By JULIUS MBALUTO 

Kenyan Lawyer turned activist Morara Kebaso was attacked by goons at Bomas of Kenya Nairobi. He was attending public participation happening countrywide gaining views of Kenyans pertaining the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Videos captured show chairs and other objects being thrown at him before the police got him out of the venue. Morara had been barred at the gate and when he got in at the Bomas of Kenya, he was denied the chance to address Kenyans and share his views. On his X-Platform, Morara said; 

“I was barred from entering Bomas at the gate. When I finally got in, I was denied the mic at Bomas floor. Chaos erupted. I am hurt. Headed to hospital. I live to speak another day,” his post read.

Previously, Morara was captured telling Kenyans that the impeachment process was a divisionary tactic used by the government to divert attention on importance issues like the implementation of SHA and the controversy surrounding JKA -Adani deal. He had argued the impeachment should be for both Deputy President and the President as they were chosen on one ticket. 

The public participation goes on with reports of chaos emerging in different parts of the country. 

The United Kingdom (UK), in partnership with Kenya, is seeking to create a gateway to African investment opportunities by enhancing trade and economic diplomacy between the two nations.

State Department for Investment Promotions Principal Secretary (PS), Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, stated that his department is working with the British Chambers of Commerce and the UK Embassy to allow the set-up of business organisations in both countries.

“Kenya and the UK enjoy a warm relationship based on our strategic partnership, and our focus is on economic diplomacy, where we are strengthening our investment and trade relationships,” he said.

Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday during a UK-Kenya Trade Mission meeting, the PS revealed that Kenya not only has a bilateral investment treaty with the UK but also a double taxation and trade agreement with the country.

“These are three essential instruments needed to support any investment relationships with a foreign investor,” noted Abubakar.

He revealed that with continued partnership with the UK, the country has been able to be one of the largest foreign investors in Kenya.

“Currently, we have over 150 British enterprises in Kenya in different sectors all over the country, and we are looking for more opportunities,” Abubakar noted.

The PS mentioned that the government, through the Ministry, has come up with many reforms in the business environment through the Finance Bill and the Business Amendment Bill.

“Our investment opportunities rely on our economic model, which is based on our five pillars for development, such as universal healthcare, affordable housing, agricultural modernisation, the green economy, and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) development,” he added.

Abubakar revealed that Kenya has been rated the 29^th fastest-growing economy in the world, number three in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of ease of doing business, and number one in Africa when it comes to startup funding.

“In 2023, we managed to secure US$ 300 million to support startups, and we are also number one in Africa in terms of the quality of human capital,” he added.

The Deputy Head of Mission, Kenya High Commission to London, Dr. Joseph Warui, announced that the Kenyan diaspora is not only a vibrant economic community but also an invaluable asset that continues to contribute significantly to both countries.

“Their total remittances to Kenya from the diaspora in 2023 amounted to US$ 4.26 billion, and this marked a significant increase in remittances compared to the previous years,” he said.

Warui revealed that the UK is looking to invest in Kenya not out of sentiment but with strategic foresight to gain a deep understanding of the local market.

“By aligning with diaspora members, UK investors can tap into vast opportunities and leverage their business insights and local network for mutual benefits,” he noted.

The launch of the 2024 UK and Kenya Trade Mission seeks to create an enabling environment to connect, engage, invest, and collaborate with various businesses to enhance trade not only between the two nations but also the global community. By Mwendwa Mwenda and Manu Mumba  KNA

By MIKE OMUODO

Huawei ICT Academy held a successful instructor workshop bringing together key instructors and stakeholders from across the country, and providing a platform for knowledge exchange, updates on academy programs, and a roadmap for the future of ICT education in Kenya.

Ms. Fang Zheng, Huawei’s Human Resource Director, officially opened the workshop. She emphasized the critical role that the academy plays in addressing the country’s ICT skill gaps, highlighting the importance of continuous professional development for instructors.

“We believe in empowering instructors with the tools and knowledge to produce world-class ICT talent. Today’s workshop is a testament to Huawei’s long-term commitment to digital education in Kenya,” stated Ms. Zheng

The first session was led by Mr. Michael Kamau, Huawei ICT Academy Manager and Mr. Yuta Leng Public Relations Expert, who provided an in-depth review of the academy’s progress over the past year. Key points of discussion included the Huawei ICT Academy’s growth and achievements, as well as insights into the upcoming Huawei ICT Competition for 2024-2025. The competition, which aims to foster innovation and technical skills among Kenyan students, was introduced with a strong focus on preparing participants for the challenges and opportunities of the digital world.

Huawei ICT Competition

Huawei announced that the 9th Edition of the Huawei ICT Competition is open and free for registration. Interested students can participate in the Practice Track (Network, Cloud and Computing Tracks) or the A.I Innovation Track. After registration the ICT Competition participants will be provided with an advanced training and e-learning platform to prepare for a National Final in 2024 and a Regional and Global Final Round in 2025.

This year Huawei also announced the launch of the Instructor Competition designed to Accumulate excellent experiment cases to promote the integration of key technologies such as A.I and Cloud. The instructor competition will also promote excellent teachers by setting excellent global benchmarks, enhance self-motivation of partner instructors, and promote the operation of ICT Academies.

Additionally, the workshop covered a review of the academy’s key performance indicators (KPIs) for the last quarter, as well as a calendar preview for the upcoming academic year. This review was essential in assessing the academy’s impact on Kenya’s ICT talent ecosystem and in setting clear targets for the year ahead.

The workshop featured a case presentation on best practices for managing professional exam centers, focusing on Huawei Certified ICT Professional (HCIP) and Huawei Certified ICT Expert (HCIE) certifications. These globally recognized certifications are essential for individuals seeking advanced careers in ICT, and the presentation provided insights on streamlining the exam process, maintaining high standards, and increasing student success rates. Following the presentation, an open discussion was held, where attendees explored ways to enhance the quality of education within the academy.

The workshop is part of Huawei’s ongoing efforts to support the development of ICT education in Kenya. Since the establishment of its first ICT Academy in 2017, Huawei has continuously worked with Kenyan academic institutions to build a strong talent pipeline in the country. The Huawei ICT Academy program has since expanded significantly, training thousands of students and instructors and offering access to Huawei’s cutting-edge technology and global expertise.

The workshop concluded with an acknowledgment of the participants’ contributions and a call to action for continued collaboration between Huawei and local educational institutions to create a robust ICT ecosystem in Kenya.

About Huawei ICT Academy

Huawei ICT Academy is a global initiative that partners with educational institutions to deliver industry-leading ICT training and certification programs. Through its partnerships with universities and colleges, Huawei is building a robust talent ecosystem that supports digital transformation efforts in more than 70 countries, including Kenya. The academy offers students access to world-class resources, certification opportunities, and career development in key ICT areas such as networking, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.

By WILFRED CLARKE 

Smart and intelligent with her choice of words, her work has seen high-end celebrities such as Leona Lewis, Kate Winslet, Dawn Richards, the Simmons Sisters, Adrienne Bailon, Tiwa Savage and many others adorn her signature styling.  

With her PR Francisca Adjei, the promising British-Ghanaian perched on the opposite corner of the sofa that arguably and simply means, everything will be connected in the right direction after the interview.  

Settling down with the celebrated stylist while talking us through the importance of style in the modern society, Miss Kanayo Ebi said: “Styling is important to the modern society because, it is pretty much a way of self-expression, so every individual is different and every individual has something unique to them, and to show that, is to show your individual sense of fashion and style.  

“And the way that people interpret themselves in fashion and style is how you interpret it. 

“Fashion is pretty much anything and everything, and the way that people present themselves gives us the idea of the individualism that’s around us. It is just good to stand yourself apart in style. 

As with each and every industry, there are bound to be different sort of impediments here and there, in that she said: “There are challenges, basically, pretty many challenges that people in the regular working industries face. Which is like, the economy effects when jobs, publications and certain artistes are not getting funding to do certain projects.  

“It has a domino effect and it ends up affecting stylists as well. And also diversity and reach, by tapping into the various fashion industries around the world. 

“Sometimes it’s challenging, to be or stay afloat in the styling industry because there is so much going on, and it moves so quickly.”  

She further stated that: “It does get saturated quickly and there is a bit of segregation crossing over to different spheres of the industry.” 

As to who she has on his list of celebrities to style, she said: “I still haven’t styled many people, because there are still many people. 

“I would like to work with Gwen Stefani, Kelis, Cindi Lauper and Rihanna, usually because, I like her sense of style and freedom, so to speak.  

“This is because I like to work with people who like to have fun and be adventurous with fashion.” 

Miss Kanayo is ready to work with other African celebrities across the continent saying: “I have styled Patoranking, so maybe Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, and all those coming up from across Africa.” 

Squashing and quashing the rumour mill about her switch from being a stylist to a jeweller, in her confirmation she said: “I am not switching, I am just broadening my horizon, so to speak. 

“Because my first love is fashion in general, so anyway that I can contribute and just keep growing in fashion. I am open to it. I believe you cannot stay stagnant and I believe you have to keep moving or else things get redundant or get bored.  

“And you cannot stifle your creativity. So for me, I love what I do and I love styling.” 

By being generous enough and giving out industrial advice to the future generation of stylist to come, she affirmed: “My top tip is really about being patient, persevering, and being productive while believing in what one has to offer, that will differentiate you from the rest who are not stylists.  

“Keep growing and not being stifled and learning, keep striving and pushing, never stay stagnant. 

“The industry is competitive and there are so many people trying to copy or do what you are doing, or trying to do what you are trying to do. 

“And because we are in a social media world, where everything is easily accessible, and sometimes people would rather not pay for quality but quantity.  

“So you have to make sure that you do your work and do it thoroughly. And be consistent. So you can keep your loyal clients so they (clients) can deem you reliable.”  

And finally, as to how expensive she is to work with, she said: “I don’t think I am that expensive, I think it depends on the individual to determine what is expensive to them, but I think I am pretty fair depending on their budget.  

“But I believe in giving yourself a standard as well, so people do not take you and your work for granted and cheap in that regard. Then again it still depends on what is expensive to the individual." 

 Listening to Starbuck’s music as the backdrop while interviewing the ‘crown and anchor’ of style was the lunch of the day.