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".

Infinix Mobile sponsors 2015 Kenyan Blog Awards

Nairobi, April 22, 2015: The 2015 Kenyan Blog Awards got another sponsor; Infinix mobile who launched different makes of their phones in the Kenyan market last year to a good reception from the consumers. Aided by intelligent marketing, the company is fast making a name due to their friendly prices for high performing phones. You can get a high end Infinix phone for less than half the cost of competitor brands.

In a statement regarding the sponsorship, here is what the Infinix Marketing Director Mr. Peter Zhou had to say. “We are happy to be the sponsor for the BAKE Kenyan blog awards this year to let more people involved in the exploration of the trend of technology and fashion. We believe BAKE will promote quality content creation with more blogs involved in the future, and we believe “The future is NOW.”

As more people turn to online reviews before they can make a purchasing decision, bloggers are fast becoming a source of unbiased criticism that helps consumers to make choices. Everyone wants advice from someone who has used and tested a product and that way they are almost certain of what step to take.

The mobile phone is one of the fastest growing social tools we use today. With bloggers taking center stage in the awards, this is a massive opportunity for Infinix to showcase their products and show that it has what it takes to be a market changer in the mobile phone market.

Apart from bloggers, the mobile phone market has also had a huge impact on application developers who have used this platform to generate income. The Kenyan youth have realized this opportunity and have been developing a lot of mobile applications, particularly in android enabled phones like Infinix.

We sincerely appreciate Infinix for being one of the sponsors in this year’s Kenyan Blog Awards and we hope that this partnership will go a long way in helping to promote online content creation.

You can help promote Online Content creation by simply voting for your favorite blogs.

Able Wireless: Why Government(Communications Authority)Should Enable Rather Than Disable Local Entrepreneurship !

Its hardly two months since the Government re branded the statutory regulatory body  Communications Commission of Kenya to the Communications Authority of Kenya. The move was hailed as "a new dawn" for in the ICT sector in Kenya. At the Launch His Excellency the President stated and i quote  “In establishing an independent regulator, we gather to mark a new beginning for the Information and Communications Technology sector and indeed for the whole Nation”As with any other statutory body i am a bit apprehensive and pessimistic as to whether Kenyans and foreign investors are experiencing a new dawn with regards to service delivery.Case in point :The Able Wireless Company.

A lot of verbal pep talk has been made about vision 2030, empowering the youth, making it ideal for local investors to get an enabling environment with little legal impediments ...etc.But time and again you read of local start ups by vibrant young men being hounded and frustrated left right center in Government  offices trying to get regulatory approvals and that is repeated time and again and you wonder is it all talk and little or no action with our systems?Do we ever take audit of what our leaders say and what happens in  practice shortly thereafter?

 Speaking of which note the tone of frustration and economic sabotage that has faced Able Wireless( a company founded by a young Kenyan entrepreneur) in their quest to roll out their services due to regulatory impediments ...and i quote from their blog

But in Kenya, despite the push to help enable youth driven businesses, The Regulatory atmosphere has failed to adapt. Come August 2nd 2014, we will have spent a year seeking Regulatory Approval to start operating in Kenya. This Regulatory overhead means that every month, we have to meet financial commitments to our suppliers per contractual agreements without having earned a single shilling. August 1st marks the 2nd time The Regulator will have delayed our launch owing to their own internal processes. Despite us being gazetted on March 21st 2014, we only know that the process is still ongoing, and approval is due soon, but this is proving to be a protracted endeavor. Two months ago, it seemed impossible that we would be forced to wait longer than August. We were wrong.

Able Wireless TopBox

Able Wireless is a Company that seeks to revolutionize content delivery and connectivity in the local market by streaming Video On Demand (VOD) content and other services at an all time low fee of Kshs 500 per month(See the video interview  explaining the service)The founder is a pioneer blogger and techie  Kahenya Kamunyu a brilliant chap and a friend. Therefore when i read his blog post on 31 July, 2014 detailing the  bottlenecks he is facing as he tries to realize his venture and create value for Kenyans. I had to throw in my support and highlight that its time we changed our modus operandi if we expect to improve the collective livelihoods of fellow Kenyans.

 
Its imperative to note that often it may not be the policy of a Government body to stifle investment but individually Government staff have a responsibility to be thrifty and hardworking in their duties and service delivery.Corruption ,bureaucracy ,tribalism and other malignant  practices are a shot at ones own foot;self defeatist at best.Once an investor meets the required statutory requirements thresh-hold , the Licenses  should be issued promptly.To keep people visiting your offices as if that is their daily occupation is ethically, economically and morally unsound.

I hope someone from the "newly" re branded Communications Authority of Kenya picks up on this issue and grant s Able Wireless the opportunity to start providing services  to Kenya and enable us to have a cheaper local alternative to the foreign based content providers that  have dominated the entertainment industry in Kenya for a considerable period.

To Kahenya Kamunyu....don't let that stop you soldier on, sky is the limit!

Social Media Awards partners with Deloitte

July 2^nd 2013: OLX Social Media Awards have partnered with Financial Services Advisory firm Deloitte for the audit of nominations which closed yesterday after 26 days of entries.

Deloitte East Africa will provide quality assurance in the voting exercise which has so far attracted thousands of entries and judges have a fortnight to select winners from the nominees. 

“We join hands in this venture as a sign that we fully understand the critical role that social media now plays in brand visibility,” said Martin Oduor-Otieno, Deloitte East Africa Partner in charge of Clients and Markets and a senior advisor in Financial Services Industry.

“Social media is now one of the key platforms used by firms to build image, brand and disseminate information on services and products offered.”

Rapid rise in the number of internet users in Kenya has accelerated the use of social media, igniting a steady increase in the number of businesses using social media platforms for brand awareness and customer service.  

Presently, 17 million Kenyans, 36 percent of the population, have access to internet according to the Communications Commission of Kenya. However, there are grim statistics that indicate the businesses are yet to optimize the use of social media platforms.  

For instance, 56 percent of customer tweets to companies are being ignored; this is according to all AllTwitter, an unofficial twitter resource. Martin Muli, one of the organisers of the recently unveiled OLX Social Media Awards, says most organisations have dormant social media accounts, and the active ones often bombard the public with bland company information.  

A quick review of comments from SOMA Facebook and Twitter accounts shows a serious contest between Safaricom and Kenya power shaping up for the customer care category of the Awards, with Orange and Faiba battling for the video of the year category.

Churchil Show, Tujuane, The trend TV are equally emerging as the favourites under the show of the year category, with Maina kangeni and Larry Madowo winning the minds of “netizens” for the media personality category as the voting process begins.

 “The OLX Social Media Awards are meant to spur professional use of social media and sustained conversation on these platforms,” says Mr Muli.  The Awards will bring together different social media enthusiasts and organizations to celebrate the tremendous contributions brought about by social media and at the same time appreciate and acknowledge those who have immensely contributed to the growth of social Media in Kenya.

“The power has truly shifted to consumers. A recent survey by TNS RMS, a research agency, showed that in contrast to Global internet use, Social Media is far more relevant then e-mail in Kenya. The survey actually discovered that out that 57 % of Kenyans believe that what other people say about brands online can be trusted more than what the brands say,” Peter Ndiangui, the General Manager of OLX, the leading online market place.

The Awards will culminate to a gala event to be held on 9th August 2013. “This is a first in Kenya, we’ve roped in experts from various fields to make sure the Awards are a success,” says Mr Muli. Other partners in the award include Trinc Media, the Public Relations Society of Kenya and Thinck, a content development firm, Bloggers Association of Kenya and Niaje.

How To Succesfully Add Facebook Comment Box/Plugin To Your Blog !

Successfully adding a Facebook comment Box has been a hard nut to crack for many bloggers who lack the technical know how.This is especially so if you are using the new interface blogger template. The code provided at the Facebook Developers page hardly renders thereby proving frustrating to a blogger who desires to incorporate the same into his or her blog. A search online on how to incorporate the code often times yields false starts,queer pages and your just too complicated instructions.

However thanks to the blog: blogofblogger one can get simple but detailed step by step instructions on how to install the Facebook Comment Box Plugin.It goes without say that Facebook is the most popular social network and if people are able to share or comment on your blog post ,then the bloggers article is rapidly spread over a massive friends network.The benefits of having a Facebook Comment Plugin is actually immeasurable and for serious bloggers a must have.Its true that Google wants to compete with their Google Plus (G+) comments initiative but they pale severely in comparison to Facebook.

Social networks have basically pushed traditional blogging to a backseat therefore an intelligent blogger appreciates the need to re invent his blogging by adopting a cross platform blogging technique and that is made easy by Facebook comments.Hence if you are blogging and are hardly on Facebook consider  reinventing your blog ,the benefits are immense

Lets Culinate People !

Lets Culinate People ! That has been a tagline especially on my Facebook profile after cooking a sumptuous meal, sometimes using your not so familiar ingredients or perhaps a french cookery term.I'm a foodie a great foodie at that! I try many things in the kitchen ,Im meticulous in my approach, widely self read from Julia Childs 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' to the Latest Edition of Wayne Gisslen -'Professional Cooking'  and for the Modern gastronome enthusiasts-yes i have all the six volumes of Nathan Myhrvold,Chris Young and Maxime Billet's -'The Art & Science of Cooking '.

I watch popular food shows- yes the new brand of celebrity chefs with almost a religious zeal .In a word im a foodie and a great foodie at that! My great interest in food-good food has made me ponder on the questions;Why is it that African cuisine with all its greatness and variety has little impact on the world at large,furthermore why is it that locally here in Kenya little is being done to put to task the restaurants to live up to their mandate to provide high quality food and service .Ive been to many high profile hotels only to be dismayed at chefs providing lackluster service,making all manner and kinds of short cuts and sometimes being extremely dishonest in describing the food items on their menu .

Perhaps you are beginning to develop an interest in cooking, baking etc where locally can you find vanilla pods ,or vanilla extract and by that i don't mean that substandard product you get in all the supermarkets by description vanilla essence(there's a huge world of difference between the aforesaid three items)know where to buy a rubber spatula, get a digital cooking thermometer or a pasta making machine?Where can i get absolutely nice cutlery without paying a bomb for it?Is there a Michelin star chef/hotel in Kenya(don't you just laugh when each and every new hotel describes itself as a five star hotel-who gave them the stars) or rather what is a Michelin star?where can i get a good cook book or which cookery app is out there that can serve me best with my limited budget?

With so many questions and so scanty resources out here; Enter the blog LetsCulinate .Its a revamp of my 2008 blog entitled Swahili Cuisines but this time the blog has more to offer ,great authorship from guest writers and chefs.It will feature popular and useful resources for wining and dining and cooking great food.Television show and cook book reviews ...etc etc.And you can get it right on your social networks especially on Google Plus.

For example consider this tip: Did you Know that you can order online from your favorite restaurant e.g China Plate,Mr Wok, Osteria, Southern Fried,Pizza World, Tin Tin Restaurant etc and have food delivered to your door step via the website:  www.hellofood.co.ke ,whether its Pizza, Italian,African,Indian or Chinese you can get your food ASAP thanks to modern technology plus there is a mobile app(IOS and Android) .Its that kind of information that many of us need.Therefore begin following the new blog LetsCulinate and grow your knowledge of food after all "There is no Love Sincerer than the Love of Food!

Best African Blog at The World Media Awards

I am  happy to announce that this blog has just been voted as the "Best African Blog" in the World Media Awards website on Saturday 25 February 2012.This especially so due to the post on Nairobi Nights featuring a Kenyan Prostitute that was recently featured on Al Jazeera and other international media outlets.

Among other blog that's won awards at the World Media Awards include:

• Live Tricks- Best Blog Design
• Jason Keaths "Social Fresh" -Best Social Media Blog
• Marie Forleo-BestVideo Blogger
• Allyssa Milano-Best Celebrity Blogger
• Ken Davenport 'The Producers Perspective'-Best Entertainment Blog
• Brian Solis-Best Guest Blogger
• Wonkette-Best Political Blog
• Shangaiist- Best Asian Blog

 It is quite an honor to be reckoned among the Worlds Greatest bloggers by a panel of Jurists from different Countries and this just goes to indicate that the African blogosphere has matured and is a source of credible, informative ,inspiring ,captivating, resourceful ,entertaining ,and newsworthy content! I count the recognition not only as a win and an honour to this blog but to all the creative African bloggers out there and their readership.Continue informing,engaging and influencing your online readership.Thank you all for keeping it locked on this blog!

Difference Between A Blogger and A Citizen Journalist !

Many of writers online use the two words blogger and Citizen Journalists interchangeably but as the online sphere develops and the issue is critically analyzed a dichotomy is starting to emerge.So is a Citizen Journalist and a blogger one and the same thing? what differentiates or defines the two? This question is pondered upon by Susan Cormier of the National Association of Citizen Journalist(USA)  in the following YouTube Video:





In an attempt at defining Citizen Journalism Wikipedia offers the following definition /opinion:

Citizen journalism (also known as "public", "participatory", "democratic",^[1] "guerrilla"^[2] or "street journalism"^[3]) is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information.^[4] Authors Bowman and Willis say: "The intent of this participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires."
Citizen journalism should not be confused with community journalism or civic journalism, which are practiced by professional journalists, or collaborative journalism, which is practiced by professional and non-professional journalists working together. Citizen journalism is a specific form of citizen media as well as user generated content.

I believe differentiating the two offers fine lines for critique and Divergent viewpoints,question is which preceded the other? are the two terms mutually exclusive ?is there a point where the two converge? Well the purpose of this post is not to theories the application or definition of the two terms but to highlight the emerging trend of differentiating the two and to solicit diverse opinions on the issue-your take?

Global Voices Post on Facebook, Kingpin Act and Harun Mwau

Facebook Should Unfriend John Mwau ( This a Re print of a post published by the author at GlobalVoices)

A Kenyan blogger Daudi Were has raised an interesting question about whether the U.S. government will be willing to enforce the Kingpin Act against Facebook for apparently doing business with a Kenyan national John Harun Mwau who had earlier this year been designated as a drug lord under the Kingpin Act (See White House Press Release).
The Kingpin Act denies significant foreign narcotics traffickers, their related businesses, and their operatives access to the U.S. financial system and prohibits all trade and transactions between the traffickers and U.S. companies and individuals.
Daudi makes some interesting observations in his post titled “Facebook Should Unfriend Mwau”:

In other words Kingpin Act targets, on a worldwide basis, significant foreign narcotics traffickers, their organizations, and operatives by making it illegal for any U.S. company or any U.S. individual to conduct any financial transactions with them.

Daudi further elaborates:

Facebook is a social networking service and website operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. Facebook, Inc was founded in 2004 and is based in Palo Alto, California. It is a U.S. company. Ownership of Facebook, Inc is shared between Mark Zuckerberg, Accel Partners, Digital Sky Technologies, Greylock Partners, Meritech Capital Partners and Microsoft amongst others. Most are U.S. citizens and U.S. companies.
Remember that U.S. companies and U.S. individuals are forbidden from any financial transactions with narcotics traffickers named through the Kingpin Act. The fines for ignoring the Act range from USD 1 million to USD 10 million and there’s also the not very little matter of the possibility of 30 years imprisonment.
Last night I started noticing adverts on Facebook for John Harun Mwau’s Facebook page. The text for the ad reads:The text for the ad reads:

Success and Wealth are but a state of mind. Discover the principles that guided me to Success on My Facebook Page.

These ads are typical paid for, they usually involve some sort of financial transaction. The type of transaction the Kingpin Act forbids.

He then makes a significant question that begs an answer from Facebook:

The world is a village. You never know when a “significant narcotics trafficker” is going to buy ads on your service. The real question here perhaps is what will these U.S. companies, such as Facebook and Microsoft, do when they find out individuals they are not allowed to do business with are buying their services?

Jke  of KikuyuMoja blog leaves a comment on the post stating:

FB & Mwau: hahahaha, good point! I’d like to see someone from the Embassy reply on this one. Or maybe they will argue that the ads weren’t bought by Mwau but instead by his supporters (which isn’t the same, ama?).

Daudi responds:

@JKE – the act targets traffickers, their related businesses, and their operatives. So friends, friends of friends, supporters etc all count in my book!

The naming of John Harun Mwau as a drug Kingpin back in June created a lot of buzz online.
Reacting to the news at the time, Kenyan Jurist wrote:

The Kingpin designation essentially makes Mwau a pariah and any financial relationship with him becomes toxic particularly when it falls within the jurisdiction of the US. This in essence applies to any foreign transaction, where money may be routed through the US. It is also a warning to the Government of Kenya to take the problem of drug trafficking seriously.

Kenyan Stockholm blog published the letter from Barack Obama on the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, which drew 21 comments.
Following alleged attack on Mwau's vehicle, blogger Wesley Rants wrote:

Then this allusion that Obama is after his personal wealth and consequently the boss’s life is in danger is clutching at straws literally, really?
As for the demand that government accords him extra security, didn’t I just read that there was a driver and a bodyguard in the car? Don’t all Mps have a bodyguard provided at our expense?
Maybe our local bosses can borrow a leaf from Mexico where bosses are building their own battle tanks:

Is the Kingpin Act just a public relations stunt? Kenyans are eager to see what will be the official response to the question raised by Daudi Were.

Nairobi Nights Blog: A Kenyan Prostitutes Building A Brand Online !

The Kenyan blogosphere has just recently been graced by not your usual blogger and not your usual genre: a street prostitute's experience and opinions including how the blogger allegedly escaped arrest by the police. The Blog is Nairobi Nights written by a self confessed Kenyan Prostitute under the pen name "Suzy".

I had the privilege of interviewing her for GlobalVoices online. In this interview she reveals more about her blog, some issues of concern to Kenyan prostitutes including security, legalization and what drives her to blog. here's her takethese issues(this interview was first Published at Global Voices slightly modified)



This is how she describes herself:

My name is Sue. I practice along Koinange Street, Nairobi. These are thoughts, observations and experiences from my prostitution world. Nothing of the soft, sympathy seeking topsy turvy kind. But straight talk, hard facts and real anecdotes. They are worth something.

Koinange Street is a major red-light district in Nairobi, Kenya.



At the time of writing, she had published 12 episodes with titles such as "Of Coming Out Of The Closet", "The Spiritual Role Of A Prostitute", "When Sex Is No Longer Sin" and "Just Call Me Malaya [Malaya means a prostitute in Swahili]".



1. For how long have you been blogging?

For about three weeks now

2. What is it that prompted you to come up with the blog "Nairobi Nights" and to document your experiences online?

I have been writing one or two things, some sort of diary about my work..But a close girlfriend of mine encouraged me to start a blog.



When i started writing my experiences and thoughts just started

flowing. And talking about my experiences and thoughts gives me some sort of relief.

3. I see in the blog you have hardly revealed any information about your identity and prefer going by the pseudo name/title "nairobi nights". What has prompted this? Any particular reasons?

I am not sure how people would react if they knew I am a prostitute. I have family, parents, brothers and sisters. I fear they would get hurt.My parents if they got to know would feel I have let them down. I also don't see any benefit of giving my real identity.

[caption id="attachment_189270" align="alignleft" width="385" caption="A road sign that reads: Attenzione Prostitute. Photo source: Adam Crowe's Photostream on Flickr"][/caption]



4. When i first read you blog, my attention was captured by your use of words, composure and manner of writing. I am sure many readers of your blog and the general audience would like to know what led you specifically to the trade? Correct me if I am wrong, is it a social misconception that the well educated and/or enlightened would get involved with this type of trade?

Sure and I have written about what society expects a prostitute to be. To some extent it is true. But interaction with prostitutes is so business like and at times in not sober circumstances. This does not provide room for men to gauge the prostitute intellectually. Even the 'not read' prostitutes have their experiences and views, but don't necessarily get to talk about to them to clients or friends.

As to why I got into it, I would say its a little complicated but I am planning on writing about it soon. I have started writing about it, but after the first paragraph, I found myself not wishing to write about. My strength and will were gone. But I know very soon I will be over it and write.

5. Often when people leave prostitution they ascribe having been drawn into the trade due to financial difficulties, family problems, rape etc. Is this always the case in your opinion?

Not necessarily, there could be many other reasons. Some with nothing to do with poverty but circumstances which shape a person's character.

6. I have just read your latest post on legalization of prostitution in Kenya. Whats your take on this issue? Do you think that this may be possible in the present "conservative" Kenyan/African environment?

I think there are advantages and disadvantages of legalization. For instance, police and city council harassment would stop if it's legalized, but then there might be so many locational or client restrictions, which may affect things like our income. Same way with the new alcohol laws. Its possible for prostitution to be legalized, but not any time soon. After the passing of the alcohol bill, the country, right or wrong, seems to be moving towards some sort of 'morality'. But it may change in the future.

8. Do you have a lobby group or support group that perhaps is assisting you in pushing forward this agenda?

Lobby group? No and I wouldn't want to be working for such. I speak for myself. If I work for a lobby group I would be speaking for all of us. I have no right to do so.

9. Do you think that prostitution has many inherent dangers as was exhibited in the latest case of the suspected Kenyan serial Killer Mr Philip Onyancha? What are the greatest dangers facing "street" prostitutes at the moment? [Phillip Onyancha is a Kenyan serial killer who is known to have killed people in his pass time]

The constant danger is you can never be sure what will happen when you go out with a man. Rape, death, drugs, non payment, lost of public respect. You can never know.

10. Do you believe that the present Kenyan laws accord prostitutes appropriate human rights, dignity and protection?

I cant exactly blame the law until prostitution is made legal. Maybe we could have some partial legalization. Maybe freedom to operate within certain areas at particular times, or something of the sort.

11. Back to your blog, what normally prompts your post?

I write what is inside me. An experience will come up and I will write about it..Some are more fresh or provoked by 'last night' happenings so I write about it.

12. Where do you see your blog at in the next few years to come?

I started the blog simply, with no really big ambitions. Some readers are encouraging me to be more serious about it but at the moment i have no major plans. I even don't know for how long I will write.

13. I had someone read your blog and they doubted that the blog is being written by a prostitute who plies the streets, if anything perhaps an upmarket call girl in some plush residential place in Nairobi: What is your response about your genuineness?

There is not much difference between the 'upmarket' prostitutes and some of us on the streets. I don't find it necessary or with an obligation to prove my genuineness to anyone at the moment. But time will answer the question about my genuineness, and very soon. When I sort out my conscience I will meet some of the readers who have asked to meet me.

14. I see you have advertisement on your blog, are there problems for you getting advertisers? I am assuming that some might not like to be associated with your content.

The one advertiser I have on the website approached me. I haven't gone out there seeking for ads. I am exactly sure whether I will do it and how advertisers would react. Its not a priority at the moment.



When people pay they will expect something from you, I will be under pressure to satisfy them and my thoughts wont flow as naturally as they do now. They might also be tilted towards making people happy. I did not want that at all. I want to get something out, not necessarily please or answer to someone.

15. You had a subscription model before on your blog, why did you change it?

When my girlfriend who encouraged me to start the blog read some of my pieces, she suggested I should make people subscribe, after a day or two, I felt its not exactly the thing I wanted. I want to write without any pressure.

Thank you Suzy for your opinion and perspectives revealed on this interview

Nairobian Perspective Blog- Now On Ovi Stores !

To all esteemed readers of the Nairobian Perspective blog. I am pleased to to inform you that you can now find this blog as an Application on Ovi stores.Be updated on the go via your mobile or smart phone. Go to Ovi stores Now ! and download the application ,we will keep you updated on  the latest  African content as it happens.






We optimize  your social media experience !

Kenya's Hottest Celebrity/Entertainment Blog: HotSecretz !

It is undoubtedly Kenya's Hottest Celebrity/Entertainment Blog and that is not an understatement !For the record this is not a sponsored post.The opinions are 100 % mine and legit. HotSecretz  as a blog has acquired the admiration of many online pundits and Kenyan blog readers.The blog is crisp ,attractive, incisive  and authoritative. Many Kenyans frequent it for the latest celebrity information tit bits ,snips, rumors and its elegant photos.

For its appeal, couldn't help but wonder who is behind this great work of digital art.Below is perhaps a first in Kenya - a bloggers fellow  online interview with the brains behind One of Kenya best infotainment blog Grace Kerongo:

So who is Grace Kerongo?

Grace? Well she is a simple girl," inherently shy" – you wouldn’t believe it – but learnt to embrace the extrovert in me.

When did you start blogging and why did you choose that particular niche to cover?

I have always wanted to read about the story behind the story especially on entertainment personalities or just get to know more about them. But never had an avenue till I started working for a teen magazine, The Insyder. Here, I had a valid platform to quench my thirst.  In 2007, the magazine started an online portal to which I contributed to in addition writing for the magazine. I was fascinated. It did not take long for the blog bug to bite. And it did. That is how Hot Secrets was born.

         What are your aspirations, passions with respect to the blog?

I envision a day when every house in Kenya will have a computer. They will need content to read and the more Kenya and African content there will be, the more myself and the blogging community will get the satisfaction of having our efforts appreciated by roping in a wider audience.

What motivated you to put up the blog?

Blogging for me was a chance to inform just one or two curious beings like myself on the inside world of entertainment. Please get this as well, not just the downright dirty laundry, the tears and the scandals but also celebrate the beautiful moments Kenyan personalities go through.

I still endeavour to bring that to the Hot Secrets readers.

There is something about your blog and its visual appeal...any background on photography or website development?

Why Thanks you. No background on both.

I would say it’s all blogger, lol. But I also wanted to provide a portal where the hardcore fans can download the photos for free and keep them, just because... You know!

Back them, when I started bogging, if I googled say for instance Nameless the only photo I got -if any- was a thumbnail sized. Now, things are different. For example, if a German promoter wants to read up on Kenyan artistes and see if he can hire them for his gig, that information is now readily available including their battles, their victories and their endorsements.

Any barbs or bouquets experienced as a result of your blogging?

I have had both. Barbs obviously come when you publish a not so flattering story about a personality and with the vibrant online community; the link is circulated on Twitter, Facebook and on email. But what I purpose to always do is get my information right and accurate, that way you can sleep easy at night.

As for the bouquet, yes, the rewards are immense. The network of contacts built and the trust you get from readers who come online to get information from Hot Secrets is rewarding on it’s own.

Another victory I can celebrate is the fact that corporate Kenya is slowly waking up to the fact that the internet is becoming stronger by the second. Now, I get stuff sent to me for publication on the blog – something that never used to happen back then.

Have you had celebrity feedback/appreciations?

Yes, they do appreciate, especially because some of Hot Secrets readers are in the Diaspora and that is where they also want top built a stronger fan base.

Where do you see your blog two years from now?

Moving from a blog to full-fledged site that provides not only news but other products as well.

Do you feel that Kenyan Celebrity Blogs will ever have the appeal or success such as that of American or British Celebrity bloggers ,the likes of Perez Hilton.

Of  course, who would have ever thought the Prime Minister would go to an theme night event that has young entertainers liked D’Banj and have a ball?

Thing are changing very quickly and those who are moving with the times are going places. Another example, recently Safaricom signed up a number of artistes who will get a good chunk of cash for a period of three years to endorse the telecommunication company. So therefore, once Africa embraces this untapped potential, nothing can stop scrupulous bloggers.

 Currently, I’m a showbiz columnist with The Star Newspaper for the daily column, Word Is…

NB/ The picture with me holding an award was from the Organisers of Chaguo La Teeniez for the Hottest Blog 2009.

There you have it, heard it first here at the award winning blog" A Nairobian Perspective" where we keep it all  Kenyan (.....well atleast sometimes) updating you on the best of African Blogs.

If you are not reading Hotsecretz Blog  you better start now because...."therein lies the secrets that great men have been killed for...beware! "