Author Archives: Dickens

SOCCER | Who will sit out for Sanchez?

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After weeks of speculation and numerous rumors linking Sanchez to at least four top European clubs, Alexis Sanchez finally put pen to paper on Monday and signed for Barcelona . The sensational Chilean forward has been taunted as one of the best prospects for the beautiful game, with some going as far as saying he is better than Lionel Messi, the current FIFA player of the year. Well, without demeaning  the speedy, skilful 22 year old forward, his national team coach Claudio Borghi, is obviously taking sides when he says Sanchez is better than Messi. With the deal sealed and Sanchez -who scored 12 goals and made 6 assists in 31 matches- now a Barcelona player, the next question is; who will Sanchez  replace from the star studded Barcelona team?

Alexis Sanchez

Last season, Barcelona virtually won anything and everything that was there to compete for, and they did so in such prolific form earning much bragging rights for their millions of supporters worldwide and putting on a show for their rivals’ supporters alike .Their starting eleven was consistent for most of the campaign with a few changes mainly due to injuries. Alexis Sanchez has proven himself as a forward  despite turning out as a winger in his first season at Udinese. However it is problematic determining  whom he will replace in the Barcelona front row which was dominated by Pedro, Villa and Messi last season. Sitting out the current best football player would be next to impossible unless something tragic happens to him, thus we are left with Villa and Pedro. David Villa is more of a central attacker whereas  Sanchez is arguably less fit to play in that position. My guess is that it would prove quite a task to get Villa’s position. So we are now left with Pedro, I think Sanchez can fit in Pedro’s shoes and impart  a bit more of  speed and flare.

We shall have to wait and see what Pep Guardiola does with this array of talent. However, if his thinking is close to mine, then Barcelona’s  4-3-3 formation, with Sanchez, Villa and Messi forming the final third, will be a force to reckon with.

 

References:
Udinese forward Alexis Sanchez on the road to greatness telegraph.co.uk, 18 June 2011

Barcelona signs Chile forward Alexis Sanchez sportsillustrated.cnn.com , 20 June 2011

TECHNOLOGY | Tablets to Scrolls

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History is our guide to the future. In the old testament there are tablets in the new testament scrolls. As with ancient evolution of tablets into scrolls, it is certain that our next computing evolutionary leap will be a scroll.

As the web based OS market matures, our need for resource hungry “thick smart clients” such as smart phones and tablets will soon diminish. This coupled with advances in battery technology will allow us to drive larger displays with unpararelled computing power. However, our need for ultra mobile and compact devices will require that we invest more resources in FOLED (Flexible Organic Light Emmiting Diode) technology, which offers the largest displays in small form factors. All these together will result in a Scroll type device that utilizes the cloud for its computing power while consuming the least amount of power for network and display needs. A typical scroll will have the following features:

  • Weight 100g
  • Storage 16GB
  • Connectivity Wireless and Cellular
  • Display 17inch diagonal 2560 x 1600 WQXGA
  • Chip 1Ghz dual core
  • Camera with 1080p video shoot capability
  • Power battery 1 week of surfing the web and running multimedia 1 month of passive time
  • Audio playback tv video

The true power of cloud computing will only be realized when we are able to offload processing from smart devices to managed cloud infrastructures. An obstacle to the current technologies; Tablet and Mobile is their limited display abilities. FOLED are the solution to large displays in a small form factor. As FOLED technologies make their way into the mainstream, we will be making major strides into true cloud computing. There are many roles yet to be filled in these emerging market environments. What role will Kenya play, will we have abundant power to juice up cloud data centers? Will we educate our young to have them develop these new technologies? Will we participate in the sustainable production of cloud computing devices? Any others?

References:

ID CRISIS | Government lags in issuance of IDs

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On October, 2009, the Public Procurement Administration Board ruled that the tendering process for the new generation IDs was unfair, and ordered the ministry of Immigration to begin it anew.

Otieno Kajwang-Minister of State for Immigration and Registration of Persons

Last weekend on Saturday, Daily Nation reported that “more than 4 million Kenyans-the majority of them youths-could be prevented from voting next year if the political infighting over a Sh. 12 billion tender for the production of national identity cards is not resolved soon.” The tender for design, supply, installation and commissioning of the 3rd generation IDs, advertised on April 2007, “has attracted a lot of attention from powerful people in government. It has been derailed because some forces think that ODM wants to turn it into an Anglo Leasing and mint money for campaigns,” Otieno Kajwang-Minister of State for Immigration and Registration of Persons, said for the record. On 3rd March, 2011, allAfrica.com reported that, “although funds were allocated for the project, powerful people with vested interests have been fighting to influence who gets the contract.” On the flip side, “without an ID one cannot transact official business, get a job, travel outside the country, join college, access government offices, and entertainment spots or acquire other crucial documents like passports.” Daily Nation reported. Findings from a research carried out by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) addressing the crisis on issuance of national identity cards in Kenya stated that, “the Government only recognizes the importance of an ID card in so far as elections are concerned, but not for other crucial purposes… This means that political interests of those in Government tend to supercede the day-to-day interests of Kenyans.” Surprisingly, the government seems to have disregarded results of the 2009 census, exhibiting that “young people constitute a core voting bloc that will determine who becomes the country’s next president.” The KNCHR research drew a conclusion that “registration of persons and issuance of ID cards is core in determining the extent of enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by Kenyans.”

For how long the Kenyan government will view the citizenry as mere statistical elements, is an issue begging for urgent corrective reasoning, lest much more young people will stand disenfranchised and dispossessed.

References:

ID crisis: 4 million face lockout in poll Daily Nation July 23rd 2011

Sort Out ID Cards Crisis allAfrica.com March 3rd 2011

Youth Seeking IDs to Wait Longer After Tender Quashed allAfrica.com October 15th 2009

An Identity Crisis? A Study on the Issuance of National Identity Cards in Kenya KNCHR 2007

 

EDUCATION | Call for responsibility among Kenyan University students

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Since time immemorial, the youth have been excited about joining university, a phase in their lives where they are free from rules, parents and any other obstacles between them and freedom. Once in university, due to peer pressure, they get enthralled by clubbing, irresponsible drinking and other activities that may derail them from their goals. Following the death of three students this year, university scholars should critically analyze these happenings. They should ask themselves ‘is it worth the risk?’ therefore they are urged to be more responsible and be more careful when it comes to the choice of company. They should realize that at the end of the day it is their lives they are shaping. If it is a must to engage in these activities, then they should go with trustworthy individuals.

Ruth Wairimu Ng’anga lost her life after a night of drinking in the company of two male friends. She was found dead in a lodging in Ngara. The journalism student of Smart Media college had been warned against associating with strange people, as the director of the school stated. This was a few weeks after another journalism student of Nairobi university Mercy keino died after she had accompanied a cousin to a party in Westlands, Nairobi.she alledgedly stormed out of the apartments after an altercation with an MP at the party. Dennis Omondi Adari also lost his life in hospital after 6 days of treatment after he was battered by a the guard of ‘PSYS’ in westlands. He and his friends had been partying all around Nairobi when they decided to call it at the night at the club. They had been denied entry when he decided to go through the window. It is said that the boy was drunk.

They all did not have to die. Kenyan universities should offer guidance and counseling services to these youth. They should also be sensitized on the importance of maintaining morally upright peers. They should be taking charge of their lives because the ball is in their hands. Parents should also step up and advise their children on how to carry themselves while away from home. They should not leave this to teachers. The scholars should learn from those unfortunate happenings to be more responsible.

References:

Death at the rave

If varsity students are immoral, blame society

Student, 25, killed in Nairobi lodging

 

 

KENYA PREMIER LEAGUE | The Kenyan El Classico

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In Argentina we have Boca Juniors and River Plate, in England Manchester United and Liverpool while in Spain it is Real Madrid against Barcelona .These are some of the world’s fiercest rivalries in football each with its own unique history as well as numerous glittering silverware to show for. In Kenya any time you talk about club football two names come to mind, AFC leopards and Gor Mahia.  As far as filling the stadium, a match up between these two teams is as good as when the national soccer team plays at home or during a good political rally. Both are community clubs with a huge fanatical following from their respective communities. Both teams have won 24 Kenyan league titles split right down in the middle with 12 a piece.

Whenever derbies take place anywhere in the world there is always a lot at stake for both clubs. Most players say they play their hearts out in such matches compared to other fixtures. Pride off course plays a huge part and in most cases they end up to be low scoring games. The last time these two teams met Gor Mahia won by a solitary goal to nil. Sadly, the match ended in a tragedy after 7 people died while dozens were injured in a stampede at the Nyayo national stadium as fans tried to force their way into the stadium without paying. This time round the organizers of the Kenyan version of the EL Classico have promised to put up more stringent measures to ensure the safety of players and fans a like. About 500 security officers will be deployed around and within the stadium while tickets are going to be made available day prior to the fixture.

Both sides are beaming with confidence promising their fans victory at ‘’all costs”. Come Sunday afternoon and the Nyayo national stadium will be a carnival of blue green and white, the dominant colors of the two most decorated teams in Kenya. Will it be Ingwe’s day or will K’ogallo take advantage of the huge home support and claw the leopard once again?

References:

Glorious chaos in Gor, AFC Leopards match of the season
Top 10 Soccer Club Rivalries of all Time
Deaths in Kenya football stampede

FOOD SECURITY | Can Kenya hide from GMOs?

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On the first of July Kenya became the fourth African country to allow imports of genetically modified organisms, joining the ranks of South Africa, Egypt and Burkina Faso. This decision made by the cabinet in an attempt to try and fix the deficit in mainly maize products in the country has come under a lot of criticism from different angles. Green peace Africa which is a global environmental advocacy group termed the decision by the Kenyan government to approve the imports of GMOs as “short sighted as well as irresponsible “Greenpeace Africa campaign director Olivia Langhoff while speaking to a local daily added that the government should look into other avenues for sustainable food production.

According to most of those opposing the introduction of GMO imports in the country the main concern is the contamination of seeds. The government on the other hand says it will only allow importers to bring in to the country genetically modified maize solely for milling purposes and have warned of huge fines on any lapse in this .Whether the hefty 20 million shilling fine will completely deter unscrupulous individuals from sneaking the GMO seeds into the country will be something we shall have to wait and see.

While the government’s intention in trying to control contamination of indigenous seeds by the genetically modified seeds, is justifiable segregation of seeds will be impossible. Large agribusiness organizations such as the US based Monsanto acknowledge that contamination is inevitable. Apart from the inadvertent mixing of GMO and non-GMO seeds spreading of GMOS through pollen will be almost impossible to control. After all so far GMOS have not been directly linked to any of the environmental as well as human health disasters that the GMOs are tagged with. It is either we completely adopt GMOS completely or reject them in totality; sitting around the fence on this issue is completely out of question.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7426054.stm
http://peakoil.com/enviroment/contamination-the-totalitarian-strategy-of-the-gmo-crop-industry/
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Greenpeace+faults+Kenya+on+GMO+maize+imports/-/1056/1197080/-/11tbc4d/-/index.html
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Stern+warning+to+GMO+importers++/-/1056/1195288/-/hm81mc/-/index.html

ATHLETICS | Kenya’s athletics heroes

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On 22nd August 2010, Kenya’s 800M athlete, David Rudisha broke the men’s 800M world record at an IAAF world challenge event held in Berlin.

On Saturday last week, the world record holder won the 800M race at the National Bank of Kenya National Athletics Championships that saw him book a ticket to next month’s World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, besides nursing a left foot injury that has barred him from participating in several recent events. Last year BBC World Service put Rudisha on record saying, “I have been running fast and I now have the world record but I have not won any major championships yet. It is time to focus on that now and to win a medal at the 2011World Championships. And then I want to be the Olympic champion. That is my focus from now on.”

David Rudisha

Frankly, he’s walking the talk and being good at it! Watts Wacker et al (1999) The Visionary’s Handbook: Ten Paradoxes That Will Shape the Future of  Your Business, wrote, “no one is less ready for tomorrow than the person who holds the most rigid beliefs about what tomorrow will contain.” At jijuze, we celebrate our fallen hero Samuel Wanjiru-the first Kenyan to win the Olympic marathon, and applause our rising star, David Rudisha. Going by his word and form, he could just be the next Kenyan icon on the international stage, going into the London 2012 Olympic games.

Whats Your Say?

The Conversation begins…

References:

Rudisha qualifies for World Champs Super Sport July 16,2011

David Rudisha breaks 800m world record BBC Sport August 22, 2010

 

 

Mobile ‘Market Share’ Strategy

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Essar Telkom’s Yu brand, announced on July 12, a free on-net tariff within its network, active between 6 A.M and 6 P.M daily, to run for three months.

Madhur Taneja, the C.E.O, was reported saying “the offer is aimed at building market share, adding that profits are not their priority in the short-term as they seek numbers to

New offer by Yu

grow revenues in the long term.” The C.E.O presented that “the offer is absolutely free. There are no hidden charges or subscription charges per day. We take this seriously and our competitors should know that we are in the market to stay.” The Standard reported. Recently, President Kibaki issued a directive to Communications Commission of Kenya, to suspend implementation of the Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs), which would see a further drop in interconnection charges.  “This is a big blow to Airtel Kenya, which has been pushing for a further fall in the termination rates as its business strategy, just like that of Essar Telkom’s Yu…” which both depend on a “low-cost mass market model.” allAfrica.com reported. Safaricom and Telkom Orange opposed the reduction in (MTRs) warning that “a further cut would have a negative effect on the sectors profitability, risk of job losses, curtail new capital investments, reduce government revenue and competitiveness.” allAfrica.com reported. In August 2010, CCK cut termination rates by half from Sh. 4.42 to Sh. 2.21, which experts have directly linked to the price wars that saw Safaricom’s market share drop to “69.9% from 75.9% as rival Airtel and Orange, “increased their market share to 15.2% from 13.5% and 8.5% from 4.0% respectively.” However Essar Telkom’s Yu “edged down 0.3% to 6.4%”, Dyer & Blair Investment Bank website reported. From an economic analyst perspective, “it is flawed to assume that lower mobile termination rates will automatically lead to lower overall retail prices and to higher consumer welfare.” However, “this is not to say that the level of mobile termination rates (MTR) does not matter or that high MTRs are necessarily good, as there is a level of termination rates, usually cost based, which maximizes total (consumer plus producer) welfare.” Assessing the impact of lowering mobile termination rates, (July 2008).

That said, Essar Telkom’s Yu latest maneuver (having in mind mobile number portability) to woo over new and existing subscribers from rival networks by offering a free on-net tariff within its network all day, could be viewed as the game-changer in the mobile telephony industry. But is it?

What’s Your Say?

The Conversation begins…

References:

‘yu’ offers free daytime calls for three months Business Daily July 12, 2011

Yu free calls cause ripples in market The Standard (As of) July 17, 2011

Lower Mobile Phone Calling Rates Put On Ice After Intense Lobbying allAfrica.com June 14, 2011

Safaricom’s Stand On Interlink Fee Triggers New Battle With Regulator allAfrica.com April 27, 2011

Safaricom loses market share to smaller players Dyer & Blair Investment Bank June 10, 2011

Assessing the impact of lowering mobile termination rates Frontier Economics July, 2008

 

 

 

Drought Situation in East Africa

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In August 2010, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA/CPC), both, officially declared a La Nina event.

Sea Surface Temperature (SST) measurements in 2010 indicated rapid cooling, thus yielding “a moderate La Nina event…” projected to last for 9 to 12 months, Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) reported. “La Nina events are generally associated with drier than normal conditions in the eastern sector of East Africa, and wetter than normal conditions in the western and northern sector of the region.” FEWSNET reported. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the La Nina phenomenon results in “drought over most parts of East Africa and floods and lush vegetation in Australia and other parts of southeast Asia.” guardian.co.uk reported. Jan de Leeuw, the Operating Project Leader (OPL) in the Vulnerability and sustainability in pastoral and agro-pastoral systems within ILRI’s People, Livestock and Environment theme (PLE) was put on record saying, “this La Nina event is one of the strongest since the 1970s.” Meanwhile, Daily Nation reported that “Kenya has been listed among countries facing the world’s worst food security crisis in the eastern horn of Africa.” Further afield, Associated Press (AP) reported that, “UN officials sounded the alarm Tuesday about a deepening humanitarian crisis in East Africa caused by a severe drought and fighting in Somalia…” Approximately 10 million people in northern Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and South Sudan need urgent humanitarian assistance as the region experiences the worst drought in 60 years. An estimated 1,300 Somali refugees stream into Dadaab refugee camp daily following continued conflict in Somali, coupled with severe drought. The situation on the ground is getting worse as the world’s largest refugee camp- Dadaab, in Kenya has been forced to house people, four times its full capacity.

I echo Kimani wa Njuguna’s opinion on Tuesday that, “Rather than being preoccupied with weighty bread and butter issues which will add value to the lives of Kenyans, we have seen most elected leaders concentrating on non-issues like singing to the tune of tribal kingpins, how to escape paying taxes, and the 2012 elections.” Real issues are on the ground; drought, a looming food shortage, high inflation, delayed constitutional implementations, and so on. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”, Winston Churchill said. The Kenyan Government should savor the opportunity to act decisively and do something significant to comprehensively take care of the current drought situation.

What’s your say?

The Conversation begins…

References:

Kenya in urgent need of food aid, says US Daily Nation July 11, 2011

La Nina blamed for east African drought guardian.co.uk July 14, 2011

UN struggling to cope with East Africa drought Associated Press July 12, 2011

Executive Brief: La Nina and Food Security in East Africa August 2010 FEWSNET as of July 14, 2011

East African drought ‘worst in 60 years’ Channel 4 News June 28, 2011

Leaders must get their priorities right and put food security at top of agenda Daily Nation:-Opinion July 12, 2011

 

 

 

Replacing Paul Scholes

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Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes

Paul Scholes decided to hang his boots at the end of last season, 2010/11; ending a successful career of 17 years dominating the midfield. This has left the Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, with a huge task of finding a replacement for Scholes. The United boss says that it is impossible to replace Scholes, a player he ranks among the top four midfielders in the world.

The United boss is in the efforts of rebuilding a team that was out classed in all possible ways by FC Barcelona in the Champions League Finals. Having already made a combined £50million signing of Phil Jones, Ashley Young, and David de Gea; United have more room and money for at least one more signing to fill the position left by Scholes. Manchester United is targeting Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder as a possible Scholes replacement. Sneijder’s eye for goal, good vision, and accurate passing are some of the qualities the United boss is interested in.  Sniedjer, however, will not come cheap. Inter Milan are demanding an estimated £35million to release the player. The deal will also see Sneijder pocket £190,000 a week. Arsenal’s Samir Nasri and Luka Modric of Totenham were the other names linked with a move to United, but Sneijder is the main priority at moment with a deal expected to go through within the next 48 hours.

Manchester United and the fans expect the new signings to help the club clinch their 20th Premier League title and possibly the Champions League. A rebuilt Manchester United will face the ultimate test when the play Barcelona, arguably the best football team ever, in a friendly on 30th of July.
References:
An expensive gamble by Sir  Alex Ferguson FootballFanCast.com July 13th, 2011
Sneijder agrees terms with United Mirrorfootball.co.uk July 13th, 2011
Man Utd confident of landing £ 35m top target Footylatest.com July 13th, 2011