NTSA to Start Issuing Electronic Driving Licenses from May

Terry Gachie

Kenyan drivers are set to start receiving electronic licenses starting May according to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). This is definitely a major turning point Kenyan road network.

The new electronic card will bear your biometric information and will have an e-wallet so that in the event that you are caught committing a traffic offense, instant fines can be paid through the electronic card. This card will carry the drivers’ profile including driving history.

NTSA director-general Francis Meja says that the new digital license will enable traffic officers to collect fines from motorists via a special electronic gadget. Meja added that the wallet could be used to make other payments such as fuel but its key role is to serve as a mode of payment for traffic fines. He was speaking during a CEO’s forum organized by the Vision 2030 secretariat board.

The instant fines will apply to minor offenses such as speeding, lack of protective gears for motorcyclists, failure to fasten seat belts, and driving on footpaths. NTSA says that the fines will range from Ksh. 500 to Ksh. 10,000.

At present, motorists caught violating traffic rules, even minor offenses, are required to appear in court. This process is time-consuming and is seen to encourage corruption and bribery. Smart licenses are here to save time and at the same time manage the high corruption levels that are evidenced on our roads.

NTSA is among government agencies that have made most of their services available online. These include inspection booking, transfer of ownership, issuance of driver’s license, and renewal of licenses.

Taking too long? Talks about the introduction of the electronic licenses had been ongoing in 2016 but they came to a halt after courts blocked NTSA’s attempt to introduce instant fines.

At present, more than 5 million drivers are licensed via paper-based licenses. These can be easily forged. The digital licenses come with a secure computer chip containing the holder’s information which can be read through electronic gadgets owned and managed by NTSA. These will be hard to forge.

In 2015, the National Bank was awarded the tender to develop the smart licenses after beating 22 bidders.

Smart licenses and reduced corruption cases

The electronic licenses are welcome but I am not sure that police officers share these sentiments. They may no longer pocket the thousands of shillings they have been receiving per day. Meja was quoted saying that the smart license will help eliminate corruption and bribery cases in the transport industry.

Drivers will not be totally off the hook after paying the fines since the smart card comes with points which will be deducted each time the driver commits an offense. If and when the points are exhausted, the license will be confiscated for a specified period of time.

NTSA has been pushing for a law that proposes a one-year jail term for those caught using suspended licenses. The transport authority is pushing to have the law implemented without bail.

License on smartphone

Some parts of the world are way ahead as they are considering introducing a digital version of a driver’s license that resides in smartphones. This could be the driver’s license of the future.

IEBC 2017 Register of Voters Verification Clerks Jobs Advertised- Apply Online

Trending

Update: Apply for IEBC Jobs June 2017

Applications are invited for temporary IEBC positions as follows:

Presiding and Deputy Presiding Officers – 91,032 Posts
Polling Clerks/ Counting Cl Jobs – 262,665 posts
Logistics Officer Jobs – 337POSTS
Deputy Returning Officer Jobs – 290 Posts
Support Electoral Trainers (SETs) Jobs – 5,054 Posts
Constituency ICT Clerk Jobs (580 Posts
Ward-Based Voter Educator Jobs 2,900 posts

Older:

IEBC has advertised Over 40,000 posts for positions of Register of Voters Verification Clerks ahead of the August 2017 general elections.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) April 2017 Jobs & Vacancies

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) seeks to employ permanent staff in some designated electoral areas and temporary staff countrywide. The temporary staff will support our field staff during the 30-day register of voters verification period (10th May to 9th June 2017)

1. Permanent Jobs IEBC Jobs

Constituency Elections Coordinator – 1 Vacancy in Kasarani constituency
County ICT Officers (CICTO) – 30 Vacancies Specific Counties on the website

Constituency Administrative Assistant (CAA) – 1 vacancy in Daadab Constituency

2. Temporary Jobs IEBC Jobs- 30 Days

County ICT Clerks (CICTC): 290 Vacancies, One per Constituency
Register of Voters Verification Assistants (RVVA): 1450 Vacancies, One per Ward

Register of Voters Verification Clerks – 40200 Vacancies – One Clerk per Polling Station

All jobs are applied online. For duties, qualifications, requirements and applications procedure, visit IEBC website job application section.

Deadline for applications
Closing Date: 14th April 2017

The Commission is an equal opportunities employer. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be vetted as per Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Commission Secretary/CEO.

Source: Nation/IEBC

This week in tech: Samsung Galaxy S8 unveiled and more weekly tech news

Terry Gachie

Samsung Galaxy S8 is here, Unga prices are yet to go down, Sultan Joho has proclaimed that he is proud of his D- joholistically, and Baba dispels rumors that Kalonzo Musyoka has withdrawn his NASA membership.

All in one week. Then, there was the tech world, A lot happened. Good things mostly.

Below is the weekly roundup of tech news this week:

1.Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ officially unveiled

The much leaked and highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ were finally unveiled.

We can pretend all we want but we knew pretty much what to expect with S8 so big surprises. The specs are awesome.

Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display while S8+ comes with 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display.

Both handsets come with 64-bit Octa-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 4GB RAM, and 12MP primary camera.

The battery capacities differ as the Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with a 3,000mAh Li-Po battery while the Samsung Galaxy S8+ comes with a 3,500mAh Li-Po battery.

Now that’s how you make a comeback.

Nice comeback Samsung!

2. The 2017/2018 Budget Read

Kenya 2017/2018 2.63 trillion annual budget presented by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

The Ksh. 2.63 trillion annual budget was presented on Thursday the 30th March by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

What is in it for tech? ICT, Energy, and Infrastructure received 26.7% of the total discretionary expenditures.

Mr. Rotich also laid emphasis on the need to strengthen Kenya’s position as the global leader in mobile money technology.

You can view the entire budget speech on YouTube.

3. Airtel launches Tubonge

Airtel launched Tubonge, a voice data plan that gives customers Ksh. 100 minutes of talk time.

You also get to call other networks at Ksh. 2 per minute.

The product comes in three packages: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly offer. For the daily, you will pay Ksh. 10, Ksh. 50 per week and Ksh. 150 for the monthly plan.

4. Safaricom lowers Lipa na M-Pesa tariff charges

Safaricom brings good tidings as it has cut Lipa na M-Pesa tariff by half to increase the billable limit to the Ksh. 200.

This means that you can now transact free for any amounts of below Ksh. 200 up from Ksh. 100.

In addition, merchants will now pay Ksh. 200 for any transaction of over Ksh. 40,000.

5. Facebook and Surf Launch express Wi-Fi Kenya

Facebook has partnered with Surf to launch Express Wi-Fi in Kenya.

This is expected to be a low-cost internet solution that will allow subscribers to access affordable data.

The data service comes in daily, weekly, and monthly packages.

They cheapest is Ksh. 10 for 40MB for the daily plan and Ksh. 500 for 3GB for the monthly plan.

6. Good news inhabitants of the Twitterverse!

Twitter will no longer count Usernames as part of the 140 character limit in your replies.

This is good news for those who are yet to master the concept of summaries.

When replying to someone, the Username will appear at the top of the tweet.

7. Facebook stories is here!

It was received with a collective yawn since most have already experienced this feature elsewhere: on Instagram and Snapchat.

The bottom line is that it is a good idea.

8. Telegram adds a security AI-powered voice calls feature

Rumors of this have been flying right, left and center and we can finally confirm that they are true.

It only makes sense for Telegram to introduce this feature especially since WhatsApp and Facebook had added this feature.

Telegram has already started rolling out this feature.

9. Alternative Circle $1.1 fund

Alternative Circle, the brains behind Shika App, closes $1.1 Million seed round and is now planning product launch.

The Kenyan Fintech innovator signed a $1.1 million agreement with Creditinfo Group, a credit risk management company.

Alternative Circle says that the seed capital will be used to expand the company’s geographical footprint.

10. PesaLink subscription rates

Finally, PesaLink has signed a total of 2 million customers since it was launched earlier this year

The service is owned by Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), banker’s umbrella body.Already, 22 banks are already on board. Props to KBA for the progress.

Already, 22 banks are already on board. Props to KBA for the progress.

A lovely weekend.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ finally unveiled, Specs & Price

Terry Gachie

Samsung has finally launched Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, its first flagships in 2017.

Before the unveiling of the two flagships, we already had a faint idea about them thanks to the numerous leaks that had been doing rounds on the internet.

Nothing much came as a surprise really.

Earlier this year, Samsung launched Galaxy A3, A5, and A7, three midrange handsets whose specs we A-Okay.

But we all knew that Samsung had bigger things coming especially since it is on a mission to restore its corporate dignity after the Note 7 crisis.

We have held endless talks about Samsung woes and this explains why the giant smartphone manufacturer took extra time to manufacture handsets that would remind the audience that safety is a top concern.

The Samsung Galaxy 8 and 8+ specifications are lit. The handsets come with an impressive software and hardware redesign.

The buttons have a sleek look as well as the icons. One of the key selling points has to be the digital assistant called Bixby.

With this one, an emphasis has been placed on contextual intelligence. Siri and Google Assistant are no longer the only kids on the block. Not anymore.

S8 comes with a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display while the S8+ comes with a 6.2-inch display. Galaxy S8 and S8+ plus come with dual curved displays.

The handsets are also slightly curved at the back. While the sizes seem humongous, the fact that it is slightly curved should make it feel small on hand.

We can all agree that a nearly bezel-less handset is quite appealing. It’s only at the top and bottom section that thin bezels have been included. Sleek.

Samsung has removed the physical home button and placed it underneath the display while the fingerprint scanner has been placed at the back of the device.

Below are the key specs of the two handsets:

	Samsung Galaxy S8	Samsung Galaxy S8+
Display	5.8-inch Super AMOLED 2960×1440 pixels Gorilla Glass 5	6.2-inch Super AMOLED 2960×1440 pixels Gorilla Glass 5
CPU	64-bit Octa-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad)	64-bit Octa-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad)
Operating System	Android 7.0 Nougat	Android 7.0 Nougat
RAM	4GB RAM 64GB ROM expandable by up to 256GB	4GB RAM 64GB ROM expandable by up to 256GB
Camera	12MP f/1.7 dual pixel primary camera 8MP f/1.7 with smart autofocus	12MP f/1.7 dual pixel primary camera 8MP f/1.7 with smart autofocus
Connectivity	Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0 USB Type-C 3.5 mm headphone jack NFC	Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0 USB Type-C 3.5 mm headphone jack NFC
IP68 Dust and water resistance technology	Yes	Yes
Battery	3,000mAh Li-Po with quick charging for wired and wireless charging systems	3,500mAh Li-Po with quick charging for wired and wireless charging systems
Sensor	Fingerprint scanner mounted on the rear Iris Scanner	Fingerprint scanner mounted on the rear Iris Scanner

Price and Availability

The handset will be available starting April 21^st and will come in different colors. We should be getting the handset in a few weeks.

The prices are Ksh. 84, 999 for S8 and Ksh. 94,999 for S8+. We can now confirm these price in Kenya with some authority.

Facebook partners with Surf to launch Express Wi-Fi in Kenya

Terry Gachie

Surf and Facebook have partnered to launch Express Wi-Fi in Kenya. This service has been in testing for a few months before it was unveiled.

The two organizations state that the aim of the initiative is to enhance access to the internet for everyone.

Facebook is the financier while Internet Solution Kenya, formerly Access Kenya, is the service provider.

Express Wi-Fi Kenya is expected to be a low-cost internet solution that will allow subscribers to access affordable data.

Already, Surf has rolled out over 100 Express Wi-Fi hotspots in several parts of Nairobi and neighboring regions.

These include Ngong, Mlolongo, Kiambu, Limuru, Kiserian, and Kitengela. This service is expected to be unveiled in Kisumu and Mombasa soon.

This service is not to be confused with Free Basics which offers people free basic internet services for health, education, jobs, and communication.

The Free Basics service has been rolled out to millions of people across Africa and Latin America.

The Wi-Fi hotspots are currently available in places of work, transit, or entertainment joints.

This service can be access by anyone with a Wi-Fi enabled handset.

Customers will be able to access Express Wi-Fi service in local shops as Surf is looking to work with various local businesses that can sell the service.

There are three main Express Wi-Fi data packages: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly.

Below is the breakdown:

Daily:

 Ksh. 10 – 40MB
 Ksh. 20 – 100MB

Weekly:

 Ksh. 50 – 300MB
 Ksh. 100 – 500MB

Monthly:

 Ksh. 200 – 1.25GB
 Ksh. 500 – 3GB

This is definitely a cheaper option compared to what most ISPs in Kenya offer especially if it comes with robust connectivity.

The tricky is that you have to exercise caution with hotspots for security reasons.

Regardless, Safaricom, Orange, and Airtel may have to come up with something much better. Like Yesterday.

At the moment, Surf is offering promotional offers for new and potential customers.

The introductory promotion includes 100MBs free every day for 10 days. This is just to give you a taste of what you will get once you sign up.

With Express Wi-Fi hotspot, you can access Facebook Flex (Not to be confused with Safaricom’s FLEX) and Free Basics for free.

These include a collection of useful sites particularly those focusing on news, employment, health, and education.

Express Wi-Fi Project in India

Kenya is not the only beneficiary of the Express W-Fi project since Facebook has already taken an interest in rural India.

Earlier, Free Basics was banned in India due to concerns over net neutrality.

The social media and networking company, however, seems to be on track with Express Wi-Fi as it has been testing the service with multiple ISP in India.

After the ban, Mark Zuckerberg seemed optimistic that one day, India and other parts of the world would be connected to the internet.

A statement posted on his official Facebook page on February 10th 2015 read in part,

“…One day, we will connect everyone, and the power of the internet will serve every community across India and the world. That Day is coming”.

Well, I guess that day is fast approaching if the latest developments are anything to go by.

Safaricom cuts Lipa na M-Pesa tariff by 50% to increase billable limit to Ksh. 200

Terry Gachie

Safaricom’s CEO Bob Collymore has announced that the company is increasing the Lipa na M-Pesa billable limit to Ksh. 200.

Dubbed “M-Pesa kadogo”, the Buy Goods payment option will now allow customers to transact for free for any amounts below Ksh. 200 up from Ksh. 100.

Speaking during the FT Africa Payments Innovation Summit held in Nairobi, Safaricom boss made the announcement and added that the company hopes that the Lipa na M-Pesa payment platform will now attract more players.He specified that the new limit is expected to attract small and medium enterprises while at the same time increase the competitiveness of the service in the market.

He specified that the new limit is expected to attract small and medium enterprises while at the same time increase the competitiveness of the service in the market.

What this means is that you can purchase goods worth Ksh. 200 and below and your merchant will not be required to share a section of that money with Safaricom.

This is good news for merchants who use the Lipa na M-Pesa payment option.

Merchants will also be happy to know that Safaricom has slashed the merchant tariffs by 50%.

The telecoms giant says that will ensure that SMEs and small businesses such as boda-boda, kiosks various vendors, and eateries are accommodated.

Previously, the merchant tariff was 1% of the total transaction amount but this has been slashed to 0.5%.

In addition, merchants will now pay Ksh. 200 for transactions of above Ksh. 40,000.

These developments come after Safaricom made changes to its mySafaricom app to include the M-Pesa menu.

This service is expected to make it easy for over 20 million M-Pesa customers to transact via their handsets. This means convenient completion of M-Pesa transaction.

Related developments

Safaricom deserves a pat on the back for the strides it has made in enhancing M-Pesa services. The latter remains one of the best mobile money services in Kenya.

Since its introduction, M-Pesa has undergone significant changes that have enhanced its effectiveness.

One of the best innovations by the company has to be the Hakikisha feature which allows customers to confirm the recipient before sending money.

This is definitely a savior since many people had been losing money by keying in the wrong phone numbers. This is no longer a reality for M-Pesa customers.

This feature has also been extended when using the Lipa na M-Pesa platform as customers can confirm the names of agents or businesses before making their Lipa na M-Pesa transaction.

Safaricom has been dominating the mobile payment system since it introduced M-Pesa.

While Airtel Money and Orange Money have been in the business for quite some time now, their presence is yet to be felt several years later. Chances of overtaking Safaricom are slim.

M-Pesa continues to dominate this industry and its heavy presence has attracted critics who have termed it as “too big”.

In the past four months, Safaricom has been fighting the suggestion to separate it from M-Pesa.

Finally, before you run to your nearest store, note that the new tariffs will be effective starting April 1st.

Airtel Launches Tubonge to take on Safaricom’s FLEX

Terry Gachie

Tubonge becomes the latest product to be launched in Kenya’s telecommunications industry.

Airtel Kenya launched the new voice bundle that will give its customers 100 minutes of talk time for Airtel to Airtel calls per day.

The plan also includes a Ksh. 2 calling rate to other networks.

This plan comes with three options:

 Daily offer for Ksh. 10
 Weekly offer for Ksh. 50
 Monthly offer for Ksh. 150

To subscribe for any of the above Tubonge plans, dial *544# and select “Tubonge”, this will take you to a screen with the three options.

The Tubonge plan targets Kenyans from all walks of life especially those that rely on voice calls as their preferred mode of communication.

Speaking during the launch, Airtel Kenyan CEO Prasanta Das Sarma stated that Tubonge was created to make the lives of Airtel users easier since it offers affordability.

Sarma added that customers remain the core of the company’s business and that is why it developed a product that gives them value for their money while meeting their communication needs effectively.

Sarma expressed Airtel’s commitment to continue investing in the Kenyan market and ensure that its customers continue to enjoy affordable and innovative products.

Tubonge is available to all prepaid customers.

Tubonge vs. FLEX

Tubonge comes barely a week after Safaricom launched FLEX, a product that allows customers to allocate their airtime for data, calls, and SMS. There are clear differences between the two plans.

The first difference is the plans’ components. FLEX allows you to convert your airtime with voice, SMS, and data. On the other hand, Tubonge is a voice bundle.

The target market for both products seems to differ. While Safaricom has claimed that the FLEX plan is targeted at all its’ users the numbers tell a different story.

The least amount for the FLEX plan is Ksh. 100 daily which is a bit high for the common man. The price tags have been described as exorbitant in various social media platforms.

The Ksh. 10 for the lowest Tubonge plan is definitely targeting the average Kenyan.

By launching Tubonge, Airtel Kenya is creating the impression that it understands the struggling middle class which makes the majority of the population.

This product is expected to earn Airtel Kenya new subscribers by the end of the year. Whether that happens, we can only wait to see.

It is, however, rumored that Safaricom is set to launch a FLEX-like plan that will cater to the needs of the common mwananchi.

If this is true, it will have a competitive advantage given its high numbers of subscribers.

Safaricom’s Dominance

Airtel and other telecoms have complained about Safaricom’s dominance and its effect on them for quite some time.

Safaricom has, however, dismissed such allegations by arguing that it has never abused its dominance.

It is, therefore, interesting to see Airtel launch a product that will take on Safaricom’s FLEX.

However, the availability of more than one option is welcome as it gives customers a chance to opt for the product that meets their needs.

Oman Air introduces direct Flights to Nairobi

Terry Gachie

Booking.com

Oman Air has introduced four-times weekly direct flights from Muscat to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi effective 27th March 2017.

Boeing 737-800 will operate the four-day flights which will depart from Muscat at 1450 and arrive in Nairobi at 1855 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The flight will then depart from Nairobi at 0045 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday and arrive at Muscat at 0650.

The Boeing has already touched down the Kenyatta International Airport and it was welcome with endless selfies.

The Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President-Commercial Abdulrahman Al Busaidy was quoted saying that each new route is an opportunity for the courier which has been in operation since 1993.

Busaidy added that the new route will make Nairobi a key point of entry to Africa for passengers from the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

The Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs in the Ministry of Transport and Communications HE Saeed Bin Hamdoon Al Harthy was among dignitaries that were in attendance at the cake cutting ceremony.

The new Oman Air route will likely strengthen the development agenda for both nations.

A senior official of Oman Air stated that trade between Kenya and Oman has been growing steadily over the years.

He added that the Oman Air hopes that this bilateral trade and investment opportunities will continue to increase and improve especially following the direct route connecting the two major cities.

We can only expect the new route to also promote tourism.

Whether traveling for business or leisure, visitors may take the time to enjoy the vibrant cultural life in Nairobi and other parts of the country, places to eat, and exciting spots for adventure.

Visitors can take the time to see wildlife, national parks, and visit Mombasa beaches.

Kenya has a lot to offer on that front; hence, we can only hope that the new Oman Air route will bring good tiding.

By now, most of you must be wondering what damage you will incur for the direct flight.

Well, I checked available flights between the March 31st and April 4th and the fare structure is as follows:

You will be required to pay $357.60 for the semi-flexible economy, $467.60 for the Flexible economy and $509.60 for the restricted business class.

This booking information was extracted from the Oman Air website.

At the moment, the Airline is offering a special offer for a return ticket to those traveling from Muscat to Nairobi.

The offer is valid for Economy Class only and you will be required to pay $127.53 for the Restricted Economy and Flexible Economy.

The offer is valid from 27th March to 31st July 2017 but the sales period runs until 31st March 2017.

Oman Air Awards

The Oman Air airline has continued to receive recognition for its’ onboard experience and has received several awards.

The most recent has to be the World’s Leading Business Class Airline-Middle East and Best Economy Class Airline-Middle East during the 2016 World Travel Awards.

This airline also won the World Class Lounge Services of the Year 2016 at The Luxury 100 awards ceremony held in Muscat.

In the meantime, take advantage of the special offers and have an awesome flight.

Rohto Mentholatum Appoints Roshanara Ebrahim as the new Brand Ambassador for Rootia Haircare Brand

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Rohto Mentholatum Kenya has appointed Roshanara Ebrahim as brand ambassador for Rootia hair care brand.
Rootia is a scalp care hair brand hat revitalizes hair by repairing damaged scalp and nourishing the hair root.
In some families, hair loss sets in as early as age 22. Hence members are likely to complain of hair thinning or receding hairlines.

Japan’s second largest consumer healthcare company, Rohto Mentholatum, has announced the appointment of Roshanara Ebrahim as its new brand ambassador for its anti-hair loss product range, Rootia.

The 23-year-old model is the first beauty brand ambassador for the Rootia hair brand and will market and promote the brand. The appointment comes barely four months after the giant pharmaceutical company unveiled the Rootia hair range of products.

“We are delighted to partner with Roshanara on our journey. She embodies style, healthy beauty and confidence that inspires Rootia’s brand core values, “said Ms. Fumiko Akojima, Rohto Mentholatum (K) Ltd’s Managing Director.

Roshanara, a law student at the University of Nairobi, has been an icon in the fashion and beauty industry and once walked the runways of Miss World 2016.

“My passion for hair perfectly matches that of Rootia, especially as we look to continuously inspire and grow healthy hair on a healthy scalp,” said Roshanara.

Hair loss occurs in both men and women with devastating effects. In men, the loss can be linked to genetics and lifestyles.

For men and women, some unhealthy practices can lead to hair loss include smoking or a stressful work related routine. People with sleeping disorders or who eat too much junk or over processed food are also likely to complain of hair loss.

In some families, hair loss sets in as early as age 22. Hence members are likely to complain of hair thinning or receding hairlines.

Rootia is a scalp care hair brand hat revitalizes hair by repairing damaged scalp and nourishing the hair root. The hair brand comprises of scalp oil, hair growth serum, shampoo, and treatment.

Read also:

This week in tech: Safaricom Launches Flex, and more weekly tech news

Terry Gachie

If you are still replaying the Sonko interview, chances are that you weekly tech news. It has been an eventful week in the tech world.

As usual, we have compiled a list of top ten weekly tech trends.

1. SafaricomFlex

For the first time in several weeks, Safaricom was smiling all the way to the Prestige Plaza and back to their Westlands office.

This is after the telecom giant launched FLEX, a product that allows customers to manage their airtime for data, SMS, and calls.

This product will allow Safaricom customers to convert their airtime into FLEX units that can then be allocated to data, SMS, and calls.

The minimum plan costs Ksh. 99 and with this, you get 115 FLEX units valid for 24 hours.

2. M-Akiba Bonds Market

M-Akiba has unlocked the bonds market since you can now invest in bonds with as low as Ksh. 3,000

This investment opportunity was officially launched on 23rd March 2017 and it is expected to attract ordinary Kenyans who had been locked out of this opportunity due to the high minimum investment amount of Kshs. 50,000.

This is great news. Probably one of the best tech news that have happened this week.

3. Tecno Camon CX and CX Air Launched

Tecno finally launched Camon CX and Camon CX Air at an event held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi

This brings to an end speculations and rumors about the handsets’ specs.

Camon CX comes with a 5.5-inch IPS display, Octa-core 1.5GHz, Android Nougat with HiOS, 2GB RAM, and 16MP rear and front cameras.

4. Android O sneak peak

Google has given developers a sneak peak of its next version of OS, Android O.

Android v7.0 is barely weaned yet Google has already conceived Android O.

The new Android platform comes with several improvements such as saving on battery usage, advanced notification controls, adaptive icons, and much more.

This version is set to be released later this year.

5. Kilimall partners with Aramex

Kilimall has partnered with Aramex, the global logistics and transport provider to enhance its delivery network.

The partnership with Aramex brings the total number of delivery partners to four since the e-commerce site already works with Fargo Courier, Posta Kenya, and G4S.

Earlier this year, the company partnered with Safaricom to allow customers to pay for goods and services using Bonga points.

6. Taxify Kenya fare hike

Taxify Kenya has introduced a temporary fare hike in what is seen as an effort to revise its price structure.

This comes barely two months after the company slashed its fare prices by 15%. You will now pay Ksh. Ksh. 32 per kilometer up from Kshs. 50.

The Kshs. 75 base fare and Kshs. 2.3 per minute prices have been maintained. The new fare structure is expected to change beginning April.

This came days after Uber agreed to revise its prices after pressure from its driver partners.

This did not receive a lot of focus but it’s not shocking since we cannot expect Taxify to make explicit public statements on the price hike.

7. Remember Nimbuzz? No?

This used to be a social media network before Whatsapp came and divert all the attention it had received.

This platform is coming back from the dead since the Mara Social Media Company has announced that it will acquire Nimbuzz assets.

At present, it is estimated that the platform has several million users and is compatible with several platforms including Android and iOS.

Mara plans to roll out an improved version of Nimbuzz.

8. My Safaricom App revamped

The My Safaricom App has undergone some changes as it has added M-Pesa to its menu.

Earlier, you could access several self-care services within the app but M-Pesa was not one of them.

You can view your data balance, redeem Bonga points, check your minutes’ balance, airtime top up, among others.

9. Infinix S2 launch date

Infinix Mobile is set to launch Infinix S2 on the 10th March 2017.

This will be Infinix’s next flagship and it is expected to come with impressive specs.

10. Dingah App

The recently launched Dingah app is great news for the car hire industry since it will connect car hire providers and drivers to potential customers via their smartphones.

The app can be accessed via Play Store.

That’s it for tech news this week. Do have a lovely week.

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