Women take centre stage in Casa Mia Real-Estate Project with 62 per cent property purchase

By Eric Akasa

Kenyan women are emerging as the biggest investors in mid-market real estate, with 62 per cent of property purchases at Eastland’s development Casa Mia having been made by female buyers, echoing a trend that has seen women rising globally as property investors since the late 1990s.

A study by the National Association of Realtors in the US found the share of house-buying made by single women rose from 14 per cent in 1995 to 21 per cent by 2009, with single woman making up an even larger share of first-time buying, accounting for a quarter of purchases.

Further reporting by Alpha G: Corp a real estate company in India, found around 30 per cent of the property buyers in Indian urban areas were now women, with the figure expected to rise further.

However, Africa appears to be running ahead of the global trend. In South Africa, Standard Bank found female buyers of residential property rose from 28 per cent of all buyers to 37 per cent, between 2000 and 2005.

But Kenya's mid-market is now displaying some of the highest proportions of purchasing by single women across all real estate, with sales in the first two courts of Casa Mia dominated by single women buyers.

“Female buyers are emerging in quite extraordinary numbers in this property class. Most have done their research, and know exactly the kind of house they would like to invest in,” observes Sakina Hassanali, Marketing Manager Hass Consult.

This rising trend comes as women’s socio-economic status continues to rise in Kenya, with the Institute of Economic Affairs showing that women now run 54 per cent of the country's enterprises, while the number of career women is also rising.

Real estate is drawing female investors because they see it as a safe investment. In the UK, the Post Office Mortgage Report found that 41 per cent of women buying houses preferred mortgages to rent because they felt it was "better value for their money".

“Even with the high interest rates, real estate provides investment security as property, unlike stocks, doesn’t lose value overnight,” said Ms Hassanali.

 “I had been looking for a house for the last one year. When I saw Casa Mia, apart from the design, what I noted was that it was secure and spacious with a garden for my son to play,” says Jane Wambui buyer.

“I wanted something in a beautiful environment that is not congested and is convenient. I went to a few places before a friend finally referred me to Casa Mia,” remarks Hellen Gathoni.

Casa Mia is a mid-income property development, with homes designed for upcoming professionals with young families seeking a first home in a beautiful environment that their children can grow up in, at a viable entry price of Sh5.25m, and with properties expected to be worth 30 per cent more within one-and-a-half years.

The development is set 15 minutes from the Kangundo Road junction with the Eastern Bypass, within 45 minutes of CBD and less than 30 minutes from Jomo Kenyatta Airport. Each 3 bedroom house measures 915 sq.ft and is built on approximately 1/12^th of acre.

Ministry of, Education, stakeholders in the education sector launch complete End Decade Assessment Report.

By Eric Akasa

Kenya was among the 164 governments at the world education Forum in Dakar Senegal in 2000 that pledged to achieve Education for All (EFA) which identified six goals to be achieved by 2015. Kenya has undertaken the first comprehensive national EFA End Decade Assessment (EDA) since the 2000 Dakar Education Forum covering 2000-2010.

According to Dr. Evangeline Njoka Secretary -General Kenya national commission for UNESCO, goal four and goal five addresses millennium development goals two and three respectively of which Kenya is a signatory to.

“UNESCO has two main priorities which are: gender and Africa,” says Joseph Massaquoi Director UNESCO regional office Eastern Africa representative to Kenya.

“Kenya hosted its first ever Eastern Africa High Level Forum on EFA last September and the outcome documents of the forum was the Mombasa call for Action that includes EFA progress.” Notes Massaquoi “Kenya’s EFA end decade assessment inspires other countries in the region notably Uganda and Tanzania which have commenced similar assessments learning from Kenya’s model.” He adds

According to Hon. Mutual Kilonzo minister for education, the EFA agenda is a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults from a lifelong perspective, the Dakar Framework for action 2000 re-affirmed the vision set out in the world declaration on education for all conference in Jomtien in 1990.

Commenting on the teachers strike, Hon. Kilonzo said that it is their constitutional right. “I did not get any notice from KNUT or KUPPET about the strike, calling for a strike is not a big issue, it is constitutional,” Says Hon.Kilonzo.

He said that article 41 of the new constitution allows any worker to be a member of a union and can strike whenever they feel their employer is stepping on their rights.

“I have asked the teachers bodies to suspend the strike until I finish the TSC bill which will be through this week.” notes Hon. Kilonzo

Commenting on Tuition Kilonzo said that it is an offence for teachers to tell students go to school during the holidays, on weekends or extra classes and public holidays. “Allow the children to visit their grandparents and play with their peers, understand a child.” Says Hon. Kilonzo.

“I am working on a draft education bill that aims to strengthen student governance, “Let children elect their own leaders, not teachers to dedicate prefects to them.” Remarks Kilonzo. “The future has arrived, education is where the future is and if children develop a sense of ownership of their school, there will be no riots, just involve them and you will solve the problem.” Observes Hon.Kilonzo.

Kilonzo said that the EFA End Decade Assessment is not only a success model but a model that is being replicated within the Eastern Africa region countries

“The timing of the launch of this report ‘Education for All End Decade assessment (2001-20100’ would not have come at a better time and I am happy to note that this is happening when the sector is carrying out education reforms to align itself to the vision 2030 and the constitution 2010. Articles 53, 54, 55 , 56, 57 and 59 of the constitution have provisions on children’s rights to free and compulsory basic education including quality services . no doubt that this report we are launching today is going to be a very important reference document in the education sector and will help address significant issues underscored in the vision 2030 and the constitution 2010 and challenges facing the education sector  in the context of globalization.” Says Hon. Kilonzo.Hon Kilonzo also points out that the report confirms that despite the milestone made by the Ministry, there still remain challenges that may slow down the progress in attaining the EFA goals by 2015. “the challenges include comprehensive data to measure progress , the HIV/AIDS pandemic causing unprecedented strain on education resources and issues of security and long distance to school.” Notes Kilonzo.

In a statement, Hon Margaret Kamar notes that, At this juncture, I would like to reaffirm my Ministry’s commitment to the objective of realizing EFA. I believe that our contributions shall argument and accelerate the achievement of EFA. In line with our mandate my Ministry’s contribution to Education for all will be through the provision of appropriate and life long skills to the Kenyan Youth for sustainable development. Towards this end, and appropriate TIVET curriculum is in place and necessary financial and technical support is being extended to TIVET institutions. I wish to state that the development of TIVET is fundamental in Kenya’s efforts to rid herself of poverty, thus promoting self-worth of the people. TIVET is an essential component of education as it provides skills development for young people and adults. As such, it is provided as part of EFA goal Three. Further, Vision 2030 places great emphasis on science, technology and innovation in general and TIVET in particular as the vehicle for socio-economic and technological transformation in the country. In the recent past, enrolments in TIVET institutions have increased considerably following the introduction of Free Primary and free Day Secondary education.

Achim Steiner, Caroline Spellman Comments on Tour of Olympic Park and Thames

By Eric Akasa
 

 Many of London 2012’s sustainability measures were given the thumbs up by UN Under-Secretary General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner as he toured final preparations for the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games last Thursday.

“Every Olympic Games represents unique challenges and opportunities in terms of raising the bar of the third pillar of Olympism—namely the environment—and London is no exception,” Steiner said during a visit to the Olympic Park on the eve of the grand opening.

“This body of ‘lessons learnt’, dating back to UNEP’s cooperation with the International Olympic Committee in the mid-1990s, is the blueprint and guide to each successive host city and, increasingly, other organizers of mass spectator events from the FIFA World Cup to sports such as motorcycle racing,” notes Mr. Steiner as he joined Caroline Spellman, the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on a walk around the Olympic site.

In its pre-Games sustainability report, the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) said it had met the vast majority of its targets, implementing measures that deliver the most sustainable games yet, such as: the Olympic park was created on once-contaminated industrial land, and provides both new wildlife habitats and significant flood alleviation ,the most-sustainable and lightest Olympic and Paralympic stadium in history has been completed on time, with old gas pipes used in much of its construction ,London 2012 is the first Olympic and Paralympic Games to measure its carbon footprint over the entire project term ,London 2012 is the first Olympic and Paralympic Games to commit to a Zero Waste to landfill target, reusing or recycling over 98 per cent of waste in the demolition phase, and 99 per cent in construction of the Olympic Park ,London 2012 has pledged to deliver a public transport games, targeting one million extra walking and cycling journeys in London every day of the games and ,London 2012 is also utilizing a new sustainability assessment guide developed by the Global Reporting Initiative, which was co-founded by UNEP.

“London’s cleanup of an old industrial site; the restoration of flows and habitat on the River Lea; the greening of supply chains; the low energy linked with the design and construction of the stadium including utilizing old gas pipe’s for the facility’s Olympic ring; and the use of temporary structures to reduce emissions are among the actions that can assist in inspiring the organizers of the Rio 2016 games and beyond,” Mr. Steiner observes.

Ms. Spelman said sustainability had always been at the heart of the bid to host the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, and called the London 2012 event “the greenest games ever”.

 “We are committed to building a future for everyone where the natural environment is not just protected, but valued as a national asset,” she said. “We are delighted to have set new standards in sustainable development, and to showcase the expertise and ingenuity of British companies in delivering a green Olympics so warmly welcomed by Mr. Steiner.”

UNEP has a longstanding collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the greening of the Games that spans Athens 2004, Torino 2006, Beijing 2008 and Vancouver 2010.

UNEP has also provided a raft of recommendations to the Organizing Committee of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games to provide guidance on the integration of environmental considerations in the preparation and staging of the games and has been invited to assist Rio 2016 in its preparations.
 

After touring the London 2012 site, Mr. Steiner travelled to The Thames Barrier for a briefing on how the barrier is defending the games and Londoners from storm surges, flooding and other extreme weather events.

As of May 2012, the Thames Barrier had been raised 119 times since it became operational in 1982 (76 were to protect against tidal flooding and 43 were to alleviate fluvial flooding).

Closures of the barrier have increased through the decades, with just over two-thirds coming since 2000. It was closed four times in the 1980s, 35 times in the 1990s, and 80 times since 2000.

Environment Agency officials managing the barrier briefed Mr. Steiner on future challenges linked with climate change.

The agency estimates that the Thames Barrier will have to close more frequently to prevent overtopping of flood de-fences upstream, which carries increased risk of the barrier failing.

The current recommendation of the Thames Estuary 2100 project is to set 50 as the maximum number of times the barrier should close each year to reduce the chances of mechanical failure. This is a key constraint in the Thames tidal defense system and reaching this figure would force the agency to improve other tidal defense systems.

The Thames Barrier, with some modification, could continue to provide protection to London through this century (based on current climate guidance). However, it may prove more cost effective to build.

Startimes media brings Digital Pay TV solutions to the Kenyan Market

From left StarTimes Chairman- Mr. Pang Xin Xing, Chinese Ambassador- Mr. Liu Guang Yuan, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, Prime Minister and Hon. Samuel Poghisio, Minister Information for Information and communication during the launch.

By Eric Akasa

StarTimes Media, a digital Pay TV company has officially launched its services in Kenya, following successful signal testing for the last one month. StarTiMes Media, has a global subscription base of over 7 million viewers in china and Africa, the media will broadcast on digital platform, with the signal being provided by Pan African Networks.

The luncheon ceremony was graced by The Right Hon. Prime Minister Raila Odinga who congratulated StarTimes Media for investing in the country saying that its entry will help grow the broadcasting industry.

“The entry of StarTimes into this market will serve as a boost to the broadcasting industry, which the government recently reorganized to separate signal distributors from content providers This measure will significantly revolutionize the industry in our country and certainly expand employment opportunities for all creative and versatile content developers. I am happy to note that StarTimes is broadcasting on digital platform, which the government advocates and is currently educating the public on.” says Hon Raila Odinga.

The Prime Minister also said that the country’s dedicated efforts to meet the global 2015 Digital switchover deadline is real, and it is with the efforts of corporate like StarTimes that will help the country realize this goal. “Indeed thereby is no doubt that with digital media, the industry has at once been exploded. The entry of Startimes will itself boost the potential to fully exploit and benefit from this market.” Adds Hon. Odinga

StarTimes Media launched its operation globally in 1988, and expanded to Africa in 2008, Rwanda being its first project. Today, StarTimes is in over seven countries across Africa including Guinea, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Central Africa and now Kenya. Other projects have been completed and put into trial operation.

The prime minister said that Kenya currently experiences relatively low Television penetration “Indeed it is telling that 70 per cent of all television homes in Europe receive digital television while less than 10 of cent of television homes in Africa have access to digital television.” Notes Odinga.

“Our entry into this market is informed by research done over a period of two years, which showed the existence of gap in the broadcasting industry, where the penetration of Pay TV is very low and what is currently available is out of reach for majority of the Kenyans. The research also showed that there is opportunity for the development of Digital broadcasting which is barely available in this market,” observes StarTimes Chairman Mr. Pang.

The company will offer home entertainment and portable TV solutions including car TV and mobile TV guaranteeing uninterrupted, crystal clear audio and visual reception thereby guaranteeing content at the comfort of consumers home as well as on the move.

Banking on a strong signal and continued network expansion in the country, StarTimes will provide a competitive edge in the pay TV market as the company targets the mass market with the most affordable decoder and subscription service in the country today.

For just Ksh.2,999, customers will acquire Communication Commission of Kenya approved DVB-T2 technology decoders that are user friendly given that they are plug and play thereby eliminating the hustle of having to install a satellite dish.

In addition, StarTimes has initiated an exercise to replace any StarTimes DVB-T1 decoder bought before May 2012 with the new approved StarTimes DVB – T2 decoder at no extra cost. The customer will only be required to pay subscription thereby ensuring uninterrupted television service.

StarTimes currently boasts of the most affordable subscription service in the market. From as low as Ksh.499 for the basic package, Kenyans will be in a position to enjoy different genres of programming ranging from sports, documentaries, music, movies, kids shows and religious channels not to mention the most comprehensive inclusion of the free to air channels currently available on analogue in Kenya which will now be available on digital in all the StarTimes packages.

“More investor s in the broadcasting sector present a positive outlook for the broadcasting industry in the near future, with more players; there will be increased demand for content which will in turn present opportunities to exploit talents and earn a living thorough production and related engagements”. Observes Hon.  Samuel Pogisio minister information and communication.

StarTimes will be borrowing from its rich history and success in other African markets to further present value for money for its customers by enabling them to watch what they want.

According to Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, the Chinese government has been a friend of Africa for a long time, “The president of China last week announced renewed commitment to help African countries including Kenya where countries will access loans for infrastructure development. This announcement is an indication that China and Africa relationship is bound to grow.” He says.

The HUAWEI Honor and HUAWEI Media Pad launched in Kenya

By Eric Akasa

Huawei, leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, has launched two high end smart devices into the Kenyan market. The HUAWEI Honor Smartphone and the HUAWEI Media Pad tablet.

Retailing at Kshs 31,999 the HUAWEI Honor is not only easy on the eye but also offers excellent features. Operating on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, this touch screen smart phone offers better power management offering up to 650 hours standby time, 9 hours talk time and has a power saving model that allows for 35% more power saving. This means customers can enjoy up 8 hours web surfing or up to 6 hours non-stop gaming.

It measures 61.5mm wide, 122mm in length, 10.9mm thick with a glossy black finish in a sleek body. It has a 4.0 inch LCD touch screen with 4 touch-sensitive controls at the bottom, supports 2G and 3G networks and is Wi-Fi and GPRS enabled. The high definition 8MP camera has a rear-facing camera for crisp, quality pictures and a 0.3MP front-facing camera which allows for video chatting.

Speaking at the launch, Huawei Kenya Office CEO Mr. Wind Li said that Huawei was proud to be introducing these devices into the Kenyan market. "Kenya is now amongst the most technologically advanced African markets and we have seen an uptake in smart phone usage in the country. With HUAWEI Honor, we aim to increase the variety of choice Kenyans can make in the smart phone category based on the user experience that they want."

The Huawei Honor offers fully integrated social networking with quick access to Facebook & Twitter as well as access to Android Play store where the user can download almost 400,000 App's that are available. Its other features include MP3, MP4, java, fm radio and e-mail support.

On the home device front, the HUAWEI MediaPad Tablet will retail at Kshs 34,999 and is a sleek, slim, yet compact device weighing in at 390g and measuring 190mmx124mmx10.5mm. A first from Huawei Technologies in the Kenyan market, the Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet is a heavy weight performer offering up to 6 plus hours of user time, an attractive 7 inch high definition LCD multi touch screen, 1.3 MP fixed focus camera and a rear-facing 5MP auto-focus HD camera.
Its 1.2 GHz dual core and High Speed Packet Access – plus (HSPA+) will offer users faster processing and downloads which comes with 8 Gigs of Memory onboard as well as a memory card slot which can be extended up to 32 GB with a micro SD (sold separately).

"Kenyan people are now aware of technology and have responded very well to our IDEOS Smartphones. Being the first home device to be launched in the Kenyan market, we are confident that its uptake will lead to the introduction of many more home device solutions", said Mr. Wind Li. "We are therefore spreading our wings to target the home device market that is growing," he added.

Despite competition, Huawei Devices have cut a unique niche in the mobile device market as a result of favorable pricing. This has been evident in the sale of 210,000 IDEOS U8150; a milestone that led to the launch of IDEOS Ascend Y100 now retailing at Kshs 8,499, two weeks ago. The IDEOS Ascend Y100 offers a better User Interface and battery life and is targeted at first time smart phone users and those who yearn for a smart phone experience at an affordable price.

The two devices will be retailing at Safaricom retail stores and come with a massive 1.5 Gig's of Data pre-bundled at no extra cost.