Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Wednesday February 4, 2015

Twitter signs up Hill+Knowlton to handle its communication matters in Kenya 

Social media platform Twitter has signed up Hill and Knowlton Strategies Kenya (H+K) to handle its communication needs in the country and help with its engagement with media as well as bloggers.

The deal means that instead of only relying on the Twitter blog for updates about the platform, journalists and bloggers now have an additional avenue for getting news and updates about the company.

Chase Bank, iHub partner to develop technologically advanced ecosystem

Chase Bank and iHub have entered into a partnership which will see the two parties co-operate towards the creation of a technologically advanced ecosystem to improve accessibility, offer more affordable and convenient products and services.

The partnership seeks to fully enhance innovation through the use of technology, with Chase bank supporting a number of influential initiatives hosted by the iHub and mlab in technology and enterprise.

Safaricom surrenders Kshs 500 million to unclaimed assets agency

Telecoms operator Safaricom is set to hand over Sh500 million to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority(UFAA) in a move that will push the agency’s total cash holdings to Kshs 2 billion barely a year since it was established.

Safaricom said the money is from idle deposits in its popular mobile money platform M-Pesa held in phone lines that have been inactive for more than two years.

The list of contributors to Safaricom’s unclaimed assets cash pile includes money left in lost phone lines that have not been replaced and those belonging to people who have left the country.

Safaricom said dependants of deceased persons can still claim the funds if they provide proof of death and an administration letter granting them powers over the deceased’s estate.

Kenya’s public officers to acquire ICT skills from Microsoft’s School of Government program

Microsoft and an American-based university have partnered to offer executive level training programs to Kenyan government leaders.

The firm has collaborated with University of Albany’s Center for Technology in Government (CTG) to execute its School of Government (SOG) program, an initiative by Microsoft 4Afrika.

In its role as primary content provider for the program, CTG will work with the government to implement the information and technology related policies as part of overall objective to improve Africa’s global competitiveness.

33 Kenyan ICT start-ups, SMEs to benefit from Netherlands Trust Fund

About 33 Kenyan ICT start-ups and SME’s are set to benefit from a 3-year funding project extended by the Government of Netherlands aimed at growing the ICT sector.

This is after Information Communication Technology Authority (ICTA), through the Ministry of ICT, signed a 3-year partnership for the funding with the Dutch Government

Easy Taxi, Hashi Energy to launch loyalty card program for taxi drivers

Easy Taxi and Hashi Energy are working together to create Kenya’s first loyalty card program for taxi drivers

Under this new partnership, all Easy Taxi drivers are now eligible for a Hashi Energy rewards card which offers them discounts off fuel, parts, and servicing. Only taxi drivers who are registered and in good standing with Easy Taxi may participate in this special offer.