Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Monday October 5th, 2015

Illuminium Greenhouse named Kenya’s best start-up at Seedstars Nairobi

Illuminum Greenhouse Kenya, won the Kenyan round of Seedstars World as the best startup and will represent Kenya at the global Seedstars World Final in Geneva, Switzerland to compete for up to US $500,000 in equity investment. Illuminum Greenhouse Kenya is a company creating a limitless integrated solar powered farm automation system with sensors controlled via SMS from the farmers mobile phone.

Strathmore to start offering undergraduate IT Course in IBMz Systems (Mainframe)

After signing an agreement with IBM, Strathmore University will from January 2016 offer an undergraduate course in IBM z Systems. Initial training of faculty will run during the first week of October. This agreement, through Strathmore University’s@iLabAfrica will expand their partnership into skills training for IBM mainframe servers, making Strathmore University the first African university with the capacity for training on IBM z Systems technology.

Globe-trotting CA executives pocket Kshs 307 million in one year

Senior Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) executives pocketed Kshs 307.2 million in tax-free travelling allowances in the year ended June 2015, underlining continued wastage of public funds despite the Jubilee government’s efforts to control expenditure. A damning audit report seen by the Business Daily shows that the senior staff pocketed the money after making a total of 421 local and overseas trips to attend conferences, training workshops and field visits.

United Nations report lauds Kenya’s broadband plan

A United Nations global report has heaped praise on Kenya’s broadband plan for being up to date with current developments in the ICT industry. The UN Global Commission’s report, ‘The State Of Broadband 2015,’ states that Kenya has consistently signalled national commitment to the broadband plan across policy makers and stakeholders.