Author: Business Times

Kenyan real estate company Dowgate Properties has today opened its first Safari Centre highway service station, on the A104 at Naivasha, in a new servicing model for motorists and travellers, offering facilities from electric vehicle charging stations to children’s play areas, restrooms, restaurants, and retail stores, right beside the highway. The centre’s electric charging points are the first outside Nairobi and will make it possible for high-end electric vehicles to drive from Nairobi to Kisumu and back, by charging each way at the Naivasha Safari Centre. This is the biggest expansion yet to the distance electric vehicles can cover in…

Leading retailer Naivas Supermarket is set to open the doors of its newest outlet in Kayole, Naivasha along Nairobi- Nakuru highway.  The opening of the new store covering 18,000 square feet puts Naivas national store count at  84 with three of those now in Naivasha. The other outlets within the town are Naivasha  Kubwa and Naivasha Ndogo. Naivasha Ndogo is the original store that first bore the name  Naivasha Self Service Stores a name that later evolved to Naivas.  Speaking on the expansion, Naivas Chief Commercial Officer, Willy Kimani, said “We celebrate  each store opening as it adds fuel to…

East Africa’s real estate market continues to attract significant international attention according to major decision-makers that attended this year’s 9th annual EAPI Summit taking place at Kempinski Hotel on 18 & 19 May. According to the EAPI Summit’s host, Kfir Rusin, East Africa’s economic recovery has prompted a lot of interest in the sector and this year’s event from leading funders and players across the value chain. “Every year Kenya and the broader regional real estate sector continues to develop and becomes more resilient and is able to withstand cyclical shocks. Our view is that this is a key driver…

Absa Bank Kenya has received the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) global Certification for integrating green building technologies in accordance with global standards. The bank, the first in Kenya to receive the award, has invested nearly KES45 million in retrofitting its outlets, which include Nkrumah, Kisii, Queensway Branches, Westend HQ, and Bishops Gate Head Office. Throughout the redevelopment process, the bank’s branches and headquarters saw energy-efficient LED lights refitted, reducing the bank’s carbon footprint significantly. Additionally, the buildings now boast of water efficiency features such as low flow taps, dual or 6-litre single flush…

Pubs are the best place to watch your favorite weekday or weekend sport because of the surety of the HD quality picture, the immersive surround system experience, the crowd that keeps roaring and the authenticity of the game the pub experience brings to the afternoon. Need I mention the tasty food, your cold drink and of course your friends to go along with that. Sports is very profitable to pubs and clubs and particularly those that get the experience right. The Premier League alone helps pubs rake in high sales every year as football remains the most watched and loved…

Kenyans should shun intolerance and antagonism during the electioneering period, urges Mount Kenya University (MKU) Pro-Chancellor, Dr Vincent Gaitho. He also calls on universities and the private sector to help change the narrative of violence during elections. The don points out that elections come and go, and should not fan conflict, since Kenyans will continue living together afterward. “Voting happens on a single day. It is justan event. People should be able to go back to their businesses (immediately after),” argues Dr Gaitho, adding: “Children should be able to go to school without fearing that the prevailing peace will collapse.”…

As a young person fresh from college or university looking to establish yourself in a career, expand your world view or just venture into business, the East Africa Community (EAC) is proving to be an exciting bloc full of opportunities that are yet to be fully tapped into. For the past few weeks, the airwaves have been full of news of how the DRC has ascended into the EAC and what this means for the other member states. We take a different angle and break this down for you as a young person in terms of education and professional career,…

Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) is set to launch commercial operations in Ethiopia within the year as part of the company’s regional expansion efforts to provide world-class telecommunication services to over 112 million Ethiopians. In readiness for the commercial launch, Safaricom Ethiopia has recruited a team of over 300 staff, of which 50% is local talent, with plans of reaching 1,000 in the next financial year. The business also has onboarded distributors, secured four retail shop locations and set up the first outsourced call centre in Addis Ababa. Safaricom Ethiopia has secured approvals for towers development, built two data centres, made the…

Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, today announced Zoho Marketing Plus, a unified platform that brings together marketing activities across campaign ideation, creation, execution, management, and measurement, providing stakeholders across the entire marketing organisation with a single, shared view of critical information for improved collaboration and results. The new marketing platform increases the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies by giving marketing leaders a deeper understanding of customer preferences and behaviours so they can deliver dynamic, high-value customer experiences that drive brand affinity and customer happiness. CMOs require their teams to leverage technology solutions that capture customer insights in ways…

The cold season is slowly sneaking upon us, but we are often caught off guard without prior planning when the weather suddenly changes. Yet if we use the time we have to prepare adequately, we won’t be left shivering right inside our own homes. So, use the remaining weeks of May to ensure that you and your family will be warm and comfortable in the upcoming chilly months. 1. Banish dust By deep cleaning your home, you can create a healthy living environment for your family. Cold weather means windows and doors stay shut, and heaters are switched on, which…

Consumer education will play a central role in addressing emerging security challenges. During the launch of the Kaa Chonjo! (Be Alert!) card, mobile and online safety awareness campaign held today, players in the financial, payments and retail sectors highlighted the importance of continuing to empower the public with information on fraud prevention.  In his remarks, Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) CEO Dr. Habil Olaka noted that emerging financial security threats are increasingly targeting mobile and internet banking channels due to the enhanced use of digital payments precipitated by COVID-19 in 2020, adding that fraudsters often exploit low levels of awareness on…

Kenya’s hotel industry is slowly recovering from the disruption occasioned by the effects of the pandemic. A number of hotels are only now re-opening their doors two years after the stringent lockdowns and travel restrictions that saw a dip in tourist numbers, physical meetings and guest occupancy. Those that remained open were only operating at a fraction of the capacity and incurred high operational costs as a result of the frequent cleaning, sanitization processes and government regulations required to remain open. As the world begins to shake off the last of the crisis, the hotel industry is looking at various…