Author: Korir Issa

Nigerian rappers Rema and Davido emerged as the top winners at the 2023 Trace Awards, held in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 21. The Trace Awards, a new franchise created by global TV and multimedia platform Trace, aim to honour African and Afro-influenced musicians. Rema’s global hit “Calm Down,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a remix featuring Selena Gomez, won Song of the Year. Rema also tied with Nomcebo for Best Global African Artist. Davido took home two awards: Best Male and Best Collaboration for “Unavailable,” a track with South African artist Musa Keys. Burna Boy’s…

Roche and the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) have launched a fellowship program to support emerging African scientists.  The initiative aims to address the underfunding of research in Africa and equip scientists to become health research leaders in the fields of clinical pharmacology, pathology, and human genetics.  The AREF-Roche and Genentech Fellowship Program will enable three selected fellows to spend nine months at leading Genentech and Roche laboratories. This initiative aims to address the underfunding of research and development (R&D) in Africa, which currently stands at just 1.3% of global R&D spend, and the low number of clinical trials conducted in…

Standard Chartered Kenya has granted a total of Sh9.8 million in seed funding to seven women-led startups under the Women in Tech program. This initiative, in partnership with the iBizAfrica Incubation Centre at Strathmore University, supports women in technology and attracted 15 female-led startups under the theme ‘Leveraging Technology for Impact’. The funded startups include Sign with Us, Instruct Africa, Saidiwa Rides, PanaCare, Imani Health, Know Learning Limited, and Rhea Soil Health Management. Each will receive Sh1.4 million (USD 10,000) in seed funding from the bank. Kariuki Ngari, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Kenya stated that…

PZ Cussons, a multinational consumer goods company, has announced plans to invest KES 35 million in Kenya over the next three months. The investment is part of a strategic initiative to expand the reach of its flagship brand, Imperial Leather. Imperial Leather, a renowned name in personal care, has been a staple in many households worldwide.  The company’s managing director, Sekar Ramamoorthy, stated that this is primarily aimed at growing the national footprint of Imperial Leather by tapping into the increased buying ability in rural areas.  “Devolution has led to a rise in incomes and diversification of consumer tastes, presenting…

Xiaomi has unveiled the Redmi 12, a mid-range smartphone packed with impressive features, in Kenya. Starting at Ksh. 20,799, it offers great value and a smooth user experience. The Redmi 12 sports a large 6.79-inch +FHD DotDisplay screen with a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate and a resolution of 2460 × 1080, making it the biggest in the Redmi series so far. It’s perfect for gaming, video playback, and more. The SGS Low Blue Light certification and User Mode 3.0 ensure longer usage without additional eye strain. The phone’s triple-camera system includes a 50-megapixel main camera for clear and accurate detail…

Akbar Al Baker, the Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, is retiring after 27 years at the helm of the company. His retirement will take effect on November 5. Akbar Al Baker will be succeeded by Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, who is currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Hamad International Airport in Doha, the hub of Qatar’s national carrier. “Qatar Airways Group confirms after 27 years of remarkable service, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive – His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, will be stepping down from his current position as Group Chief Executive effective 5 November 2023, and will…