Are the Infinix Phones Sold in Kenya Good Quality?

One of the most popular smart-phone brands in Kenya is Infinix. Infinix phones are known to be reasonably priced, while offering most of the features that the average smart-phone user in Kenya would be interested in.

If you are venturing out to buy an Infinix phone in Kenya, you will probably have several questions bugging your mind. One of those is the question as to whether or not the Infinix phones available in Kenya are of good quality. This is understandable, because before you sink your hard-earned cash into the purchase of an Infinix phone – whether it is an Infinix Note 4 phone, an Infinix Hot 9, an Infinix S5 or anything else along those lines -- you will want to know whether or not it is a good quality product.

It is our view that, indeed, the Infinix phones on sale in Kenya are of good quality: as long as what you buy is an original Infinix phone, from a reputable vendor. We assert that the Infinix phones on sale in Kenya are generally of high quality because of three reasons:

Firstly, to the extend that people keep on buying and re-buying Infinix smart-phones in Kenya, it shows that they are good quality phones. So you find someone who bought an Infinix phone, lost it, and then went right back to buy yet another Infinix phone. What can you conclude from this sequence of events? Surely, to the extent that the individual in question saw it fit to buy another Infinix phone, it would mean that the first phone lived up to his or her expectations – hence the decision to buy another one. This situation (of people re-buying Infinix phones) replays so many times, and the only conclusion we can draw from it is that the people who buy the Infinix phones get satisfied with the phones’ quality. So they vote with their money, by re-buying the Infinix phones.

Secondly, inasmuch as the Infinix smart-phones in Kenya keep on getting good reviews from mobile phone technicians, it shows that they are decent quality phones. The phone technicians – those ‘Fundi wa Simu’ guys usually have the most reliable information on which phones are good and which phones are not good. To the extent that the Infinix phone brand gets a good grade from these technicians, then we can only conclude that it is a decent phone, at least from a functional point of view. If Infinix had major quality issues, the phone technicians would be inclined to dissuade people from buying them and in just a short while, the Infinix brand would go out of market. But given that Infinix keeps on getting endorsements from the technicians (and they have nothing to gain personally by endorsing it), then we can only conclude that Infinix is  indeed a smart-phone worth buying: at least from a quality point of view.

Thirdly, we see that the Infinix phones in Kenya keep on getting good reviews online, and surely, that can only be taken to mean that they are of decent quality. You know how brutally honest people tend to be online. By all means, if there were major quality issues with Infinix phones, those would already have been raised online. But to the extent that people who buy the Infinix phones that are offered for sale in Kenya don’t raise quality complaints about them, then we can only take it to mean one thing. That the Kenyan Infinixsmart-phones have fully or at least substantially met those people’s quality expectations, hence no complaints.

How to Successfully Apply for KEMSA Tenders Online

The procedure you need to follow, while applying for a KEMSA tender online is quite simple and straightforward.

The first step is to go to the KEMSA website. That website can be reached at kemsa.co.ke. So you enter that address into the right part of your browser (either into the search engine or into the address bar near the top) in order to access it.

The second step [when, you get to the KEMSA website at kemsa.co.ke], is to check at the top and you will see a menu with things like ‘Home’, ‘About Us’, ‘Core Business’, ‘Info Hub’, ‘E-Services’, ‘Press Room’ and ‘Contacts’. From that menu, you run your mouse over ‘Core Business’, where further drop-down options like ‘Procurement’, ‘Warehousing’, ‘Distribution’, ‘Supply Chain Services’ and ‘Sales and Marketing’ will appear. From those, you run your mouse over ‘Procurement’, then from the further options that appear when you do so, you click on the ‘Tender Notices’ link.

On the page that you are taken to (once you click on the ‘Tender Notices’ link), you will need to browse through the various open KEMSA tenders, until you find the one that you set out in search of/or until you find one that is attractive to you. Or until you find a KEMSA tender that you feel qualified for. Then click on the link for it under the ‘Tender Document, Addendum and Clarifications’ section. Follow the instructions within the tender document, to complete the KEMSA tender application online.

The most important thing is for you to ensure that the KEMSA tender you bid for is one that you are actually qualified to deliver on. For most of these tenders, you will be subjected to financial and technical capacity evaluation, and if you fall short, you won’t win the tender. Your credibility could also be hurt in the process. So it is important for you to assess your company carefully, and ensure that the KEMSA tender you are bidding for is one that you are well qualified for.

It helps if you can network with other folks who work as KEMSA suppliers (if you can get them to accept meeting with you), perhaps also with KEMSA procurement people, for you to understand how the KEMSA procurement system actually works. You can also get to learn from those people what you really need to do, to increase your chances of winning the KEMSA tenders. But it is important for you to ensure that you are networking/dealing with straightforward people, less you get scammed in the name of being helped with Kemsa tender winning issues.

After bidding for the KEMSA tender, you will need to wait for the tender evaluation, which is where you will get to know whether or not you actually won the KEMSA tender you applied for. If you didn’t win, you can try to understand why – so that you can do better the next time. If you won, you need to hit the ground running and supply whatever you bade for in a timely manner: knowing just how sensitive and important the supplies that KEMSA orders for are, to Kenyans' wellbeing.

How Much is the Likoni Ferry Price?

Well, the question on how much the Likoni ferry price is needs to be clarified: do you want to know the Likoni Ferry charges (which people pay in order to cross) or do you want to know how much the Likoni Ferry vessels cost?

If you want to know how much the Likoni Ferry charges are, here is the answer: Likoni Ferry charges depend on the type of vehicle you are trying to cross with. Motorcycles and small cars using the Likoni Ferry channel are charged much lower amounts of money than, say, buses and heavy trucks. Thus whereas a small car may be able to cross the Likoni ferry channel for as little as Kenya Shillings 150 [the actual figures are updated from time to time], a heavy commercial truck using the same vessel could end up paying more than 1,000 Kenya shillings to cross the channel. They actually have some sort of weighbridge, and what a vehicle is charged to use the channel depends on, among other factors, its total weight (the vehicle’s own weight as well as the payload in it).  The good part of the deal is that pedestrians/people walking on foot are not charged anything for using the Likoni Ferry channel. They get to use the Likoni Ferry for free. At the time of writing this article, there were also advanced works on the Likoni floating bridge at Liwatoni – which was designed to ease congestion on the Likoni Ferries. But it would seem that the Likoni floating bridge is designed for pedestrians and perhaps cyclists alone, meaning that motorists would still need to continue using the Likoni Ferry for the time being: until the Mombasa Gate bridge in Likoni is completed, possibly later in the decade.

If what you want to know is the actual costs of the Likoni Ferry vessels, then the answer would depend on which specific vessel you are making reference to. You have to understand that there are several vessels operating on the Likoni channel, including MV Safari, MV Jambo, MV Kwale, MV Likoni, MV Nyayo and MV Harambee. Vessels like MV Safari and MV Jambo were bought quite recently – during the UhuRuto era -- from Turkey, at a cost running into 2 billions plus (that is, more than US$ 20m dollars). So those are sound vessels, as long as they are taken good care of. For sure, their acquisition had been controversial, and their delivery is said to have been somewhat delayed due to the court cases that were ultimately resolved. But they are modern and quite well designed vessels. The MV Kwale and MV Likoni vessels came during the Mwai Kibaki era, and were bought at considerably lower prices. They have so far served the people using the Likoni channel quite well, their modest sizes notwithstanding. Then there are the MV Nyayo and MV Harambee Likoni vessels – which, even from their names you can tell – came during the Daniel arap Moi era. They are quite massive vessels, but they are said to be ageing. Previously, there was a vessel known as MV Mvita and another one known as MV Pwani, probably from the Jommo Kenyatta era, but those seem to have been retired.

Senator Keg Lager vs Senator Keg Dark Stout: An Objective Comparison

Senator Keg, which is produced by East Africa Breweries is, without doubt, Kenya’s most popular low-end beer. It comes in 2 varieties: the Senator Keg Lager and the Senator Keg Stout. Most bars either serve the lager or the dark stout. But there are also a few establishments where you may find both varieties in offer. In such cases, you could easily end up having to choose one over the other, necessitating a comparison. Here, we look at some of the metrics on the basis of which these two varieties of Senator Keg may be objectively compared:

Taste

As anyone who has tasted both Senator Keg Lager and Senator Keg Stout will attest, the Senator Keg Dark stout tends to be considerably bitterer than the Senator Keg Lager. Therefore if you prefer bitterer stuff, you would be better off going with the Senator Keg Dark Stout. Conversely, if you don’t like bitter drinks, it would be best for you to stick with Senator Keg Lager -- which has a milder taste.

Alcohol Content

The metallic containers in which the Senator Keg drink comes usually have seals: red ones for the Senator Keg Lager, and black ones for the Senator Keg dark stout. It is on these seals that the respective drinks’ alcohol levels are indicated. Reading them, you come to see that Senator KegLager has an alcohol level of 5.8%. On the other hand, Senator Keg Dark Stout has an alcohol level of 7.5%. Therefore without any doubt, the Senator Keg Dark Stout is the more potent drink. The inference is this: if you want something  that will make you high faster, go for the Senator Keg Dark Stout. But if you prefer something less potent, go for Senator Keg Lager.

Cost

In most outlets where these drinks are sold (which really means all low-end bars in Kenya), Senator Keg Lager typically retails at 60 shillings for the big 500 ml cup. On the other hand, Senator Keg Dark Stout retails for 70 shillings for the same quantity. Therefore if cost is your primary consideration, then the drink to go for is Senator Keg Lager. But do note that whereas the Senator Keg Dark Stout is costlier, it is also more potent -- as we observed earlier.

Availability

As noted earlier, most vendors tend to stock either the Senator Keg Lager or the stout. In the Nairobi market, you tend to find that the Senator Keg Lager is more widely available. And in the Mombasa market, you tend to find the Senator Keg Dark Stout being more easily available.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the areas where Senator Keg Dark Stout beats Senator Keg lager are those of bitterness and alcohol content. On the other hand, the one area where Senator Keg Lager beats the Senator Keg Dark Stout is that of cost (as the lager is cheaper). So these are some of the considerations you may need to make while comparing these two drinks that are offered by East African Breweries.

How Much Does a Nurse Earn in Kenya?

The amount of money that a nurse earns in Kenya depends on several factors. First it depends on where exactly the Kenyan nurse is employed. A nurse working in a government hospital is likely to earn more than a nurse working in a low-end/estate-based private clinic. On the other hand, a nurse working in a high-end private hospital – you know, the likes of Aga Khan and Nairobi Hospital – could probably end up earning more than a nurse working in the government system... So it depends on where exactly the nurse is working. Secondly, a nurse’s earnings are likely to depend on the qualifications he or she holds. Thus all other factors being constant, a nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing is likely to earn more than a nurse who only has a Diploma in Nursing from KMTC. On the other hand, a specialist nurse is likely to earn more than a generalist nurse. This is how you may find nurses who only have diplomas ending up earning more than those with degrees: if the diploma nurses are specialized. Thus a theater nurse or an ICU nurse or a psychiatric nurse is likely to earn more than a general ward nurse… This is also where the question of experience comes into the picture, with highly experienced nurses having a tendency to earn more than newly minted nurses. You surely don’t expect a nurse who has been working in the wards from the early 90s to earn exactly the same as a newly minted nurse from KMTC, who is still learning the ropes… do you?

In terms of actual figures, the range is very broad: you have individuals earning as little as 15,000 Kenya shillings while working as nurses in Kenya, and you have, on the other end of the scale, individuals who earn as much as 150,000 Kenya shillings and even more, while working as nurses. If you are looking for a nursing position at, say, the local low-end estate-based private clinic, you would probably be looking to earn as little as 15,000, perhaps even as little as 10,000 because these clinics generate very modest income for the owners. And the owners tend to be hardnosed entrepreneurs, with a tendency to drive very hard bargains. On the other hand, if you have what it takes to work as an ICU nurse at one of the top private hospitals, you could be looking at something in the 100,000 to 200,000 shillings range. But then again, you have to understand that in the latter case, you would be expected to handle very complex procedures in that capacity.

As a Kenyan nurse, you can increase your earnings by, first, trying to advance your skills. So if you are just a generalist registered nurse, you try to advance to the level of a specialist nurse in things like ICU nursing, theater/peri-operative nursing, pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing… and so on. It really goes a long way. Another strategy is to just hang on the Nightingale profession: as nurses’ earnings tend to go up with experience. Yet another strategy is that of continually being on the lookout for greener pastures – like for instance, if you started out working as a nurse in a low-end estate-based private clinic, you try to get yourself into the government nursing system. Or if you are a nurse in the government nursing system, you try to see if you can get yourself one of those lucrative nursing positions in the top-end private hospitals… It is about marketing your skills in the best way possible.

How Long is KDF Cadet Training?

The period of time you will need to spend in training, after joining the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) as an Officer Cadet will depend on one thing. It will depend on whether you will be entering as a General Service Office cadet or as a Specialist cadet. If you are joining the KDF as a specialist cadet, then the period of training would be relatively brief – six or so months. But if you are joining the KDF as a General Service Officer cadet, the period of training would be somewhat longer – about three years – culminating in graduation with a Bachelor of Science (Military Science) degree and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the KDF.

For you to join KDF as a specialist cadet (and thus only go through the brief [6 or so months] training program), you would need to be a qualified expert in one of the required fields. So it would mean that you already have a degree in something like medicine, law, education, religion/theology, surveying, GIS, engineering and so on. In that case, the only thing lacking in you, to make you a proper soldier, would be the rigorous military training – and this is the aspect you would be spending six or so months on.

On the other hand, if you are joining KDF as a General Service Office cadet – which you can do even if you just have solid good KCSE grades – you would have to undergo much deeper military training. This is because as a General Service Officer cadet, you would be expected, upon graduation, to take up key operational roles in the Kenyan military: hence the need for deeper and longer military training. As mentioned earlier, within that period of three years, you would be undergoing both highly advanced military training at the Kenya Military Academy in Lanet as well as a Bachelor of Science (Military Science and Security Studies) degree program at a university. Upon graduation, you would be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the KDF, and seconded to one of the services/units -- where you would probably be taken through further specialized training within the field you are deployed to.

The good thing about the KDF cadet training program is that it gives you very good life skills, which are likely to serve you well for very many years to come. And you also get to earn something, while undergoing KDF cadet training. And in spite of the long and rigorous training, you are almost assured that upon completing it, you would go right up to the top echelons of the Kenya Defense Forces, starting out as a subaltern/second-lieutenant, which is quite an honor. But of course, for all this to come true, you first need to be sure that you actually meet the KDF recruitment requirements. Nowadays, competition for KDF cadetships is very fierce, as there are very many people who meet the basic requirements for KDF cadet recruitment and who are also deeply interested. So the first hurdle for you to cross is that of actually getting recruited into the KDF cadetship program. Then you can start thinking of how long the KDF cadet training takes and whether KDF cadets are paid during training... among other considerations of that nature.

Can You Get a KCB Mpesa Loan After CBR Listing?

Opinion on whether or not it is possible to get a KCB Mpesa loan after CRB listing is conflicted. There are those who say that it is possible for you to get a KCB Mpesa loan even after being listed at CRB. Then there are those who say that it is impossible for you to get a KCB Mpesa loan after being listed at Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) as a defaulter. Going by personal experience, I know that there was indeed a time when KCB seemed to have stopped giving KCB MPesa loans to CRB-listed individuals. But that seems to have changed at some point, and nowadays, it seems as if it is possible for you to get a KCB Mpesa loan, even if you are listed at CRB. But whether you are CRB-listed or not, if you take a KCB Mpesa loan, and fail to pay it on time, then yes, that could make it impossible for you to get a KCB Mpesa loan in the future. But if you have been taking KCB Mpesa loans and repaying them in a timely manner consistently, you could still keep on qualifying for them, in spite of being listed on CRB.

Many lenders seem to have come to realize that CRB listings are not very good indicators of creditworthiness. You find people who were listed at CRB because of unavoidable circumstances – including HELB CRB listings -- yet they are otherwise very creditworthy individuals. On the other hand, you find individuals who are not listed at CRB, but are otherwise very uncreditworthy individuals. Thus, CRB listing may not be a determinant of whether or not one is lent: though it may determine how much money an individual can be lent and, for certain other types of loans, it can also determine the applicable interest rates…

So if you are a CRB listed individual, and you wish to see whether or not you are qualified for KCB M-Pesa loan, the best thing would be for you to simply consider applying for it. You have very little to lose by just trying. If they can give you the loan, they will. If they can’t give you the loan, they will inform you so. Either way, you will know if you are qualified. The only way for you to know if, for sure, you qualify for KCB Mpesa loan or not in spite of your CRB listing is to try applying for the loan. Not reading opinions online or asking at your localmuguka base: where folks may not be very highly informed. Again, even if you have previously applied for KCB M-Pesa loan unsuccessfully, you can try again, as the terms may have changed making you qualify for KCB M-Pesa loans that you previously weren't qualified for.

So you just take your phone, go to the SIM toolkit, select ‘Savings and Loans’, then select ‘KCB Mpesa’. On KCB Mpesa loan, select ‘Loans’ then specify that you wish to apply for a loan, and enter loan amount. If KCB is willing to give you the KCB Mpesa loan in spite of your CRB listing, the amount will be credited into your KCB Mpesa account almost immediately. Conversely, if KCB is unable to give you the KCB Mpesa loan on account of your CRB listing (or because of some other issue), you would be advised accordingly. Just ensure that you try out all this while you still have some money. The worst thing you can do is unsuccessfully apply for a KCB M-Mpesa loan, yet you were solely depending on getting the loan money, and you have nothing else. In that sort of scenario, if the KCB M-Pesa loan application is declined, you find yourself in a very desperate situation. 

How to Apply for a Kenya Power Token Meter

To apply for a Kenya Power token meter, all you need to do is complete the ‘New Supply Application’ form, then when you get to the ‘Preferred Service’ section of the form, ensure that you click on/select ‘Prepayment Electricity’.

So you start by going to the Kenya Power website, which is to be found at kplc.co.ke. It is just a matter of entering that address, either into your search engine or, better still, into the address bar of your browsing application (the address bar is usually be found near the top of the browser).

Once you get to the Kenya Power website, on its homepage, you will see somewhere written ‘Self Service Portal’. So what you are supposed to do is click on the ‘Apply Here’ link within that section.

On the next screen, click on the link that says ‘New Supply Application’. [This procedure is for folks who are applying for Kenya Power supply for the first time, and wish to get it in the form of a token meter. A different procedure would apply if you already are a Kenya Power customer, with a traditional postpaid meter, which you wish to change into tokens/prepaid meter]. So you click on the 'New Supply Application'.

Fill in the form in the page that you are taken to, after having specified that you are interested in a ‘New Supply Application’. Just enter all the required details, which will include your name, ID number, date of birth, gender, contact details, where you want the supply and so on. Towards the very bottom end of the Kenya Power supply application form, you will find a ‘Supply Application Data’ section. Within that section, you first specify whether what you wish to apply for is a domestic Kenya Power meter, big industrial Kenya Power meter, commercial industrial Kenya Power meter, small non-domestic Kenya Power meter, Street Lighting Kenya Power meter… and so on. Then further, down, you find a ‘Preferred Service’ section – and this is where you get to specify that you wish to get a Kenya Power token meter, and not the traditional Kenya Power postpaid meter. So you click on the down arrow that is next to where it says ‘Preferred Service’, then select ‘Prepayment Electricity’. Mark you, if you click on ‘Postpayment Electricity’, what you will end up getting is the old-style Kenya Power postpaid meter – yet what you wanted is Kenya Power token meter.

There is also the option of visiting a Kenya Power office near you, and applying for a Kenya Power token meter from there. So if the idea of applying for a Kenya Power token meter online seems to be too daunting for you, you also have that option of visiting the local Kenya Power office and doing it from there. That may also give you a chance to chat with the Kenya Power installation staff, who would be in a position to give you estimates on how much exactly you would need to pay for the Kenya Power connection and how long it would take before you can get the Kenya Power token meter in place. If you opted for online application for the Kenya Power prepaid meter, you may perhaps need to call the Kenya Power customer service number and talk to the KPLC customer service people about the applicable costs as well as the amount of time you have to wait for your Kenya Power prepaid meteer to be installed.

After completing the Kenya Power token meter application, you will need to wait for a short while (nowadays it doesn’t usually take too long) for the meter to be installed in order to complete the connection. The most important thing is for you to ensure that you pay the required fees to Kenya Power. Also be sure to make the premises where the Kenya Power prepaid meter is to be installed (to the Kenya Power people) on the appointed day, so that everything can go smoothly.

How to Apply for a Cooperative Bank of Kenya Loan Using Your Mobile Phone

The procedure to apply for a cooperative bank of Kenya loan using your mobile phone is fairly straightforward.

First, you need to dial *667# on your phone. This should take you to the Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile banking USSD platform. There, you will be required to enter your PIN, before proceeding.

Once you are on the Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile banking USSD platform, you need to browse through the menu, and select the ‘Loans’ option.

Upon getting to the loans section of Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile banking USSD platform, you need to specify that you wish to apply for a loan. (So you will find options like the one for paying loan, one for checking loan balance e.t.c). Specify that you wish to apply/request for a m-coop cash loan.

You will then be required to specify the Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile loan amount you wish to apply for. You may also be required to specify the repayment period you wish to work with. It may be important for you to first check your loan limit (the maximum amount you can borrow, for the M-Coop Cash loan), before proceeding to make the application. If you try to borrow more than you are qualified for, chances are that your Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile loan application wouldn’t go through.

So the most important thing, when it comes to applying for Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile loan is to just dial *667# on your phone, then select ‘Loans’ and enter the required details to complete the loan application.

Sometimes, I have noticed that it takes quite a few minutes between when you complete the Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile loan application and when the money actually lands in your account. There can also be instances where the money is credited to your account almost instantly, but the notification message takes a while before it gets to your mobile phone. So you may be thinking that your Coop Bank mobile loan application wasn’t successful, while in fact, it did go through and the funds may already be in your account: but only with the notification message delayed. That is why, a few minutes after completing the m-coop loan application, I usually check the account balance – to see if the loan funds have been credited, after which I can proceed to utilize them…

For all this to work, you would need to have registered for Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile banking. It is only after registering for Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile banking that you are able to use the *667# facility. In my experience, the easiest and most straightforward way to undertake that registration is to simply venture into your local Cooperative Bank of Kenya branch, go to the customer service desk, and inform the people there that you wish to register for mobile banking. They can do it for you within as few as three minutes. Another option is that of ticking, while filling in your Cooperative Bank of Kenya account opening forms, to indicate that you wish to be enrolled for Mobile Banking right from the outset.

Once you have completed the Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile phone loan application, you can proceed to withdraw the funds from an ATM machine – just the way you would withdraw any other funds from your coop bank account. You may also have the option of transferring the funds from your Cooperative Bank of Kenya account to your M-Pesa account, after which you can proceed to withdraw the funds from any M-Pesa agent.

After successfully applying for a Cooperative Bank of Kenya mobile loan, it is important for you to remember to repay it in a timely manner – in order to qualify for more loans in the future.

Where can I get Muguka seedlings?

One of the greatest challenges that people who wish to embark on muguka farming face is that of getting the muguka seedlings.

If you are looking for muguka seedlings, perhaps a good place to start would be in Mbeere and other parts of Embu county where muguka is widely cultivated. You should start your search within the urban centers  -- in Mbeere and others parts of Embu where muguka is grown -- rather than going straight to the muguka farms. You need to understand that muguka farms are sensitive areas, and being found walking around them if you are unknown or if your business is not very clear can be quite risky. But if you go to the urban centers in Mbeere and other parts of Embu where muguka is grown, and you talk to people and inform them that you are interested in getting muguka seedlings, they should be more than ready to help you. Then, with guides from the Muguka growing areas, you can go to the actual muguka farms (or to wherever they usually buy their muguka seedlings) and eventually it would be possible for you to get the muguka seedlings you need.

Besides Mbeere and other parts of Embu county, Muguka is also said to be cultivated – albeit on  a modest scale – within the Kyulu/Chyulu Hills in Ukambani region. So that is yet another place where you may find muguka seedlings -- though this would entail going to an even remoter and riskier location.

Before you embark on the search for muguka seedlings, it is important for you to ensure that wherever you are planning to start growing muguka is actually conducive to the crop. Muguka seems to be one of those crops that require a very specific type of climate and soil. So you need to ensure that wherever you are planning to start cultivating muguka is actually in a place that is conducive to muguka farming. But then again, if you are the adventurous type, you can just get muguka seedlings and try raising them anywhere to see how they will do. It could turn out that wherever you are taking them ends up producing even better quality muguka than Mbeere or Embu... who knows without trying?

If you are planning on growing muguka for sale, you would also need to think about the market. The intricacies of muguka business in Kenya are complex, with various webs of brokers whom you often have to work with. But then again, if you manage to grow good quality muguka, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find a market for it. There is of course also the complexity of government requirements, as the local authorities wherever you are planning to grow muguka may frown on the idea of you growing the tree there. You know how controversial muguka has become in various sections of the society. So there are indeed very many considerations to be made, before embarking on muguka farming or before venturing out in search of muguka seedlings. 

Is Ruto a Billionaire?

One of the most frequently asked questions about William Ruto, Kenya’s Deputy President, is as to just how wealthy he is. In this regard, you find people who specifically want to know whether William Ruto is a billionaire or not.

Getting a precise answer as to just how rich William Ruto is is not very easy. But what most people agree is that William Ruto is indeed a man of means. There is really no way you can argue that William Ruto is a poor man. What many people tend to agree is that Dr William Ruto indeed comes from humble roots, and that Hon. William Ruto was at one point in his life a poor man. But over the years, he seems to have managed to build himself to a point where he is speculated to be indeed a billionaire. Whether or not what he owns qualifies him to be termed as dollar billionaire is another big question. The common ground is that for many people who speculate on William Ruto’s wealth, there seems to be very little doubt that what he owns could probably be worth more than a billion shillings, possibly many billions. The question is as to whether it is worth more than, say, a hundred billion, in which case he would get into the league of dollar billionaires...

It is the fact that William Ruto started out as a relatively poor person, and managed – through various endeavors – to become a person of means that qualifies him to be termed as a hustler, and hence possibly a legitimate leader of the hustler nation. There indeed are many people who are attracted to him by the fact that, in a relatively short duration of time, he has managed to move from being a poor man to being a person of considerable wealth. 

Whatever you think about him, you have to agree that Dr Ruto is a considerably intelligent man, and this is likely to be one of the factors that have helped him in the journey from being a roadside chicken vendor to being a person of means, possibly a billionaire. Surely, there are many who started out with him in the roadside chicken trade who are still there (or in similar positions). It also helps that Ruto managed to get a good education, at Kerotet Primary, then at Wareng Secondary, onto Kapsabet Boys and finally at the University of Nairobi. More precisely, he managed to get himself a university education at a time when that still stood for something, and when being a university graduate (or indeed even just a university student) was capable of opening doors for you. It also helps that he got involved in politics at a time when resources were still being shared around – first through the Youth for Kanu 92 (YK92) outfit, and eventually as MP for Eldoret North and a Minister in various dockets. All these, combined with his considerable business acumen and focus, have surely helped Dr. Ruto a great deal in his journey from being a person of humble means to being a man of means, possibly a billionaire.

How to Find Secondhand Bodaboda for Sale in Kenya

As a person who is keen on setting up a bodaboda business in Kenya, you have the option of either buying a brand new bodaboda or  starting with a secondhand bodaboda. In most cases, if you can afford it, buying a brand new bodaboda would be better than buying a secondhand bodaboda. But if you have very limited funds -- which are not enough to buy a brand new motorcycle for bodaboda business in Kenya -- you would have no alternative but to go for a secondhand bodaboda initially. You can find a decent used bodaboda in Kenya for as little as 30,000 to 50,000 shillings, depending on its condition and on how badly the seller wants the money.

There are four ways in which you can find a secondhand bodaboda for sale in Kenya.

The first option is where you talk with motorcyclists in your neighborhood, to find if there are any secondhand bikes on offer within the locality. At any given point in time, there is likely to be someone who is offering his bodaboda for sale (these things are always being bought and sold). The good thing with this approach is in that the people you would be asking are folks who about the various machine's real ownership – meaning that chances of you being scammed would be much lower.

The second option is where you talk with the local bodaboda mechanics, to find out from them if they know of any secondhand bodabodas that are up for sale. Bodaboda mechanics in Kenya tend to know about these things, and they can [for a small brokerage fee] also be in a position to advise you about the mechanical soundness of the various bodabodas that are offered for sale.

The third option is where you search online for secondhand bodabodas on sale in Kenya. This opens up a very huge market: though you should ideally focus on secondhand bodabodas that are on sale near where you are. That is in order to to avoid incurring transportation costs. So, for instance, if you are in Mombasa, you should try to see if you can get online sellers for secondhand bodabodas in Mombasa. If you are in Nakuru, you should try to see if you can get online sellers for secondhand bodabodas in Nakuru. If you are in Nairobi, you should try to see if you can get online sellers for secondhand bodabodas in Nairobi. If you are in Kisumu, you should endeavor to find if you can get secondhand bodabodas on sale in Kisumu. But if you buy a second hand bodaboda in Nairobi, yet you are based in Kakamega, you could end up having to spend very much money transporting the bike from Nairobi to Kakamega...

The fourth option is where you search through social media platforms for any secondhand bodabodas that are up for sale in Kenya. You know, on platforms like Facebook, all the while taking care not to be scammed.

The most important thing, when it comes to buying a secondhand bodaboda in Kenya is to ensure that you are getting a machine that is in good mechanical condition.

Another important thing, when it comes to buying a secondhand bodaboda in Kenya is to ensure that you are getting a machine that won’t cause you legal problems. In this regard, let us be explicit and tell you that you need to undertake proper due diligence, to ensure that the used bodaboda motorcycle you buy is not one that is stolen. You need to ensure that the person from whom you are buying the used motorcycle is actually the machine’s real owner. Ideally, the bodaboda’s logbook should be registered in that person’s name. And once you complete the purchase, you should ensure that the logbook is transferred to your name immediately. In this era, when these sorts of Kenya motorcycle logbook transfers can be completed from cyber café premises, there is no reason as to why anybody should have difficulties transferring the bodaboda logbook to you -- once you have paid the full purchase price for the secondhand bodaboda.

How do people manage to get Mombasa Maize Millers Jobs?

Mombasa Maize Millers is one of the most desirable employers within Mombasa City. That is because it is viewed as a stable business. And this means that folks who manage to secure jobs at Mombasa Maize Millers (and perform their roles effectively) are assured of some degree of job security. There is also the fact that Mombasa Maize Millers is a relatively prestigious place to work at. If you tell people within the neighborhood that you work at Mombasa Maize Millers, they are likely to view you quite positively. This would be in line with how they view the company’s various brands – you know, the likes of Ndovu flour, Bahari, Bora, Swan, Halisi, Cosmo and Faida Feeds (to name but just a few): these being brands that are very well established within Mombasa City. The third factor that makes Mombasa Maize Millers jobs desirable is in that the company is said to pay its workers reasonably well. Add to this the fact that Mombasa Maize Millers is a relatively stable business, meaning that chances of worker’s pay being delayed are low, and you see why working there is quite a bit deal. It is on account of those factors that competition for Mombasa Maize Millers jobs is as fierce as competition for Kitui flour mills jobs.

So how do people manage to get Mombasa Maize Millers jobs? Well, it seems to depend on what kind of job you are seeking at the company.

If, for instance, you are looking for a Mombasa Maize Millers office job, you can consider checking the ‘careers’ section of their website. Their website is accessible at mombasamaizemillers.co.ke, and once you get to the website, check at the top right hand corner and you will see a menu icon. Click on it, and a menu with items like ‘Home’, ‘Products’, ‘Recipes’, ‘Careers’ and ‘Locations’ will appear. From that menu, click on the ‘Careers’ link. Then on the next page, browse through the various Mombasa Maize Millers job vacancies that are available, until you find the one that you seem to be qualified for or the one that appeals to you and click on it to apply.

Another option you can consider using – though this is a long shot – is that of simply emailing your job application and CV to Mombasa Maize Millers, and hoping that it will be seen and responded to. This can come in handy if none of the Mombasa Maize Millers job vacancies listed on their website seems to suit you, yet you still want to work for them. But as we said, this idea of sending unsolicited CVs/applications is a long shot, though in various organizations, you do find folks who managed to get jobs this way.

If you are looking for a manual job at Mombasa Maize Millers, you can consider visiting the company’s factory location, and trying to establish from the folks around there how people get ‘taken’ (recruited) for those manual positions.

You could also consider networking with people who are already working at Mombasa Maize Millers and eventually establishing how they managed to secure their jobs and how you too can. 

If you are really determined to find a Mombasa Maize Millers job (and you have the right qualifications), there is a chance of you eventually getting it. After all, the company is a relatively big one, which means that it is likely to have vacancies from time to time. The most important thing is for you to research – especially among folks who are presently working at Mombasa Maize Millers or people who have previously worked there – to understand how, in practical terms, those jobs are secured so that you can follow the same channel to secure yours.

How do People Manage to Get Pwani Oil Jobs?

I think there are several ways in which people manage to get Pwani Oil jobs.

The first approach is where folks who are looking for jobs at Pwani Oil company can visit the firm's website, then browse to the ‘Careers’ section of that website, and apply for any jobs that may be available at that point in time. Even if you don’t find any Pwani Oil Company jobs the first time you visit the ‘Careers’ page of their website, you can keep on visiting until you eventually find a job opening. In these sorts of endeavors, the most important thing is patience.

The second approach is where folks who are interested in working for Pwani Oil (especially in the manual jobs) can simply go to the company’s gate on days when there is recruitment, and try to see whether they would be tapped. Even if you don’t get recruited the first time you present yourself there, you would have a chance to chat with other individuals who are looking for Pwani Oil vacancies, and through them, you may get useful hints on how people actually manage to get the Pwani Oil jobs. Furthermore, interacting with other jobseekers can help you in understanding the emerging trends within the labor market, which can ultimately help you in getting a job.

The third approach is where individuals who are keen on working at Pwani Oil can network with others who are already working there, and try to see whether the latter can connect them with job openings there. For instance, if you have a friend or a relative who is already working at Pwani Oil, you can request him or her to help you find a job there. Or at the very least, you can get the person who is working at Pwani or who has previously worked  at Pwani Oil to tell you how they managed to get their jobs there, so that you can apply the same strategies to eventually get yourself a position there as well.

The fourth approach – and this is a long shot – is where folks who wish to get Pwani Oil Company jobs can consider simply sending their CVs to Pwani Oil HR, and hoping that those CVs/Applications would be considered. As we said, it is a long shot, and these sorts of unsolicited applications rarely yield anything. But if one sees that they have nothing to lose by sending their CV, they can try it. It may so happen that a company like Pwani Oil coincidentally happens to be looking for people with exactly the skills that the person who has sent the CV has – eventually leading to successful recruitment...

To be sure, the question as to how people manage to get Pwani Oil jobs is as complex as the one on how people manage to get Mombasa Maize Millersjobs. You have to understand that competition for jobs in these sorts of companies tend to be stiff. But if you are focused and persistent you can eventually get yourself a decent position there.