Scholar Magazine 2017

KENYA`S FIRST EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE
Scholar
Magazine
www.scholar.co.ke
FREE COPY
February- March 2017
Education Reviews
EDUCATION CS
Dr. Fred Matiang`i

KENYA`S FIRST EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE
FREE COPY
CONTENTS
Finance & Money
The Top Money Mistakes
Kenyan Professionals
Make And How To Avoid
Them
Kenyan Education
CS - Matiang`i on higher
Education Reviews
Editorial Team
Scholar
Magazine
KENYA`S FIRST EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER
The Scholar Advertiser Limited
P.O Box 7053 - 00200,
Nairobi
Tel: +254 722 972 488
Email: info@thescholarmag.co.ke
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Xavier Omulanya
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
FREE COPY
Empire Solutions
EDITOR
CAREER ADVICE
My 10 Best Pieces of
Career Advice for
College Graduates
Nyang`ute Nyabwanga
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Peninnah Kerubo
ADMINISTRATION
Dominic Nyang`ute
Jackson Mwalulu
Esther Mwaura
CAREER ADVICE
New Study to boost antibiotic
treatment
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Fredrick Ogolla
Immaculate Akello
Robert Burale
Aggrey Ombati
UNIVERSITY REVIEW
List of Chartered
Universities in
Kenya
Scholar
is published by the The Scholar Advertiser
Magazine
Limited,Corner House, Kimathi Street, Nairobi.
P.O Box 7057 - 00200, City Square, Nairobi Kenya
© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole
or in part without written permission is strictly
prohibited.
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine

EDITOR`S NOTE
Role of media in education
From the Editor’s desk
4
Dominic N. Nyang`ute
Founder SZCWC- mTWAPA
Book is the best source
of education. A lot of
material of formal and
informal education is
available in the books
Follow us on:
The Scholar
February - March Issue
@TheScholarKe
// The scholar magazine
edia may refer to communications. Communication
tools used to store and deliver information or data.
MPrint Media Newspapers, Magazines, Books and other printed
material, Electronic Media Radio, Television, Internet, Cinema etc.
Media is everywhere, it has become a part of our daily life. The
media play a dominant role in the learning process. Media has
potential to shape personalities, change the way we perceive and
understand the world and our immediate reality.
Also the role of Print Media in the process of education is of special
importance. Print Media like Newspapers, Journals and Magazines
are the basic oldest channels of communication between one
source to other. Print Media are being printed in every regional
language to facilitate, the readers to get information and
knowledge in ones own mother tongue.
Newspapers:
Through newspapers, we can get news,
information and we can learn our National Language and English
Newspapers are very helpful to learn the English Language.
Newspapers was the best way of learning before Independence,
and creating public opinion in the time of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Journals:
Journals are magazines which publish on the daily bases. The
journal of educational change in an international, professionally
referred, state of the art scholarly journals, reflecting the most
important ideas and evidence of educational change.
The journal of educational change welcomes and supports
contributions from a range of disciplines, including history,
psychology, political science, sociology, anthropology,
philosophy and administration and organizational theory and
from a broad spectrum of methodologies including quantitative
and qualitative research and conceptual developments.
Through magazines, we can learn by articles, features, interviews,
short stories, and we can get very nice literature by magazines.
Different types of magazines having different and versatile
knowledge of over all the world.
8. Book is the best source of education. A lot of material of formal
and informal education is available in the books. Mostly students
depend upon this medium to learn the education. In spite of
modern technology, still this medium is popular for the learning.
9. First of all, Role of Radio in the Educational Process Radio is also
playing a important role in education. Talk shows about politics,
finance and other programmes are the source of informal
education. Many Personalities,Scholars,Professionalists come in
radio as a chief guest, by live calls, we take a lot of information and
learned by this way.
10. Community Radio System: Community Radio System have
made for education. Radio has now started to enter into the
education sector with the name of community radio system. The
term community radio signifies radio broadcasting with the
objectives of serving the community by involving members of the
community. It will help the students to hone their public speaking
skill.

Education CS Dr. Fred O. Matiangi
We want accurate,
reliable and timely
data to run the sector
EDUCATION
Kenya: Education CS Fred
Matiang'i Says Schools Auditing
System a Great Let-Down
Education Cabinet Secretary
Fred Matiang'i has described
the auditing system used in
Kenyan schools as a "big joke" and
a great let-down and accused
auditors of colluding with
headteachers to give favourable
reports even when money has
been lost.
At the same time, Dr Matiang'i
decried the inappropriate use of
free learning cash and the
distribution of government-funded
books in schools.
Speaking to education officials in
Kisumu on Tuesday, Dr Matiang'i
also said the system of assessing
the performance of teachers was
still substandard and should be
addressed.
A combative Dr Matiang'i said time
had come for ministry officials to
"get to work and stop complaining".
"Let me say it today here: Our
school auditing system is a great
let-down and a big joke.
"The stories of auditors colluding
with headteachers to give
favourable reports when our
money is lost should come to an
end.
"I will make sure that I put my feet on
the ground and take serious
action," Dr Matiang'i told the
education officials.
The Education CS was
speaking at Tom Mboya
Labour College, where the
Teachers Service Commission
(TSC), the Kenya National
Examinations Council, the
Kenya Institute of Curriculum
Development, the county and
TSC directors of Education, the
National Education Board, as
well as secondar y and
primary school heads had
gathered for the two-day
retreat.
HEADTEACHER PUT TO TASK
Dr Matiang'i, who has swept
the education sector by storm,
had earlier visited Pandpieri
Primary School in the outskirts
of the lakeside city where he
took the headteacher to task
over books and latrines.
"I have never understood how
we distribute books in the
schools. We budget a lot of
money, but two-thirds of the
schools I have visited since I
came here have no books,"
he said.
On data management, Dr
Matiang'i said that information
on how teachers were
performing as well as how they
were assessed was still below
par.
Continued Page 7
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
5

CAREER ADVICE
Think of your career
as a series of
experiences.
My 10 Best Pieces of
Career Advice for
College Graduates
iving advice to college graduates is extremely
important to me because I was one of them
Gand even though the economy was better
back in 2006, it took me eight months to find a
marketing job. I succeeded because I started six
months before graduation, collected eight internships,
seven leadership positions on campus and graduated
with honors. I failed because I didn’t know how to build
and leverage relationships. Either way, I learned a lot
about what it takes to build a successful career over the
years. Good career choices are extremely important
early in your career because you can set yourself up for
success later on. Even though you might end up in a
completely different career, the skills you acquire and
the people you meet, are what will open the doors for
you. I dedicate this post to the class of 2013, a group of
optimistic millennials who have a lot to offer to the world!
The job market is still tough for more graduates, unless
you’re an in-demand engineer or accountant. Twothirds
of college students have debt and 39 percent live
with their parents. In 2012, 284,000 students graduated
into minimum wage jobs, according to the Wall Street
Journal. Companies only expect to hire 2.1 percent
more graduates this year than they did in 2012 and 66
percent of recruiters believe that college graduates
aren’t prepared for the working world. Although there
are clear obstacles to finding work, there are also a lot of
big opportunities that students can take advantage of.
The following are ten things that new graduates should
do to get ahead in their careers. Of course, older
generations can benefit from these too.
Continued Page 8
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

Kenya: Education CS Fred Matiang'i Says Schools Auditing
System a Great Let-Down
On data management, Dr Matiang'i said that information on how
teachers were performing as well as how they were assessed was
still below par.
"The way we are managing data on teachers and education in
general is very bad.
"We want accurate, reliable and timely data to run the sector," he
said.
He added: "In some schools, some headteachers have hired
people to teach for them and are busy campaigning to become
MCAs.
"When I ask the county director of such a place and he says he
doesn't know, you ask, who should?"
CORRUPT HEAD TEACHERS
Dr Matiang'i also reiterated a message by the TSC Chief Executive
Nancy Macharia who on Monday said that failure by the Ministry
of Education to provide audit reports had led to corrupt
headteachers getting off the hook.
On Monday, Ms Macharia said: "Sometimes we are forced to
transfer a headteacher who is not doing their work, because when
we take them to court without detailed audit reports, we cannot
prove anything and we use a lot of money in courts.
"Let us imagine what a situation will be when the TSC gets access
to the audit reports run by the ministry to discipline teachers. That
way we won't have to transfer incompetent head teachers to
other schools to eat again.”
EDUCATION
The CS directed the formation of what
he called the joint county education
coordination framework that will
comprise of TSC, ministry and quality
assurance officials from each county.
He also announced that he will
personally run observation reports of
teachers' performance from his office.
"At the end of every term, I want only
47 reports that have been signed by
all these people. We no longer want
the agencies working as if they are
different," said Dr Matiang'i.
by. The Scholar Team
The CS directed the formation of what he called the joint county
education coordination framework that will comprise of TSC,
ministry and quality assurance officials from each county.
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
7

8
CAREER ADVICE
1. Think of your career as a series of
experiences. The most optimistic and
intelligent way to look at your career
isn’t how long you stay with one
employer or that you focus on what
you majored in at college. You need
to collect experiences throughout
your careers, whether that be with five
employers or ten, with one business
function or five or in one country or
three. The idea is that you need to be
a lifelong learner if you want to make
an impact, succeed and feel
accomplished. The experiences you
have expand your world view, give
you new perspectives and make you
a more interesting person.
2. Don’t settle for a job you’re not
passionate about. A lot of people are
pushing college graduates to just get
a job to pay the bills and that isn’t the
greatest advice because research
shows that you won’t last long there if
you do. Furthermore, no smart
company is going to have someone
who is only there to make money
because there’s always someone
else who wants it more. When you’re
passionate about your job, you’re
excited, you work longer hours and
end up accomplishing much more.
Life is too short to settle for a career
that you hate!
3. Focus on making a big impact
immediately. The quicker you make
an impact in a company the more
attention and support you will get.
Millennials understand this well
because they won’t want to wait five
years to get on a project where they
can make this type of impact. Starting
on day one, you have to learn as
much as possible and start mastering
your job so you can latch on to the
bigger projects faster and prove
yourself. By doing this, you will explode
your career and become more
valuable in your company, which will
increase your pay, title and you’ll get
to work on better projects.
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine
My 10 Best Pieces of Career Advice for
College Graduates
Sacrifice
today
to position
yourself
for
tomorrow
4. Take risks early and often in your career.
One of the important lessons this economy
has taught us is that not taking risks is risky.
There is so much out of our control and if we
just keep doing what we did yesterday, we
can’t get ahead. By taking a risk, you are
putting yourself in a position to learn,
whether you succeed or fail. You’re also
showing to your management that you’re
willing to put your reputation on the line to
make things happen. As we become an
ever more entrepreneurial society, those
that take risks, both inside and outside of the
corporate walls, will become more
successful.
5. Spend more time with people than with
your laptop. Students are plugged in and
don’t understand that he strongest
relationship are formed in person, not
online. I constantly see students looking
down at their iPhones and iPad’s instead of
at people’s faces and it’s a missed
opportunity. Soft skills will always become
more cherished in companies so it’s
important to drop your technology and
actually communicate with people. People
hire you, not technology and you have to
remember that!
6. Measure your work outcomes and build
case studies. If you look at any student
resume, they almost always look the same.
They have the same fields (education,
experience, school activities). Under their
experience fields, they list a company and
then general information such as
“Managed XXX project”. They dress up their
experience bullets so they can turn menial
tasks into something more marketable. The
problem is that recruiters today, and
especially in the future, are looking for
outcomes. They want to know the numeric
impact you’re having on a company
through your work, which means increasing
revenue or decreasing costs. Always think
about measuring your projects and keeping
track of the results because that’s what’s
going to help you justify promotions.

cientists at Britain’s University College
London (UCL) are excited following new
Sand promising studies likely to lead to new
ways of developing resistance free antibiotics.
The study, pioneered by Dr. Joseph Ndieyira
and published in U.K based journal Nature
Scientific Reports, has established that
antibiotics have the ability to use brutemechanical
forces to penetrate and destroy
microorganisms.
Antibiotics, the study finds could still kill drugresistance
bacteria if they ‘push’ hard enough
into bacterial cells. Dr. Ndeiyira explains that
while antibiotics worked in different ways, they
nevertheless needed to bind to bacterial cells
as a way of killing them. “Antibiotics have ‘keys’
that fit ‘locks’ on bacterial cell surfaces,
allowing them to latch on. When a bacterium
becomes resistant to a drug, it effectively
changes the locks so the key won’t fit
anymore.”
According to Dr. Ndeiyira, formerly a Senior
Lecturer at Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology, Department of
Chemistry, the encouraging results revealed
that certain antibiotics could still ‘force’ the
lock, ‘allowing them to bind to and kill resistant
bacteria because they are able to push hard
enough’. A group of antibiotics were,
according to the findings so strong to the
extent that ‘they tore the door off its hinges,
killing the bacteria instantly”
The researchers used sensitive equipment to
measure the mechanical forces that four
different antibiotics exerted on bacterial cells.
They tested bacteria that were susceptible to
antibiotics and those that had developed
resistance.
The antibiotics all exerted similar forces on
susceptible bacteria, but the forces they
exerted on resistant bacteria varied
significantly. The antibiotics tested included
vancomycin, a powerful antibiotic used as a
last resort treatment for MRSA and other
infections, and Oritavancin, a modified version
of vancomycin used against complex skin
infections.
Continued Page .......15
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
New Study to boost antibiotic treatment
The schematic representation of possible binding events occurring
between antibiotics in solution and membrane bound targets. This is
consistent with the picture that following the application of a lethal
antibiotic dose, the insertion of drug molecules into bacterium cell
wall can induce a local strain which grows as the number of reacted
regions grow until a deleterious strain is generated, weakening
overall mechanical strength as well as the ability for the cell to
counteract high internal osmotic pressure (yielding cracks on the cell
wall – yellow depression) which bacteria cannot ultimately withstand,
leaving bacterium susceptible to lysis and death.” (Picture: Courtesy)
MARCH 2017 INTAKE
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
9

STRATEGY
Four Fundamental Building Blocks of Strategy Execution
Dr. Fredrick Onyango Ogola ,
Senior Lecturer- Strathmore University
Execution is the result of
thousands of decisions made
every day by employees
acting according to the
information they have and
their own self-interest.
I once heard in a camping site from our scout’s instructor that
whenever a fire brigade comes, the flame becomes even fiercer,
and you might begin to wonder what is that they are squirting, and
whether they are not by any chance pouring oil into the fire. This is
the problem most corporates globally and even in Kenya seems to
be currently facing. In this column, we shall reflect on the four
fundamental building blocks of strategy execution.
Corporate is Kenya is awash with corporate failure, Uchumi, Kenya
Airways, National Bank, both Private and Public sector is touched in
equal measures. All these companies do have, probably, very
sound strategies but still get into trouble. Of course the issue of
corporate governance comes in but a weak spot in execution be
very critical as well. Remember all these companies have a great
strategy, brilliant products but still fail. In that regard, we can infer
that a brilliant strategy, blockbuster product, or breakthrough
technology can put you on the competitive map. But only solid
execution can keep you there, you have to be able to deliver on
your Strategic intent.
Unfortunately, the majority of companies aren’t very good at it, by
their own admission. So how comes these major companies fail to
execute well? I believe there is a wrong approach to what is called
execution. As the Jubilee government was just about to release its
scorecard, serious changes in the structure of the presidency were
made. One explanation given was that due to poor delivery, the
government was restructuring in order to ensure that it delivers its
campaign promise before its term comes to an end. The same
approach seems to be taking place even in the private sector.
When Uchumi failed, what was done was to replace the CEO and
reconstitute the board. This has been Uchumi’s natural response to
failure for decades. Recently when national bank got into trouble,
the next logical response was to reconstitute and restructure the
management.
What is strategy execution?
One key understanding is that
Execution is the result of thousands of decisions made every day by
employees acting according to the information they have and
their own self-interest. From my experience in Strategy execution
with companies, the fundamental building blocks to strategy
execution are; clarifying decision rights (Decision Rights), designing-
Cont....... Page 17
10
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

Finance & Money
The Top Money Mistakes Kenyan Professionals
Make And How To Avoid Them
Guaranteeing other
people’s loan without
understand the
repercussions
Money Mistake #1.
Not having a plan for your finances
Too many professionals live from pay cheque to pay
cheque without a well thought out plan
for their finances. While you may get by, you are likely
to find it difficult to achieve life’s big goals. Buying your
own home may remain a dream, paying for your
children’s higher education will prove difficult and
when you eventually retire, you may find yourself living
at a much lower standard of living than you had
become accustomed to. So learn how to do a
personal financial plan that anticipates and prepares
for your family’s needs from today going forward.
Money Mistake #2:
Focusing on lifestyle instead of financial security
While it's important to live a good life in the present,
many professionals confuse a life of conspicuous
consumption with a good quality life. There are
people who own the latest in consumer electronics,
furniture, wear designer clothes, eat in trendy
restaurants yet have no investments.Financial security
comes from ownership of investments. Even as you
are enjoying your current success, make sure you are
investing with the future in mind.
Money Mistake #3: Not having a budget
Whether you want to call it a budget or a spending
plan, a written record of how you plan to spend your
money helps you gain control on what can be a very
slippery asset. Without a
budget, it is unlikely that you would know where exactly
your money goes. And if you do not know where it
goes, how can you stop it from going? A little here, a
little there and before you know it, it
’s all gone.Your budget does not have to be
complicated. You can allocate specific percentages
to living expenses (housing, food,utilities etc.),
financial priorities (retirement, home ownership,
children’s higher education, insurance etc.) and
lifestyle
expenses (holidays, gifts, luxury items etc.) Once you
have set the parameters, you must monitor your
actual expenditure to ensure you are sticking to your
rules.
Money Mistake #4:
Not having enough in emergency savings
No matter how well you plan your life, unexpected
things will happen. Having ready money will smooth
out many of life’s bumps. Benjamin Franklin said that
there are only three faithful friends: an old wife,
an old dog and ready money. Since not
everybody can conveniently have an old wife or an
old dog, ready money will have to do.
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
11

UNIVERSITY REVIEW
UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
A wold-class university committed to scholarly excellence
In addition to the regular and evening and
weekend programmes, classes are
conducted at the University's Extra Mural
Centres located at the country's county
headquarters.
he University of Nairobi, a body corporate established
under the Universities Act 2012 of the laws of Kenya and
Tthe University of Nairobi Charter, is the pioneer institution
of University education in Kenya and the region.
The only institution of higher learning in Kenya for a long
time, the University of Nairobi responded to the national,
regional and Africa's high level manpower training needs
by developing and evolving strong, diversified academic
programmes and specializations in basic sciences,
applied sciences, technology, humanities, social sciences
and the arts.
Through module II (continuing education) programmes,
invaluable opportunity has been opened to hundreds of
Kenyans and non-Kenyans, on a paying basis, who meet
university admission requirements, but who have not been
able to access university education due to restricted intake
into the regular programmes that is determined by limited
resource allocation by Government.
In this effort, the location of the seven campuses of the
University in the capital city and its environs and facilitating
easy access, has been an asset that has seen the university
increasingly become the busy hub and citadel of
academic activity at all times.
The university is proud of its distinguished
record of achievements in teaching,
research, development and consultancy
while strategizing for a greater future as the
centre of academic, research and
professional excellence.
Vision & Mission
Our Vision is to be a world-class university
committed to scholarly excellence.
Our Mission is to provide quality university
education and training and to embody the
aspirations of the Kenyan people and the
global community through creation,
preservation, integration, transmission and
utilization of knowledge.
Core Values
In order to realize the above vision and
mission, certain shared values shall be
nurtured. There is great need for the University
to be guided by the right values derived from
the virtues and moral standards of the Kenyan
and wider society.
12
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

Academics
The University of Nairobi is committed to quality
education through teaching, research and
creative works; fostering an intellectual culture that
bridges theory with practice and producing holistic
graduates prepared for a life of purpose, service
and leadership. We aim at providing quality
University education and training and to embody
the aspirations of the Kenyan people and the
global community through creation, preservation,
intergration, transmission and utilization of
knowledge.
Beyond the academics we envision graduates that
have incorporated our values of freedom of
thought and expression, innovativeness and
creativity, good leadership and governance skills,
teamwork, professionalism, admirable citizenship
with social responsibility, respect and care for the
environment.
Undergraduate_Education
Title: College of Architecture and Engineering
Title: College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences
Title: College of Biological and Physical Sciences
Title: College of Health Sciences
Title: College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Title: College of Education and External Studies
Graduate Education
The University has over 10,000 postgraduate
students enrolled in various programmes. The
population of postgraduate students continues to
increase due to the introduction of relevant and
innovative programmes which meet the needs of
individual students.The University offers tailor-made
programmes that are demand/customer driven, in
collaboration with our partners, in order to suit the
needs of our society and in a broader context, our
world.
In the various colleges, listed below, we hope you
will find information about the course you are
looking for and be able to achieve your academic
and career goals.
College of Architecture and Engineering
College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences
College of Biological and Physical Sciences
College of Health Sciences
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Education and External Studies
UNIVERSITY REVIEW
PROF. MUTORO HENRY WANGUTUSI
B.Ed (Hons) Geography, History and Education (UoN), M.A.
Archaeology (UoN),C.Phil in Archaeology (UCLA), Ph.D.
Archaeology (UCLA)
Address P.O. Box 19808 Nairobi, Email:
hmutoro@uonbi.ac.ke
Welcome to the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor in
charge of Academic Affairs at the University of Nairobi.
The Academic Division is one of the four top functional
organs of the University of Nairobi headed by Deputy
Vice Chancellors.
The Academic Division strives to meet all the demands
of our internal and external customers to their
satisfaction. Over the years, the Academic Division has
continued to be the driving force in the efficient and
effective management of academic programmes.
Our emphasis has been on market driven progrommes
and involvement of all stakeholders in development of
new programmes. Our focus is to ensure the University of
Nairobi remains a world-class University committed to
scholarly excellence.
In the process of providing leadership in high-level
manpower training, the Academic Division has a crucial
role in meeting the dynamic needs of various players in
the academic arena. Our commitment is in:
“Promoting Excellence in Academic Programmes
Management”.
The Office of Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of
Academic Affairs is the head administrative unit of the
Academic Division. The holder of the position of The
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) is Professor
Henry Mutoro, B.Ed (Hons) in Geography, History and
Education(UoN),M.A in Archaeology(UoN),C.Phil in
Archaeology(UCLA),Ph.D in Archaeology(UCLA). In
addition, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
13

The Top Money Mistakes Kenyan Professionals
Make And How To Avoid Them
f you keep some money where you can easily
access it, you will be able to prevent stressful
Isituations. With such an emergency fund you
do not need to worry that a two-week delay in
your pay may result in your kids being kicked out
of school, your water and electricity disconnected
and your mortgage falling into arrears. You will
simply settle your obligations even as you await
the delayed salary. In a worst case scenario,
such as job loss, having an emergency fund will
enable you continue meeting your obligations
such as school fees, mortgage payments and
basic living expenses giving you the peace of
mind you need so as to concentrate on searching
for another source of income. If you don’t have
money for emergencies, you may be forced to sell off
investments or personal property to take care of the
urgent need.
This will obviously disrupt your investment plan and
make your goals harder to reach. To make things
worse, your desperation may make your sell your
investments and personal property at throwaway
prices. If you do not have investments or marketable
property, your pressing need will force you to borrow,
often at exorbitant interest rates. I am sure you
have seen people driven by desperate need for
money hand over televisions, stereos and even cars
to shylocks. Often, they are unable to retrieve their
property.
Finance & Money
My recommendation is that one should have
betweenthree to six month`s worth of expenses as an
emergency fund. This money should only be used for
true emergencies such as;
1. You’ve lost your job Job and security are not often
used in the same sentence anymore as employers
continuously adjust their over heads to navigate the
changing economic conditions. Staff cost is usually
one of the first targets for slashing.If you do lose your
job, you will need to continue paying bills until you
establish another source of income–and your
emergency fund should be it.
2. Someone in your household falls ill With the high
cost of medical care these days, it is very easy to
exhaust your medical insurance cover. Anything
above the coverage will have to be paid for and
that’swhere your emergency fund comes in.
3. You need to move house If you are a tenant and
need to move house to a more convenient location,
or a better house, or whatever reason, you will
discover that moving can be an expensive exercise.
Finding a new house, paying a security deposit,
arranging for movers repairing breakages and many
other expected and unexpected costs
can add up to a significant amount of money. If you
have an
emergency fund, you will do it without skipping a beat!
Continue Page 17
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
15

FASHION & STYLE
Image Consultant
Robert Burale |CEO The RB Company
Short men, avoid
putting on pinstripe
suits or shirts. They
make you look shorter.
IMAGE
mage is something taken very lightly but it counts
for a lot in every sphere of society. Contrary to
Icommon belief, image is innate; it finds it root in
the intrinsic essence of who we are.
Only when we understand and appreciate this, can it
then be made manifest on the outside. A chicken
cannot have an eagle mentality.
Eagles fly with their kind. Who are you? What is it about
you that makes you unique, stand out from the
crowd?
Do you get lost in a crowd of two people, or are you
able to stand out in a crowd of ten thousand
people? What you project is what determines these
answers.
Image has a lot to do with self perception.
How do you see yourself?
Do you let your background define you?
Perhaps your failures?
Do you allow your present circumstances do affect
your perception of who you are?
What you need to understand is the close relation
between your perception and your general outlook. I
have said many times that you will be addressed by
the way you're dressed. It's not a vain statement. Now
you understand that how you dress, how you look in
the outside is very closely intertwined with how you
see yourself.
If you think you're worthy then you will dress according
to this thought.
If you think you're powerful, this message will show up
in your dressing Whatever you think you are, your
dressing will communicate this message to the world
around you.
Let's address some case scenarios.
You're a campus student. It goes against the grain of
basic common sense to look shabby, when
attending classes.
Your lecturers determine your next steps in life. They
hold the cards as to which institutions are suitable for
your career path. Why will a professor bother with a
shabby looking student? Men save your jeans for a
hike and women, save your low cut tops for the club.
Besides the professors, you do not know who else is
watching. The time will come when you have to go
for an interview and realize that there are people
who know you in that interview room, as the shabby
person you are.
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

Four Fundamental Building Blocks of Strategy Execution
information flows (information), aligning motivators (Motivators)
and Making changes to structure (Structure). Most organizations
rush to structural changes- Restructuring, reconstituting for
instance Uchumi, Kenya airways, among others. Structural
change can improve execution. But it’s the capstone, not the
cornerstone, of any organizational strategic transformation.
Actions having to do with decision rights and information are
about twice as effective—as improvements made to the other
two building blocks. On research done closely with the companies
that were strong on execution, 71% of individuals stated that
everyone has a good idea of the decisions and actions for which
he or she is responsible. That figure drops to 32% in organizations
weak on execution. On average, 77% of individuals in strongexecution
organizations agree with statement that important
information about the competitive environment gets to
headquarters quickly whereas only 45% of those in weakexecution
organizations do. With regards to decision clarity, 71%
of respondents in weak-execution companies thought that
decisions were being second-guessed, whereas only 45% of
those from strong-execution organizations felt that way.
STRATEGY
Lastly, 61% of individuals in strongexecution
organizations agree that field
and line employees have the
information they need to understand the
bottom-line impact of their decisions.
This figure plummets to 28% in weakexecution
organizations.
In that regard, in order to succeed in
your execution, structure comes last but
before that ensure you put in a place a
culture where the four building blocks
that managers can use to improve
strategy execution are in place.
Remember these four building
blocks—decision rights, information,
structure, and motivators—are
inextricably linked. This is because
unclear decision rights not only paralyze
decision-making but also impede
information flow, divorce performance
from rewards, and prompt work-around
that subvert formal reporting lines.
Blocking information results in poor
decisions, limited career development,
and a reinforcement of structural silos.
The strategic implications of this is that
instead of spending too much time and
resources in structuring a nonperforming
firm, first put in place the
cornerstone of strategy execution, that
is, decision rights and information flow.
This should be followed by the capstone
of Strategy execution, structure, and
motivators. Structure helps clear the lines
of decisions and action points and
whom information flows to. Motivator
now aligns the information flow,
decision-making and the corporate
Structure with the self-interest of the
employees since employees always act
in self-interest. In short, align
organizational goals and the individual
goals, which ends in delivering
organizational strategic objectives
hence successful strategy Execution.
The writer is Dr. Fredrick Ogolla
Senior Lecturer, SBS
Strathmore University
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
17

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18
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

The Top Money Mistakes Kenyan Professionals
Make And How To Avoid Them
4. Your Car (or fridge, freezer, etc.) breaks down
Some of the things we take for granted can seriously
hamper our routines. A broken down car make it difficult
to go to work convenientlyand on time, a broken fridge or
freezer would necessitatemany more trips to the
supermarket or market and so on. Repairing or replacing
these labour saving, life enhancing gadgets costs more
that pocket change and having anemergency fund
means you won’t have to go into debt to do so.
5. Someone Close to You Passes Awa y I do not want to
become morbid but people do pass away. If it happens
to someone close to you such as a parent or sibling, the
last thingyou want to have to say is that you do not have
money to help with the arrangements. Y
our emergency fund can help you avoid borrowing in
such a situation.
6.Expect the unexpected
There is no limit to the number of unexpected expenses
that can pop up in life. If you do not want every
unexpected occurrenceto become a stress inducing
event,ensure that you accumulate an appropriate
emergency fund.
Money Mistake #5: Getting in trouble with loans
Excessive debt can result in more than just loss of sleep, it
can literary kill you. Sustained high stress levels can lead to
ailments of all kinds. Stress caused by harassment by
creditors who will hound you with threatening letters
telephone calls and attachment of your property. You
become susceptible to panic attacks when the phone or
doorbell rings or when mail arrives. You are likely to have
emotional outbursts and an explosive temper. Many
highly indebted individuals have done horrible things
while in such emotional state. At work, it is not easy to
concentrate on work and a lot of time will be spentlooking
for solutions to your debt problems.
A highly indebted person finds it impossible to relax and
have fun. In an attempt to achieve a relaxed state, many
end up abusing alcohol and other drugs, further
deteriorating their financial situation as money that could
have been used to pay off debts is diverted. They lose
self-esteem, self-confidence and ultimately self-respect.
They live in chronic fear and, in extreme cases become
suicidal.
One of the mistakes with loans that often leads to debt
overload is pyramiding. Pyramiding of debt refers to a
situation where a loan for a recurring expense has not
been cleared by the time another loan is taken to pay for
the expense again. It results in mounting indebtedness
and large interest costs.
MONEY MATTERS
One common example is a person who takes a
five year bank loan to buy a car. After servicing the
loan
for three years the person decides
, or is encouraged by the bank to top
-
up the loan and buy another
newer car.
The loan balance for such a person will remain
high since each time they pay it down the loan
they take a bigger loan and extend the
repayment period. Taken to an extreme, one can
find themselves
with a permanent loan with an ever increasing
interest charge.
Some people pyramid with credit cards, buying
groceries then paying only the minimum required
payment. By the time they need to buy more
groceries, they are still carrying a b
alance for last month’s
groceries. This goes on until they hit the credit card
limit.
Many people will take a loan to pay for a holiday, a
wedding, new furniture or even household
appliances as long as there is some cash left over
in their salary to make
the installment. This kind of
debt abuse can cause serious financial difficulties
with all the attendant stress. If you find your pay slip
reading like a roll call of financiers, it may be time
to seriously reevaluate you financial behavior.
For a comfortable, stress free life, control your
debts. Limit your debts so that you never pay more
than
3
6% of your gross income towards debt and borrow
only to buy appreciating assets, to increase your
ability to earn and for viable business. No matter
how tempting the offers are, never allow yourself to
be
seduced into borrowing for lifestyle assets that yo
u can save for.
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
19

en, over to you now. Your nails should always be short.
No contest. This shows you take hygiene seriously, and
Mso you can be taken seriously...
When going for interviews, stay away from red ties. These are
power ties. You shouldn't be seen as though you're there to
compete with your potential future boss. When it comes to suits
stick to the undertones - blue, black and grey. It's important to
note that the color of your belt must match the color of your
shoes. It shows you're well put together and will be a strong
brand representative to the company. When it comes to socks,
the same rule applies. Avoid flowery socks, unless of course
you're applying for the position of company clown.
Short men, avoid putting on pinstripe suits or shirts. They make
you look shorter. The same principle applies to fat men,
regardless of your height. Pinstripes only serve to make you
fatter, and this we all know is not so flattering.
Over and above looking good, be confident. Confidence is a
key quality every employer looks for. Confidence doesn't mean
you're a know it all. There's a very thin line between confidence
and arrogance. Know the difference. Be polite, precise and
presentable.
Let's look at a few insights regarding women at interviews.
Your wardrobe must be dignified. Stay away from short
skirts/dresses. This is an interview, not a date. Wear clothes that fit
you; not a size bigger or smaller. If you're unable to breath in it, it
means you shouldn't have it on. Regarding your makeup, less is
more. Overdoing it means you're trying to divert attention from
the matter at hand.
And finally of course, wear your confidence, complimented
with a good attitude.
So you are dressed the part, and you're now inside the interview
room. You find about ten people in there. This is not the time to
be intimidated. You have come too far to waste time being
intimidated. Remember you are qualified and are deserving of
this opportunity. An interview room is basically a chance to tell
people why you're the best. So ask yourself, why would you feel
scared or intimidated at the people on the other side of the
table? Buckle up and get set to show them you're the one they
have been waiting for.
Sit confidently, with your back straight. Do not slouch. Have eye
contact with the person asking the questions. Eye contact
proves you're trustworthy and your words are credible. Be
pleasant but professional as well. Assuming there are ten
people in there, as you answer the questions have eye contact
with each one of them. Remember not to lose focus. Time
yourself. By the time you're done with the answer to the
question, you should have panned your eye across the room
and back to the one who asked it. Avoid giving stories. Only
answer what you've been asked.
FASHION
General tips on fashion
1- Don't go for trends. Become the trend. Let
what you wear become that which
everyone wants to have. This goes back to
what we said earlier, if you know who you
are, your dressing will pass on that
message.
2- A short man must not put on a three -
button suit. It makes you "disappear" into the
clothes.
3- When you put on a two-button suit, only
button up the top one.
4- A man who puts on a white shirt is a
hygienic man. You can trust his cleanliness.
5- A man's jacket sleeve should allow for the
shirt sleeve to pop out lightly. Meaning it
can't be too long to hide it, or too short to
reveal most of it.
These are just simple basic tips that add
value to your overall presentation. It is not as
complex as many think. With a little
attention to detail, you will be able to know
what works for your body type, your height
and more importantly understand the
purpose for which you're dressing. Image is
everything. It determines next steps, it
determines the caliber of person who
allows you into their space. It determines
more than you could ever think. Make it
count. It's worth the effort.
In the next issue, we shall delve more into
what women should look out for, when it
comes to image.
ROBERT BURALE
IMAGE CONSULTANT
R&B COMPANY
February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine
21

UNIVERSITY REVIEW
February - March Issue
// The scholar magazine

February - March l Issue
// The scholar magazine