Author: Dredan Njau

BrandsNews
Dredan Njau

Netflix switches off free mobile cinema

The lobby of Anga Cinema at Diamond Plaza is crowded with fans taking pictures with newly minted star on the Red Carpet of Instant Dad which premiered over the Weekend in Nairobi. They mix freely with another set movie premier ‘Prayer for the Departed’ in the next hall of the movie theater indicating how Kenyan movie industry is rising as fans return to physical movie experience on the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. This shift in viewership away from binge watching Netflix while working from home is changing how movies are channeled to audiences as streaming companies review their ‘pandemic’ offers with Netflix withdrawing free…

Read More
The Hub Karen
BrandsNews
Dredan Njau

Bruce Lee’s cousin, men wigs, Sh3900 T-shirts; brands crawl for niche as mall footfall dips

When the Hub opened doors almost a decade ago, it was entering a tough mall market in Kenya. But the Hub was different; it carved its identity as the second mall in Nairobi to house a fitness centre. And not just any fitness facility – it boasted East Africa’s very first skateboard park! The uniqueness didn’t stop there. Imagine this – shoppers could stroll through the mall’s public areas with their dogs on leashes. And for fitness enthusiasts like me, the cherry on top was the full-service gym that came complete with an indoor swimming pool. Fast forward to today, the Karen-based mall reaches out…

Read More
BrandsNews
Dredan Njau

The Aviator craze, Betting imewekwa mafuta

Have you stumbled upon the latest internet craze? Well, let us tell you about a game that’s been sweeping through the online world, causing memes to go viral and ads to pop up unexpectedly. It’s called Aviator, and it’s taking Kenya by storm. Naturally, we couldn’t resist the urge to find out what all the fuss was about. So, picture this: there’s this fascinating game nestled in the casino section of various betting websites, and it’s shaping a whole new cultural phenomenon around itself. If you haven’t heard of it yet, you’re in for a treat. They say, ‘Ndege Imeisha Mafuta,’ which roughly translates to…

Read More
News
Dredan Njau

The rise and rise of church billboards in Kenya

If you commute to work in any of Kenya’s major towns, it is becoming increasingly clear that towering billboards, once adorned with advertisements from big companies are undergoing a transformation. These strategically positioned towers now proudly display church advertisements. On one corner of the city, the adverts are predominantly inviting people to night worship sessions, or revival meetings. Huge advertisements are also on display, inviting the public to attend concerts or highly publicized crusades by an American pastor or gospel artiste. The post-COVID crisis, coupled with seemingly endless high inflationary pressures is providing fertile ground for churches to flourish, offering hope for a better tomorrow….

Read More
Health
Dredan Njau

Health experts push for dietary changes to stem stillbirths

Across the world, a troubling statistic reveals that one in every four babies face the risk of being born underweight or prematurely. This dire circumstance contributes to 1.9 million stillbirths and 1.4 million newborns tragically losing their lives, the Lancet Series report notes. However, there is hope amidst this somber revelation. The report adds that by implementing preventive measures, such as promoting healthy eating habits, the world has the potential to avert around 560,000 stillbirths and 5.2 million preterm births each year. Studies show that children born prematurely, with low birth weight face higher risks throughout their journey from birth into childhood. They not only

Read More
NewsTechnology
Dredan Njau

Mobile revolution: From iPhone 1 to iPhone 15 and beyond

Last week, the tech world was buzzing with excitement as Apple unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 15. This milestone marks the 38th iteration in Apple’s iconic iPhone lineup, a journey that began just over a decade ago. However, the roots of the mobile revolution stretch back much further, starting as early as 1973 with the invention of the first cell phone. Here, we take a deep dive, tracing the evolution of mobile technology, from its humble beginnings to the cutting-edge features of the iPhone 15. Birth of the mobile revolution The seeds of the mobile revolution were sown in 1973 when the world…

Read More
Climate
Dredan Njau

Masdar leads UAE investments in Africa’s Green Growth

In a plan to accelerate the adoption of clean energy in Africa, UAE renewable energy giant Masdar has forged a strategic partnership on the continent. Masdar has partnered with Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform to identify, fast-track, and scale clean energy projects across the continent. By combining Masdar’s technical expertise and experience in the emerging markets with Africa50’s project development track record, this alliance will speed up growth in the clean energy sector. The partnership will bridge the infrastructure funding gap, rallying both public and private finances to unlock Africa’s immense clean energy potential. Masdar in Africa The initiative will bring together a coalition

Read More
ClimateEconomy
Dredan Njau

The company taking out 3 percent of Nairobi’s trash

Within the shadows of our present day society, a hidden menace looms large: WASTE. The aftermath of unchecked consumption coupled with inadequate waste management keeps growing towering mountains of garbage in informal areas such as Dandora’s dumpsite and Mathare seeping back into our ecosystems via our city’s rivers. Even though Kenya banned single-use plastics in 2017, plenty of merchandise packaging, used clothing, straws, and food-grade plastics are moving between our houses and landfills. Sometimes, they find their way back onto our table tops as recycled materials.  Earlier on this year, an orange coloured lorry with modified containers labeled “Taka Taka Solutions” would have passed me

Read More
President Ruto
CountiesNewsPolitics
Dredan Njau

A new era of Ruto’s Cabinet meetings in State Lodges

In Kenya, State Lodges began with Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri which served as an official vacation getaway for British Royal Dignitaries and Governors during the colonial decades. Before independence, Sagana State Lodge was known as the Royal Lodge. History records show that in 1947 when Princess Elizabeth (now late Queen Elizabeth) and Prince Phillip got married, Royal Lodge (read Sagana) was given to the newly weds as “a gift from the people of Kenya.” In December of 1963, however, Queen Elizabeth handed the ownership of the Lodge back to the newly independent government of the East African nation. State Lodges in Kenya Today, there…

Read More
Sidian Bank
In Brief
Dredan Njau

Centum bank struggles to grow loan book by only a billion

Centum-owned Sidian Bank saw profits decline marginally last year after the lender only managed to expand its loan book by a billion shillings. Sidan Bank posted Kes209 million in half year net profits, a 16 percent dip from Kea251 million in a similar period last year attributed to its slow growing loan book. The lender’s loan book only saw an increase from Kes23.1 billion in the half year of 2022 to Kes24.2 billion in 2023. Sidian Group set aside Kes194.1 million a slight increase from Kes167 million to cover for bad debts, which went up by 17.8 percent to Kes3.5 billion. The Bank which was

Read More