Friday, October 16, 2009

Nokia App Competition To Dish Out 7 Mita Cash Prize!


Nokia has launched a competition meant to encourage the development of Nokia-compatible apps (applications) for the great continent of Africa. Nokia has launched the competition in a bid to stimulate innovation in the continent. I believe this competition couldn’t have come at a better time. Africa stands on the brink of a technology revolution, courtesy of the mobile phone. From money transfer services like Safaricom’s MPESA to providing instant, real time education services to kids in the rural areas, the mobile phone is set to frog jump Africa into the 21st Century.

Now, with the Nokia Calling All Innovators of Africa competition, web application developers, entrepreneurs, tech gurus, trend spotters and mobile enthusiasts stand the chance of winning a top prize of KShs. 6.8 million!


Nokia Calling All Innovators of Africa Competition

T he Calling All Innovators Africa competition is open to all mobile and web application developers, from those new to mobile applications to experienced coders.

So long as you've got a big and bold idea, and the talent and passion to make your idea a reality, you're welcome to enter.

You will also stand in line to win specta

cular prizes: Nokia will be giving the overall winner KShs. 6.8 million in cash as well as the opportunity to show off your winning application at a Nokia-specified event; and premium placement featuring your winning application on Nokia's Ovi Store.

The four runners-up each win KShs. 800,000 in cash and a premium placement on the Ovi Store. Additionally, the top ten entrants will be awarded the Judges' Choice Award, a one-year membership in Forum Nokia Launchpad, worth KShs. 30,000.

Nokia invites you to submit applications of any type:

  • Productivity tools
  • Entertainment
  • Utilities
  • Audio and video
  • Widgets
  • Games
  • Wallpapers
  • Ringtones

There’s really no limit to what you can submit. If it hasn’t been invented – invent it and submit it!

All are welcome as long as they are appealing to the African continent. Just pick an app and get developing.

Here's what you do to get started:

Get the needed tools, documentation, and other support from Forum Nokia, Nokia’s global developer program. It’s free to join, and when you become a member of Forum Nokia, you can make the most of Nokia's extensive development, testing, signing, and go to market, not to mention an active community eager to discuss ideas and help your application become a reality.

Create your application, widget, game, or personalization item for Nokia mobile devices.

Get more information on Ovi Store, how to become an Ovi Publisher and learn about publishing requirements

Upload your content to Ovi Store and then submit the item number to the Calling All Innovators Africa contest before the deadline at midnight (GMT+4) on November 15th 2009. Please note that you must provide the content item number on this contest site in order to participate in the competition.

b) Preferred entry to the competition is though Ovi Store publishing. However, if you are not able to register as an Ovi Publisher or if your application can not be uploaded to Ovi Store due to Symbian Signing or Java Verifying, it can be submitted directly through the submission tool

The content can be for either S60 or Series 40.

All entries must be received by midnight (GMT +2) on November 15th 2009, so get started!

Full details about the competition can be found in the official rules.


Thursday, October 15, 2009

Michael Jackson gets five nominations for American Music Awards

Michael Jackson gets five nominations for American Music Awards

Re-colonization of Africa Set To Kick Off In Kenya As Well


The story was so tiny, one would hardly notice it. In today’s Daily Nation (page 9), a short story headlined, “Lease of 100,000 acres to Qatar still on course” was featured. In the write up, it said that there are plans by the Government of Kenya, to lease at least 100,000 acres of land to the Emirate of Qatar! The report further said that the deal is set to be completed in 3 months when the Qatar Emir, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani visits the country.

In the following page of the Daily Nation (page 10) a big story is featured with the headline, “Kenya is rated poorly in food security survey as more people die of hunger.” According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI), Kenya is rated amongst the 30 countries with the least food security in the world, and the situation is “moving fast from serious to alarming...”

You don’t need to be a neurosurgeon to realize that our government has got its priorities all screwed up! Here we are, leasing 100,000 acres of fertile, arable land (of course the Qatari’s won’t take the arid lands – they have plenty of that where they come from) and yet we are facing a food security crisis. Why can’t we use these 100,000 acres to improve our food security? No amount of money, not even 100 trillion Euro’s, is enough for a sovereign, independent nation to lease out its own land when its people are dying of hunger!


Furthermore, we all know one of the core reasons that nearly tore this country apart in 2007, and threatens to fulfil its promise in 2012, has to do with equitable distribution of land. Now this pitiful excuse for a government wants to go and lease out 100,000 acres of this scarce commodity coz of some Arab money!

The problem with young people in our country is this; we know what’s wrong, we know what needs to be done to correct the wrong, we complain about it amongst ourselves but we never do anything about it! So here’s how we’re going to change this:

What’s wrong? Leasing of 100,000 acres of arable Kenyan land (and this could just be the beginning)

What needs to be done? We need to stop giving land to foreigners and help Kenyans instead

What should we complain about? Our government not solving the land issue problems

What should we do? Not give the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa a moment’s peace when in Kenya! From the moment he lands in this country, the youth of Kenya should let him know that our land is not for lease, rent, hire or sale! Blood was spilt so that we can call Kenya our home and we’re not renting it out to any foreigner, even for a minute! We should hold demonstrations at the JKIA, at any meeting the Qatar president will attend, at Uhuru Park, outside his hotel, until he goes home and never returns to this country. We should let the Qatar president know that he’s only welcome to this country as a tourist coming to see our enchanting wildlife and beautiful land – not as a neo-colonialist.

Or we could complain about it, do nothing and watch our land handed over to foreigners.

Mojoh Sojoh has Spoken.

The Re-Colonization of Africa Is Happening Right Now!!

Read more stories on what is becoming a common trend by rich countries to lease fertile land in Africa by clicking on the links below:

Land Grabs – Another Scramble for Africa

How The Daewoo Madagascar Land Lease Failed

New Scramble for Africa’s Land

Land, The New Scramble for Africa

Climate Colonialism and the New Scramble for Africa


As young Africans, we owe it to the generations before us, the generations who fought and lost lives to liberate Africa from the yoke of colonialism and slavery, to keep Africa free! Let us join hands and fight the attempts to recolonize Africa.