Business

Anti-Counterfeit Authority Seeks to Stop Counterfeits, Substandard Imports

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Over the years, the government has made strides to fight the trade in counterfeits. The Anti-Counterfeit Authority in the company of Kenya Bureau of Statistics and Kentrade came to a commitment to dealing with the challenges of products being substandard and counterfeit.

The fight is encapsulated in the Kenyan Constitutions as well as in a number of laws in the country. We are also signatories to several international treaties and laws like the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) among others.

In 2008, the government enacted the Anti-Counterfeit Act which led to the institutionalization of the war against counterfeiting through the Anti-Counterfeit Agency which was later revealed into an Authority in 2018.

In 2017, the Government established the Inter-Agency Anti-Illicit Trade Executive Forum and Technical Working Group (Multi-Agency Team for Combating Illicit Trade) to strengthen
interventions toward curbing illicit trade and facilitating the exchange of information between
agencies and enhance enforcement.

”We are working with different agencies although anchored on various laws, we collaborate to sustain the fight against counterfeiting and related forms of illicit trade. We work with Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Industrial Property Institute, Pest Control Products Board, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, National Police Service, Kenya Copyright Board, and Kenya Bureau of Standards, among others in combating trade in counterfeit goods.

The government also amended the Anti-Counterfeit Act, No.13 of 2008 to have in place the Anti-Counterfeit (Recordation) Regulations 2021 to enforce the recordation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) to curb the importation of counterfeit goods.

The program is planned for full implementation starting from 1 January 2023. The IPR recordation law calls for the creation of a database of IPR information relating to trademarks, copyrights, and trade names for all goods to be imported into the country. The data will be used by border and customs officers to verify goods to be imported, and prevent counterfeit products before entering the country.

The program utilizes automated risk-management systems to analyze and targets imported intellectual property-infringing goods, and Inspectors will have the legal authority to detain, seize, forfeit, and ultimately destroy IP-infringing merchandise entering the country.

Kenya joins South Africa, Mauritius, and Algeria as the only countries in Africa to implement the IPR recordation. Other countries outside Africa that apply IPR recordation to manage imports of counterfeit goods include Indonesia, UAE, and the USA which enforce recordation through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

 

ACA will implement the Recordation system to provide intellectual property right holders the
opportunity to record their registered trademarks and copyrights to receive enhanced border
enforcement of the IP.

For this, we have partnered with KenTrade for having the services in the single window system that we roll out by 1 st January 2023.ACA will continue to provide education and outreach to the industry regarding the critical importance of obtaining trademark and copyright recordation in order to stem the flow of infringing goods into the country.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Climate ChangeEnergy

IBM Leads Africa to Clean Energy for Vulnerable Populations

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Africa turned out to be a significant focus for the initiative as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is among the selected organizations and will work with IBM to increase access to sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy in African countries.

IBMs’ artificial intelligence and geospatial analytics in corporations with UNDPs technical knowledge aim to forecast electricity access to better guide policy and investment decisions.

Organizations such as UNDP, Sustainable Energy for All, Net Zero Atlantic, Miyakojima City Government, and Environment Without Borders Foundation for this IBM Sustainability Accelerator environmental cohort IBM will donate $30M worth of services by 2023 through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program.

IBM has previously announced it plans to select five organizations for this program each year and expects to provide $30 million worth of services by the end of 2023.

IBM announced the new members of its global pro bono social impact program, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator.

“With the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, we are convening experts and using innovative technologies to help tackle the toughest environmental challenges our planet faces; and transitioning to clean energy is a critical step right now,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG at IBM.

A program of IBM technologies, entailing hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale projects focused on populations vulnerable to environmental threats, including climate change. All new members will focus on accelerating clean energy projects.

According to the International Energy Agency, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions to global supply chains, and diversion of fiscal resources to keep food and fuel prices affordable have affected the pace of progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7) of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030.

 

“With this new cohort, helping marginalized communities get just and equitable access to sustainable energy resources not only helps the world achieve the goal of UN SDG7 but can help in the larger global energy transition,” he added.

 

Some of the organziations selected to become part of the clean energy cohort include:

  1. United Nations Development Programme: UNDP is working with IBM to increase access to sustainable, affordable and reliable energy in African countries, focusing on those furthest left behind. The goal is to forecast electricity access to better guide policy and investment decisions, using UNDP’s technical knowledge and IBM’s artificial intelligence and geospatial analytics.

 

  1. Sustainable Energy for All: IBM is working with Sustainable Energy for All to build an intelligent model to project energy needs based on current and future human activity. This model will be designed to help to address key development challenges (e.g., lack of energy access and poor healthcare) and support the development of robust infrastructure planning, such as electrification plans. IBM machine learning and IBM Cloud technology and expertise will be used to build and scale open-access datasets and an energy needs model using temporal and spatial data. Kenya and India are being explored as the first regions to pilot the model.

 

  1. Net Zero Atlantic: Net Zero Atlantic is collaborating with IBM to create an interactive digital tool that will geospatially display the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of possible energy system futures for Nova Scotia. Ultimately, the goal is for Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia to leverage advanced modeling capabilities to inform their input into energy and development planning. The tool aims to be easy to use, locally relevant, and time efficient. It will be designed to produce easy-to-understand visual results using IBM technology such as the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite and IBM Cloud.

 

  1. Miyakojima City Government: The Miyakojima City Government is working with IBM to support the development of a renewable energy strategy including a microgrid on Miyakojima Island, a distant community facing severe climate issues due to typhoons in Japan, with the goal of helping their residents, who rely on a clean local environment for the tourist industry and agriculture. Miyakojima City Government and IBM will collaborate to leverage technologies such as IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite weather data and IBM Cloud to model electricity demand and advise energy infrastructure development.

 

  1. Environment Without Borders Foundation: Environment Without Borders Foundation’s collaboration with IBM will be aimed at developing a platform to forecast, track, and communicate clean energy usage options in Egypt. The goal is to enable resilient and sustainable infrastructure and operations for clean energy in Egypt, helping residents of remote villages for whom energy is currently both expensive and unreliable. The clean energy management platform will leverage IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite and IBM Cloud.

 

IBM emphasized that the selection was based on the organization’s commitment to supporting communities that are especially vulnerable to environmental threats, its ability to increase access to affordable clean energy services, and its strategic focus, and transparency on measurement and reporting, among others.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Business

Idea Hive Ventures into East African Market

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Idea Hive an innovative performance marketing agency has made its inaugural launch into the East African market in a bid to provide data-driven technology to create unique, insightful brand strategies and marketing campaigns for clients.

Idea Hive has distinguished itself from other traditional marketing agencies by combining full-service marketing and manufacturing technologies through precision marketing to deliver innovative and unified marketing solutions.

The marketing firm’s plans for expansion into the region are ongoing as it strives to be one of the leading go-to agencies for Customer Experience, Insights, and Content Development in South Africa and throughout Africa.

Idea Hive Chief Executive Officer, Yaw Dwomoh, said the firm is taking advantage of the huge opportunity the African market has to offer.

“Today we mark a major milestone in our regional expansion strategy. We aim to grow our footprint across the continent while offering more informed strategies to better serve our customers in these markets. We expect that marketing solutions with engagement trackers will optimize return on investment for our clients,” said Yaw Dwomoh.

From (L) to (R) Idea Hive Group CEO, Yaw Dwomoh, County Director & Head of Partnerships at Market
force, Head of Advertising at Opera -East Africa, Mercy Kiongera, Safaricom Big Data & CVM Tech
Lead,Kamau Maina and Moderator Media personality Mark Masai at a panel discussion during the
launch of its inauguration into the East African Market. Idea Hive has partnered with technology
leaders to give clients a world-class and industry-leading performance marketing solutions

The East African Operations will be led by newly appointed Managing Director, Muriuki Murunge a social intelligence marketer and brand communications expert.

“I am very excited to lead Idea Hive in this market, mainly because I understand the dynamics marketers are facing in an evolving and competitive industry, that requires unique tailor-made solutions to satisfy our customer’s needs”, said Murunge.

Over the last seven years, the marketing firm has carved out a niche for itself in the competitive advertising industry. The new business reconfiguration will put the company on a more competitive and sustainable growth path, led by a strong team.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Njeri Jomo appointed as Jubilee Insurance CEO
BusinessInsuranceWomen in Business

Njeri Jomo Appointed As Jubilee Insurance CEO

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

Njeri Jomo has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer of Jubilee Health Insurance Limited.

Njeri Jomo previously served as the General Manager, Retail Business Development at Britam Group, responsible for driving the growth of the retail product portfolio and managing the distribution channels.

“Njeri is an experienced and multifaceted executive leader committed to delivering growth and profitability, organizational transformation, and strategic evolution with a career spanning over 20 years in financial services,” Jubilee Holdings Limited said in a statement.

She has also worked for Britam Asset Managers, UAP Provincial Insurance, Midstate Insurance Brokers, and Kenyan Alliance Insurance.

Njeri holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from USIU Africa and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from Kenya Methodist University, an associate, Life Management Institute (ALMI) from LL Global USA, a Diploma in Insurance and an Award in Bancassurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute — London and a Certificate of Proficiency (COP): Life & General Insurance from the College of Insurance.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
AviationBusinessTravel

Kenya Airways To Begin Four Direct Flights From Mombasa-Dubai

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

Kenya Airways will commence operating four direct flights from Mombasa to Dubai, United Arab Emirates beginning December 15, 2022.

The flights on the new route were scheduled to start at the beginning of December but were affected by the just concluded pilot’s strike.

According to KQ, the introduction of the Mombasa-Dubai route has been necessitated by rising ticket demand; the commencement of flights is expected to boost the Kenyan coastal region tourism industry through direct access to and from the Middle East.

“The introduction of this route is key and strategic as it will open up the Kenya coastal region, boost the tourism and hospitality industry as well as stimulate trade to the coastal city. This launch is part of Kenya Airways network expansion strategy and commitment towards supporting the recovery of the tourism and hospitality industry in Kenya,” said Julius Thairu, Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer.

Thairu noted that the route will give tourists from the Middle East, Russia, Northern Europe and Australia direct access to the coast region tourism and hospitality industry.

The Mombasa- Dubai route is further expected to attract travelers to the Middle East for holiday and religious trips.

“The region’s traders of electronics, clothes and other consumer goods will also benefit from the belly cargo capacity that will be available on the flight.”

Additionally, the flights offer increased capacity for direct exports of seafood and fresh produce directly to the Middle East.

Mombasa to Dubai flights will depart from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and make a stop in Mombasa’s Moi International Airport to pick up additional passengers.

The four flights will increase KQ frequencies to Dubai to 14 times per week from the current 10.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Education

Crawford International School To Host First Game Jam In Kenya

by Kwabe Ben
written by Kwabe Ben

Crawford International School will host the first student-led Game Jam in Kenya from November 24 th -26 th. It is an event in which student gamers, creatives, and developers work in groups of three to conceptualize, design, and build a functioning version of a game project from scratch based on the theme provided.

The three-day competition will test the participants' abilities to think creatively, manage time, and work in teams. The event will provide an opportunity for competitors who are interested in the same field to meet, and form connections and bonds while testing each other's skills. On the third day, the judges will award the best three teams with cash prizes.

Shiv Dahmesh Shah, Crawford student, and Game Jam Project Manager comments, ‘‘We have 8 registered teams from Crawford International School, Hillcrest International School, Woodcreek School, Braeburn School, and Rusinga School. We expect more participants before the November 20 th deadline.’’

‘‘For decades, video games have entertained children and adults alike. Video games have evolved rapidly from the early days, offering increasingly realistic experiences that no longer resemble the pixelated screens and 8-bit games of past generations.

The introduction of coding and computer programing in Kenyan schools will produce logical thinkers and problem solvers. Necessary life skills that we require’’ added Mugambi Mwithia who serves in the logistics and event planning committee for the Crawford Game Jam.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Kenya Tourism Board Appoints John Chirchir As acting CEO
BusinessNewsTourism

Kenya Tourism Board Appoints John Chirchir As Acting CEO

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

John Chirchir has been appointed as Kenya Tourism Board’s chief executive officer in an acting capacity succeeding Dr. Betty Radier with immediate effect.

The appointment of Chirchir who is the current Digital Marketing Manager at the board follows the exit of Dr. Radier who has completed her full term of six years at the helm of the marketing agency.

“Her six years in office has helped positively profile the destination globally and I strongly believe that the incoming acting CEO will build on this to take the destination to the next level,” said Joanne Mwangi-Yelbert, KTB chairperson.

Dr. Radier who assumed the CEO position in 2016 has been at the center of reviving Kenya’s tourism sector after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is accredited for overseeing key programs including the evaluation and listing of the Magical Kenya Signature Experience (MKSE), leveraging partnerships as well and upscaling the use of digital marketing.

“I am happy that the strategies we have put in place together with the ministry of tourism and the private sector to grow tourism numbers are yielding fruits with an increase in the number of domestic bed nights occupancy and international arrivals, we particularly applaud the domestic market for their support,” said Radier.

Chirchir has extensive knowledge on destination marketing spanning for over 20 years and has championed marketing programs in Kenya’s tourist key source markets of Europe, Emerging, Africa and the US.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Hotel and Tourism Management, a Bachelor of Commerce in marketing and a postgraduate Diploma in digital marketing.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Beko, Water.org ink 2-Year Deal To Support 10,000 Kenyans
News

Beko joins forces with Water.org to provide 10 000 Kenyans with access to safe water

by Brian Yatich
written by Brian Yatich

Beko, Water.org ink 2-Year Deal To Support 10,000 Kenyans

Beko, on Thursday, announced a 2-year partnership with Water.org to support 10,000 Kenyans in need with access to safe water and sanitation solutions.

The Turkish-based Appliance and Consumer electronics brand will support Water.org and its local partner AMFI Kenya, the association of microfinance institutions, to help scale and promote solutions to enable access to safe water in urban slums and rural areas without reliable water sources.

According to Water.org, 15 percent of Kenyans rely on unimproved water sources,  such as ponds, shallow wells, and rivers, while 41% of Kenyans lack basic sanitation – facilities. These challenges are even more prevalent in rural areas where people are often unable to connect to piped water infrastructure.

The program will include the development of learning materials and activities to empower communities with affordable access to loans so they can install wells, water storage tanks, filters, rainwater harvesting systems, and sanitation solutions.

The partnership will also help to mobilize capital investments totaling USD 700 000 for water and sanitation loans to impact hard-to-reach communities.

Akın Garzanlı, Chief Marketing Officer, Arçelik, said that access to safe water and sanitation is an essential human right, and any barriers to these pose serious threats to well-being and undermine social and economic development.

“At the heart of many of our innovations and solutions is the recognition that resources like water are incredibly precious. This is true for our global consumers, who we encourage to save water through our technology and ethos, and for those without access to clean, safe water.  We are proud to support Water.org and share skills and resources to empower families in need with access to lasting water sources.

Gary White, CEO, and Co-founder of Water.org, on his part, indicated that they appreciate the support of Beko to help change lives in Kenya with access to safe water or sanitation solutions.

“Together we will empower families in need with lasting access to safe water, and the hope, health, and opportunity that flow from it.”

The partnership builds on the ambitious commitments and work to date promoting responsible water consumption from Arçelik, the parent company of Beko, and includes developing cutting-edge home appliances to help households reduce water waste, as well as leveraging the latest technologies across its own production operations to increase water efficiency in all regions where its suppliers are located.

Beko has been operating in Kenya for 10 years and its belief that healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet informs every aspect of the business, from product development to business decisions and its desire to engage hard-to-reach communities across the globe.

The new partnership provides a valuable opportunity for Beko to leverage its significant expertise and resources to scale and deliver a positive impact for Kenyan consumers.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
LG Commits to champion expansion of digital laundromats In The country
BusinessNews

LG Commits To Champion Expansion Of Digital Laundromats In The Country

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

LG Electronics has announced its commitment to champion the overall expansion of digital laundromats across the country and formalize the informal “mamafua” industry through the LG laundromat technology.

This follows a growing demand for laundry services among an increasingly affluent middle-income market with limited time to do laundry but with a desire to have their laundry done professionally and at an affordable rate. To date, through Hotpoint, LG has so far supported the expansion of Laundromats in Buruburu, TRM, and Hurlingham.

Speaking during the delivery of the state-of-the-art washing machines with top technology and innovative features to Mamafua Laundromat in Langata, LG Electronics Home Appliances Product Manager Mr. Eden Seo said, “Our decision to offer laundry solutions to Mamafua laundromat is inspired by our desire to see our customers live the better life that they deserve. Besides, we are passionate about empowering the informal “Mama Fua” market to deliver clean, gentle clothing care solutions while enabling the fast growth of Kenya’s laundry industry. We hope that by making good use of our dryer and washer machines, this laundromat will create jobs for more Kenyans, and at the same time easily meet their day-to-day laundry needs”.

Among the appliances delivered by LG in the Mamafua laundromat is the commercial dryer which uses high-temperature air to sanitize clothes of germs and bacteria.

LG’s laundromat technology also comes with a digital app that allows customers to monitor the progress of their laundry remotely and make a pick-or-drop call. The shop operators can also manage their business off-site in real-time and promptly track and resolve technical issues.

In collaboration with Mamafua laundromat, LG Electronics today led the official opening of the laundromat’s first branch in Langata.

To create social impact in the community, the laundromat has adopted a social entrepreneurship model it employs actual mamafuas and boda-boda riders who have been taken through rigorous training in customer care and machine operations before being offered formal employment.

“We are more than happy to open our flagship branch in Langata and offer long-lasting laundry solutions in this neighborhood. More so affordable services from as low as Kes 1,000 for a 7 Kilogram of laundry. We will be open 7 days a week, 8.00 am-8.00 pm and have placed measures in place to ensure that our customers receive back their laundry within 24 hours at no extra cost”. said Mamafua laundromats director Jack Shihundu.

The laundromat caters to the needs of the densely populated neighborhoods in Langata, where many are yet to have washing machines in their homes or want alternative everyday washing done conveniently.

Besides, an experience at the laundromat is designed to ease the time consumed while washing clothes which denies most people quality time that would be better spent with loved ones or traveling for business.

Besides, it has a fleet of branded vans and motorbikes that coordinate the movement of customer laundry from their homes to the laundromat as a way of improving service delivery and customer experience. Its set-up has been designed to offer customers a smarter, safer way of doing laundry while serving both single individuals and working couples with families.

As part of its expansion plans, the laundromat seeks to open five more branches across the country by the end of the first quarter of 2023 and have 10 more branches across Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania by the end of 2023.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts