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Paradox of free education as seen from a 'hustler's' view
Would co-payment make a difference in education? Would it force parents to be more focused on their children’s education? Day schools have a copayment in the form of lunch, which one can skip.
By 11 days ago
Paradox of free education as seen from a 'hustler's' view
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Memories of Uganda and all our tomorrow
The East African or African dream will never be realised when we are so insular. How many Kenyans have interacted with Ugandans or other East Africans?
By 12 days ago
Memories of Uganda and all our tomorrow
Climatic change is real, what's next?
The climatic change war will be won in our minds. It will take time and political will. For now, the voters do not seem angry enough to demand changes that would save the planet.
By 15 days ago
Climatic change is real, what's next?
Branding: Rwanda has shown Kenya how it is done
Want a shortcut in branding? Use innovation. Once you invent a new product or service, branding is easy. Think of Google, M-Pesa, or Bic.
By 19 days ago
Branding: Rwanda has shown Kenya how it is done
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Restoring the 'Pride of Africa' is still a valid national dream
The operating costs of the planes are high, driven by the fact that in this industry, margins of error are almost zero. You can’t have half-maintained planes, no slight intended, like a matatu.
By 19 days ago
Restoring the 'Pride of Africa' is still a valid national dream
Rwanda is making big waves with sports marketing, why not Kenya?
President Kagame often tweets any time that Arsenal is playing. And the country recently signed a similar five-year deal with German giant football club Bayern Munich
By 21 days ago
Rwanda is making big waves with sports marketing, why not Kenya?
Welcome to Taiwan, land of semiconductors and paddies
While Taiwan is known for semiconductors, most citizens know little about diodes, resistors, transistors and other items that make integrated circuits.
By 26 days ago
Welcome to Taiwan, land of semiconductors and paddies
India's space breakthrough and emerging 'moonomics'
Indians have been here for more than a century, part of cultural and entrepreneurial mosaic. They built our rail and paradoxically, the next rail, SGR was built by easterners.
By 27 days ago
India's space breakthrough and emerging 'moonomics'
Letter from Tainan: Beyond the rice paddies of Taiwan
Work is not evil, it gives us meaning and purpose.  We must remember the government is a facilitator, we do the work.  Let’s be real, growth and development are not rocket science.
By 29 days ago
Letter from Tainan: Beyond the rice paddies of Taiwan
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Americanisation: Why we can't have enough of the US
Americanisation is for all. Our elites looked to America to get us a new constitution, often copying sections verbatim, even calling our ministers secretaries.
By 1 month ago
Americanisation: Why we can't have enough of the US
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Subsidies: Idealism versus pragmatism
Hard-nosed economists dislike subsidies, suggesting they distort the market. But hard-nosed politicians know subsides distort the political market to their favour.
By 1 month ago
Subsidies: Idealism versus pragmatism
Devolution at 10: Counting the major hits and misses
Let’s admit that lots of services and money that should have been devolved are still with the national government, leading to duplication.
By 1 month ago
Devolution at 10: Counting the major hits and misses
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Cake and boiled maize: Delicacies uniting the rich and poor
The rich and the poor both eat cake and boiled maize. They need to share more beyond the air we breathe.
By 1 month ago
Cake and boiled maize: Delicacies uniting the rich and poor
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Should we lose sleep over weakening Kenya shilling?
why has the shilling weakened? There are both local and global causes. Some causes are emotional, others are real supported by fundamentals of economics.
By 1 month ago
Should we lose sleep over weakening Kenya shilling?
What Naivasha's bond with nature, enguinity can teach other regions
The region around Naivasha is dry but a lake is the lifeline. Just as we have an oasis in the desert. How come all such desolate places always have a lifeline?
By 1 month ago
What Naivasha's bond with nature, enguinity can teach other regions
'Great Wall' TV and the fading of a hustler's status symbol
That blue metal box which is slowly being edged out by suite cases had lots of “respect” at that time. Schooling was then a sure route to upward mobility.
By 1 month ago
'Great Wall' TV and the fading of a hustler's status symbol
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Why Treasury should forgive our July taxes
Forgiveness and charity are counterbalanced by envy and jealousy. We celebrate failure and instead of doing our best to uplift others we rejoice when they fail.
By 1 month ago
Why Treasury should forgive our July taxes
What's causing turmoil in the Sahel?
West African States and their institutions have hollowed out. That’s why the coups are taking place. The military is seen as the only institution that can be trusted and make a difference.
By 1 month ago
What's causing turmoil in the Sahel?
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Artificial intelligence: This is why hustlers should rejoice
Machines, mostly computers can be programmed to „learn and become intelligent“ by gathering information and data from trends and patterns based on our activities.
By 1 month ago
Artificial intelligence: This is why hustlers should rejoice
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Borrowing: The paradox of debt and interest rates
Data on debt-to-GDP ratio shows we are way below many countries, but the reality is a bit different. Credit rating agencies have downgraded our creditworthiness.
By 1 month ago
Borrowing: The paradox of debt and interest rates
Politics aside, let's enjoy life's cycles
You don’t need to leave Kenya to admire and appreciate the great cycles of life. But that will not happen in the city where life is defined by social activities not seasons.
By 1 month ago
Politics aside, let's enjoy life's cycles
Why hustlers never cease to amaze me
Carrying dogs in our cars has supplemented walking them as the newest status symbol. The other new status symbol is “point fixation,” from point five. Ask your neighbour to interpret for you.
By 1 month ago
Why hustlers never cease to amaze me
Demos have exposed the frailty of our economic lives
Mandamano (demonstration) has political overtones, but the economic repercussions are too evident and touch everyone.
By 1 month ago
Demos have exposed the frailty of our economic lives
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Why Kenya now needs to exhale
Last year, someone won in the polls and by extension, someone failed. We have come to the point when we must exhale, both as winners and non-winners (not losers).
By 2 months ago
Why Kenya now needs to exhale
One customer is enough to make or break your business
There is an economic explanation for ignoring customers - lack of competition. We get the worst customer service where there is no competition. Police have no competitors and so are our MPs.
By 2 months ago
One customer is enough to make or break your business
Rising fuel pump prices: Just set the oil market free!
Price controls ought to reduce the price or keep it steady. It has mostly been going up. It has been suggested that it could have been worse without controls and subsidies.
By 2 months ago
Rising fuel pump prices: Just set the oil market free!
New demos: What's the end game?
The ghosts of 2022 and 2027 polls haunt the nation. The results of the 2022 poll left the two political contestants with enough angry followers under their command.
By 2 months ago
New demos: What's the end game?
Let's go smaller to make better use of space
The little space you have in a plane and the many things you can do with it. From a seat, a table for your meals, a TV Monitor, and leg space. You can buy more ‘space’ in first class.
By 2 months ago
Let's go smaller to make better use of space
Behaviour change and tech key to taming road carnage
It is common at Kangemi and many other regions in Kenya for traders to sell foodstuffs and merchandise by the roadside.
By 2 months ago
Behaviour change and tech key to taming road carnage
Tourism lessons Kenya can learn from Niagara Falls
It is a tourist’s ultimate dream to visit Niagara Falls on the border between the US and Canada along the Niagara River
By 2 months ago
Tourism lessons Kenya can learn from Niagara Falls
Roasted maize has finally made it to the high table
Why did it take so long for maize to get on the high table? One could be its association with low-class, read hustlers. Two is technology. Boiled maize and nduma are easy to prepare - just boil.
By 2 months ago
Roasted maize has finally made it to the high table
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Are new taxes Kenya's version of economic shock therapy?
Could shock therapy work in Kenya? Our therapy is weaning ourselves off debt and relying more on taxes to finance our budget. Add removing fuel and energy subsidies.
By 2 months ago
Are new taxes Kenya's version of economic shock therapy?
Letter from Canada capital and its key economic hub
I saw no big billboards that distract your driving. And no roads pass through a town. Ever driven through Ongata Rongai, Nakuru, or Eldoret? Walls on the roads keep off noise not intruders or thugs. 
By 2 months ago
Letter from Canada capital and its key economic hub
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Feeding your workers might increase their productivity
We could argue that once workers satisfy their basic needs, getting enough food to eat, they will go up Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs and raise their aspirations leading to more productivity.
By 2 months ago
Feeding your workers might increase their productivity
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To tax, or not to tax, that's the big question for State
Shall we reap the annoyance dividends by 2027 through less debt and faster economic growth espoused by more jobs, higher standards of living and a happier nation?
By 2 months ago
To tax, or not to tax, that's the big question for State
Tragedy of Titan should embolden us to explore
OceanGate’s Titan was on its way to see the wreckage of the Titanic.
By 3 months ago
Tragedy of Titan should embolden us to explore
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Ugali vs chapati: Which one wins the economic contest?
We would expect wheat flour from which chapati - a word of Indian origin - comes to be more expensive. It is food for the affluent, we were made to believe while growing up.
By 3 months ago
Ugali vs chapati: Which one wins the economic contest?
Maiden Kenya Kwanza record budget offered few surprises
Throughout the budget, there were echoes of the Kenya Kwanza manifesto. KK can now set itself free from the Uhuru administration budget, which it had cited as a constraint to its economic agenda.
By 3 months ago
Maiden Kenya Kwanza record budget offered few surprises
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Letter from Homa Bay's historic Rusinga island
Domestic tourism can thrive if we change our mentality, there is more to see in Kenya than sandy beaches and the big five. Thank you for your patience
By 3 months ago
Letter from Homa Bay's historic Rusinga island
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The perils of a payslip: Why hustlers need to beware
Majority of Kenyans own no payslip. But payslip owners are also entrepreneurs. The argument is that our wages and salaries rarely leave any surplus.
By 3 months ago
The perils of a payslip: Why hustlers need to beware
Discovery of early man tools inspires research by Yale, MMU scientists
Health & Science
By Special Correspondent
5 hrs ago
MERS-CoV : 'Camel disease' that is related to Covid
Health & Science
By Mercy Kahenda
5 hrs ago
Harnessing biogas, a tool to mitigate climate change
Health Opinion
By Rosaline Miano
5 hrs ago
Mangrove heroes restoring ecosystems one seedling at a time
Environment & Climate
By Caroline Chebet
5 hrs ago
This is what it's like to be ageing with HIV
Health & Science
By Beldeen Waliaula
5 hrs ago
Raising a child with cerebral palsy is no walk in the park
Health & Science
By Rodgers Otiso
5 hrs ago