Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Monday May 18th, 2015

Collymore’s term on UN board extended… Safaricom headquarters faces demolition… Uganda Bureau of Standards moves imports inspection, clearance to online portal…and much more.

Collymore’s term on UN board extended

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has renewed Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore’s term as a board member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) for another three years. His term was extended due to what the UN agency said is in recognition of his remarkable contribution to championing the work of the Global Compact across Africa by advocating for good governance and fight against corruption.

The UN Global Compact Board is the world’s largest corporate citizenship initiative that encourages businesses globally to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.

Safaricom headquarters faces demolition

The Kenyan government has announced its intention to demolish the headquarter of Safaricom Limited under a compulsory acquisition programme, in a move to pave way for road expansion. Safaricom is among several companies whose multi-million shilling buildings have been earmarked for demolition by the government. If demolished, Safaricom will loose its two prime and ultramodern buildings on Waiyaki Way in the capital of Nairobi.

In a Gazette Notice dated December 31, the Ministry of Lands announced it would acquire various parcels of land of varying sizes on both sides of Mombasa Road and Waiyaki Way.

Multichoice Kenya slashes cost of DStv HD decoders

MultiChoice Kenya has slashed the price of its DStv HD decoder by 48 per cent from Kshs 4,800 to Kshs 2,499 which will now be sold with a one-month DStv Access subscription, in a promo dubbed ‘Deal of the Century’. The decoder-only price special comes as the pay-media provider confirmed popularity of DStv content two months after Analogue Signal switch-off throughout the country.

According to MultiChoice Kenya GM, Walingo Chiruyi, this deal of the century will increase access to the premium content offered by DStv at an affordable price at the once in a lifetime offer of only Kshs 2,499.

“At that price, subscribers will get a HD decoder bundled with one month free subscription on the DStv Access Package,” said Chiruyi.

Uganda Bureau of Standards moves imports inspection, clearance to online portal

Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) have launched an online portal that automates imports inspection and clearance. The portal which cost a total of US $ 100,000 will enable traders access UNBS services from any geographical location without physical visits to UNBS offices. This will save them time and money by providing an easy access to information, quicker lodging and approval of applications and import clearance certificates, easy access to various standards permits, and ease in monitoring business transactions and receive timely email notifications.

Tanzania telecom boosts SMEs

No matter whom we are, where we live, how good we might feel, we all face situations that cause us to feel desolate. That is one of such situations facing the teaming youths in our society today, which is lack of job opportunities ethier menial, half decent ordecent jobs to put them in the position to face the future with hope and certainty.

Last year, when Stanbuli Revnum completed his studies, he spent the better part of the year looking for work. He had failed his exams but was determined to earn a living somehow. He wrote more letters than he could remember and spent most of his week including weekends in job hunting.