Monthly Archives: February 2005

End of Mugoya?

Mugoya Construction & Engineering Co. Ltd has filed a notice through its advocates (Oluoch Olunya & Co) to wind up its business as per the Companies Act.

This will bring an end to the pre-eminent construction company of the Moi-era. Mugoya was contracted for virtually all major construction projects running into billions of shillings and put up many landmark buildings around Kenya.

However, the company was also associated with cost over-runs and disputes over stalled projects. A hearing will be held on March 15th at the Milimani Commercial Courts, and creditors/parties wishing to be heard must notify the advocates in writing by March 10th. (Notice appears in EA Standard, February 24, 2005)

NSSF Garage Sale

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is seeking to dispose of some prime properties. While this will raise some cash for the fund, it will also improve the firm’s compliance with the Retirement Benefit Authority (RBA) Act, which limits the amount of cash the NSSF, and other pension bodies can invest in land and real estate. If you have some millions lying idle you can write to The Managing Trustee of the NSSF, P. O. Box 30599 Nairobi.

Some of the gems include: 5 acres between GPO and the Grand Regency Hotel (now a parking lot), .9 acre on State House road, 1.3 acres on state house road with an old executive house & pool, 50 acres near Karen shopping centre, 2.5 acres on Hospital Rd (Upper Hill), 2 acres on Bishops Rd (opp. Fairview Hotel), 20 acres on Langata Road, 10 acres on the Mombasa-Malindi Rd (near Giriama Hotel), Three 21 acre plots in Kikambala (Mtwapa) with beach front and 1,300 acres behind Mlolongo (Athi River area)

FYI: Language School in Kenya

The Anglican Church of Kenya School of Language & Orientation offer language courses in Kikuyu, Dholuo, Kimaasai, Kimeru, Kiembu, Kitaita, Kalenjin, Kamba, Luhya, French, Spanish, German, Swahili, Arabic and sign languages. Costs are Kshs. 32,000 for a 14-week course and it presently has students from 27 countries.

Business Briefs

NIC Bank Warning
NIC Bank which does a lot of vehicle and asset financing, has issued a warning that it is not associated with NIC Microfinance (K) Ltd a company that also purports to offer vehicle finance

Now Uchumi franchises
In a novel restructuring move, that may further dilute and confuse a brand which seems to have no strategic direction, Uchumi supermarkets invites individuals to set up and run their own Uchumi franchises. You must: have working capital of Kshs. 5m, a bank guarantee of Kshs. 5m, be prepared to manager your site on a day-to day bases, have proof that you own/lease property, and turn over 1% of net sales to Uchumi.

For further information, contact the Company Secretary, Uchumi P. O. Box 73167-00200 Nairobi, Tel: 550200 or e-mail franchise@uchumi.com

Econet Decision
The fate of Kenya’s third licensed mobile operator, Econet, may be known on March 1, when Justice Mohammed Ibrahim delivers his verdict. Econet appealed when Information Minister Tuju had cancelled their license on the grounds that the company awarded the license, was not the same one that had applied.

Woman of the Year

Eve Magazine has put an advert out for their Woman of the Year award and has invited the public to submit names of women of distinction for consideration. In 2005, it appears that it will be a slam-dunk for Wangari Maathai. However, I beg to differ. Wangari was awarded in recognition of her lifetime of work fighting for the environment. But as an MP and Minister, she has not much done recently. She should have been honoured with the Nobel Prize in the early to mid-nineties when she single-handedly saved Uhuru Park and later saved Karura Forest from destruction. Awarding her then would have been much more significant, and energized the Nation the way it did for Myanmar (Burma) in 1991 when Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. In 2004 awarding Wangari appears to be an afterthought.

For sheer courage in the last year, Njeeri Wa Ngugi must be considered – for bringing her husband back from exile, and for her strength after their journey took a horrifying turn. She went public with her story, against all advice that she remain silent, and later identified her attackers and returned from America to testify and pursue a case against them.

But my nominee is Gladwell Otieno of Transparency International. At a time when members of the civic society have been co-opted into government and become willing participants in the NARC, she single-handedly came out and shamed the dozen government anti-graft bodies with her singular crusade against corruption, while counter-checking all moves to silence her. The government has recognized the futility of fighting a woman, and has therefore picked women to battle her – PS Dorothy Angote and First Lady Lucy Kibaki. You can e-mail your suggestions to Eve magazine.