We got married early when in college. We had our firstborn in college. We had been together for five years when we had our second born. Yet we both didn’t have jobs but we ate, drank, paid our bills, and at the end of the month had no savings or investments. I secured a job at the university at a basic salary of Sh15,000. My wife also got a job but we still had no savings or investment. It is from discussions at this time that we knew how we were living was the fastest way to poverty. As for how much could be saved, we are taught to save a percentage of our salary but out of Sh15,000, I could not reconcile what that percentage would be. So I saved my whole paycheck and relied solely on my wife for everything from rent to my fare and lunch money.

E: In two years, we were done with the loan and started to think about building. We decided to seek partners and start construction.

L: With my salary increments and consistent saving, I could now borrow Sh1 million from the Sacco. We ventured to build twenty-three rooms which was the hardest thing I had to do, as I had never built before. I was 31 at the time. A year later, the building was complete but we could not get tenants. Three months in, we had just one tenant and our equity partners were getting worried. However, we were still thinking long-term, keeping an eye on the prize and not just a quick turnover. The partners needed their money and we had to start borrowing to pay them. At the time, loans were only offered for buying homes or land and not for business. I had to convince my father to give the family land to my wife as collateral for a loan. We convinced the bank to give us a loan and then we bought out our partners.

How they became financially independent.

E: 23 rooms were good, but they were not enough. We wanted enough to be able to take our kids to Harvard and live a financially free life. I took more loans and built more rooms, over and over again. We did not diversify any of our investments. A lot of people take personal loans but cannot tell where the money went because of consumerism. You go on holiday and buy things. We can confidently say we were the most disciplined we have ever been and all our loans went to the building.

L: Things got better, salaries increased, we got bonuses but we decided early on to cap our lifestyle and prevent lifestyle creep. We decided where we live, what car we drive, and how much we spend which was not to change regardless of how much we earned. All the money would go to the investment. For about 12 years we built on this until we got to 100 rooms.

Lessons on the journey to financial independence

E: With so many obligations, we had to live a simple lifestyle. In about three years we were done. In that season, we learned so much as a couple, because we knew we had to do it together. We had to be very transparent about our incomes, little as they were. We tell our children especially women to have a separate account that your husband does not know about but for us, we had to be extremely honest about how much we make, how much is needed for the house and how much could be saved.

We also had to communicate constantly as well as find creative ways to make more money to push towards our goal.

Throughout the journey, we read finance books like ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’. We wanted to learn how to be financially independent. Work was getting busier, the pressure was insurmountable and there was no time for our children and that pushed us further to strive to have passive income so that we could finance a less stressful life.

L: My partners and I made an investment decision to buy cows for about Sh700,000. At the time it felt like a brilliant idea until drought-hit and all the cows died save for about twenty per cent of them. I learned a lot about taking risks from that investment.

Finding purpose

L: As I was turning 40, I started to question my life. As an architect, I had spent my whole life working and the values at work did not match those at home. I looked at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) for listed firms and could not find architectural ones. I looked at companies with the highest turnover and architectural companies would not have much compared to the rest. I pondered on my future in this space. My own weaknesses played a role. I was neither a deal maker nor an extrovert and that was detrimental in my line of work. My partners and I eventually shifted from architecture to design which is our core business now.

E: When we got into real estate we were very clear that we were not contractors or property sellers. We are in the investment business. We decided the advantage we enjoyed on our coming up, could we do the same for other people. At that time we did not believe people could buy studios. We instead built one and two-bedroom units.

People in their 40s, our friends mostly, were our first customers. And they took up the one-bedroom units quite fast. We then did market research and found out that studios and one-bedrooms were the most in-demand.

We launched our pilot project in Embakasi during the worst time possible, just before an election. Yet between the two elections, we had sold over 80 percent of our units. We pulled people in their 30s, investment groups and even family groups.

Our investments change lives. An example is a couple that invested in Laiser Place, our first project. After completion, they started letting out and of course started earning rental income.

Here’s the trick: “Don’t eat the children of your investment.” They reinvested in the 90 Degrees project but now are paying less monthly installments than before as their first project was bringing in money. 15 months later, ‘90 Degrees’ in Embakasi was complete and letting. They now started investing in Coral Bells by Tsavo at Thindigua, Kiambu Road. Paying even much fewer amounts in monthly installments. Currently, they have invested in Tsavo Skywalk, their sixth project and they aren’t paying a single coin. Their investments are doing that for them.

Their price range is attractive for instance at Embakasi a studio apartment is about Sh1.4million and a one-bedroom costs between Sh2.1 to 2.6 million. In addition, they offer a payment plan of 20 percent deposit and about Sh27,000 installments in commemoration of their payment plan 15 years ago when they began building their empire.

Quick tips when you are striving for financial independence

  1. Reading books to learn the art of saving is very important. But save your money where it can help you. We don’t prefer banks, which are designed to milk you. Try SACCOs which are designed to help you grow.
  2. Always spend less than you earn. If there is a raise in salary, maintain your living standards and raise your investment cash.
  3. The steps to financial independence are a mindset shift then action. A mindset shift is from consumerism-driven thinking to an investment-based lifestyle. This is the only sure way of escaping ‘The Rat Race.’
  4. Action is through discipline. If you have disciplined thoughts and disciplined actions, you can invest in cash flow generating assets and re-invest the profits – “do not eat the children of your investment.”
  5. To invest correctly, focus on meeting the needs of people. Great ideas come from solving someone’s problems. Listen to what the market is saying and what people want.
  6. How long will it take if I start now? Be generous; give yourself time to build wealth, target about 15 years. Depending on your discipline, dedication, and the level you are beginning at, you might achieve it sooner. Sacrifice.


source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/how-we-retired-at-40-real-estate-couple.html

6 Digital Marketing Tips to Boost Your Sales

Caren Obote is the Head Of Africa, HC Media Group, an Award-Winning Digital Marketing Agency that helps transform your businesses and generate sales.

Caren spoke to ‘Enterprise’ about some of the digital marketing solutions that can boost sales for firms.

  • Hiring the wrong people

Getting a web developer to code your website is the first and most important quest in hiring as most of the things which later affect the purpose of the website happen at the coding stage.

You need to get a developer who understands your industry and is conversant with things like search engine optimisation – the practice of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic, as well as exposure to your brand, through organic search engine results.

When looking for someone to host, ensure the person has the capacity to host your website. Failure to do so, your website will have persistent problems and will eventually reflect in your business sales.

A person who is a jack of all trades in this area is a red flag. That is why we have a UK specialised team where everyone in the team has a different function.

  • Illiteracy about digital marketing

Many individuals are using digital marketing as a complement to traditional marketing. They are unaware of the opportunities digital marketing has to offer. With digital marketing, unlike traditional, you can select whom to target and at what time, ensuring effective advertising. Second, you can track the effectiveness of digital marketing, assuming you know exactly what to measure. In effect, this helps save on cost in matters of time, money and effort making it an effective marketing strategy.

  • Not knowing what to measure

While likes, followers, views, clicks, downloads and hits are good digital metrics used to gauge how well a campaign is performing digitally, digital engagement will further show you how many qualified leads you generated through a said campaign, and the sales conversions you achieved. The latter gives more important and tangible results that make fodder for better business decisions.

  • Having a website with no purpose

‘About Us’, ‘What We Offer’ and ‘Contact Us’ are the most common and only pages on many websites, with government sites being a good example. These kinds of websites tend to underperform due to a lack of value-added functionality that makes them more useful.

I like to say that the website is like building a house in the forest. Once you build the house, you also need to build roads leading to the house, otherwise, there will be no traffic leading there. That is where things like using the right keywords during coding come to play. When coded right, your website should generate organic traffic within 14 hours of being developed, while website feature marketing automation should enable a business to better understand their visitors.

  • Not keeping up with trends

Digital marketing is an area that pays to keep up with transitions, updates and upgrades in digital marketing. For example, Google changed their search engine algorithm to favour mobile-friendly results in 2015. This meant that unless your website is mobile-optimised or mobile responsive – designed to work across different screen sizes. Google will drop your visibility on their search engine results pages (SERPs) to accommodate websites that meet this criterion.

This is especially significant in the Kenyan market where internet access skews towards mobile internet. According to The Kenya Digital Report, 97 per cent of all internet users in Kenya access the internet on mobile phones, with Kenyans spending over four and a half hours every day using the internet on their phones.

  • Not investing in content marketing

The creation of engaging, compelling, informative and entertaining digital content is how businesses connect with their audience. This kind of story-telling that resonates with your audience is what is known as content marketing.

When creating content, one should keep in mind the quality of the content. It should, at the very least, be free of grammatical errors. The images used should be of good quality as this helps rate your site higher, thus elevating it on the SERPs. Also, the use of keywords on your content helps make your website easy to find.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/6-digital-marketing-tips-to-boost-your-sales.html

My Hustle – I Started Cooking Gas Business With Sh28K

Josephat Muhia is the proprietor of Stressfree Gas which supplies Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to most of the areas in Kinangop, Nyandarua County.

The former teacher spoke to ‘Enterprise’ about what it takes to run the cooking gas business.

How did you get into the LPG business?

I got into the business after quitting my teaching job at Kinangop Gateway secondary to contest for Magumu Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) which I failed to clinch.

I began the LPG business in September 2017 and now have five full-time employees.

How much capital did you need to start?

I started small and watched the business grow. My initial capital was Sh28, 000 but has grown to over Sh1 million.

Are there any special licenses required to start such a business?

You have to obtain a licence from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and also business licences from the County Council including for fire and also weight and measure licence.

How do you source the cooking gas?

I order my gas direct from the authorized wholesalers and also from the oil marketing companies directly.

As of 2019, there were 73 LPG cylinder-refilling plants with a total storage capacity of 6,293 tonnes, according to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Of these, the small and medium LPG firms owned about 30 plants, or about 41 per cent, while the major oil marketing companies operated 12 plants with 35 per cent of the storage capacity.

Initially, the LPG business was profitable since only a handful of entrepreneurs were in it but many are now doing it.

What are the challenges?

We have sellers who buy illegally filled gas which is cheap and are hence able to attract many customers. This leaves us who buy genuine gas from the right source to have low sales.

Luckily, customers return to us after unsatisfactory service from such rogue dealers.

The government has since implemented the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum) Regulations of 2019, which prohibit LPG marketers from handling cylinders owned by rival players.

The law previously allowed LPG marketing firms to accept cylinders from customers, but with a condition to return them to their owners.

This was necessitated through the formation of the Exchange Pool that was meant to make it easy for Kenyan households to buy cooking gas from their nearest LPG retailer regardless of the brand they held.

While it led to more Kenyans using cooking gas, away from charcoal and kerosene, it also led to a proliferation of illegal refillings, with unscrupulous businesses taking advantage of access to cylinders that they would refill illegally and return them to market.

This exposed consumers to risks since the cylinders went for years without going through mandatory checks that the legitimate owners are supposed to undertake to assure their safety when being handled by users.

A number of gas cylinder leakages and even explosions have been reported in the past, many of them attributed to illegal refilling.

Any other challenges?

The introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) has affected the business since more people have resorted to using other fuels such as charcoal.

Many of the efforts by the government to reduce the cost of cooking energy appear to sometimes appear to do the exact opposite – drive up consumer prices.

For instance, clean cooking products and technologies such as cookstoves were subjected to Value Added Tax (VAT) in the Finance Act 2020, including materials used in construction, assembly and manufacture, or repair of clean cookstoves.

The proposal, which was part of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, had been shot down by MPs who argued that it is critical to promote clean energy.

What are your best moments so far in the business?

I’ve never regretted venturing into the LPG business. I can comfortably raise my family and meet every single bill without any struggle.

What do you wish you knew before you started the business? Also, describe your typical day

I wish I had known the direct source of cylinders.

My day starts at 6 a.m. and we first check the cylinders for any leakage. After receiving an order, we clean them and deliver. We only charge a small fee for deliveries that are a bit far from our scope of operation.

We normally close our doors at around 9 p.m. Before the Covid-19 restrictions, we used to work until 11 p.m.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/my-hustle-i-started-cooking-gas-business-with-sh28k.html

I Started Mitumba Business with Sh1500, Now I Own an Online Store

Lyte Chepkemboi is the founder and managing director of Lyte The Brand, an online shop that deals with quality affordable ex-UK loungewear, pyjamas, house shoes, and fleece blankets.

I started my business with Sh1500 in 2020. I went to Gikomba market and bought third-rate camera clothes. These are the pieces that are left behind by the people who have picked the first choice mitumba clothes. First camera clothes were too pricey. I went back to the market and bought a second batch. I kept doing this and by February this year, I had built up a capital base of Sh20,000. This money was enough to buy me a full bale.

In my mitumba business, I have learned that there is power in writing what you want to achieve down. This is what I used to do. I would write down my profit targets for any of the clothes. These targets were aimed at getting me to my first bale. Don’t expect that once you start a business venture, it will break even immediately.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when my business started performing well was to use the business money for my personal needs. This made me look for capital multiple times. I was only able to overcome this habit after attending a basic financial management class. Every business owner should pay themselves a salary at the end of the month. If you’re in business, it’s important to regularly enroll for financial management classes so that you learn more on how to manage your operating capital and income streams. If I could go back in time, I would enroll for bookkeeping classes, register my business, and open a business account.

I save my money in different saving vehicles depending on the goals I have. I am currently on the Money Market Fund and I love the experience so far. I used to save through the bank and the interest at the end of the day was too low. I also save through investments such as shares.

My aim is to have ‘Made in Kenya’ merchandise in my stock. Once the economy stabilises, I will also consider opening physical stores. However, I am thrilled at the e-commerce opportunities that have emerged since Covid.

I currently open bales from home. I order them and they’re delivered at my doorstep. I don’t have to go to the market to pick pieces as I used to do when I started. There is a challenge to this mode of business. There are times when I have opened a bale expecting one thing only to get the exact opposite. The joke that you can purchase a bale only to find it stacked up with Japanese flags nobody wants is not a joke. It is something that actually happens in the market.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/i-started-mitumba-business-with-sh1500-now-i-own-an-online-store.html

Meet Fashion Consultant Lennox Ndung’u

Lennox Ndung’u, 21, is a fashion consultant and events manager.

He speaks to Spice Magazine

When did your interest in fashion start?

I think it all started in 2016. I had this neighbour whose dressing I really used to admire.

I would dress up, but never thought I had as much style as he did. We accidentally met up with the guy on the stairs one day and he told me that I had great fashion sense.

I could not believe it. We argued about that a bit of course (chuckles). But that gave me a major confidence boost and I started seriously paying attention to the way I dress. It gave me the balls to keep pushing my fashion game and to up the ante.

How can you define your style? 

Simple and chic. I believe that a person’s style changes as they grow out of some things and into others.

It would be quite boring if personal style did not change in tandem with the changing times as well as the different experiences that inform personal choices such as style and personality.

I have to say that it has been quite a journey finding what works for me fashion-wise.

I have tried different styles such as streetwear, vintage, aesthetic, casual and grunge, among others. Of course, I am still evolving, so let us see what the future holds.

What sets you apart from the rest?

I just don’t put on clothes or labels because they are on-trend. I mean, if a trend works for me, I will pick it up.

But I do not feel compelled to buy stuff just because they are trending. I prefer simple classic pieces that are ageless and timeless.

Who or what inspired you towards fashion consultancy? 

Social media has made so many careers as well as given people the confidence to pursue their dreams.

Instagram grew my confidence. I have been a consultant for a year and a half now. I am working on building a clientele base, one client at a time.

Does fashion and image have meaning to you?

Fashion is a form of self-expression. Fashion is how I play around with clothes, while image is the total representation of what you see when you look at me from my clothes, demeanour to the way I walk and talk.

It is important to create a well-rounded image of who you are and make sure all aspects from dressing to body posture communicate that.

What are your thoughts on scent?

Scents go hand-in-hand with fashion and creating a lasting impact. Can you imagine meeting someone who is well dressed yet they have an awful scent? Wearing the right scent can also be a great mood enhancer.

You can have a power scent for boardroom meetings, and a light citrusy scent for hanging out with friends.

I use scents to express myself and love anything that has vanilla and jasmine notes.

Where do you draw your fashion inspiration?

The internet is a treasure trove. Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram are my go-to platforms whenever I feel stuck fashion-wise. They normally have many ideas that someone can try out.

Do you have fashion idols?

I have several fashion idols including Brian Kimanzi, Filbert Mkwiche and Audrey Lunda

They are always looking dapper and are not afraid to push the definition of style and fashion.

Your best fashion buy is?

My black boots. I adore them and use them frequently. They go with almost everything.

What can’t you leave the house without?

My watch. Well, you know what they say, time is money. Also, it is a classic accessory.

One fashion tip for men, please.

Looking good helps you feel good. Dress well for yourself first. It is a form of good manners.



source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/meet-fashion-consultant-lennox-ndungu.html

Fun Facts To Know About ‘Tujuane X’ Actress Caroline Muthoni

Caroline Muthoni is a Nairobi-based actress, commercial model, and an Influencer

She shares little-known facts about herself.

  • I grew up in a village somewhere in Naromoru, Nyeri County.
  • Two things got me into acting. I was jobless and broke, but passion also played a big part.
  • Thanos is one fictional character who would be the most exciting to meet in real life. He is very strong and can protect you from anything.
  • I would not really say people know me from TV. However, I have been on several programmes mostly as an Extra or supporting cast, but what people really know me for is Tujuane X. I did my part well. In addition, I have been a cast on the Bedsitter chronicles
  •  The useless aspect of my life is that I overthink and jump to conclusions.
  • Everyone got bullied at some point, I believe. My worst experience was in primary school. My face was small and my nose looked bigger and pointed, so kids in my class used to call me Kamzungu. The trolls really got to me.
  • For someone who wants to get my special attention, you have to have good manners and smell nice. I also love people who can cook. I love cooking
  •  My biggest pet peeve is people talking when their mouth is full. Also putting their feet on the table. Who does that in 2021?
  •  Nameless and Wahu are the celebrity couple I would rate as a perfect 10. Their relationship is public yet so private.
  •  The weirdest thing a fan has ever done to me was making me feel very uncomfortable. There was this guy who asked for a photo with me and attempted to touch me inappropriately all on camera, as if we were dating or something.
  • The most ridiculous thing someone tricked me into doing was going round the Mugumo (fig) tree. My grandmother made me believe that if you go round the Mugumo seven times, your gender would change. Ooh! Boy, I made the circles.
  •  There has been so much buzz this week with Trevor Ombija admitting he was dumped after a 10-year relationship. It’s normal, I have been dumped too but I engineered it.
  •  Ideally, true love is one life–altering thing every human experience at least once in their lives.
  • My justifiable beliefs are, give yourself time to heal and grow. Not justified one ‘Karma is a b**h!’ Wewe uliskia wapi? My sister, my brother, learn to fight back or clap back when someone gets on your wrong side.
Courtesy; Saturday Nation


source http://nairobiwire.com/2021/08/fun-facts-to-know-about-tujuane-x-actress-caroline-muthoni.html