Author: Kaluka wanjala

O-CITY, the automated fare collection provider by BPC, has been accelerating cashless fare collection across Kenya by providing a widely popular service, now digitising payments across over 10,000 Matatu buses. This represents a tenfold increase in Matatu buses using the service since its pilot only a couple of years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dubbed ‘Lipafare’, the O-CITY pilot, designed to lessen reliance on physical cash at the height of the pandemic, was launched with transport savings and credit specialists, NikoDigi, and Kenyan payments firm, Tracom. Spearheading digital transformation in transportation across the region, the automated fare collection platform created by O-CITY leverages the popular M-Pesa…

A few days back, HMD Global unveiled 4 new Nokia devices that it plans to launch in Kenya next quarter (Q4 2022). We have not seen much from Nokia in Kenya this year as much as we have seen the other phone manufacturers.  The company hopes to change that soon with the four devices it unveiled this week. These are the Nokia X30 5G, Nokia G60 5G, Nokia C31 and the Nokia T21.  With the unveiling of these 4 devices, HMD Global also introduced Circular, a revolutionary new subscription service with sustainability at its core.In a statement, the company said,…

If you are a prepay customer using Safaricom, you have  had an easier option when it comes to sharing (Sambaza) data with other customers. For Safaricom Postpay subscribers, this has not been possible. That has not been ideal considering that some Postpay customers get so much data that they do not end up using by the end of the month. This data does not roll over so at the start of a new month, they can’t continue using it.  With some data going to waste, it makes sense for Safaricom to have an option for postpay customers to share data…

Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones are now available to pre-order in Kenya. The two phones, the Samsung Galaxy Flip 4 and Galaxy Fold 4, will be available for Ksh 142,000 and Ksh 256,000 respectively.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtqc8c8beDE You can learn more on how you can pre-order and what you get here.  The pre order offers include; Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with Phone Cover, S-Pen, Samsung Care Plus, 24-month Warranty.  Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes with Clear Slim Phone Cover, Samsung Care Plus, 24-month Warranty. “Samsung Galaxy foldables are built on the foundation of our openness philosophy, enabling new possibilities with complete customisation…

A couple of days back, the Kenyan government unveiled the new digital number plates that they say will help stop double registration and tame unscrupulous car importers. These new number plates feature inbuilt security aspects that the government says will make it easier to trace ownership of cars by law enforcement agencies.  The cost of replacing the number plates is Ksh 3,000 and the government has given motorists 18 months to comply. Failure to do so will attract a fine of ksh 20,000 or a jail term of 6 months..  It is not surprising that the government is coming up…

Microsoft has named veteran and Africa expert Kunle Awosika as the new Managing Director of the Africa Transformation Office (ATO), its subsidiary charged with driving digital transformation initiatives across the continent. Kunle succeeds Wael Elkabbany, who has been appointed head of Microsoft’s Africa Regional Cluster. Kunle has over 22 years of experience working in multiple countries across the continent and has a deep understanding and passion for Africa’s growth. He has held several positions at Microsoft, including director of Enterprise Business and Country Manager Microsoft Kenya, as well as director of Small and Medium Corporates, Emerging Markets. He was also…

Kenya Power has announced what is seen as backward progress that limits the purchase of tokens to the 888880 M-Pesa Paybill number. This paybill number has always been there but over the years a number of financial apps have offered alternative ways to buy Tokens. I have been using Tingg which has really worked well for me. It is faster and more reliable to me compared to what Kenya Power is suggesting we use. There are a ton of other alternatives which most people will swear by. Kenya Power has not given any good reason for this change and has…

The Kenyan Government has today unveiled the new digital number plates. The new plates were launched by Interior CS Fred Matiang’I. Besides the new font used on these number plates, they also feature inbuilt security aspects that the government says will make it easier to trace ownership of cars by law enforcement agencies. The government had earlier this year announced that these new plates would be unveiled to comply with the amended Traffic Act of 2016. The new plates will feature a QR code, hologram, NTSA serial number (front diff from back plate) and Kenyan flag. Some of the inbuilt…

LG Electronics has unveiled its first curved 45-inch OLED display (model 45GR95QE) with a 240Hz refresh rate designed for immersive gaming experiences, while offering excellent visual performance, speed and features serious gamers demand. Launched at the IFA 2022 in Berlin Germany, the new model ramps up the realism and responsiveness, offering excellent picture quality as well as unrivaled speed. Also, to be showcased in the same exhibition is the UltraFine Display Ergo AI (model 32UQ890), which delivers a truly customizable setup for superior user comfort at home or at the office. Commenting on the launch, senior vice president and head…

Safaricom Ethiopia has today announced that it has started large-scale customer pilot of its network. The company is conducting the initial tests in Dire Dawa, a city in Eastern Ethiopia.  According to the company, “This is part of its phased city-by-city regional network roll-out and rigorous service tests building towards the national launch. Through these pilot tests, those in Dire Dawa will be able to enjoy 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity. They also have the opportunity to buy SIM cards and choose their preferred numbers on Safaricom Ethiopia’s 07 prefix. The SIM cards are available in Safaricom Ethiopia branded shops…