Jamii signals mobile cash entry with Faiba Money

Published on Monday, 17 July 2017 11:24

Jamii Telecom has applied to register trademarks for payments and mobile money services, signalling plans of venturing into this lucrative segment of the telecom business.

The June 2017 edition of the Industrial Property Journal shows that Jamii Telecom, which operates the Faiba brand, has applied for five new trademarks including Faiba Money, Faiba Mobile and Faiba Pay.

Jamii Telecom chairman Joshua Chepkwony in an interview said the company is moving to protect its brand through the new trademarks. He added that Jamii had not sought regulatory approvals for mobile money but did not rule out offering the services in the future.

“At this point that is not our focus… At this stage we don’t think we are interested in the issue of mobile money. I can’t tell you what happens in the future,” said Mr Chepkwony.

Jamii’s entry will step up competition in the sector.

Mobile network operators Airtel, Telkom Kenya and Safaricom, have protested the issuance of 4G frequencies to Jamii Telecom arguing that the government had promised to auction these resources in an open and fair process.

According to the Industrial Property Journal, the company has also sought to trademark a 4G Internet brand.

The Communications Authority responded by saying the issuance was above board and that Jamii was expected to pay the full spectrum fees once the trial period lapses.

The Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), which publishes the journal, gave the public 60 days to protest the new trademarks.

Source: Daily Nation

AAR Kenya to build Sh2.5 billion hospital

Published on Monday, 17 July 2017 10:10

A regional healthcare provider is set to open its first hospital wing in the country before the end on the year to meet the ever rising healthcare demands from the public.

AAR Health Care Kenya, which has presence in three East African countries, namely Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, will spend at least Sh2.5 billion to put up the new facility that has a capacity of over 100 beds.

Since its establishment a few years ago, the medical company mainly majored in provision of outpatient medical services in all its 19 branches across the country.

While making the announcement on Friday during the launch of a new outpatient branch in Buruburu, Dr Frank Njenga, AAR Kenya chairman, noted that the provider has evolved over the years from providing healthcare to patients only covered by AAR insurance to serving all the Kenyans including those without insurance covers.

Expand branches

“We now fully understand the space in which we operate and in the next three years we will have expanded our branches threefold so that we reach many people who need healthcare services,” said Dr Njenga.

He added that the hospital will be constructed in Kiambu County, next to the CID headquarters, on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Charles Kariuki, AAR Health Care Kenya chief executive officer, said the need to create convenient medical care for patients especially in major towns where medical facilities are strained informed the expansion.

“We currently cover over 780,000 people every year, but there is need to create convenience to reach more people,” Mr Kariuki pointed out.

Source: Daily Nation

Dutch oil marketer Lexo Energy launches in Nairobi

Published on Monday, 17 July 2017 09:12

A Netherlands-based company has launched operations in Kenya, making Nairobi its second African destination.

Lexo Energy, the latest oil marketer to join the Kenyan market, is backed by a multi-billion-shillings war chest with which it plans to open up to 25 new petrol stations this year.

The entry bucks a recent trend in which Western multinationals have been exiting Kenya’s (and Africa) petroleum retail market to focus on upstream operations.

Besides Kenya, Lexo Energy has operations in Mauritius in Africa.

“We plan to have between 15 and 25 petrol stations before the end of the year,” Lexo Energy Nairobi office manager Koki Mulwa said on phone.

The company recently opened two stations in western towns of Mumias and Busia, and is now racing towards setting up retail operations in Nairobi and other big towns.

Lexo Energy, however, did not disclose its expansion budget, but estimates from the energy sector regulator put the cost of a stocked petrol station at about Sh100 million.

This means the new 25 stations could cost Sh2.5 billion.

Lexo Energy’s entry comes at a time when Anglo-Dutch firm Shell, also headquartered in Netherlands, is exiting the local retail market with the planned sale of its stake in Nairobi-based Vivo Energy— Shell licensee in 16 African markets.

Shell plans to sell off its remaining 20 per cent stake in Vivo Energy to Vitol, another Dutch company, for $250 million (Sh25.7 billion) in its divestment process that began in 2011.

Kenya had 75 oil marketing companies by end of last year, which import petroleum, retail at the pump and re-export some of their cargo to Uganda and Rwanda.

The oil marketers have in the recent past complained of thin margins despite an upward trend in operation costs. The current margins of Sh7 a litre for wholesale and Sh3.89 for retail were last reviewed upwards three years ago.

Source: Business Daily Newspaper.

AAR Kenya to build KSh2.5 billion hospital

Published on Monday, 17 July 2017 09:08

A regional healthcare provider is set to open its first hospital wing in the country before the end on the year to meet the ever rising healthcare demands from the public.

AAR Health Care Kenya, which has presence in three East African countries, namely Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, will spend at least Sh2.5 billion to put up the new facility that has a capacity of over 100 beds.

Since its establishment a few years ago, the medical company mainly majored in provision of outpatient medical services in all its 19 branches across the country.

While making the announcement on Friday during the launch of a new outpatient branch in Buruburu, Dr Frank Njenga, AAR Kenya chairman, noted that the provider has evolved over the years from providing healthcare to patients only covered by AAR insurance to serving all the Kenyans including those without insurance covers.

Expand branches

“We now fully understand the space in which we operate and in the next three years we will have expanded our branches threefold so that we reach many people who need healthcare services,” said Dr Njenga.

He added that the hospital will be constructed in Kiambu County, next to the CID headquarters, on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Charles Kariuki, AAR Health Care Kenya chief executive officer, said the need to create convenient medical care for patients especially in major towns where medical facilities are strained informed the expansion.

“We currently cover over 780,000 people every year, but there is need to create convenience to reach more people,” Mr Kariuki pointed out.

Source: Business Daily Newspaper.