Jumia Travel Launches “Travel Wednesday"

This comes as a successor to the recently celebrated Black Friday, seeking to extend travel bargains throughout the season.

Nairobi, 20th December, 2016 – Following the successful 2016 Black Friday campaign, Jumia Travel has launched a campaign dubbed “Travel Wednesday” running every Wednesday to Friday on the company’s official website. The campaign’s main objective is to carry on readily negotiated rates referred to as “Dream Deals” with the aim of encouraging and facilitating travel through the year.

With 2017 having been designated as the “Year of Sustainable Travel” at the United Nations 70th General Assembly, one of the major goals for industry players will be to draw policies that contribute to inclusive and sustainable economic growth throughout the seasons in the tourism circuit.

While initially a maximum of 8 hotel deals will run during the promotion, they will in the coming days be increased to a total of 12 deals running until every Wednesday and Friday. “This is designed to meet our customers’ demand to have access to affordable travel options through Jumia Travel. Following the impressive public response on Black Friday, we want to create a new appointment for all travellers, an opportunity to get more deals that we have negotiated with thousands of hotels across Africa,” noted Paul Midy, CEO of Jumia Travel.

The deals have been launched in African countries where the company has been on the forefront in providing accommodation and travel packages within the means of most travelers. They include Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Algeria.

As in the case of Black Friday, the Dream Deals will also be co-marketed across all Jumia ecosystem in the countries they operate in. “More than 25% of our Black Friday bookings came from the Jumia ecosystem. Thus, it is vital to continue working closely with our sister companies to increase the traffic of the customer, as this was the main objective of the rebranding” added Midy.

Other channels through which the Dream Deals will be run include Jumia Travel’s social media pages, newsletters, and SMSs among others 

Ringier to Partner with Ghafla

As part of its continued expansion, Ringier Africa Digital Publishing (RADP), Ringier Africa’s publishing company, will work with Kenya’s top entertainment website ‘Ghafla’ . The partnership sees Kenya’s leading entertainment platform relaunch and enhance its editorial output, by diversifying Ghafla’s content to include current affairs, news and analysis.

With this partnership and relaunch, Ghafla will now also become a regional publisher aimed at providing innovative, insightful and entertaining content targeting the wider East African market, and will have footprints in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Since it first launched in 2009, Ghafla has led the way in publishing up to the minute, youth-oriented entertainment news for East Africa, known for breaking top stories and building an active community of mobile-savvy followers across the continent. The partnership with Ringier  and relaunch consolidates Ghafla’s position as Kenya’s top entertainment news brand, as well as signals a new strategic direction in terms of expanding the editorial scope to include more politics, current affairs and international news stories, to further increase the popular platform’s followership. The redeveloped platform will also look to significantly increase its video and new media content, across all content sections and channels.

Ringier Africa & Asia CEO, Robin Lingg said Ringier is constantly reaching for new opportunities to strengthen its position as an innovative and leading publisher; “We are excited to welcome Ghafla as a new partner of our business in East Africa, seeing a lot of great potential in the product and its further growth opportunities.The inclusion of Ghafla into the Ringier family comes at an exciting time for our publishing company, as we continue to invest in building out a fast-moving, pioneering, credible and truly pan-African publishing network.”

Ringier Africa GM, Leonard Stiegeler said that Ghafla’s partnership with Ringier’s publishing arm also fits well into Ringier Africa’s overall strategy to build out leading digital businesses throughout the continent in four key verticals: content, classifieds, e-commerce and digital marketing; “Ghafla will benefit from being part of a leading pan-African digital media group and able to tap into connections from across the continent.”

Ghafla is also expected to benefit from Ringier’s 180+ years of experience and knowledge in the media industry, to become a leading East African online news platform and media publisher as well as to bring new exciting products and offerings to its existing and new advertising clients.  

Tim Kollmann, Ringier’s Managing Director of RADP adds, “Working with the Ghafla team, we will be settting new standards in the regional media space, offering up-to-date information at any time of the day, directly to East Africa’s media consumtion tool of choice; the mobile phone.”

Commenting on the partnership, Ghafla’s founder, Samuel Majani, who will continue as Co-CEO of Ghafla, notes that his mission from day one was to get news to Kenyans online. He adds, "I am very proud that Ghafla, which started in a Kenyan bedroom seven years ago, is now partnering with one of the largest African media enterprises. This partnership will give us access to international know-how and will ensure that we can learn from and apply the global expertise that the Ringier team brings with it".

Lake Turkana Wind Turbine Farm-Loiyangalani

Green Energy, Clean energy is no longer an alternative but a choice. I was pleased to recently visit Loiyangilani District in South Hor ,Turkana /Marsabit County and witness the  single largest private investment in Kenya’s history, The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project( LTWP)  a wind power harnessing project using large turbines  in  a stretch estimated to cover 162 square kilometers.

The wind farm is expected to  provide 310MW  low cost wind power to Kenya’s national grid, equivalent to approximately 18 per cent of the country’s current installed electricity generating capacity. The project will comprise 365 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kW .





Most important though is the socioeconomic and environmental impact to the communities living along this arid/semi-arid region.for one, due to the project previously impassable ,rough terrain dirt roads have now been leveled and  murram added making the almost 200 km drive from Laisamis to the interior somewhat tolerable.

Communication infrastructure is slowly improving due to the contractors on site necessitating the installment of cell phone masts.It is obvious that this is changing the fortunes of the communities that were previously neglected.

What was perhaps disconcerting is that cattle rustling is still carried out between the Samburu and Turkana communities. But with this infrastructure projects coming up,economic growth and the exposure that results it is hoped that  such things will soon be history as community efforts are directed to other activities.It is also important to note, that cattle rustling or insecurity is not the main story of this region.The communities have existed and flourished in peace for many decades, unfortunately its selective media that only highlights the troubles of the region and forgets the good. Indeed if it bleeds it leads mantra has created a negative connotation for many regions and as Africans we know how unjust that can be.

With roads, infrastructure, electricity and supporting businesses  , this is the area to watch. Much of its potential is still untapped. Just driving up the road we were able to see a lot of wildlife for free...Ostriches,Giraffes,Gazelles,Antelopes, Oryx, Hyena's...etc.As the photos show Turkana is a beautiful place with beautiful people and it is projects such as the above that will expose this beauty to the outside world.

Chinabuy brings biggest Chinese Shopping Holiday to Kenya

Singles Day to be marked with drastically reduced prices for 24 hours

Nairobi, Kenya 10 November 2015........Leading international e-commerce group Chinabuy, which was recently launched in Kenya, is introducing Singles Day, the largest Chinese shopping festival, to the Kenyan market this year.

During Singles Day, which is marked on November 11 (tomorrow), drastically reduced prices will be on offer for hundreds of items for just twenty four hours.

Celebrated in China, Singles Day is a day dedicated to singles in the country.  This initiative, which began in the nineties in universities in China has become, over time, a perfect opportunity for shopping.  Consequently, on this special day, virtual stores in China and worldwide offer a range of products with special discounts and attractive promotions.

According to Joe Zoe Zhang, Chinabuy Group CEO: “Kenyans are similar to the Chinese as they are very clever customers who know how to get the best out of a sale day.  We have spread our discount offering thought out that day, when the biggest allocation is at the beginning of the day, just after midnight in the night between the 10^th and 11^th of November.  It is important to note that the discounts are limited and will be offered based on the principle of first come first serve,”

The Chinabuy Group, which did not have a site for the Kenyan market last year, sold 300 times more than what it sells on a regular day.  Having launched sites in different countries since then, Chinabuy Group estimates that this year the figure will also doubled.

For 2015 Singles Day, the Chinabuy Group through it site in Kenya Chinabuy.co.ke will offer discount on many items on the site.  The sale will start at 12:00 between Tuesday and Wednesday for 24 hours.  Clients who register to the site will enjoy a list of limited coupon codes up to 50% off the regular price and will be able to use it on all items based on the principle first come first serve.

In addition, Chinabuy.co.ke will designate the most attractive products for Kenya which will be displayed on a unique web page and will be sold throughout that day at ridicules low prices.

Chinabuy.co.ke has a 24/7 localised online customer support which is available in both English and Kiswahili and a 365 return day policy for any unused purchased from the site.  The site offers different delivery methods from free shipping to express door to door shipping at a minimal cost.

Kenyan Alex Muriu Wins at Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015

This year’s winners embody the Pan African essence of the prestigious Innovation Prize for Africa award, representing North, East & Southern Africa
  SKHIRAT, Morocco, May 14, 2015/ -- Kenyan techie Alex Muriu has won  US $ 25,000 In a glittering ceremony  at the the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 .Researcher Adnane Remmal of Morocco  was announced  the Grand Winner 

Alex Mwaura Muriu of Kenya won Second Prize, and South African, Lesley Erica Scott was awarded the Special Prize for Social Impact, receiving US$25 000 respectively.

A jubilant Remmal impressed the expert panel of judges, competing with 10 excellent African innovations spanning the health, environment, technology and agricultural sectors. His innovation, a patented alternative to livestock anti-biotics is set to transform the broader medical and agricultural sector in Africa. The natural innovative anti-microbial formula reduces health hazards in livestock, preventing the transmission of multi-resistant germs and carcinogens to human beings through consumption of milk, eggs and meat. Says Remmal: “My innovation provides farmers with solutions to improve their production; it is cost effective and can be easily adopted, giving farmers increased benefits without the side effects of anti-biotics.”

Murui, a Kenyan entrepreneur, developed a system to meet the perennial challenge faced by African farmers in accessing capital to finance planting and harvesting by providing an alternative from the burden of financial loans through his Farm Capital Africa project.

Today, TB is second only to HIV and AIDS as a leading cause of death in the continent. Using the Smartspot TBCheck, Scott, a South African scientist, has developed an effective World Health Organization (WHO) approved calibration method for TB diagnostic machines. 

Since its inaugural launch in 2011, IPA has attracted some 3000 applications from 49 African countries. Jean Claude Bastos de Morais, AIF Founder and the brainchild of the Prize, now in its fourth edition, is pleased with the level of innovations this year - a total of 925 applications from 41 countries. Commenting on the role of IPA in fostering innovation in Africa, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais said:

“I am truly impressed with this year’s winning innovations, which have once again surpassed expectations.  At the same time, I am aware that the buck cannot stop here. Let us put it this way; no matter how high a bird flies, it always needs a nest, a base to come back to. African innovators are taking flight, their innovative ideas are increasingly proving to be transformative - not only for Africa - but for the world. Through the IPA, the AIF is fostering the development of robust innovation ecosystems, which are essentially nests for African entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solutions for African challenges”. 

African innovators continue to provide more innovative African solutions to address African problems. This year’s winners have a common theme: their innovations highlight the vital and crucial need to respond directly to demanding community needs - the heart of the AIF mandate. The innovations further demonstrate great potential to change the course of history in Africans’ responses to health, technology, enterprise and the agricultural sector, prioritizing needs-based responses through cost effective means – a critical tool for sustainable development.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was attended by more than 400 people that included high level African dignitaries, ministers, ambassadors, AIF partners, past IPA winners, venture capitalists, innovators, entrepreneurs, local and international media, and young people. The AIF believes that young people (below age 35) are the epi-center of the African innovation ecosystem as they represent 65% of Africa’s 1.1 billion population.

For the first time this year, all nominees received recognition through a US$5 000 voucher as a support fund to boost their different innovations in their home countries.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was compered by Lerato Mbele of BBC Africa Business Report fame. Youssour N’Dour, the Senegalese musical legend provided first class entertainment, backed by Bob Maghrib, a Moroccan ensemble, with popular Bob Marley renditions.

Wyndham Hotel Group Opens First Hotel in Eastern Africa

First hotel on African continent to be operated by Wyndham Hotel Group under management contract, complementing the company’s existing franchised portfolio

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, April 21, 2015/ -- Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company based on number of hotels and one of three hospitality business units of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), today announced the opening of the 139-room Ramada® Resort Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. 

Complementing Wyndham Hotel Group’s existing portfolio of franchised properties in Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Tunisia, the hotel marks not only the company’s expansion into Eastern Africa, but is the  first property within the greater continent to be operated via the company’s growing management division.

“The opening of Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam is of significant strategic importance for us,” commented Dan Ruff, Wyndham Hotel Group’s president and managing director, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean. “Given the increasing demand for quality, internationally-branded accommodation in Eastern Africa, as well as our commitment to getting closer to our guests and our customers through the expansion of our managed property division, it is a key milestone in our regional growth.”

“With exceptional facilities and a stunning beachfront location, Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam sets a new standard within Tanzania’s midscale segment and we look forward to extending a warm Ramada welcome to our first guests,” Ruff added.

Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam offers 139 rooms and suites including 117 superior rooms with a choice of ocean or garden views, 21 executive suites, and one presidential suite. All rooms have an interactive flat screen TV with satellite channels, free Wi-Fi, mini bar, tea and coffee making facilities, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries and walk-in shower or bathtub. Tinga-tinga artwork adds local flavour and a sense of East African spirit.

Extensive leisure facilities include a swimming pool and state-of-the-art rooftop gym, as well as direct access to the white sands of Jangwani Beach. Those looking to host a conference or event have the choice of seven meeting rooms, catering for up to 375 guests and five food and beverage outlets serving a range of African and international cuisines. 

Throughout the construction of the hotel, which began in 2009, significant emphasis has been placed on sustainability. Key initiatives include treating and reusing 100 per cent of all waste water, solar-powered water heating, innovative LED lighting systems and beach protection measures to prevent erosion of the hotel’s private beach. In addition, the hotel plans to produce compost from food waste, which will be used to grow vegetables for the hotel’s restaurants in a roof top vegetable garden.

Mr. Murtaza Fazal, owner of the Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam, commented, "I am delighted to have signed a long-term management agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company. I am also proud to be the first investor in Eastern Africa to introduce the well-known Ramada brand to the market. I feel sure that our new resort property on the beautiful Jangwani Beach will quickly become a popular destination for local and international tourists and business visitors alike, thanks to its attractive location, elegant architecture and excellent facilities.” 

“I am also especially gratified to be a pioneer in the introduction of many 'green' energy-saving hotel features that will help protect the environment, and will hopefully set a precedent for other African hotel owners to follow," Fazal added. 

Guests staying at Ramada Resort Dar es Salaam who are members of Wyndham Rewards®, Ramada’s free-to-join guest loyalty programme, can earn valuable points during their stay. Points may be redeemed for a wide variety of reward options including free hotel stays, air travel, gift cards for leading retailers and more. Information is available at www.wyndhamrewards.com.

Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit-What Nairobi Needs Like Yesterday !

For the past two weeks Nairobians have been bogged down by heavy traffic  Jams especially on the main feeder road; Mombasa Road and Uhuru Highway. I have been a strong proponent on the need for an efficient and reliable public transport system that can by necessity replace the usage of personal cars within the CBD. Rather than heavily invest on Roads the priority should have been rail and trams that operate on predetermined schedules as is the case in many developed Countries that use subways and Metro's complemented by trams.

The economic, environmental and social benefits of non motorized  systems cannot be underscored. With less cars on the road there will be less pollution,less time wastage, certainty in movement of goods and people.At the same time if the Rapid transport Rail system is implemented on a national scale it will be easier for the large scale movement of unemployed labor force to arrears where seasonal economic opportunities may arise such as tea picking.When it comes to security movement of persons and can be easily monitored on the track system as compared to the Matatu and public vehicle system.I always wonder why our economists and leadership have not given enough focus on such systems instead of investing in capital intensive road systems that have heavy recurrent maintenance cost and punitive carbon foot print levels .


Well Kenya can take a cue from the Addis Ababa Electrified  Light Rail Transit (LRT)system that was initiated in 2011 and is now on trial test runs only 4 years later.

Many Kenyans would prefer such a system rather than be engrossed in traffic always for 3-4 hours.

This is certainly do able in Kenya and has been long in coming. Unfortunately projects of this magnitude are always mired with corruption , however the Government that will accomplish this will certainly score points and leave an unmatched legacy. It is therefore a priority for the Government of the day to ensure that their plans to introduce such a system achieves 100 % fulfillment at least cost to the taxpayer.


With such rapid transportation system who will bog themselves down driving in traffic? We certainly can do this and it should have been done like yesterday.Putting drums on round-a bout's Nairobi Governor Mr Kidero certainly was not a wise idea .It was like using Elastoplast to patch together a broken metallic piece. Nairobi's perennial traffic jam issues need long term solutions and strategic plans not little thought out knee-jerk reactions. If its not broken dont fix it- let it be until you can upgrade..Mr Governor and your team...visit our next door Ethiopia and learn from them.

Tigo Pesa returns TZS 3 Billion to customers as first quarterly payment !

The first mobile money service in the world to pay profit to its users

 Tigo announced today the first of its regular quarterly payments worth 3bn/- (US $ 1.8 million) to Tigo Pesa users.  

This payment comes three months after the company paid a staggering profit of TZS 14.25 billion (US $ 8.64 million) accumulated in the Tigo Pesa Trust Account to become the first mobile money service in the world to pay profit to its users. Tigo Pesa has a subscriber base of 3.6 million customers.

(Tigo Tanzania General Manager, Diego Gutierrez)

Tigo General Manager Diego Gutierrez said “This second round of profit disbursement shows the company’s continued commitment to benefit and improve the lives of Tanzanians. The payment goes to all Tigo Pesa users including super agents, retail agents and individual users of the service.”

“The first payment was bigger due to the fact that the profit had been accumulated over a period of three and a half years. This second payment is the profit accumulated from funds held in trust in commercial banks for three months in the quarter July to September 2014,” the General Manager said.

Mr Gutierrez explained that, as before, the average return to a customer will vary based on their average daily balance in their Tigo Pesa e-wallet. This applies to super-agents, retail agents and individual customers. 

The next installment for the quarter of October to December 2014 will be paid out in February 2015.  

I wonder if Safaricom will take a cue from its next door neighbor !

The Man Who Killed Osama Revealed -Ex Seal Robert O'Neil!

Only a handful of people knew the man who Killed  terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden.... until yesterday! The man now is an international figure and a motivational speaker seeking to cash in a little glory for having pumped the bullet into the head of the worlds most wanted figure. Ex Seal Robert O Neil is the man , his former colleagues in Seal Team Six are unhappy though, they prefer remaining anonymous  both in and out of the service as "Silent Professionals"(See Letter from from Force Master in Chief and Commander of the Naval Special Warfare community below)   but Robert O Neil couldn't let that moment of glory pass by! He alludes to the fact that a number of congressmen and media already knew his identity it was therefore a matter of time and to pre-empt a scheduled interview with Fox Tv , he went public !

The World is not safer with Osama now deep under  but accordng to Robert O'Neil -he says that has brought closure to the families of the victims of 9-11 World Trade Centre terrorist attacks. Question is will he now be the target of terrorist jihadist out to avenge the death of Osama? That's a risk he was  willing to  contend with by going public;Robert O Neil -The Man.I'm sure Hollywood will be on his tail chasing for exclusive movie rights!

Social Media Awards Africa (SMAA)

AMI and Development Diaries Announce Social Media Awards Jury and Advisory Board

 The African Media Initiative (AMI) is partnering with Development Diaries Ltd/GTE to present The Social Media Awards Africa (SMAA) – a premier continental initiative established to recognize and celebrate excellence, creativity and impact of social media.

Toby Daniels, Founder, Social Media Week; Fred Swaniker, African Leadership Academy Founder and Eric Chinje, Chief Executive Officer, African Media Initiative (AMI) are amongst eminent professionals announced as members of the Advisory Board and Jury respectively for the Social Media Awards Africa (SMAA).

Upon successful completion of the nomination phase, the planning team for the Social Media Awards Africa has formally announced the members of the Jury and Advisory Board. In a statement from the SMAA Secretariat, ‘We are really pleased with the overwhelming response and enthusiasm of organisations and individuals across the continent’.

Judging the 2014 edition of the awards are: Fred Swaniker, Founder & Executive Chairman, African Leadership Academy; Eric Chinje, Chief Executive Officer, African Media Institute; Ken Banks, Founder, kiwanja.net; Hetal Shah, Director Operations, Mara Group of Companies; Francis Ebuehi, Vice President, VAS, Airtel Nigeria; Dr.Kasirim Nwuke, Chief, New Technologies & Innovation, UNECA and Louis Onyango Otieno, Director, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Africa.

Others include: Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman, Brand Africa; Abubakar Suleiman, Executive Director, Strategy & Finance, Sterling Bank Plc.; Ryan Silberman, Chief Operating Officer, Popimedia, South Africa; Dele Fatunla, Communications Co-ordinator, Royal African Society, London; Obi Asika, Founder, Dragon Africa; Duncan Onyango, East Africa Director, Acumen; Odo Effiong, Special Adviser Communication Technology Development – Cross River State Government; Muyiwa Moyela, External Relations Lead, IBM West Africa, and UdoJude Ilo, Nigeria Director, Open Society Initiative for West Africa.

Members of the Advisory Board serving to oversee the entire process are: Abdul Tejan-Cole, Executive Director, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); Toby Daniels, Co-founder and CEO Crowdcentric; Ini Onuk, Lead Consultant/CEO, ThistlePraxis Consulting; Tunji Lardner, Executive Director, West African NGO Network and Prof. Francis Nyanmojoh, Head of Social Anthropology, University of Cape Town.

The Social Media Awards Africa initiative was unveiled at a closed event on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 to a cross section of media professionals and social media influencers in Lagos, Nigeria. Nomination into 4 categories opened on October 1, 2014 at www.smaafrica.com until midnight on October 27, 2014.

A total of 923 nominations were received during the nomination period as follows: Personality Based (468), Platform Specific (266), Institutional (115) and Indigenous (74). Also in the window period, over 5.5 Million Connections, at least 821,886 Retweets and 29 Million accounts were reached through all 22 social media platforms where the messages were promoted.

Winners will be announced and celebrated at the ‘Night of Virtual Wonders’ holding on December 6, 2014 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Each winner will take home a cash prize of $1,000 USD and SMAA Plaque. Other benefits such as: Social Media Training, Access to memberships and attendance of Social Media events, Publications on Social Media and Complimentary advertising on Social Media Africa Portal.

The Social Media Awards Africa is sponsored by:
Sterling Bank Plc
AIESEC Africa
West African NGO Network (WANGONeT)
Zisat Technologies
FAN Milk
Beat FM
African Media Initiative

Chloride Exide Ltd -Sauti Sol's "Lipala" Dance 'Meme':Are Kenyan Corporates Catching up on Social Media Trends?

Music Videos are becoming a powerful tool in modern day business environment especially in the social media scene, ever heard of  viral video meme remakes of Psys Gangnam , Beyonce's " All The Single Ladies” Carly Rae Jepson’s “Call Me Maybe,” and now the" Sha Nay Nay"(made after the legendary Martin Lawrence character 'Sheneneh Jenkins')  dance trending in the USA. Well corporates and Ad Agencies in the West have discovered the powerful marketing effect available in such self made videos and have gone ahead to make renditions of the same shedding the all suit and tie perception and painting themselves as Social, Friendly, Caring, Engaging...




A Kenyan firm Chloride Exide Ltd with marked presence in the East African Region has caught up on the trend.Here is a video of the firms employees dancing the  MTV EMA best African Act Award 2014 winner " Sauti Sols"

Lipala Dance !The video has over 4,000 views as at 30 October, 2014 though it was published on 27 October, 2014.Will it go viral? talk about free advertisement !

Comedy Giant Robin Williams Is Dead !

Shocking as it is the king of comedy Robin Williams is dead  due to suspected suicide according to the HolyWood Reporter internet site. Robin Williams has entertained Millions perhaps billions of us through his witty comedic antics in several blockbuster Hollywood movies such as Mrs DoubtFire ,Aladin, Patch Adams , Jumanji.

He was such a funny guy, uniquely talented and could get a laugh out of anyone. The World will surely miss him.

Its especially tragic to note that he died not due to natural causes but suicide after a bout of depression.That is just so sad and illustrates the reality that being a superstar or famous does not automatically translate to being happy.Value your life as it is.Our sincere condolences to the family.