Author: Lorine Otamo

The Summer Olympics return to Paris after a 100-year hiatus. Paris, the City of Lights last hosted the Games in 1924, featuring 22 sports. This time, Paris will showcase 32 sports, including a thrilling debut. The official opening ceremony for the XXXIII Olympiad kicks off at 7:30 AM ET on July 26th, 2024. However, the sporting spirit ignites earlier with soccer and rugby sevens events starting on July 24th. The Games culminate in a closing ceremony on August 11th. Over 10,500 athletes from more than 200 nations, including a dedicated refugee team, will compete in 329 events. Paris 2024 will…

The Recording Academy, which holds the prestigious Grammy Awards, has expanded into Africa and the Middle East. Kenya is among the first countries to benefit from this initiative. The Academy signed a partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Sports, led by Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba. This collaboration aims to support Kenyan artists through various programs. The expansion plan includes online training sessions to equip artists with the skills needed to succeed in the music industry; and assistance in producing original content to help them gain international recognition. In addition, it will conduct research on the African and Middle Eastern music markets…

East African music lovers can now discover new music and connect with local artists on Ziki Sound, a new music streaming service. Ziki Sound offers a free tier with ad support and a premium tier for artists and labels seeking increased visibility. “Discover a brand new look, intuitive features, and endless ways to explore music,” says Dancoded, Ziki Sound  developer. “Share your music, make money from music and grow your fans.” Key Features Simple and easy-to-use interface Focus on supporting independent artists in East Africa Diverse music library curated by Ziki Sound Opportunity for artists to manage their music and…

Kenyan music star Kevin Bahati and his wife Diana Marua are making history with their new reality show, “The Bahati Empire”, which premiered Friday, June 7th on Netflix. Unscripted Drama and Familiar Faces Bahati and Diana are the first Kenyan couple to have a reality series on the streaming giant. The show promises a no-holds-barred look at their family life, including the good, the bad, and the surprising. “Right now, we are creating a serious banger, and you never know, maybe this will be the first East African reality show on Netflix,” Bahati said. “It’s going to be the best…

Kenya’s year-on-year inflation rate edged up to 5.1% in May 2024, from 5.0% in April 2024. The rise in inflation was primarily driven by price increases in transportation (8.1%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (6.2%), and housing, water, utilities, and fuels (4.4%). The May inflation uptick comes after three months of decline. Food price increases were driven by vegetables like spinach, kale (sukuma wiki), tomatoes, and potatoes at 18.2%, 15.0%, 14.0% and 6.2%, respectively, while staples like maize flour and wheat flour saw price reductions by 3.2%, 2.3%, 1.6%, and 1.3%, respectively. Despite the slight increase, inflation remains within the Central…

A new documentary, “Yes To Impossible: The Nolo Letele Story,” chronicles the life of Nolo Letele, a visionary leader who shaped the African broadcast media industry. The documentary chronicles his dedication to realising this vision, showcasing his role in shaping the African broadcast media industry. After completing his studies in electronic engineering at the University of Southampton in the UK, Letele encountered the stark reality of limited opportunities for black electronics graduates in South Africa. He joined M-Net and spearheaded DStv’s expansion across Africa, making it available in 50 countries and 6 million homes today, with channels in local languages like Swahili,…