Mashada Blogs » March 11, 2008

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March 11, 2008
23:57
Shinda Kuunda - Google East Africa Gadget Competition
From: Afromusing

Tags: Tanzania

Read This Entry & More At Afromusing

Google announced a competition for students in East Africa to build gadgets (as in software). I am blogging this here just in case the skunkworks crew hadn’t seen this already. The competition is open to university students in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Burundi.

The deadline for this is March 17th; so if you have some great ideas, you can still submit them for consideration. The categories/types of software gadgets and apps that they are looking for include:
(1) Best Gadget UI
(2) Best Local Content Gadget (Most Locally Useful Gadget)
(3) Best Education Specific Gadget
(4) Best Procrastination Gadget
(5) Most Technically Sophisticated Gadget
(6) Gadget Most Likely to Get International Traffic
(7) Best Social Gadget

What the winners get:
“Six students will be awarded prizes. Five students will receive a $350 USD stipend and 1 student will receive a $600 stipend. All winners will receive a Google t shirt, pen, and notebook valuing $7 USD (£13).”

- More Information on the contest
- Rules and fine print

Other Info: Hash’s post on Google moving in East Africa. It is no wonder that one of the categories is ‘Best local content gadget’. I think that the market for localized, useful and contextualized software is huge. When you have African developers creating applications for use in their own communities…I would say “prepare to be amazed”. I am really looking forward to seeing the ideas and applications that come out of this competition.

Hat Tip Think >>Innovate

23:40
Using Security To Play Deadly Political Chess Games
From: You Missed This

Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
CheckMate or CheckBlood?

On the day that Francis Muthaura, the head of the civil service made his controversial government clarification statement, Prime Minister designate Raila Odinga’s security was withdrawn for a few hours. Mere coincidence?

Ambassador Francis Muthaura waiting to take instructions from the only man he receives instructions from. P.S. Where did the duly existed first lady go?

On Sunday, the same day that President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga were seen on the golf course together, the Kenyan military were assembling for the biggest operation in the history of our military since the failed 1982 coup attempt. Mere coincidence?

Two days later, (Tuesday) reports started trickling in of fresh skirmishes in Laikipia and Molo. For obvious reasons, this news is being downplayed. Mere coincidence?

Official sources have admitted that the military operation in the Mt Elgon area is likely to move to other areas in the Rift Valley where we have seen violence, like Kuresoi, the border between Sotik and Borabu and Laikipia where fresh skirmishes have already broken out. Mere coincidence?

Concerning Raila Odinga’s security detail and motorcade, the police after hours of stone silence yesterday, (probably waiting to “hear from above”) issued a detailed statement to the press about the PM’s security detail having a permanent station at Rongai Police Station. So which police station is the president’s security detail permanently based in? The whole idea was to give the impression that the Prime Minister designate Raila’s security has been “beefed up” (whatever that means). No explanation was given for the constant change of Raila’s security personnel. The police only said that “the confusion” would stop when Raila’s security detail had a permanent base. Aii! You mean the police are admitting that there was confusion in Raila’s security arrangements? That’s a bombshell because confusion in Kibaki’s security detail would be a very serious matter and since the Prime Minister is supposed to share power with the president, the same can be said about Raila’s security.

But what is of even much bigger concern are the security operations involving the military in the Rift Valley...

Read more

22:30
Playing Time
From: The Shikwekwes - An African Webcomic

Read This Entry & More At The Shikwekwes - An African Webcomic

According to my trusty old Wiki,

“Typically, first-class cricket matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket being played each day. One-day cricket matches last for six hours or more. Cricket therefore has special rules about intervals for lunch, tea and drinks as well as rules about when play starts and ends. ”

So if you are going for a cricket match, come prepared with some chai and maandazi .

18:11
When business trumps politics...
From: Rants, Raves & Reviews

Tags: Rant
Read This Entry & More At Rants, Raves & Reviews
India has 4 of the top 10 billionaires according to Forbes 2008 list. Forbes does not count despots & kings in its list... though inherited wealth is included e.g. the Hariri kids of Lebanon.

Here is the link to the Forbes List for 2008.

The list is an - somewhat skewed - indictation of what economic reforms can do for a country. Africa has a few billionaires - Dangote of Nigeria & some S.Africans - but the combined wealth of the top 4 Indian billionaires is far greater than most African countries' GDP.

Lakshmi Mittal - 57 - $45bn
Mukesh Ambani - 50 - $43bn
Anil Ambani - 48 - $42bn
KP Singh - 76 - $30bn

Combined wealth = $160bn

Unlike many Kenyans - and Africans - who continue harping about 'colonialism'... India has moved on... look at the list below and you will notice that many of them were born post-1947 (51 years or younger)... I would say the cut-off age should be 56 years since kids start nursery at around 5 years thus anyone born after 1942 in India was a post-independence child.

Using the same metric as above, Kenya is far behind the curve. Well, at least officially. There may be one or two. Any suggestions on who? Can the wealth be verified?

With the weakening US$ & 8% economic growth in India, I would not be surprised to see the Indian fortunes in US$ rise even higher by end of 2008.

I have said that Kenya (and Africa) needs to look at India for development ideas. It remains a model for African countries.

It has:
- Democracy - albeit often flawed
- Diverse population, cultures & languages
- Wide economic base that was very low 20 years ago
- Agragian based economy until 5 years ago. Agriculture still remains the core mainstay for most Indians
- A former British colony - I don't think this is a handicap. I am just saying that Africans should quit moaning
- Huge educated diasporan in the Western world
- Huge entrepreneurial diasporan in the Western world
- Navigated tough shoals regarding sectarian violence e.g. Khalistan ('seccession' war), Hindu-Muslim riots, Wars with Pakistan, War with China, Caste (Tribal-style divisions) discriminations, etc
I was amazed at the size of the billionaires list in India... BTW, the Indians in the diaspora who are NOT Indian citizens have been excluded e.g Vinod Khosla of Kleiner Perkins at #785 with $1.5bn.

I had some problems with including the table here but please check this link out for the Forbes list.

15:25
Be nice to articulate fundamentalists
From: Kenya Imagine

Read This Entry & More At Kenya Imagine
Yes, you should be nice to religious fundmaentalists who defend their beliefs reasonably. Here's why.

Read more from Daniel Waweru here.
15:24
Of hierarchies, powers and privileges
From: Kenya Imagine

Read This Entry & More At Kenya Imagine
It was perhaps to be expected that a document as vague as the national accord signed by President Kibaki and ODM head Raila Odinga should soon run into a stream of different interpretations. Kamale T had already written a perspicacious article here, highlighting exactly how vague both the National Accord and the Act of Parliament that would entrench it in law were regarding not just the intended hierarchy but also the powers, duties and responsibilities of the offices newly created. It also shows,and the president's speech when opening parliament underlines, that while the signatories to the accord were President Kibaki and Hon. Odinga, the wording of the pact is such as would admit the ODM-K, KANU, Safina and other parties into the pre-accord PNU coalition.

Read more from Stephen Wanyama here.
15:22
Delivering on the President's speech
From: Kenya Imagine

Read This Entry & More At Kenya Imagine
The president set out in his speech opening parliament, what is truly a most ambitious legislation agenda. However, given the present unity in the house, it is ambition that has every chance of success. Of the agenda announced, these stand out not just for their courage, but also for the potential benefits that the Kenyan people can enjoy from their implementation.

Read Peter Ndiangui's analysis here.

9:57
Pillow Talk
From: tHiNkEr'S rOoM

Tags: Hubbub

Read This Entry & More At tHiNkEr'S rOoM

Nothing like some pillow talk to bring some pep into a relationship!

She then hit me with a confession that would both thrill and confuse me. She explained that in the months that I had been away in Iraq her role within the AUC had changed; she had joined the urban militia and become an assassin. Her job was now to eliminate informers and traitors. So far, she told me, she had killed at least 10 people in the area. I lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, Marylin looked at me through the smoke as I exhaled, waiting to see how I would respond to what she had just told me.

PIC OF THE DAY

Lucy seems different today … funny, I never noticed that moustache — Bloody hell! I left the toilet seat up!

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Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Hubbub.

9:31
Report: Mistakes Overseas Students and Migrants Make and Just Pay With Credit!!
From: The Displaced African

Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African

Hey hey hey,

Sorry, I have been a little bit slack over the last week in terms of blogging. A truly great lady passed away last week and I am working on an article to remember her amongst other great things so I have been kinda gone but this blog is far from forgotten.

Anyway, I am (more…)

7:51
With what ...
From: Walk of Kings:

Read This Entry & More At Walk of Kings:

With what shall I come before the LORD
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:6-7

7:28
Here come NIC Stockbrokers/ NIC Capital Securities Ltd.
From: KA-INVESTOR

Read This Entry & More At KA-INVESTOR
After acquiring the 'troubled' Solid Securities Ltd through NIC Capital, NIC Bank will soon be re-branding Solid to something like NIC stockbrokers or NIC Capital Securities Ltd. NIC Capital bought a 57% stake worth almost Ksh.231 million according to a valuation done late last year. I hope they will turn around the troubled brokerage firm to save us from yet another collapse. NIC profits for the FY07 broke the one billion mark.

6:00
Spitzer official misconduct could make way for David Paterson?
From: Marian's Blog

Read This Entry & More At Marian's Blog
I'm guessing that New York politico turned radio host Chris Owens has just had his story of the week - of the year - handed to him for his new show Black Politics w/ Chris Owens. And Eliot Spitzer effectively...

5:18
Breaking News: Has Raila's Security Detail Been Withdrawn?
From: You Missed This

Read This Entry & More At You Missed This
Although recent developments indicate that Prime Minister designate Raila Odinga's state security detail may have been withdrawn there is still no confirmation of this from Police headquarters as the police spokesman has refused to comment on the matter.

Raila's wife Ida Odinga complained this morning that the security personnel have been changed too many times in the few days that the odinga's have been accorded state security. This has meant that she has to show around total strangers in their Karen house every two days or so.

As I was writing this security personnel withdrawn early today had still not been replaced by a new batch, hence the suspicion that this time the security personnel may have been withdrawn for good.

Even if the state security is indeed still in place the behaviour described by Ida is very strange. Overhauling the entire security staff every few days is in itself a huge security risk to those being protected by it. Indeed the Odingas previously had their own fairly adequate security and the terrifying ordeal of having one's minders playing musical chairs on the job is very unfortunate.

Some political analysts could not help commenting on the sheer joy and glee Raila supporters have received his new "motorcade and state security status" with. Others have felt that coming so soon, it may have been an attempt to soften the ODM leader's stance on some difficult fine details in the Anan peace deal that are still being negotiated.

Indeed Kenyans are waiting with baited breath for news on what has been discussed in parliament today after the bombshell "government clarification" statement by head of the civil service and secretary to the cabinet Ambassador Francis Muthaura, yesterday.

We will keep you posted on developments.

Read the complete article at

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