Animators toon up with tech tools

Artists reach globally to draw biz
As Kenyan tech companies push for their vision of a "silicon savannah" in this East African nation, local animators say their industry is set to ride the high-tech wave toward becoming an animation powerhouse.

Buoyed by the success of "Tinga Tinga Tales," a toon for the BBC's children's web CBeebies co-produced by the U.K.'s Tiger Aspect Prods. and the Nairobi-based Homeboyz Animation, Kenyan animators are hopeful that their country will emerge as the next big market for outsourcing.

Allan Mwaniki, director and lead animator at Homeboyz, says that the scale of "Tinga Tinga Tales," which involved nearly 50 animators in Nairobi, was proof that the Kenyan industry could effectively handle a large-scale production. "We've shown the world we can do it," he says.

Kenya's animation industry began to blossom with a series of U.N.-sponsored training programs from 2004-2006, which brought Kenyan animators together with artists from around the world.

Dubbed Africa Animated!, the initiative was created to enhance the ability of African animators to compete with the Western imports, which dominate children's programming on African TV stations.

The workshops gave Kenyan artists an important platform to show their work on a global stage, eventually leading to the "Tinga Tinga" collaboration.

The series was a watershed moment for local animators.
Read on at source: www.variety.com

Toyota to start manufacturing Hilux and Hino in Kenya next year

Toyota Motor Corp. (7203)’s Kenyan unit said it expects to see its share of the East African country’s vehicle market rising to 27 percent next year from 26 percent this year.
The company will start manufacturing it Hilux and Hino models in Kenya in 2012, unit Managing Director Hylton Bannon told reporters in Nairobi today.
“By bringing production facilities to Kenya, we will lower our costs and it will enable us to be a lot more competitive,” Bannon said.
Toyota has put up a $2 million outlet in the Nairobi suburb of Westlands and plans to open another one in the Gigiri area of the city at the same cost next year, to improve customer service, he said. The unit’s vehicle sales this year are forecast at 11,500 to 12,000, Bannon said. Source: Bloomberg

Kenyan prof feted in Germany over worm study

When a leading African scientist received a brief e-mail inviting her to Germany to present her research breakthrough to select top global researchers, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, she dismissed it as a fake.

But the invitation to Prof Waceke Wanjohi from Dr Nathalie Martin-Hübner, managing director of Germany’s Falling Walls Foundation, could not have been more genuine.

Dr Martin-Hübner would explain that the Falling Walls conference is an annual global gathering of forward thinking individuals from 75 countries. And that each year, 20 of the world’s leading scientists are invited to Berlin to present their current breakthrough research which could dramatically transform life worldwide.

The conference seeks to: connect science with industry, politics, media and culture; identify trends, opportunities and solutions for global challenges; make research understandable to a broad audience; and, inspire people to break down the walls the world faces. Read more at source: The East African

Kenya courts Silicon Valley as it aims to become Africa’s high-tech centre

San Francisco has been the leading tourist city in the US for the past few years in a row. But the Kenyan visitors to the Bay Area in early October were not interested in the breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge or Lombard Street, the world’s most crooked. They had their sights on Silicon Valley, the undisputed capital of America’s high-tech industry and home to such greats as Google, Facebook, HP and more recently Twitter.


It turns out that San Francisco’s tourism appeal and technology credentials are in fact closely related. What makes Silicon Valley so great? I asked Dan Kaplan, Product Marketing Manager at Twilio, one of the new startups dotting the valley. ‘The first thing is that it is a place that rich people want to live. People who make their money want to stay,” he told me, paraphrasing Y Combinator founder Paul Graham. “Secondly is that it has two top-notch world-class technical institutions, Stanford and Berkeley, which produce talented engineers every year who are hungry to build new tech companies.”
read on at source: Business Daily


Kenya: Silicon Savanna ready to take on the world
When we asked a street-side vendor, overseeing his modest collection of newspapers and magazines, when he expected the latest editions of our publications, he whipped out a mobile phone, punched some numbers and moments later told us, “You will find them here in two days”. Everyone in Kenya, at least so it seems, has a mobile phone. There are over 20 million of them knocking about all over the country. On our way to view Kenya’s geo-thermal power generation facilities on the floor of the Rift Valley at Naivasha, we stopped to ask directions from a dusty goatherd. He didn’t know but his cousin would; out came the mobile and we were on our way. But mobiles are old hat in Kenya. The internet is the in-thing now.

Internet connection has gone up from being available to 2 million people to 12.5 million in less than two years. Access is mainly through the mobile phone. Kenyans have become masters at using their mobiles for virtually all transactions, reading papers and blogs, checking on prices of commodities and shares, and watching all kinds of entertainment including films and football matches
read on at source: African Business


On Becoming An Animation Powerhouse

As Kenyan tech companies push for their vision of a "silicon savannah" in this East African nation, local animators say their industry is set to ride the high-tech wave toward becoming an animation powerhouse.

Buoyed by the success of "Tinga Tinga Tales," a toon for the BBC's children's web CBeebies co-produced by the U.K.'s Tiger Aspect Prods. and the Nairobi-based Homeboyz Animation, Kenyan animators are hopeful that their country will emerge as the next big market for outsourcing. Allan Mwaniki, director and lead animator at Homeboyz, says that the scale of "Tinga Tinga Tales," which involved nearly 50 animators in Nairobi, was proof that the Kenyan industry could effectively handle a large-scale production.

"We've shown the world we can do it," he says. Kenya's animation industry began to blossom with a series of U.N.-sponsored training programs from 2004-2006, which brought Kenyan animators together with artists from around the world.

Dubbed Africa Animated!, the initiative was created to enhance the ability of African animators to compete with the Western imports, which dominate children's programming on African TV stations. The workshops gave Kenyan artists an important platform to show their work on a global stage, eventually leading to the "Tinga Tinga" collaboration. The series was a watershed moment for local animators. source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/kenyas-silicon-savannah-becoming-an-animation-powerhouse

From King's Road to Kenya: Vivienne Westwood's new fashion journey

British designer's products part of Ethical Fashion Africa, which offers Nairobi's poor a better life.

In a whitewashed building in Nairobi's industrial area, scores of women are sewing handbags for some of fashion's best-known labels. But as their machines clack rhythmically they are also crafting a new future for themselves.

On a table by the open door there is a pile of Vivienne Westwood cloth totes, and the vivid colours of Carmina Campus bags by Ilaria Venturini Fendi spill across a bench.

Nairobi's Hub workshop is the heartbeat of Ethical Fashion Africa, a not-for-profit group created by the International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint UN and World Trade Organisation body, to empower marginalised people by linking them up with fashion houses and distributors.
Read more at source: The Guardian

Enormous potential has not yet been tapped

What’s good? What’s great? What’s the difference? These days, partly thanks to Jim Collins and his 2001 book Good to Great, no one can afford to be satisfied with just being ‘good’.

It sounds lame, unambitious, flat. It scores a mere 7/10. Today we must all burst with excitement and passion – delighting our customers by exceeding their expectations.

The difference between good and great varies by industry – and by country. Even within a given situation judgment differs depending on who’s doing the judging: one person’s great is another’s mere good – and for someone else a similar performance wouldn’t even be considered adequate. Then, in this fast changing and highly competitive world, what would have been considered great last year would fail to receive even the mildest applause today.

In Kenya we see too many organisations that consider adequacy to be more than good enough – certainly, as Sunny Bindra and Mike Eldon and others keep pointing out, when it comes to being responsive to customers.

Add in un-great leadership, un-great strategy, un-great innovation and un-great execution – and an un-great business environment thanks to un-great public service – and one understands why Kenya has not yet become a middle income country.

Yet there are so many great Kenyans.

And not a few great Kenyan organisations.

Read more at source: Business Daily

Plastic bottle, water help light slums

In this maze of windowless tin shacks, school classes are often held outside because even in daytime it's too dark to see the blackboard. Now a youth group is hoping some 2-liter plastic bottles filled with water and bleach can brighten Kenya's slums.

The soda bottle-as-lightbulb was first discovered in Brazil by mechanic Alfredo Moser in 2002. In the decade since, tens of thousands of people who can't afford electricity or other sources of light like candles have converted to the water bottle lightpoint.

When the bottle is hung through a hole in the roof and filled with water and bleach, the bottle refracts sunlight and can produce as much light as a 50- or 60-watt bulb.
read more at source: The Associated Press

Homes set to get piped with cheap cooking gas

Oil marketer Hashi Energy will from next year connect homes to piped gas in a process that will not only revolutionise the way cooking gas is sold in Kenya but also open a new battleground for control of the lucrative market. The firm says it is targeting long-term contracts with real estate developers – especially gated residential estates – to provide gas to their housing units, offering the marketer guaranteed sales.Piping for the gas will be rigged into the buildings during construction and payment done at the end of the month according to consumption.
read on at source: Business Daily

Scramble for a piece of Kisumu city creates new property firms

Kisumu city is experiencing a property boom that has seen land prices triple in value in some areas. Investors in commercial and residential property have been trooping to the lakeside city in droves in a move that has seen an unprecedented rise in the value of land and housing units in and around the town.

Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the boom have been property agents and developers who have had to deal with rising numbers of clients looking for property to rent, buy, or develop. Over the last three years, the number of registered property agents has risen from less than 10 to over 25.
read more at source: Business Daily

Kenyan awarded $250,000 to fight pre-natal deaths in Sub-Sahara Africa

Sam Agutu is among two innovators awarded $250,000 (approximately Sh25,000,000) to develop pre-natal care solutions. Two projects, one using cell phones to deliver to expectant mothers in Kenya electronic vouchers for pre-natal care and transportation, the other aimed at promoting maternal and child health in northern Nigeria, will receive $250,000 grants from the Saving Lives at Birth Partnership. read more at source: businessdailyafrica.com

Two Breakthrough Innovations to Address Maternal and Newborn Deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sam Agutu’s Kenyan group, Changamka Microhealth based in Nairobi, is proposing e-vouchers delivered through cell phones to encourage women to seek care during their pregnancy and at birth. In remote areas health care costs and distance to clinics are barriers for women. The e-vouchers can be used to pay for pre-natal care and transportation. read more at source: savinglivesatbirth.net

Mobilizing Maternal Health In Rural Kenya With E-Vouchers And Information Technology
We aim to double rates of skilled assistance at birth and dramatically improve maternal and child health outcomes in rural areas of Kenya’s Western Province by using an integrated solution that empowers poor women to overcome financial and informational barriers to life-saving health services.   We will administer a system of subsidized pre-paid e-vouchers and transportation subsidies delivered via mobile phone, as well as informational interventions, including SMS messaging, participatory networks, and radio. read more at source: savinglivesatbirth.net

The Saving Lives at Birth innovations Challenge
Seventy-seven finalists out of over 600 applications were selected to compete in the final stage of the Saving Lives at Birth program. Applications from across the globe were received – including from non-profits, faith based organizations, universities, and private enterprises – spanning a wide range of solutions. The innovators traveled to Washington July 26-28 to participate in the Saving Lives at Birth DevelopmentXChange July 27-28, 2011. read more on the awards: savinglivesatbirth.net

Strikingly Beautiful Photos of Kenya

Photographer Diego Arroyo, on a recent trip to Kenya, wanted to portray the beauty of the country and its people and check out the work some of his good friends were doing in Lamu.
 "It was a journey full of adventures and enriching experiences where I tried to depict the most real Kenya, the one you can't easily find on the tourist routes. I especially enjoyed spending some days with the Samburu, semi-nomadic pastorialists related but distinct to the Maasai. They still maintain an amazing culture and its people seem to have a special kindness that inspired me in many ways." says Arroyo. View photo gallery
Posted by alice on mymodernmet.com November 15, 2011 at 9:00am
Diego Arroyo official website : http://www.arroyodiego.com/

Kenya finds cleaner government is just a keystroke away

Kenya is promoting cleaner government by computerizing many of the tasks that used to be handled by bureaucrats – who might seek bribes to expedite requests. Kenya is an economic engine for East Africa, but its rise on the global stage has long been stunted by corruption. Now, though, it's making progress against the old-fashioned scourge through new-fangled IT. The solution is simple, but powerful: Remove bureaucrats through "e-government." Read on at source

WordCamp Kenya 2011

WordCamp is a conference about WordPress. Developers, designers and users came together for talks and workshops related to WordPress and to publishing on the web, and to network.
WordCamp Kenya 2011 was a 2 day event at Cray Fish camp in Naivasha, 80km from Nairobi. the event was graced by local and international speakers. Fun, barbeque and music were served at an evening party.
About Naivasha

It is said there is more than 350 different species of birds in Naivasha. Naivasha is about 80km from Nairobi city center and on the way, you get a great view of the great Rift Valley, Mt. Longonot and finally you arrive to Lake Naivasha. Naivasha is also home to Hell’s Gate National Park, a small national park, it is known for its wide variety of wildlife and for its scenery. The national park is also home to three geothermal power stations at Olkaria. The park is equipped with three basic campsites and includes a Masai Cultural Center, providing education about the Maasai tribe’s culture and traditions. read more: http://2011.kenya.wordcamp.org/venue/

some more reading:
http://www.mozilla-kenya.org/blog/21-wordcamp-kenya-2011
WordPress being a popular CMS for blogging sites, a bunch of local bloggers were here and you can't imagine how much these guys tweet and blog, you can check out the WordCamp tweets

WordCamp Kenya: Tales From Naivasha
First of all, Crayfish is a beautiful place at this time of the year. The grass has never been greener. The people, never friendlier. The presentations, never deeper. The sessions have been engaging.

14 Conclusions from WordCamp Kenya 2011  By Kachwanya
Blogging can be a business,
Be relevant and give value,
If Blog is a business then it needs to be marketed,
Proper Planning and timing is key to the success of any business,
Think beyond money but think money first,
Betting on the Up coming Success stories,
Discovered true Success Stories,
Know your audience and use the right tools to reach them,
The image of Kenya is shaped by her Global ambassadors,
Time is valuable even more than Money,
Online communities and Politics,
After Hard Work of listening entertainment usually come in handy.
read more on these


Kenya WordCamp 2011: Naivasha

Despite a three hour delay in the program schedule, the conference kicked off at a high note with a few opening remarks and a presentation by the Kenya ICT Board, one of the sponsors. One of the well known programs that the ICT Board is conducting is the promotion of local digital content through the implementation of the three year Tandaa Grant program. It was a pleasure to hear from them at this forum, considering that WordPress is also providing a platform to push out local digital content.
read more on the speakers and summaries of their presentations:

Now Brand Kenya unveils drive to market counties

Brand Kenya is training local government officials on the branding and marketing of counties in order to attract investment. The national image agency is keen on preparing counties for the sizeable budgetary allocations expected once the devolved government structure becomes operational after next year’s General Election and has set aside Sh3 million for the campaign. read more at source: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Now+Brand+Kenya+unveils+drive+to+market+counties+/-/539550/1275062/-/q4h76o/-/index.html

Why Kenyans do it better

Alexander Oswald, at TedxVienna, talking about M-Pesa. Alexander Oswald is a Senior Marketing Manager with 13 years Management experience in telecommunication and consumer electronics industry. He has worked for global brands in fast changing business environments, whilst having a focus on Central & South East Europe. At the present time he is Head of Marketing at Nokia, covering several countries, including Switzerland, Cyprus, Israel and of course Austria. Adding to his durable career path, Alexander is also co-author of the first handbook for mobile marketing and mobile campaigns in German language, "Mobile Marketing"

About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Kenya Railways Sh3.2 billion slum upgrade starts January

Kenya Railways will start the Sh3.2 billion Kibera and Mukuru slum upgrade and relocation project in January to improve the safety of the Kenya-Uganda rail line and boost train speeds.

The project will see the rail firm secure a 60-metre reserve on the rail line sitting on the twin slums that will displace 9,000 families who reside or carry out business on the reserve.

The families will be accommodated in 3,192 single-room units that will act as homes and trading stalls that will be restricted from the rail line by nine metre high boundary wall that will run on both sides of the rail track. read more at source: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Kenya+Railways+Sh3+2+billion+slum+upgrade+starts+Jan/-/539550/1272486/-/9n6wul/-/index.html

Open Data Initiative (KODI) Heralds a New Era for Access to Information

2011 has been a great year for Kenya in the areas of access to information and open data.

First, in April 2011, Kenya Gazette Notices dating back to 1906 were digitized and made available online through a partnership between Kenya Law Review and Google Kenya.

Then, in July, Kenya partnered with Google Books to release 60 years of Kenya’s Hansard (the official report of parliamentary proceedings) in an easily accessible and searchable online format.

July also saw the launch of the Kenya Open Data Initiative (KODI) with the goal of making “core government development, demographic, statistical and expenditure data available in a useful digital format for researchers, policymakers, ICT developers and the general public.”

KODI makes available large data sets from the Kenyan government (e.g., census, public expenditure, data from health and education ministries) and the World Bank (e.g., development indicators) in a user-friendly website for the public and data access via APIs for software developers, all developed on the Socrata platform. read on at source: http://ptfund.org/kenya-kodi-information-access/

Three myths about aid to Kenya

Kenya doesn’t really need donors – although it certainly could use donor funds to bolster its development spending, as many emerging economies have demonstrated.  Kenya is not aid dependent.  Only some 15 percent of Kenya’s public expenditures are foreign-financed, compared to more than 40 percent in other EAC countries (see figure). Kenya boasts one of the strongest revenue performances in Africa and most of Kenya’s public services are financed with Kenyan taxpayer’s money. read more at source: http://blogs.worldbank.org/africacan/node/2053

Poll Chief Vows to Conduct Credible Elections

VOA, November 14, 2011
Officials of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are scheduled to meet Tuesday, to begin drawing constituencies ahead of next year’s general elections.
Commission chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan, who together with his team was officially installed Monday, vowed to ensure that next year’s vote will be credible, free and fair.
Kenya’s new constitution gives the electoral body until February to create new constituencies, whose boundaries can later be challenged by the public. read on at source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Kenya-Poll-Chief-Vows-to-Conduct-Credible-Elections--133846963.html

The Drummer Queen

Muthoni Ndonga is definitely one of Kenya’s most eclectic women. Known widely as the ‘Drummer Queen’, this songwriter-singer-poet is a leading figure on the Kenyan entertainment scene and has taken the web by storm. Muthoni DQ has been featured on many different sites from hundreds of blogs to countless entertainment sites and YouTube. Her popularity is not only driven by her music but her skills as an entrepreneur; she founded “Blankets and Wine,” one of East Africa’s premier music experiences. Using her fluency in three languages (English, Kikuyu and Kiswahili), Muthoni creates ‘Fusion Soul’ an African inspired sound that reflects the experiences of urban youth in a soulful way. source: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/-/434746/1225852/-/110w6u4z/-/index.html
Official Website: muthonimusic.com

Penya Artists: Muthoni The Drummer Queen
Nairobi born and raised singer, songwriter, flow-poet, creative and social entrepreneur, Muthoni Ndonga, is already poised to become a leading presence in the world of Kenyan entertainment and social development.

Having performed at many shows in Nairobi as well as in London, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Addis Ababa and Yaounde as part of the Cultural collaborative band “Bring the Noise” put together by the British Council in 2007, her showmanship and artistry is nothing short of an experience. read more at source: http://penyafrica.com/
Penya Africa and its European label management are proud to present Muthoni the Drummer Queen (DQ), singer, songwriter, flow-poet, creative and social entrepreneur.   With English, Kikuyu, Kiswahili and awesome at her linguistic disposal, Muthoni blends styles as diverse as salsa, kwaito, afro-rock, taarab, rap, Floetry and R&B on an intoxicating fusion of sounds that you should adopt as the soundtrack for your next life. Across the dimensions, the reviews have understood that she is inspired by love, relationships, politics, and new spirituality, her sound is a conscious call to live, dream and hope in curiosity, courage and strength. Delivered sometimes in song and “Floetry” (spoken poetry) her work is an experimental, entertaining and stirring display of artistry is nothing short of intergalactic.
 The Drummer Queen´s album “Human Condition”was launched in Nairobi on November the 29th 2009 at the one-year anniversary of the monthly Blankets&Wine music festival.
source: http://kenyanheartbeat.com/pages/site.php?id=100036&social=true

Muthoni DQ has the keys to the disco
Capital FM Lifestyle July 20, 2011

The uber crazy Drummer Queen who was christened Muthoni some 20+ years ago is welcoming you to the disco. It’s whacky, strange coloured tights, eclectic drum beats and half fast talking half singing lyrics. The single ‘Welcome to the Disco’ is the first track off her upcoming Africa Unsigned EP, and all the celebrities in the promo are (somehow) part of the project.
 Muthoni was introduced to the Kenyan market about three years ago as the Drummer Queen under the Penya umbrella. She is now flying solo with both Penya and Africa Unsigned in tow, and trying her best to stretch if not break the barriers of musical comfort.

Her most successful single to date has been ‘Mikono Kwenye Hewa’, which earned her an MTV nomination. Her latest single before Welcome to the Disco is Life.

“We were in Studio with Robert ‘Wawesh’ Kiboy trying to make an electronic song, but after hearing this beat, Sandra aka ‘The Sapient One’ decided to promptly write to it and we recorded it.
We then shared it with Porgie of Code Red who apart from being a great friend, continues to play a key role in my journey as an artiste. He loved it! We knew it was a great song, what we did not know is how and when to release it,” she says of the genesis of the song.
 Welcome to the Disco will be simultaneously released on July 30, 2011 in Holland, London and Nairobi (Club Volar). source: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle/2011/07/20/muthoni-dq-has-the-keys-to-the-disco/

High hopes in Kwale as mining giants get down to business

Kwale, one of Kenya’s poorest counties, is sitting on mineral wealth worth billions of shillings.

And now with plans for the commercial exploitation of titanium, niobium and rare earths, there is optimism that the fortunes of the county and its people will get a huge boost.

Experts say the combined value of the minerals is nearly Sh350 billion.

After 17 years of protests, inquiries and reports, the stage is finally set for titanium mining by an Australian company.

And two South African firms have been given the greenlight to explore for niobium and rare earths in the region.

For titanium, all government approvals have been granted and the building work will begin this month, according to officials of the mining firm, Base Titanium Ltd.
read more at source: http://www.nation.co.ke/Counties/High+hopes+in+Kwale+as+mining+giants+get+down+to+business/-/1107872/1270066/-/10ign2fz/-/index.html

Project Status
Following an extensive due diligence exercise and the securing of approval from the Government of Kenya, Base completed the acquisition of the project from Vaaldiam Mining Inc (formerly Tiomin Resources Inc) (“Vaaldiam”) in July 2010. Vaaldiam had spent 15 years and in excess of US$60 million progressing the project through resource definition, development of a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) and government approvals.
The Project has in place a full suite of licences and permits required for development, including a Special Mining Lease, an Investment Agreement with the Government of Kenya and an Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) licence, with the following exceptions. The authorisation to construct the Mukurumudzi Dam, which the Project has held for the past 3 years, is currently subject to renewal. Final approval for 5 boreholes in the Gongoni Forest is also pending. All requirements for the issue of these permits have been met and their issuance is expected in the near future. As a consequence of the change in concept in some aspects of the Project design in the EDFS, EIA Addenda reports are currently being prepared and their approval sought. Due to the nature of the changes, these approvals are expected as a matter of course.
The resettlement program has been completed, with all former landowners and squatters compensated and relocated from the SML to newly allocated land. A small number of farmers who occupy land to be impacted by the ultimate construction of the Mukurumudzi dam have been allocated new land plots but are yet to be relocated and compensated although the formula for doing so has been established.
The Project continues to enjoy a high level of Government and community support. Importantly, the Government of Kenya regards Kwale as a project of national significance and, as such, is committed to seeing its development. source: http://www.baseresources.com.au/projects/kwale-mineral-sands-project/project-status/

Kenyan exploration projects
Base has acquired an option to purchase three further exploration projects from Vaaldiam, Mambrui, Kilifi and Vipingo. These projects, which are located along the coast to the north of Mombassa, have a combined JORC compliant Mineral Resource as previously reported by Vaaldiam, of 1,388 million tonnes.

source: http://www.baseresources.com.au/projects/kenyan-exploration-projects/

FYI
Titanium
A strong, low-density, highly corrosion-resistant, lustrous white metallic element that occurs widely in igneous rocks and is used to alloy aircraft metals for low weight, strength, and high-temperature stability. Atomic number 22; atomic weight 47.87 melting point 1,660°C; boiling point 3,287°C;
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/titanium#ixzz1dI4FVKtr
Applications of titaniumTitanium is used in steel as an alloying element (ferro-titanium) to reduce grain size and as a deoxidizer, and in stainless steel to reduce carbon content. Titanium is often alloyed with aluminium (to refine grain size), vanadium, copper (to harden), iron, manganese, molybdenum, and with other metals. Applications for titanium mill products (sheet, plate, bar, wire, forgings, castings) can be found in industrial, aerospace, recreational, and emerging markets. Powdered titanium is used in pyrotechnics as a source of bright-burning particles.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanium

Niobium
A silvery, soft, ductile metallic element that occurs chiefly in columbite-tantalite and is used in steel alloys, arc welding, and superconductivity research. Atomic number 41; atomic weight 92.906; melting point 2,468°C; boiling point 4,927°C.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/niobium#ixzz1dI6g9E1C
 Applications of niobium
It is estimated that out of 44,500 metric tons of niobium mined in 2006, 90% was used in the production of high-grade structural steel, followed by its use in superalloys. The use of niobium alloys for superconductors and in electronic components account only for a small share of the production. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niobium

Rare earth

Any of the abundant metallic elements of atomic number 57 through 71. Also called lanthanide. Despite their name, rare earth elements (with the exception of the radioactive promethium) are relatively plentiful in the Earth's crust, with cerium being the 25th most abundant element at 68 parts per million (similar to copper). However, because of their geochemical properties, rare earth elements are typically dispersed and not often found in concentrated and economically exploitable forms. The few economically exploitable deposits are known as rare earth minerals. It was the very scarcity of these minerals (previously called "earths") that led to the term "rare earth". The first such mineral discovered was gadolinite, a compound of cerium, yttrium, iron, silicon and other elements. This mineral was extracted from a mine in the village of Ytterby in Sweden; many of the rare earth elements bear names derived from this location.

Rare earth pricing

Rare earth elements are not exchange-traded in the same way that precious (for instance, gold and silver) or non-ferrous metals (such as nickel, tin, copper, and aluminum) are. Instead they are sold on the private market, which makes their prices difficult to monitor and track. However, prices are published periodically on websites such as mineralprices.com. The 17 elements are not usually sold in their pure form, but instead are distributed in mixtures of varying purity, e.g. "Neodymium metal ≥ 99.5%". As such, pricing can vary based on the quantity and quality required by the end user's application. source; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element

Plan to trade in bonds via mobile phone

Kenyans will soon be able to buy bonds using their mobile phones if a donor-funded project is implemented. The World Bank project, which is in its pilot stage, allows mobile phone users to easily access bond trading, thereby opening up the bond market that has been a preserve for urban market.

“We are very excited about this, and we will monitor how the pilot succeeds,” said Evans Osano, head of the Efficient Securities Markets Institutional Development program at the World Bank.
read more at source: http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/Plan+to+trade+in+bonds+via+mobile+phone/-/1006/1268820/-/9pgvvqz/-/index.html

National Oil to refill cooking gas at Sh250 a kilo

You will now be able to buy cooking gas for as little as Sh250 thanks to National Oil Corporation move to start retailing a one kilogramme unit.

The state owned oil marketer hopes to use this to make entry in the low end market.

Currently purchase of cooking as is restricted to six kilogrammes. To achieve this National Oil launched a Sh10 million mobile cooking gas filling unit.

The unit has an storage tank, a dispenser, filling scales, a pump and a leak detector and is expected to move around refilling gas to consumers.

“Our target with the mini LPG plant is mainly the middle and low income population,” said managing director Sumayya Hassan. read more at source: http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/National+Oil+to+refill+cooking+gas+at+Sh250+a+kilo/-/1006/1269552/-/cvheeh/-/index.html

Diaspora Sept remittances up 45pc from last year

Kenya's Diaspora remittances in September amounted to $84.9 million which was 45 per cent higher than the September 2010 remittances. The September remittances set a new high surpassing the mark recorded in August of $79.6 million.

North America contributed 49 per cent and Europe 28 per cent of total cash inflows to Kenya in the month of September compared with 52 percent and 26 percent respectively in August 2011.

Increased inflows were attributed to better investment opportunities in the local market that persons in the diaspora could engage in including the infrastructural bond that had been issued targeting them.
read more at source: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Kenya+diaspora+Sept+remittances+up+45pc/-/539552/1269162/-/yaumwe/-/index.html

Africa's largest geothermal producer

Kenya is endowed with vast geothermal resource potential along the world Kenya Rift that transects the country from north to south. Exploration reveals that geothermal potential exceeds 7,000 MWe and is capable of meeting all of Kenya’s electricity needs over the next 20 years. Out of this potential, only 167 MWe and 18 MWt are being utilized for indirect and direct uses respectively.
read more on installed geothermal and the estimated potential: http://www.geothermal-energy.org/192,welcome_to_our_page_with_data_for_kenya.html
East Africa Rift System
The active East African rift (an incipient plate boundary) runs through Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti and touches six other countries. Active volcanoes occur in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Intensive exploration is under way in Kenya to increase electricity production to keep pace with population growth.


Kenya targets 50% of nation’s power via geothermal
www.globalenergymagazine.com December 2, 2010
The government of Kenya has announced its plans to use geothermal power as a major source of electricity, with the country targeting 50% of its energy requirements to come from geothermal sources by 2018.
Currently, Kenya relies on hydro power, which has become unreliable in recent years due to changing weather patterns, causing blackouts and power shortages nationwide.
Kenya has large amount of untapped geothermal energy. The country has identified over 14 sites in the Rift Valley with the ability to generate between 7,000 and 10,000 megawatts of power.
read moer at source: http://www.globalenergymagazine.com/2010/12/kenya-to-combat-frequent-power-shortages-with-geothermal-investment/

Kenya's Largest Energy Provider Receives $364 Million for Geothermal Development
www.energyboom.com December 15, 2010
The European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency have jointly given Kenyan utility, KenGen a US$364.5 million loan to expand its geothermal capacity.
Under the agreement, the French Development Agency will loan KenGen roughly US$201.3 million to help finance the construction of the 140-megawatt Olkaria IV geothermal power plant. In turn, the European Investment Bank will loan US$153.2 million for the construction of a high-voltage substation and transmission lines from the new geothermal projects the utility is developing.
read more at source: http://www.energyboom.com/geothermal/kenyas-largest-energy-provider-receives-364-million-geothermal-development

Kenya Geothermal Picks Up Major Steam Around World's Second Largest Volcanic Crater
www.energyboom.com May 16, 2011

Kenya, Africa's largest geothermal producer, has discovered significant exploitable steam deposits in the world's second largest volcanic crater, a place also known as one of the area's main tourist attractions.
The Geothermal Development Company (GDC), out of Kenya, made the discovery about 138 miles northwest of the country's capital, Nairobi, while working on its current program to sink 120 wells by 2018. Anticipating lesser amounts of steam deposits, the company was elated by the unpredicted turn of events.
Even more interesting was that the find happened at only 900 meters, which could mean a quicker turnaround for conversion to electricity. Some much needed good news for a country working hard to make itself economically viable, and for a region striving to capitalize on goethermal energy potential.
read more at source: http://www.energyboom.com/geothermal/kenya-geothermal-picks-major-steam-around-worlds-second-largest-volcanic-crater

Kenya signs deal for largest African geothermal project

www.ntv.co.ke  November 7, 2011

Kenya will play host to the single largest geothermal power project in Africa, a 280 megawatt geothermal project consisting of expansions by 140 megawatts each for Olkaria One and Olkaria Four power plants.This follows the signing of a 1.3 billion US dollar deal between KENGEN and Japanese and South Korean firms towards the expansion of the two power plants.Construction is expected to end in 2014 with Japan's Toyota Tsusho Corporation and South Korea's Hyundai Engineering and Construction forming the consortium that is expected to make the project a reality

Toyota to build Sh40 billion geothermal power plants
www.businessdailyafrica.com November 8 2011

Japanese trading firm Toyota Tsusho Corp and Hyundai Engineering Co of South Korea have won the bid to build new geothermal plants worth Sh40 billion, cementing Japan’s involvement in Kenya’s geothermal power generation.

They will build a new 140-megawatt (MW) plant and expand the capacity of another to 185 MW, up from 45 MW— setting the stage for cheaper and more reliable power supply.

The consortium beat four other bids that included Japanese Mitsubishi Corporation—which was involved in an earlier geothermal plant in Olkaria. Rival Chinese firms are showing interests in building geothermal power plants in Kenya.
read more at source: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Toyota+to+build+Sh40+billion+geothermal+power+plants/-/539550/1268894/-/4udnqsz/-/index.html

How to turn crisis into triumph: a Special Report

 

African Business, The 2005 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards best magazine,
November 2011 issue no. 380
Cover story: Astonishing Kenya! How to turn crisis into triumph
The editors of African Business spent two weeks in Kenya in October preparing a Special Report. What they discovered was the largely under reported story of perhaps the most extraordinary transformation in the history of modern Africa.

These are the stories carried in the issue:
Astonishing Kenya!
Kenya, a country of stunning physical and cultural beauty, continues to astonish. Barely three years after emerging from what Professor Michael Chege, UNDP advisor on international Development Policy, describes as "our worst political crisis since the Mau Mau era" (the 2007-08 post-election violence), the country appears to have made not only a full recovery, it has carried out roof and branch reforms of virtually every aspect of public life.
Interview: President Mwai Kibaki
 "Together we've made our country a better plae"
Interview: PM Raila Odinga
"Kenya has a major role to play in Africa"
Vision 2030
Roadmap for a bright future
ICT
Silicon Savanna ready to take on the world
Tourism
Welcome to paradise
Banking
A robust and profitable banking sector
Agribusiness
Kenya's economic backbone
TributeNobel laureate Wangari Maathai

 

The Africa Report
November 2011, issue no. 35
Has its cover story on an interview with the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Raila Odinga: "We are taking nothing for granted"

Both magazines are available at newstands at KSh300/- and KSh350/- respectively.

OverlapKE for traffic offense reports

Overlap Kenya is a new online reporting platform for traffic offenses which include:

Reckless driving, ttraffic police being bribed, overlapping, defective or unroadworthy car speeding, road abuse by government, diplomatic, or NGO Drivers.

You can report cases using the following means:
1.By sending an email to alert@overlap.co.ke
2.By sending a tweet with the hash tag/s overlapKE

3.By filling this form: http://overlap.co.ke/index.php/reports/submit/
Overlap Kenya is powered by Ushahidi

Kenyans hoping to make history in New York

NEW YORK - Ever since they discovered that the streets were paved with gold and branched out from cross-country’s hills and dales, Kenya’s distance runners have piled up enough marathon medals and records to start their own macadam museum. One thing their men haven’t done yet, though, is win all six major races in the same season.

That chance comes this morning at the 42d New York City Marathon, where unrelated speed racers Geoffrey and Emmanuel Mutai will be looking not only to finish what they started last spring but also to bring down Tesfaye Jifar’s course record (2 hours, 7 minutes, 43 seconds) that has stood since 2001.

That’s a lifetime in an event in which the world record has fallen three times in four years, most recently in September in Berlin, where Patrick Makau ran 2:03:38. read more at source: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2011/11/06/kenyans-hoping-make-history-new-york/FMUVUuKyw90z3mhNIwtUUM/story.html

Mutai win NYC Marathon


Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai won the men's New York City marathon Sunday, setting a new course record with a finish time of two hours, five minutes and six seconds. It was the first time the 30-year-old has won the NYC marathon. The last Kenyan runner to win the marathon was Martin Lel in 2007. read on at source: http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/Kenyan-Geoffrey-Mutai-Ethiopian-Firehiwot-Dado-win-2011-nyc-marathon-110611?ocid=ansfox11

Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai sets NY Marathon record
Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai smashed the New York Marathon men's record on Sunday while Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado surprised herself with a late charge to capture the women's title in her New York debut.  In ideal conditions, Mutai surged from a pack to the lead with seven miles remaining and won in two hours, five minutes and six seconds, shattering the old course record of 2:07:43 set by Ethiopia's Tesfaye Jifar in 2001.

"I tried at the last minute to push it a little more," Mutai said. "We all worked together and then it was time to push. I was trying to run my own race." read on at source: http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Kenyas+Geoffrey+Mutai+sets+NY+Marathon+record/-/1100/1268358/-/pckhfs/-/index.html

Diaspora celebrate Kenya NY Marathon win
On a near perfect, windless day that seemed made for African marathon runners, Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya flew over five New York bridges, breaking away from the so called elite team in the final six miles to shatter a decade-old course record by more than two and a half minutes.
And, in the process, he set off celebrations among Kenyans living in the US that went on late into the night. "It's a great day for Kenya. Our runners have made us proud and it’s in order for Kenyans wherever they are to celebrate this win," said Dr Josephine Ojiambo, Kenyan Ambassador to the UN after receiving the runners at the end of the race.
With song and dance, and tusker lager as one Kenyan living in the Bronx told The Standard on phone, Sunday afternoon and many hours later in the US belonged to Kenyans as one of the biggest story on both local and national television and radio was the spectacular win by the Kenyan trio of Geoffrey Mutai, Emmanuel Mutai and Mary Keitany in the New York Marathon held Sunday.
read more at source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000046307&cid=4&ttl=Diaspora%20celebrate%20Kenya%20NY%20Marathon%20win

Undiscovered Golf Destinations

 World Travel Exhibition, London 2011

A press statement issued by the Kenya Tourism Board’s (KTB) London office indicated that apart from Kenya marketing its’ nature reserves and the pristine white beaches, the Kenya tourism board will this year unveil a comprehensive golf guide for visitors to the country to discover its many spectacular courses and facilities.  Close to 150 golfers, the statement said, will compete in the annual Kenya Open Golf Championship. This years’ tournament, was played at the Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi, and next years’ event will take place at the same venue.

"With the sustained growth of African tourism, Kenya has emerged as a significant player in the highly competitive field of international golf tourism. The credentials of its golf courses saw the country outshine 100 others to win the coveted title of ‘Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year’ at the International Association of Golf Tour Operators annual awards." the statement said.
source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000046163&cid=14&j=&m=&d=

Kenya – The Best undiscovered Golf Destination of 2008

The International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), sister association of IAGTO, the global trade organization of the golf tourism industry, has awarded Kenya as “The Best Undiscovered Golf Destination of 2008”. 107 golf travel writers participated in the voting of this award. The gala Awards evening took place on 20th of November, 08 in Estepona, Spain, on the last day of the International Golf Travel Market - IGTM.
His Excellency, the Ambassador of Kenya, Mwakai K. Sio, together with Tob Cohen, Chairman of the Kenya Golf Marketing Alliance received the award on behalf of the Kenya golf and tourism sector.
“This award represents a great honour and recognition for Kenya and, in particular, its tourism industry. It all goes to crown a very blessed month for Kenya, coming only three weeks after the election of Barack Obama, who has his roots in Kenya, as President of the United States of America. We warmly welcome the entire world to come and see what we have to offer and to enjoy our hospitality” said Ambassador Sio.
read more at source: http://www.magicalkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=181&Itemid=60

Golf Destination of the Year

The IAGTO Awards are the official annual awards for the golf tourism industry. The 2009 gala Awards evening took place on Thursday 20th November 2008 at the Estepona Congress and Exhibition Centre, Spain on the last day of the International Golf Travel Market.

The winners of the 2009 IAGTO Awards were:

Golf Resort of the Year — Europe: Le Meridien Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo Golf Course, Portugal
Golf Resort of the Year — North America: Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami, Florida
Golf Resort of the Year — Rest of the World: Half Moon, Jamaica
Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year: Kenya Golf Destination of the Year — Africa, the Indian Ocean & the Gulf States: Dubai
Golf Destination of the Year — Asia & Australasia: New Zealand
Golf Destination of the Year — Europe: Andalucia, Spain
Golf Destination of the Year — Latin America & the Caribbean: Dominican Republic
Golf Destination of the Year — North America: South Carolina
IAGTO Honorary Award: José María Olazábal

source: http://www.discovercharleston.com/golf/golf-award.htm

Golf Courses in Kenya: http://www.1golf.eu/en/golf-courses/kenya/

 Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort on the North Cost of Mombasa lies in the centre of a 2,500 acre former sisal estate. The property rises from just above sea level to a 140 metre high ridge before falling off again to the scenic lake and game conservation area to the west of the site.  The golf course at Vipingo Ridge is the first in East Africa to be built to a truly international standard, with the world renowned USGA specification being used for all aspects of the course. The large and undulating greens at Vipingo Ridge are cultivated with fine Bermuda grasses to guarantee fast and true putting surfaces. A fully automated irrigation system and a large inventory of new green-keeping equipment ensure that the playing surfaces are maintained in pristine condition all year round.  

 

Muthaiga Golf Club enjoys the influential position of having been one of the Kenya's pioneer golf courses and it serves as a home to the Kenya Golf Union and plays host to the most prestigious golfing event in the country, The Kenya Open. The course club is situated at the Kiambu Road towards Kiambu about 200 metres (220 yards), further on the left. The original nine holes were laid out at Muthaiga in 1913 and the club foundation stone was laid in 1912 and the golf course become an amenity for the club members and their friends.
read more at source: http://www.magicalkenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=788&Itemid=324

Sergoit Golf and Wildlife Resorts is prime property consisting of more than 3000 acres of pristine land situated at the heart of the North Rift. The singular defining feature of the property is Sergoit Hill, a tree covered rocky outcrop with a footprint of about 500 acres dominating the flat landscape.

The property is a sprawling ranch which also serves as a wildlife sanctuary and is home to the Rothschild’s Giraffe – one of a priority species in wildlife conservation. Other animals include antelopes, duikers and a large variety of birds. On a clear day, you can see Mt Kenya to the East and Mt Elgon to the West. To the south you can also see the undulating Nandi Hills and the expansive Cherangany Hills to the North.