DAILY
Tuesday 15 September, 2020
EXTRA BUSINESS AND CORPORATE WORLD
OPENS ITS NORTHRISE DOORS IN LUSAKA
‘STORMY WEATHER’
…Planned nationalisation of KQ flies into fresh turbulence
N Pick n Pay Zambia opened its Northrise Store situated along Great North Road on Thursday 10th September 2020. Speaking during the official opening of the store; Category Manager and Demand Planner, Chimwemwe Silutongwe said it is important for businesses to stay ahead of the curve with technology if the store is to prevent major disruptions in times of crisis. He says Pick n Pay has an online supplier portal that has been a timely answer to the COVID-19 pandemic for its procurement team and suppliers. During the official opening of the store, Pick n Pay Buyer, Raphael Chisala said the production of wine on the continent has been in existence since time immemorial, with South Africa being the leading exporter of the savoury drink. In an attempt to improve the country’s balance of trade, there is need for the government to be engaged in the development of viticulture in our country’’. Attempts at wine production have been seen in the tourist capital, Livingstone. There is potential for viticulture if more support was available and accessible. Pick n Pay is ready to support locally made wines’’, he said. And Pick n Pay Personal Assistant to the MD, Grace Mumba said Pick n Pay has worked hard to develop strong community relations through its corporate social responsibility strategy. “Corporate Social Responsibility has gained great traction, encouraging companies and corporations to take responsibility for the impacts the organization has on the greater society, beyond their pursuit of profit. Our focus areas as Pick n Pay have been education, old age homes and employment of physicaly challenged people”, she said.
Also speaking at the launch; Marketing and Social Media Manager, Foster Penza said an active social media presence has helped enhance brand awareness, trust and reputation proving effective in receiving and attending to various customer queries and feedback. “The department’s focal role is to mobilize advertisements through our leaflets, social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, newspapers, billboards and radio”, she said.
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AIROBI - The planned nationalisation of Kenya Airways (KQ) appeared to run into turbulence even before it could take off after National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi directed a reconsideration of the process. This comes after the report of the Transport, Public Works and Housing Committee on the National Civil Aviation Bill 2020, was challenged by MPs in the House for failing the requisite public participation, forcing Speaker Muturi to intervene. Muturi told MPs that he did not want to see the House acting in vain especially if the committee’s report that was questioned by MPs Tom Kajwang’ (Ruaraka), Aden Duale (Garissa Township), Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North) and Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) among others, is successfully challenged in court. “I direct that the committee sets aside three days to take views from the public so that everybody feels satisfied,” Speaker Muturi ruled. The Speaker also directed the clerk’s office to agree with the committee chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing when an advertisement for the public participation should be placed in the media. “It is only fair that we avoid a situation where it could be said that we were acting in vain,” the Speaker said while reminding the House that the route the Bill was taking is similar to the Merchant Shipping Line Act. The Act was annulled by a three-judge High Court bench on the basis that there was no sufficient public participation. The appeal is pending in the Court of Appeal. The government is pushing for the passage of the Bill to nationalise the national carrier by merging it with the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA), the industry regulator. The merger, according to a Cabinet paper, shall then lead to acquisition and latter privatisation to return KQ to profitability. The Bill, therefore, gives effect to the committee’s report in the House on June 17, 2019 and adopted by the House. – DAILY NATION, Kenya.