Friday job watch

Celtel
strategic planning manager ref FIN-CFO-01/05. Applicants must have masters degree, finance or CPA (k) qualification and 2 years strategic management experience at a substantive company
internal audit manager ref GM-CEO—01/05. Qualifications are masters degree in finance, 2 years internal in audit or 5 year relevant external audit experience
Apply to the human resource director at hr@ke.celtel.com by November 25.

Toyota Kenya
marketing manager. Applicant to have a business or marketing degree, and CIM certification would be an advantage. Also must have good knowledge of marketing and key trade factors governing the auto industry in the region.
Apply to the training & development manager by 26 November

Ernst & Young (technology & security risk solutions division)
business analyst – entry level requirements are computer science degree and professional qualifications such as CISA, CISSP, MCSE, CCN, or ODBA.
senior business analysts computer science degree and professional qualification like CISA, CISSP, MCSE, CCN, or ODBA. An accounting qualification such as ACCA or CPA (K) will be an advantage. Also a post graduate business or IT degree, and 3 years audit or IT experience.
Both require excellent team work & communication skills as well as a willingness to travel outside Kenya (yeah! Check their site at www.ey.com/kenya for application forms.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers
business analyst
administration assistant
Apply at ess.ke@ke.pwc.com by November 30.

IPS
chief accountant
Must have business degree, CPA or ACCA and 5 years experience in similar position
Apply to hr@ipskenya.com by November 30.

Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital Eldoret
chief internal auditor ref MTRH/6/11/2005
assistant deputy director, administration & finance ref MTRH/3/11/2005
Check at www.mtrh.org for details and apply by December 16.

World Vision Kenya
finance & administration director
procurement manager
Apply to recruit_kenya@wvi.org by December 2

Credit Reference Bureau Africa
group human resource & administration manager. applicants must have 5 years experience in a senior HR position
Apply to hra@crbafrica.com by December 5.

East African Breweries
business risk consultant applicant must have 4 years internal/external audit experience, be a qualified accountant CPA or ACCA, CISA and preferably an MBA
Apply to the head of human resources, EABL P. O. Box 30161-00100 by December 3.

Sarova Hotels
management trainee program
Apply to hr@sarova.co.ke by 30 November.

(NSSF) No Social Security Fund

At a forum to discuss the proposed controversial conversion of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) from a national provident fund scheme to a social insurance pension scheme, actuarian Sandeep Raichura dropped some hard facts about the current state of the fund right now. E.g. (i) if you start working today at age 25, and join the NSSF scheme, and work for 30 years, you will receive a 200,000 shilling lump sum when you retire at age 55 – which is less than the average annual salary of Kenyans of 260,000 shillings per year. (This assumes you only make the statutory 400 shilling per month contribution, which the NSSF will invest and earn a reasonable 10% p.a.)

While the NSSF has a history of poor governance and dubious investments, the social challenges that it faces are a greater risk to retiree’s e.g. (i) Contributions are too low; At independence it was 40 shillings per month, now it is 200 shillings (ii) <embers are too few: NSSF has about 800,000 members, yet there are 2 million Kenyans in formal employment and over 5 million in informal employment who are not members (iii) There are 1 million Kenyans over 65, and another million approaching 60 years.

Telkom now an ISP

Jambo Telkom, a subsidiary of Telkom has started offering internet connections as an internet service provider (ISP) and competing against other ISP’s like wananchi and Africa online.

Simple: All you need is a Telkom telephone line and a computer with a modem installed. Dial 9444 with your modem then enter the username jambo and password jambo and your are connected directly to the internet (at 56kps max). Charges are the normal local call rates.

Jambo was originally licensced in 2002 and at the time regulators assured other ISP’s that Jambo would not be subsidized by Telkom to drive them out of business.

Read about the long tortured history of ISP’s in Kenya here (DOC file).

KQ fleet expands

Boeing and Kenya Airways today announced planned additions to the airline’s fleet with an order for its fourth 777-200ER and an option for a fifth, as well as plans to lease its sixth 767-300ER in 2006. The 777 ordered is scheduled for delivery in 2007.

(Hat tip: http://www.africanflyer.com/) and here’s the Boeing press release.

CDF Tales & ATM wars

CDF tales
In bar talk over the weekend, I had a chat a disillusioned member of one constituency development fund (CDF) committee who lamented the woes of his mis-managed committee. He’s a reluctant member who wants to make a positive difference, but it costs 5,000 shillings for him to travel to his rural area for a committee meeting where he will receive a 1,000 shilling sitting allowance. The MP (& CDF Chairman) has said not to worry, because there’s enough ‘float’ in the process to make it worth his time.

Certain MP’s have hailed CDF as the greatest act parliament has ever passed. The 2003 Act seeks to proportionally channel government funds (2.5% of annual government revenue) to each constituency, by-passing the central government (president and ministerial budget allocations) and financing rural projects directly. MP’s are now demigods who in addition to CDF funds,also control AIDS funds, bursary kitty, and roads kitty and have also been awarded more funds to set up rural offices.

There are two problems I see with CDF (i) The composition of the afore-mentioned CDF committee which can have 12 to 15 members comprising (elected MP, two councillors, one district officer, two reps of religious organization, two men, two women, one youth rep, one nominee from active NGO) (ii) CDF projects are to be audited and reported upon by the over-worked office of the Controller and Auditor-General.

I’d like to see audits of CDF done by private sector accountants and auditors who are much more qualified and who efficiently audit thousands of small companies even at constituency level around the country each year. Same with wealth declarations – it is better to have existing, certified accountants scrutinise the wealth returns of public officers instead of creating a whole new commission (Ethics & Integrity). The private sector would do a much better job.

At the CDF web site launch, the CDF management committee asked Transparency International not to secretly audit CDF projects without involving MP’s and at the same time indicated that they would work with the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to combat corruption and misappropriation of CDF funds.

Certain MP’s have performed excellent development jobs with CDF funds including Peter Kenneth (NARC – Gatanga) and Billow Kerrow (KANU – Mandera Central). But not the MP who was the subject of our conversation and who may easily siphon over 100 million shillings from his constituents by the end of his term (he doesn’t expect to stand for re-election).

IT snafu? The Controversial MP profiles are back online at the Parliamentary site.

ATM wars
Pesa Point has signed up three banks so far; Diamond Trust, Fina and NIC (Move) and now has a total of 47 live ATM’s with a goal to set up 120 by year end. They compete directly Kenswitch, but are both still dwarfed by Co-op, KCB, Stanchart, and Barclays ATM networks.
– Equity Bank announced that they will launch 10 ATM’s on Kimathi Street (in front of Nation Centre) this month.
– The number of ATM’s is getting comical, and they are taking up much needed space in some shopping areas. So the new Nakumatt Junction has set up an ATM area with three different ATM machines side by side (Stanchart, NIC and KCB)
– Pesa Point stand-alone ATM’s look like old style telephone booths but inside resemble potty toilets, with their plastic casing and bright colours.
– KCB has waived joining fees for its credit cards till the end of the year.