Homeland Itoya Events, a premier Kenyan end-to-end events supply and management company, has made history by becoming the first non-European events company to co-organize the prestigious Bürgerfest in Berlin, Germany.

This year’s festival was graced by President William Ruto of Kenya and President Frank-Walter Steiner of Germany, marking a significant milestone in international cultural exchange.

A Celebration of Cultures

Bürgerfest 2024 was a resounding success, celebrating the vibrant cultures of Germany and Kenya. As the first non-European guest nation, Kenya brought a unique flavor to the festival.

Attendees were treated to a rich tapestry of experiences, from traditional German folk dances and Kenyan tribal performances to a fusion of contemporary art.

Culinary delights offered a taste of both nations, with German classics like bratwurst sharing space with Kenyan favorites such as nyama choma and Tusker Lager beer.

READ: When the Gigs Stop: Edwine Anayo, CEO Homeland Events

Fostering Community and Cross-Cultural Understanding

Beyond the performances and culinary experiences, Bürgerfest fostered a strong sense of community and cross-cultural understanding. Interactive workshops, craft sessions, and educational talks provided engaging experiences for all ages.

Live music, theatrical performances, and the active participation of local organizations further enriched the atmosphere of unity and celebration.

The inclusion of Kenya as a special guest nation underscored the festival’s commitment to cultural diplomacy, strengthening ties between the two countries and highlighting the beauty of global diversity.

Homeland Itoya Events’ Role

Kenya’s Homeland Itoya Events collaborated with German events companies to curate the event setup, which included concert tentage, audio-visual, lighting, staging, and flooring. The companies also worked together to set up the workshop and craft session venues, all held in the park inside Schloss Bellevue (Bellevue Palace), the official residence of the Federal President.

Edwine P. Anayo, Managing Director of Homeland Itoya Events, commented on the event: “Curating this groundbreaking cultural exchange between Kenya and Germany has been an immense honor. Our participation here underscores the immense potential of Kenya’s events industry. We have truly come of age, demonstrating that we can compete on an equal footing with international events service providers.”

Among the Kenyan acts who performed at the two-day festival were DJ Space, Bomas of Kenya cultural dancers, and Gogosimo Band. Their performances added a vibrant touch to the festival, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Kenya.

 

The post Breaking New Ground Bürgerfest: Kenya’s Homeland Itoya Events Becomes First Non-European Organizer for German Festival appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The campaign usually involves a short nomination period where listeners nominate themselves to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience with their plus one. During the last season, the station received over two thousand entries.

Epic 48 is not an Urban Radio original idea per se, and they don’t attempt to claim so. The idea was adapted from syndicated radio show producer, R Dub, of the Sunday Night Slow Jams, which also aired on Urban Radio and other 200 radio stations across the world.

“Epic 48 is the flagship audience promotion by Urban Radio 90.7 FM. We think of ourselves as an epic station and this is one of the ways we reward our listeners,” said Urban Radio CEO Ben “Japs” Ogombe in an earlier interview with this publication.

To participate listeners are required to register by logging into https://www.urbanradio.co.ke/epic48/. Last year, Urban Radio and their partners splashed Sh 1.2 million to give the two winning couples an amazing two days that started with an eviction party at Kisumu’s Alleyways Beer Garden, a night at the Grand Royal Swiss Hotel.

The couples then few to Nairobi via Safarilink for a brief stopover at Mara Olesereni and just as the contestants thought their afternoon could not get any better, they quickly hopped onto another flight to Diani in South Coast after a brief encounter at the hotel with their idols.

“I have always admired CMB Prezzo. I casually joked about it at our eviction party and you could imagine the surprise on my face when we arrived at Olesereni and there was Prezzo in flesh and blood coming to say hi to me and congratulating me for being among the Season 2 winners,” said an excited Athman Salim when we spoke on phone about his Epic 48 experience in November 2021.

“There were a lot of memorable moments in those two days. The party, the five-star hotels, the executive limos…but for me what stood out was the fact that Urban Radio spared no cent to keep the whole thing exciting. I would be joking about wanting to meet Prezzo, and the next hour he is at my table,” he added.

For Samantha Cook who was part of the other couple that won, it was the adrenaline that came with the competition…always trying to stay ahead of her competition during the elimination stages. She even got a skill out of it, she says.

“The contest was intense and fun at the same time. It actually made me work on my social media marketing skills to come out on top,” she says during a recent phone interview.

“My most memorable moments was when we went snorkelling, I love adventures. Being able to dive into the ocean and experience the underwater was just breathtaking,” she adds.

In our previous interview with Ogombe, he had promised that season 3 is going to be a passport edition, which means that contestants will be flying out of the country to a place they can have fun in and return to Kisumu within 48 hours…we hope that is still so.

When we talked earlier today about the launch though, he promised that this was going to be the best of the series ever.

“If you think Season 1 & 2 was something, you have not seen anything yet,” he says.

Why does the station spend so much money on fans for just 48 hours?

The station has three key pillars with the first being “music.” It’s known to play only number one hits; all the songs on the station’s music rotation were at one point number one in the charts. The second pillar is “the vibe,” the content, the conversation with presenters and the audience engagement.

The third pillar is lifestyle. They think of the station as a way of life. How do you define an urban person, what do urban people do?

“A big part of urban people is travelling, it’s experiencing places, it is having fun. So. Epic 48 falls squarely under that lifestyle pillar for Urban Radio” says Ogombe.

You can watch previous seasons of Epic 48 by clicking here.

The post Urban Radio Are Back With Epic 48 Season 3 appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

In my quick approximation, Urban Radio blew, close to Ksh 800,000 two weeks ago to give two lucky listeners the most epic two days of their life.

From a lavish eviction party for the finalists with free-flowing Johnnie Walker Black to talent fees to the hiring of the top of the range cars to flights from Kisumu to Diani to accommodation and accompanying logistics.

This has so far been billed as the most extravagant radio campaign.

The two winning contestants travelled between three cities, met their idols, sleep in luxury hotels and simply had the most memorable 48 hours of their lives.

The campaign was aptly tagged “experiences money can’t buy.”

Epic 48 is for our listeners. It’s about how much we value our listeners.

Ben Ogombe, CEO Urban Radio 90.7 FM

The campaign usually involves a short nomination period where listeners nominate themselves to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience with their plus one.

During the last season, the station received over two thousand entries.

It then progresses to an elimination stage where the list is thinned on radio through technicalities like following simple instructions.

For instance, presenters called names of the contestants on-air and the contestants were expected to respond by using the campaign hashtag and tagging the station on their social media within five minutes.

If one was not tuned in and missed their name being called on the radio, they will not respond appropriately and thus will be eliminated.

To throw a twist to this, the names are called across three shows during the day and in no particular order – there is no telling where your name will fall as a contestant.

The 10 contestants who follow all the rules to the end make it to the final Epic 48 draw where listeners will then take over by voting for their preferred winner.

The voting happens on social media to enhance transparency. Social media analytics tools are then deployed to not only tally the votes but also weed out those attempting to rig the system through double voting.

In the end, the person with the highest votes and the first runner up gets to experience the most awesome 48 hours of their lives. They are each allowed to bring one person on the trip with them.

                  Season 1 Epic 48 / Video Courtersy of Urban Radio 90.7 FM

The 48 hours countdown begins in Kisumu at the end of an eviction party usually hosted at a club in town or a high-end resort. The last eviction party was hosted by Johnie Walker at Kisumu’s Alleyways Beer Garden.

Participants in the competition must always be ready to pack and leave at a moment’s notice – usually very few hours. The winners are picked up by state of the art luxury cars from their houses and chauffeured to the eviction party where they receive an all-VIP red carpet welcome.

The clock starts counting down to 48 hours when they arrive at the luxury hotel they are staying in for the night. For season one the winners stayed at Ciala Resort in Kisumu, while for Season two they spent the night at the Grand Royal Swiss Hotel.

The idea

Epic 48 is not an Urban Radio original idea per se, and they don’t attempt to claim so. The idea was adapted from syndicated radio show producer, R Dub, of the Sunday Night Slow Jams, which also aired on Urban Radio and other 200 radio stations across the world.

“We were having a chat with Randy Williams (R Dub) on what kind of promotions we can do to make the station stand out, he told us about this campaign they have been running called Epic 48 which was in its third edition then and we thought that would be a great idea to localise,” said Ben Ogombe, CEO Urban Radio during a recent interview with Ominde’s Words.

“Epic 48 is the flagship audience promotion by Urban Radio 90.7 FM. We think of ourselves as an epic station and this is one of the ways we reward our listeners,” adds Ogombe.

The station has three key pillars with the first being “music.” It’s known to play only number one hits – all the songs on the station’s music rotation were at one point number one in the charts.

The second pillar is “the vibe,” the content, the conversation with presenters and the audience engagement.

The third pillar is lifestyle. They think of the station as a way of life. How do you define an urban person, what do urban people do?

“A big part of urban people is travelling, it’s experiencing places, it is having fun. So. Epic 48 falls squarely under that lifestyle pillar for Urban Radio” says Ogombe.

What the station is trying to do with the campaign is make the dreams of their listeners come true. They also want to show their listeners what they can do in 48 hours.

They try to answer the question, how far can you go and what amazing things can you do in 48 hours?

It’s however not only about the places you go to but also the people you meet – look at it, if you had the money and at times we do, you can go to these places. But the campaign gets you to meet your idols as well.

The thinking about the promotion revolves around Magic – blowing you away! Motion, the promotion is about time, everything has to be done within 48 hours – going to all these amazing places and still having enough time to have fun.

Mystery – the surprise element. The contestant doesn’t know where they will be going, what they will be doing, who they will be meeting. Lastly, moments – unforgettable moments. Things you only see on TV.

“The fun part about the campaign is that we put a lot of decoys. The contestants try to guess what happens next and we throw them off their game. In the last edition, we told them to pack swimsuits.

“They guessed we were going to the coast but we got to Nairobi and checked in at the Emara Olesereni. At some point we told them that we were going to pick someone from the airport, unknown to them their luggage had already been secretly checked out of the hotel and they were not going to spend the night at Ole Sereni, ” says Ogombe.

Destination Marketing

The promotion is also about showcasing destinations. If you are in Kisumu and your idea of a weekend is just hanging out at the regular joint, Epic 48 opens your mind to a whole lot of destinations.

Even if you don’t have 600K to blow away in two days but you sure can have a good weekend and be back in time for work on Monday. This includes travelling out of the country.

The station is promising that season 3 of the promotion will be a passport edition. They are also looking forward to partnerships with hotels.

Sponsorship Plugin

The station has partnered with various brands to deliver the Epic 48 promotion to their audiences every three months. The whole process of determining the winner is data-driven from registration on their microsite to shortlisting tasks to voting, to the live broadcast of the EPIC48 journey on its social media platforms to the release of the season’s documentary on our youtube page. This makes them naturally look at Safaricom as a flagship partner.

Johnie Walker is the preferred epic drink, fun times are made better with a bottle of JW Black and their goal here is to have our listeners think of JW Black as the drink for epic excursions and for the flight partner, Safarilink is their preferred wing to the bush and the beach and their invaluable partnership has really helped in making every minute in the 48 hours count.

“The distinct feature with this promotion is that we will have to stick with our partners for all editions. It’s totally disjointed to say today that JW Black is the EPIC48 drink then switch to something else on the next edition.

“Our listeners are following each season and we have to ensure our offering is consistent. We want Safarilink to be able to christen a round trip of say, Kisumu to Diani through Wilson as the EPIC48 trip and our listeners will understand that this is the flight that gets you out of Kisumu at 12.10 on Friday and through Wilson to Diana by 15.30 and returns you to Kisumu on Sunday evening.

“We are also in talks to bring on board a skincare and beauty partner, a phone brand – so the whole experience can be shot using their phone, and a payment platform partner. This is a property that moving forward we will be selling at the beginning of the year and sharing our calendar of events with our partners early enough and they buy it for the whole year,” explained Ogombe.

For the sponsors, this promotion brings to life various aspects of their products through the on-air campaigns. The value they get on air, through the journey and the entire contact points.

For the audience, the second season of Epic 48 will be released in episodes. This will allow the station’s audiences to relive detailed experiences the winning contestants had and whet their appetite for the next edition. This also helps the photographers who had a challenge cutting down gigabytes of footage into just six minutes of film.

The promotion has now also integrated a CSR project where the contestants have an opportunity to give back to a cause of their choice.

The post Epic 48, Kenya’s Most Extravagant Radio Promotion appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

This morning, I had a chat with Edwine Anayo, founder and CEO of Homeland Events Limited about the challenges of doing events business in the midst of a pandemic like this one.

I have known Eddy since childhood. We went to the same primary school, I actively participated in his campaign when he went into politics in 2013, and I later had the opportunity of working with him for more than a year as his events company’s General Manager.

Today, he is a man fearing for his business, and the industry.

You had gone into politics, how did you find yourself quitting that to venture into the events business?

I think I have always had an eye for business opportunities. Politics was a little draining for me. The whole concept of devolution was still new and quite a number of us who were going in as first time MCAs did not really know what we were getting into.

Then there was the bigger frustration of not being able to bring about the changes I had hoped to initiate, especially when it came to creating employment and business opportunities for young people. So very early on, I had decided that I was not going to seek re-election.

Why events?

I saw an opportunity. I lived around Wayside in Kisumu in 2013, and back then I would see EABL do a lot of promotional events along that beer belt. It was always the likes of Homeboyz Entertainment that were providing events services there.

I felt that this is something we should be able to do locally. The challenge was that there was not a single events company in Kisumu with the kind of equipment they had.

So I did a bit of research, found out what kind of equipment I would need and how much they cost. I was already convinced that this is a business I want to venture into and be able to supply the likes of EABL and Coca-Cola who were by then some of the biggest sponsors of events in Kenya.

You had to sell your house to buy events equipment, how did it get to that?

I was coming to the end of my term as an MCA. Politics had drained me. I was spending more money than I was earning trying to improve the livelihoods of the people I served.

I basically made no money in politics.

My car rental business was also not doing very well at the time because politics would not allow me to give it the attention it deserved.

You would probably ask why I did not get a loan from a bank instead. What a lot of people don’t know is that banks have a classification of customers known as “politically exposed persons, or PEP.”

They look at you as high-risk clients because in politics there is never any guarantee that you would make money. When you approach them with business ideas, they will turn you down however good your proposal is. They assume you are just looking for money to fund your political activity.

How did that risk turn out?

Well I can say that I was very lucky. While my plan had been to start this venture in 2018, some of the equipment that I had bought in China and the UK arrived much earlier.

This was during the 2017 political campaign season. Having a brand new stage and sound system at the time created instant demand for us.

It was a busy season. We were always on the move providing sound, staging and lighting solutions to political rallies in Western Kenya. Very quickly we became a household name.

In 2018 and 2019 we started investing in other events equipment like dome tents, alluhall tents, outdoor and indoor LED screens, carpets, pro-floors and so much more.

The more time we spent in the industry, the more we learnt about what other equipment had demand.

Our investments have, however, not just been about equipment. We hired some of the best talents to work with these equipment, providing them with packages that are quite the envy of their colleagues working in other events companies.

I am a believer in the Richard Branson philosophy that “when you take care of your employees, they will in turn take care of your business for you.”

I remember when I joined Homeland Events, business was looking up. The company was expanding into new markets like Nairobi and that was starting to pick up quite well then Covid-19 came. How did that disrupt you?

From the outside, it looked that we were growing really fast. We were barely two years old and here we were moving into new markets like Nairobi and Mombasa.

What most people don’t see is that the planning bit took us quite some time. Remember I said I started having these ideas in 2013. So that was a whole five years we had taken studying the market, so it was easier to capture it then.

Kisumu became too small for us and we wanted to go play in the big league, and that league was in Nairobi. That was also where the important decisions were made.

If you were not playing there, you were getting the crumbs of corporate business. We wanted a share of that market and we aggressively went it.

In just two months of our entry, we were meeting the goals we had set for ourselves at six months. It was also a capital intensive venture but things were looking up until March 13th 2020.

Then the music literally stopped. I had over 40 employees to think about. These are men and women with families of their own, most of them are breadwinners.

At the time the pandemic set in, we had just made orders for new equipment from the UK, South Africa and China. We had committed almost all the money we made in 2019 in this because we wanted to be a significant player in this industry.

We have lost quite a chunk of some of those deposits.

How were you able to ride that storm in 2020?

It was difficult. There were nights I stayed up thinking about what to do next because here we were, in the business of crowds, and the government had banned mass gatherings.

Other than staff costs, rent for our two offices spaces in Kisumu and Nairobi was costing upwards of Sh 500,000. All we had in the bank at the time were deposits from clients who had booked for weddings in April and May.

Interestingly I did not have to lay off staff. I had an honest conversation with them about the situation we were in, and I was surprised by how well they understood the situation. Most of the measures we implemented during that time were suggested by them.

Another thing we did was diversification of income. We had a sizeable logistics arm which we instantly converted into a transport business. We would transport items for traders from Nairobi to parts of Western Kenya.

As restrictions were eased to allow for smaller events, we took advantage of that too. Remember that previously we only targeted corporates and large events for individual clients. At this point if you were having an event for 20 people, we would supply you. Every coin mattered at that time.

I am also grateful for the support we got from our financial partners. Particularly Equity Bank which allowed us to restructure our asset finance loans. We had bought six vehicles with their help and this flexibility allowed us some breathing space.

Imagine what it would have been like if in the middle of this the bank was also repossessing our vehicles.

In Nairobi, because business was almost at a standstill there, we moved from our godown in Industrial Area which was quite costly to a much smaller office space in Karen.

Now we are having a second lockdown, how have you adjusted to this?

It is very unfortunate. This came at the most unexpected time. We have been trying to comply with Ministry of Health regulations on social distancing as an industry, and people have been complying.

The people advising the president are not being cognizant of the reality on the ground. Businesses are hurting. People are hurting. This may take some of us down forever.

In coping we are continuing to have conversations with our staff on how to ‘keep the lights on’ during this time. We are aggressively selling those permitted smaller events. Everyone is now a sales person here, even the drivers and cleaners are selling.

What do you think is the future of events business under the ‘new normal?’

Some things will change, others will stay the same. We are already seeing technology taking centerstage with solutions such as virtual conferencing. These are things we are investing in currently, and will continue doing so in the future.

Funerals, weddings, birthday parties, sporting events and concerts will continue as they were at some point. We might have elements of a mixture of both real life and virtual events, but it’s not all dead.

What’s the future like for Homeland Events?

I am optimistic that things will get better. I have never underestimated the resilience of human beings. As an industry, even with our competitors who are still in the game, we will get to the end of this tunnel.

For this company, we are exploring more options, including investment in more relevant equipment and technology that meets tomorrow’s demand. We are also looking into expanding into regional markets.

Right now, our eyes are locked on Kampala, and who knows, Homeland Events might be in Uganda before the end of the third quarter.

Why Uganda if I may ask?

Uganda’s events market is quite developed, especially when it comes to weddings. I can only compare it to Nigeria. Competing in that market will only challenge me to get better.

But the cost of doing business in Kenya is also prohibitive. The environment is not friendly at all. A lot more people are looking outside.

If it turns out as a viable venture for me then why not. Businesses like Equity Bank are regional, I know friends who run businesses in Tanzania and Uganda, why not Homeland Events?

The post When the Gigs Stop: Edwine Anayo, CEO Homeland Events appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Adrian Washika who rose to fame in the 90’s playing alongside industry heavyweights like Dj Pinye, Dj Chopstick and Dj Space among other notable names will be in Kisumu for the first time to play a gig.

Adrian will be hosted by Dj Slim – one of Kisumu’s veteran Djs also famed for his mastery of grown folk music of different genres. The show is expected to begin from 1.00 PM to 9.00 PM. The Club’s management is promising revellers a mature party with music guarantee to take them back in time as they enjoy drinks and food at affordable prices. Covid-19 regulations on social distancing and mask policies will be strictly adhered to.

Club Da Place which has recently received a face lift is known to host some of the country’s biggest names in entertainment, putting money in artists’ pockets during these these hard economic times.

If you are looking for a place to hang out this weekend then how about you throw on some old school clad and head on to Mamboleo for Kisumu’s biggest party this weekend.

The post Dj Adrian to Perform in Kisumu for the first time on Saturday appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The County Government of Kisumu recently announced plans to relocate two of the county’s oldest schools from the city centre to pave way for the expansion of the CBD.

I want to address the issue surrounding the relocation of Kisumu Boys and Girls High Schools from a Planning perspective, What Kisumu City is Experiencing is a case of Urban Regeneration or Renewal and It’s not a new Phenomenon, although gentrification can also not be ruled out.

Urban Regeneration is an action aimed to solve urban problems and finding long-term improvements to the economic, physical, social and environmental aspects of an area to be changed. But must adhere to the following principles:

• The need to establish clear and measurable objectives of urban regeneration process and according with the objectives of sustainable development;
• Adequate analysis of local conditions;
• The need of the efficiently use of natural, economic and human available resources;
• Participation and cooperation among stakeholders, leading to improved physical condition of buildings, social structure, economic base and environmental conditions.

Urban regeneration is an opportunity in solving problems such as: Lack of identity of a residential area, total lack of public spaces and the high urban density, which makes it impossible the widening of roads, green or recreational areas, planting trees along the sidewalks etc

Earlier in the days, 2 planning protagonists in the name of Perroux and Friedmann explained this using the Growth Pole and Core Periphery Model in Planning respectively. For now allow me to explain John Friedmanns’ Core periphery Model. Friedmann believed that a city has four regions;

1. The core region(Kisumu CBD and Its Surroundings), which is characterized by high potential for economic growth. They will consist of one or more clustered cities together with their intermediate surroundings.
2. The upward transitional region(Milimani, Mamboleo, Kanyakwar, Kibos etc), are located favorably relative to the core regions and have a capacity for intensified use of resources. A salient characteristic is that they are areas of net migration. Economic development possibilities will often be in response to a rising demand at the core.
3. The downward transitional region,(Manyatta, Obunga, Nyalenda, Kondele etc) are areas that are old, long settled with stagnant essentially rural economies, characterized by net emigration.
4. The resource frontier, are areas of new settlement, which are predominantly agricultural in nature. (Kibos, Koru, Chemelil, Muhoroni, Miwani, Ahero etc)

According to Friedmann, development originates in a center of change (Kisumu CBD) located at the points of highest potential interaction within a communication field. Innovations diffuse from those centers to areas of lower potential interaction. Which is what is being seen at the moment.

In Kenya currently, Counties are struggling to have in place their spatial plans, A spatial plan should be a component of the county integrated development plan (CIDP) that illustrates the social and economic development programme of the county, However most county governments develop CIDPs without including the Spatial Plans. The Council of Governors and the National Government through the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, developed guidelines for county spatial planning in 2017. Yet, until last year, only Lamu County had developed a spatial plan.

Nonetheless, Kisumu County also drafted a new urban spatial, physical and land use development plan in November 2020 to help manage its growth. The plan aims to guide, regulate and coordinate the development of new infrastructure in the city, including new bus parks, drive and walk ways, housing, tourism, land use and public service for the next 20 years. The plan also entails a framework to accommodate new growth and development of existing growth nodes.

By law, no development can or should take place outside a planning framework. Therefore no public fund should be used outside a planning framework. CIDPs, which most counties use, are not Spatial Plans and as such the relocation of some of the amenities in Kisumu should not be undertaken unless a clear spatial or urban plan is in place to guide the such developments, As it stands, The County government is clear on its priorities as set out in the land use development plan for the County.

Besides the urban spatial, physical and land use development plan, Kisumu also drafted The Kisumu Sustainable Mobility Plan (KSMP) in June 2020 which aims to foster increased accessibility by prioritizing walking, cycling, and public transport. The Plan first assesses conditions of the existing transport system, identify existing gaps in transport facilities and service provision. It then offers a roadmap for improved mobility and living conditions to maximise the contribution of transport to improving the city’s quality of life. It also addresses the need for orderly urban expansion and enhanced connectivity between Kisumu and surrounding rural centres.

The KSMP comes under the umbrella of the Kisumu Integrated Sustainable Urban Plan (ISUD), which identifies mobility as one of the essential keystones towards the growth of the city. The plan recommends prioritisation of efficient public transport and enhanced mobility through road design incentives. The KSMP is also guided by the Governor’s manifesto (2017-2022), which highlights the need to integrate and improve various modes of transport to foster the development of Kisumu county.
I am not a Devil’s advocate but if the Mobility plan for the county is an essential keystone towards the growth of the city, then such monumental amenities like Kisumu Boys and Girls might not withstand the test of time(Noise, Urbanization, Dust, Smoke, Crime etc) and perhaps their reallocation might prove to be beneficial in the long run. However, the county needs to uphold one of the principles of Urban Regeneration, that of “Participation and cooperation among stakeholders” In order to achieve success.

Nobert Nyandire is an Environmental Planner and Climate Change Expert.

The post Opinion: Relocating Kisumu Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools is a necessary evil appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

This is not an article about my exercise routine (just in case you are wondering whether you should stop reading). These walks have become an integral part of my creative process as a writer. As I walk through the estate and see the buildings that dot Lolwe’s ever-changing skyline and those still coming up, the on-going road constructions, meet people going about their businesses, I can’t help but wonder why there is so much negative publicity when it comes to this residential estate that doesn’t look too different from others out here (maybe just better in terms of amenities).

I recently asked my followers on Facebook what comes to their minds when someone tells them they live in Lolwe estate. “Usherati (fornication), scandals,” and other adjectives that describe promiscuity is all that they could come up with.

True, the estate has had its fair share of drama. The recent incident in which two men hacked each other with machetes after one allegedly found out that the other was sleeping with his wife is just an example. Another earlier incident in which a young man’s car allegedly went up in flames as a result of a relationship gone sour could still fit into this widespread notion. Then there are the troopings of Landcruiser V8s and Pajeros on Friday evenings and weekends – which I am made to understand are “big men” visiting their clandes.

These incidents, far in-between, do not define what day to day life in the estate looks like. They are actually not even unique to Lolwe. But somehow this is the reputation that people have of the estate.

Four months ago before I came to live here, I was one of the people who held such perceptions. I remember more than once saying “I can never live in Lolwe.” Then when a friend convinced me to actually get into the estate, see the houses and amenities available then my perception slowly began to change. I was house-hunting at the time.

When I told a close friend and neighbour in Mamboleo where I lived before that I was moving here, she asked, “how can you leave Mamboleo to go live in Lolwe, wiyi rach (is something wrong with your head)?”

Lolwe is perhaps Kisumu’s biggest middle-class residential area (when talking about middle-class in Kisumu, think about it as anyone earning a net income of Sh 50,000 and above. Nairobi would have a totally different description). Rent here for a two-bedroom house is about Sh 17,000 on average. There are hardly any units going for over Sh 30,000 a month. While the initial houses in the estate were bungalows, the estate’s skyline is today dominated by four and five-story apartment block buildings with underground parking lots and washing areas in the roofs. Some of them are quite modern architectural masterpieces. There are very few one-bedroom or studio apartments – most of which are located on the top floors of these buildings.

The tall buildings have however interfered with mobile reception for some networks. You can hardly get internet speeds of 1 mbps when on Airtel data. Safaricom have moved to counter this by setting up a base station in the middle of the estate. A move that should be followed by other mobile network operators.

The estate is home to a majority of Kisumu’s working-class youth. Most of them have young families – this is evident from the many school buses you will see making trips in the estate every morning and evening. Still, if you are out early, you will probably see many of these young parents holding their children’s hands as they take them to the bus, meet some driving with them in their cars, others being dropped by bodabodas.

In the four months that I have lived here, I have seen a completely different picture from the image that exists out there on social media. So, where does this narrative come from?

Benson Nyangiro’s family own Tabbah Apartments within the estate, one of the few places a two-bedroom house costs more than Sh 20,000. He lived here for about four years supervising the construction of their units.

“When the bungalows in this estate started giving way to the apartment blocks, there was an instant shift in the kind of people who lived here. We started seeing an influx of younger people who occupied most of the initial apartment blocks. These were mainly one-bedroom units,” he explains.

“Most of these young people were in their first jobs. Many of them having come from not-well-to-do backgrounds. There is that excitement that comes with new money, so there was a lot of parties in the estate back then. Then there was the era of the new devolved units. People started doing business with counties and a couple of businessmen and county officials rented these one-bedroom units for their mistresses. Generally, the population of single women in this estate has always been higher than that of men. Put that together with the parties and the chances for drama and scandals go higher,” he continued.

Benson thinks that has changed. “We don’t have people building the one-bedroom units anymore. The houses here are significantly becoming more expensive as much as the number is also increasing. A majority of the people who live here are young parents. People with families are usually not that dramatic. If they have scandals they keep it in the low. So what happens here today is what you would see in places like Kilimani in Nairobi, Kisumu’s Milimani, Tom Mboya or any other middle-class residential area. The only problem is that we now live in the information age and small incidences easily find their way into WhatsApp , Facebook and blogs, and before we know it they have been blown out of proportion. This continues to feed into the old narrative about the estate which is actually flawed.

Duncan Opondo operates a carwash inside the estate. He has been living here for more than twelve years and has seen the transformation the estate has gone through.

“Most of these plots you see today were originally owned by members of Lolwe Housing Sacco. That is where the estate gets its name from. The ones who decided to build here built bungalows. Very few of those still exist as the owners have either brought them down to put up apartment blocks or sold them off to those developing apartments,” he explains.

“Back then there were challenges with water supply. My first business was selling water using a hand cart. Today we have reliable water supply from KIWASCO. The houses here are becoming more modern. Almost all buildings in the estate have both Safaricom and Zuku Fibre. There has been a transformation even in the kinds of residents living here. Today, it’s more of people in their mid-30s. A lot of them have young families. The estate is still growing and when things such as this road that is under construction is completed, it will be the place where everyone in Kisumu wants to live,” he says.

Amondi Samba runs a design shop in Kisumu. She has been living in the estate for one year now. She says she comes across the negative comments every time she tells somebody she lives in Lolwe estate.

“Immediately I tell someone I live in Lolwe, they start telling me how it’s (Kisumu’s) ‘Sodom and Gomorrah.’ How all ladies who live there are whores. It’s just a whole lot of negativity.”

She says she cares little about what people think about her choice of place to live. “I settled on Lolwe because I found everything I was looking for in a house here.”

Like Benson, Amondi believes that the scandalous stories from Lolwe are blown out of proportion to fit a narrative that some people have already created in their minds.

Bernard Opiyo owns three residential blocks in different parts of the estate. He is optimistic that the transformation the estate is currently going through will help revive its image.

“This reputation has been costly to property owners. We are not able to attract the kind of tenants we would wish to have, that’s however changing. The young people you see in this estate will tomorrow be this town’s next pool of corporate and business leaders. Some will move to more affluent neighbourhoods but we will also grow with others. Even now we are already witnessing that, and if you look at the new developments coming up within the estate, the buildings are targeting a very different kind of clientele. When the road project (tarmacking) ends mid this year, this will be one of the places everyone in this town will aspire to live in,” he says.

“We are making the estate more organized, the road project is just part of it. If you have noticed, we are also increasingly adopting the courts as opposed to stand-alone buildings where property developers are now coming together and sharing in developing amenities like sewer lines, security installations and waste management. We are looking forward to planting more trees in public spaces in the months and years to come and in another five years, this place will look like paradise. That image that exists out there will not be here for long.”

Would you consider living in Lolwe after reading this? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

The post Lolwe: Kisumu Estate With A Flawed Reputation appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

A week ago, the Lead Presenter of the show Edward Kwach read out his letter to his twelve-year-old self.

Concentrate more on your hobbies, buy more books, breed more dogs. Drinking isn’t a hobby.

Edward Kwach, Lead Presenter Breakfast Club on Urban Radio 90.7 FM

The media career that would see him not only hosting the biggest show on Kenyan radio but being this country’s most sought after radio presenter at the time began with an ad campaign when he was only fourteen years old. A darling of the brands he became with his powerful voice, doing ads for Coca-Cola, Safaricom, Airtel, Tusker Lite and so many more. He had initially set out to study law and probably follow in the footsteps of his father, a respected retired judge. But media would come calling all the way in South Africa.

Don’t punch Collo of Kleptomaniaks because of your lost wallet. Don’t fight him. Walk away because you will be dismissed from Kiss the second time.

He has twice worked for Capital FM and twice at Kiss FM. He has been to East Africa Radio in Tanzania, Hot 96 and is now doing his second stint at Kisumu’s Urban Radio. Interestingly, he has been fired from all the stations because of drinking or things he did under the influence.

When you hit rock bottom, appreciate it and stay there for a moment.

The tone of this letter, and indeed the five other letters by all of the station’s presenters is that of ‘their past will not define them.’ The honesty is brutal. Even though they are letters written to a twelve-year-old, they make you want to stop and think about your own life for a moment. However old you are.

Urban Radio 90.7 FM is kind of going through a second chance of its own. Listening to the letters from all the presenters, you are left feeling that the guy in charge of recruiting them was very intentional about what he or she was doing – building a radio station that’s relatable. That’s real. That’s raw. That’s uncut.

For sure this is what their programming oozes. I admit I have not been keen on Kenyan radio for a while. The daily choreographed relationship soap operas that we are treated to every morning isn’t really my cup of tea – I often joke that I have better real-life drama of my own. You gotta listen to the Breakfast Club on Urban Radio 90.7 FM (or on www.urbanradio.co.ke) to understand what I am talking about, I doubt my words can do it justice.

If you like your presenters bold, if you prefer them witty, if you love them knowledgeable, if want them a little sassy and if you tolerate them just a little naughty then this is the kind of breakfast show you will love. They don’t shy away from calling out stupidity – especially from your politicians. But these are the go-to-guys when you just need an A1 start to your day. His co-hosts are Chris Okinda and Diana Kubebea.

Somebody still needs to tell me how many movies Kwach has watched because he somehow seems to connect all the songs they play with the movies they have featured in.

Below is the complete video of Kwach reading his letter to his younger self.

The post Dear Taji: Edward Kwach pens an emotional letter to his younger self appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

The Take Over series is run by 23 award-winning celebrity stylists who specialize in various forms of beauty therapy. The services offered on the day range from skincare, weaving, deadlock maintenance, shaving, manicure, pedicure, massage and so much more (scroll to the bottom for a complete list of participating stylists).

Liz has been operating the beauty parlor since 2015 and is excited about treating her clients to this exclusive deal that is just on it’s fifth episode across the country. The team of 23 stylists who are the very best of what Kenya has have been going around the country providing exceptional celebrity beauty experience to clients. The last event was in Mombasa at a salon owned by socialite Vera Sidika.

Dazzli is open seven days a week with the busiest days being from Thursday to Sunday. Liz advises that Tuesdays are the best for clients who like to get their hair done on less crowded days. The services offered on a daily basis include massage, all kinds of hairdressing, facials, manicure and pedicure among others.

Participating Stylists
Saul’s magic – the hairdresser
Muhia Hair
Qyangaria Naturals
Steve Gathuma (Hair Champ)
Lililes Beauty
Mireri’s Makeover
Farouk Hair Guru
Cralocks Hair Saloon
Jane Alice – Weavoligist and Stylist
Makasi Hair and Beauty
Jayne Stylist
Goretty Stylist
Hair Whisp – the hair stylist
Dgohnie hair arts
3 Stylists
Hair by Paul
Angie Chonge
Dreadlocks Therapist
Jess The Hairdresser
Learry
Kj Saloon and Barbershop
Madada Care
Ahterah Hair Technician

0728205028 to book an appointment

Whether you are booking for this experience or just want to try out Dazzli some other time, I think it will be worth your money. If you do get the celebrity experience on Monday, kindly come back and leave a comment with your feelings about how that went.

The post Celebrity stylists to take over Kisumu’s Dazzli Salon at Mega City on Monday appeared first on Biz Post Daily.

Alleyways Beer Garden is this evening hosting a party dubbed ‘Old School Retro – Grown folks experience,’ which lines up a star studded mix of Kisumu deejays from yester years.

Bob (proprietor alleyways) will be teaming up on the decks with Dj Archie (of Soundboxx Entertainment), Dj Gordo and Vj Slim. While very few people know Bob and Archie as Djs, it will be interesting to see them go head to head with Vj Slim and Dj Gordo who despite falling in the cartegory of the city’s pioneer Djs still ply their trade in local clubs.

The event is slated to start at 3.00 PM till curfew time. The theme for the event is all white with Covid-19 protocols observed.

I do hope the club has plans to soon give us a head to head between these old boys and the new kids in the block – would be an interesting one too.

The post Alleyways to host old school Party featuring Kisumu’s veteran Djs tonight appeared first on Biz Post Daily.