Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is visiting Kenya this week on his first trip to Africa, using his time in the country to visit the iHub technology hub in Nairobi, meet with developers and partners, and explore how the country’s pioneering mobile money ecosystem is evolving.

Zuckerberg is in Kenya to see how technology innovation is changing the country, learn more about what mobile entrepreneurs are doing with the latest technology, and find out how Facebook can better support small businesses, developers and content creators across growing markets.

He landed in Kenya yesterday after visiting Lagos, Nigeria. He was particularly excited to see how mobile money and social media are driving commerce in the region and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and communities.

One of Zuckerberg’s first stops on the trip was iHub, an Innovation hub and hacker space started in March 2010 by TED fellow and entrepreneur, Eric Hersman. Here, he met developers and entrepreneurs:

Zuckerberg also spent some time hanging out with developers in The Community Space and marveling over the ingenuity of BRCK, an American-owned, Kenya-based start-up that built a rugged, self-powered, mobile WiFi device which connects people and things to the internet in areas of the world with poor infrastructure.

Zamtel has once again launched a brand new offer aimed at making communication affordable for everyone.

One of the major challenges that subscribers countrywide are facing is the high rate of communicating from one network to another and in its quest to provide affordable communication to meet the needs of its customers, Zamtel has launched the ‘All Networks offer’. With this offer customers will now call other networks freely without the need to have more than one sim card and without rushing to talk during their calls in an effort to avoid the high cost of communication.

‘‘After a conclusive research, we are launching the ‘All Networks offer’ that seeks to address the challenges of the high cost of communication in the country especially across networks. You will agree with me that a number of mobile subscribers have opted to have 2 to 3 sim cards in order for them to communicate more efficiently across networks which has proven to be expensive. As Zamtel we know that we solely exist because of our customers and because we listen and understand the various communication challenges that both Zamtel and non Zamtel subscribers are faced with, we have come up with this promotion that will enable our customers to call any network, thereby suiting everyone`s pocket,’’ Says Evans Muhanga, Chief marketing officer of Zamtel.

The promotion that comes with cost effective and attractive data packages to cater for Social media enthusiasts who utilize applications such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms will be available to existing Zamtel pre-paid customers and new customers who will join the Zamtel network following the roll out of this offer.

By simply dialing *422# subscribers will have a choice of selecting from the daily, weekly and monthly options that we have lined up for them for as low as K1. With K1, customers can call their friends and relatives on other networks and enjoy 5 minutes of talking on our daily offer; at K5 weekly, customers can enjoy 25 minutes of calling across networks, 250 SMSs as well as 500 Megabytes of data. The offer also has an attractive monthly package which gives subscribers as much as 500 calling minutes across networks, 5000 SMSs and 1 Gigabyte of data, for only K100.

Mr. Muhanga added that management is aware of some of the challenges the customers are facing in terms of network coverage and the company is currently working hard to ensure that this is addressed. He has implored the general public to support the growth of Zamtel, to change the status quo and support Zambian companies and Products. He says it is only through this support that local companies will be able to grow and contribute positively to the economy which in turn will lead to job creation.

He has urged all Zambians to support Zambian Companies that can generate the resource base required to improve the country’s economy. He says this can only happen if we work together as Zambians and support companies like Zamtel. He further added that Zambian companies must also endeavor to improve their standards in terms of quality so that they are able to compete with the Foreign Service providers in Zambia. The company has pledged continuous improvement to ensure that customers have access to high quality, affordable and competitive products and services.

The Constitutional Court has ruled that the main election petition challenging the re-election of Edgar Lungu be heard today up to midnight.

And Concourt has dismissed UPND’s application to refer for interpretation to the High Court the issue of the 14 days for lack of merit.

The UPND was denied the application to refer the 14 days interpretation to the High Court because the High Court is subordinate to the Concourt.

But UPND lawyers have responded that they raised the issues of inflation of the votes because Edgar Lungu challenged them to provide evidence in his answer to the main petition.

Meanwhile, the UPND has applied that ZNBC avails them all 19 Hours news bulletins from May 5 to August 11 because they need to refer to them in their evidence.
The matter has stood down for 5 minutes to enable PF lawyers to respond to the new applications.

Further, the court insists there is not much time because the trial has to be concluded by 23:59 Hours.

And the Law Association of Zambia came in to address the Concourt with a proposition to join the case but the Concourt refused because they did not file the applications formally.

The petitioners have also come up with a fresh application to have the full bench decide on whether the Concourt can allow the UPND to make amendments to the petition before trial proceeds.

The petitioners also want to inspect and make copies of all ECZ election materials in various places.

The Concourt will have to make a ruling of these applications before trial can proceed.

Three Zambian church groups have called for peace ahead of an anticipated court ruling on the opposition’s challenge to the results of the August 11 presidential election.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia and the Catholic Bishops Conference called on leaders of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party to ensure their supporters do not engage in acts of violence after the court’s ruling.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Edgar Lungu the winner of the presidential election with 50.35 percent of the total votes cast, compared to 47.67 percent for the main opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, of the UPND.

But UPND have petitioned the Constitutional Court demanding the declaration that President Lungu and Mrs Wina were not validly elected as President-elect and Vice-President-elect of Zambia in last month’s general elections.

Many Zambians have expressed concern about possible clashes between supporters of the two parties after the court’s ruling, which is expected Friday.

In an interview with Voice of America, Father Cleophas Lungu, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said the church groups have appealed for calm.

“We also indicated that we are concerned that there hasn’t been enough commitment from the political leaders both from the Patriotic Front as well as the UPND with regard to accepting the outcome of the ruling,” he said.

Yesterday, the Constitutional Court has ruled that it will today hear and conclude the presidential petition in which United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema is challenging the election of President Lungu and Vice- President Inonge Wina in last month’s general elections.

The Constitutional Court has also rejected an application by Mr Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Mwamba to amend the petition.