Sexuality in Africa.
it is illegal to be gay in Uganda in Kenya, Nigeria and many other African countries.
The argument is always one that the western world ways should not rub onto our culture.
But I don't think sexuality is anything to do with the western culture. If a man wants to sleep with a man or woman wants a woman this has nothing to do with anything external but with a lot internal to them.
as such the belief that the fight by the western world not to make homosexuality illegal seems ill.
I just do not see what the big deal is? who cares is your neighbour is gay or not. I sure don't .
some people say that this would bring bad influence to their kids - but the truth is, my kids would need to make that choice for themselves. I would not care either way if they were gay or not. at this point I would like to point out that I do not have kids, but this doesn't change how I feel about the matter.
it is also illegal to wear a mini-skirt in Uganda. Whilst it is not illegal to wear one in Kenya, there is a lot of mob justice in Kenya if women wear mini-skirts. I just do not understand why these men (The few) think that they have the right to dictate what a woman wears. They say it is not African, but if you watch enough of national geographic you will see that most of the African cultures did dress scantly in the old times - why is a miniskirt so bad then. I wear miniskirts and short ....but I don't live in that environment.
I just do not see why anyone sexuality and what they dress is anything to do with the law. I can see why being naked in the street and engaging in unconsented sexual activities is illegal but I don't see what business of the law it is to discuss and make a decision on what two consenting adults do in their privacy.
The same Africans making these laws claiming they go against African traditions wear shoes, and clothes and drive cars - none of which are African traditions.
they smoke cigarettes with filters and they drink from a glass.....the live in a house; all of which is western influence.
why cannot adults make decision as per their wishes and desires without having their govt dictate to them -
I like to belief morality and religion is a person voluntary matter and thus should not be forced on anyone!
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Monday, 17 March 2014
Nurex Shipping
Nurex shipping
I only choose to write about other businesses only after I have had an experience repeatedly with them
I used Murex to ship my stuff from Mumbai to Kenya by Air in August and had no issue - the price was $8 per kilo and the exchange rate was acceptable within reason
so I decided to sea ship with them in October. My goods only had to wait for a week to get a shipment slot. that was great.
The price was 50k per foot. they were undermant that this was not per CBM. A meter is at least 3 feet so a CBM would be 150k? The lady I talked to seemed not to understand the relation between a meter and a foot.
But I shipped with them anyway, because they did mention that sea shipping is cheaper than air shipping. This made sense and I didn't want to waste any more time on the matter.
They did however mention that they would know the measurements once the ship was loaded. So I phoned to find out the measurement and thus the total price.
well the ship was loaded but no one seemed to know the measurements. This in itself if annoying
So I asked why - and they gave me a long story, but a probably one not too well trained person in India did tell me that the cargo goes via Dubai - first leg. the second leg from Dubai to Kismayu. to get the total cost they would need to know the price of the two legs before they added their margins to give me a cost
But I was just after an estimate?
to me, part of being in a business is being able to manage cash flows. and how can you do this if you cannot get a price off the shipping agent.
My only issue was them is that they quote you a price of 50k per foot - which indicates that once they had the cargo they could get the number of foots and thus give you the price - meaning I had 4 weeks to move my cash around to ensure I had the funds available to clear the shipment....
Oh well... enough said.
I only choose to write about other businesses only after I have had an experience repeatedly with them
I used Murex to ship my stuff from Mumbai to Kenya by Air in August and had no issue - the price was $8 per kilo and the exchange rate was acceptable within reason
so I decided to sea ship with them in October. My goods only had to wait for a week to get a shipment slot. that was great.
The price was 50k per foot. they were undermant that this was not per CBM. A meter is at least 3 feet so a CBM would be 150k? The lady I talked to seemed not to understand the relation between a meter and a foot.
But I shipped with them anyway, because they did mention that sea shipping is cheaper than air shipping. This made sense and I didn't want to waste any more time on the matter.
They did however mention that they would know the measurements once the ship was loaded. So I phoned to find out the measurement and thus the total price.
well the ship was loaded but no one seemed to know the measurements. This in itself if annoying
So I asked why - and they gave me a long story, but a probably one not too well trained person in India did tell me that the cargo goes via Dubai - first leg. the second leg from Dubai to Kismayu. to get the total cost they would need to know the price of the two legs before they added their margins to give me a cost
But I was just after an estimate?
to me, part of being in a business is being able to manage cash flows. and how can you do this if you cannot get a price off the shipping agent.
My only issue was them is that they quote you a price of 50k per foot - which indicates that once they had the cargo they could get the number of foots and thus give you the price - meaning I had 4 weeks to move my cash around to ensure I had the funds available to clear the shipment....
Oh well... enough said.
Saturday, 8 March 2014
Business shipping from Uk ....To Kenya
Business shipping from UK
After my last post re the online retail shopping from Uk I just thought I should shed some light on Business shopping and shipping from UK.
By business shopping I mean buying in bulk or in wholesale with the aim of resale. This is clearly different from the retail shopping in a few areas.
Firstly, you should be buying from wholesale online sites for obvious reason. some of these sites are
QCLOTHING.CO.UK
CITYSHOES.CO.UK
ETC ETC
although everything5pounds.com is quite cheap although not necessarily a wholesale shopping site.
secondly, whilst shipping you would need to use a bulk shipper and not a courier to incur less cost.
You can ship using a straight forward box standard agent from UK and sort out the customs whilst in Kenya. Or you can use the good old Somali shipping and let them do the work for you. I use MAP EXPRESS CARGO - Google them for their contact info.
thirdly, the VAT is payable for retail goods and not for wholesale goods going outside the EU. so if buying to send to Kenya you don't pay the 20% VAT. however to claim this back you would need proof of export, this can and will be provided by your shipping agent on request. But you will have to pay for the VAT upfront and then get a refund once you have the proof.
Most wholesale website will quote the price of the good exc-VAT because most businesses with a VAT number don't need to pay VAT (It is standard in Kenya as well, at least on paper), because they claim that back monthly. So always add the 20% to the price on the website .
Obviously, the goods are in bulk. For instance whilst buying shoes, it is standard to buy a unit. a single unit is made up of 12 shoes - 1pair each on size 3 and 8, 2 pairs sizes 4 and 7, 3 pairs sizes 5 and 6. This is a unit, so you cannot go and ask for 5 pairs size 5 and the rest size 6. Their is no wriggle room on the standard units.
so if you are intending on buying for brides maid the wholesale websites might not work for you due to the sizes.
and finally the shipping is straight forward with the Somalis, you pay either here or before collection in Nairobi. pretty easy.
It takes a week for air shipping and 8 weeks for sea shipping.
Obviously the EU restriction on what can be air freight applies. for instance you cannot fly perfumes
After my last post re the online retail shopping from Uk I just thought I should shed some light on Business shopping and shipping from UK.
By business shopping I mean buying in bulk or in wholesale with the aim of resale. This is clearly different from the retail shopping in a few areas.
Firstly, you should be buying from wholesale online sites for obvious reason. some of these sites are
QCLOTHING.CO.UK
CITYSHOES.CO.UK
ETC ETC
although everything5pounds.com is quite cheap although not necessarily a wholesale shopping site.
secondly, whilst shipping you would need to use a bulk shipper and not a courier to incur less cost.
You can ship using a straight forward box standard agent from UK and sort out the customs whilst in Kenya. Or you can use the good old Somali shipping and let them do the work for you. I use MAP EXPRESS CARGO - Google them for their contact info.
thirdly, the VAT is payable for retail goods and not for wholesale goods going outside the EU. so if buying to send to Kenya you don't pay the 20% VAT. however to claim this back you would need proof of export, this can and will be provided by your shipping agent on request. But you will have to pay for the VAT upfront and then get a refund once you have the proof.
Most wholesale website will quote the price of the good exc-VAT because most businesses with a VAT number don't need to pay VAT (It is standard in Kenya as well, at least on paper), because they claim that back monthly. So always add the 20% to the price on the website .
Obviously, the goods are in bulk. For instance whilst buying shoes, it is standard to buy a unit. a single unit is made up of 12 shoes - 1pair each on size 3 and 8, 2 pairs sizes 4 and 7, 3 pairs sizes 5 and 6. This is a unit, so you cannot go and ask for 5 pairs size 5 and the rest size 6. Their is no wriggle room on the standard units.
so if you are intending on buying for brides maid the wholesale websites might not work for you due to the sizes.
and finally the shipping is straight forward with the Somalis, you pay either here or before collection in Nairobi. pretty easy.
It takes a week for air shipping and 8 weeks for sea shipping.
Obviously the EU restriction on what can be air freight applies. for instance you cannot fly perfumes
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Things to expect when shipping to Kenya
Things to expect when shipping into Kenya
This is a short list of things that I have gone through first hand
If you are shipping stuff to Kenya by sea or air, there are a few things you should expect
Firstly, most of the important information such as the processes, forms and the standardised customs rate are not widely available. You would need to really look hard on the KRA website to work out the details.
Secondly, if you are importing stuff worth LESS than $500 you do not need a clearing agent. You can clear your goods for yourself. What no one tell you is that the value on the receipt is not what they will go off…. They can decide that the value on the commercial invoice is too low and thus revalue the goods (Always upwards) making it such that you need a clearing agent.
Thirdly, it is unclear whether ‘ we cannot clear your goods today because KRA systems are down’ is a valid reason or an excuse. KRA system does go down a lot.
Fourthly, the clearing agent more often than not will amend the commercial invoice so that they pay less tax and pocket the difference. However, if KRA questions the ‘amended invoice’ you as the importer take the hit and they could mark your name on the system. If your name is ‘marked’ every time you import goods in your name they will be interested in investigating the value of your goods. So if they ‘uplift the value’ NEVER ship in your name again. Get a brother or a sister or someone else whose name you can use. Whatever, you do, do not lose sleep over it!
Fifthly, every night/day the goods are in the warehouse – they attract a warehouse storage fee.
Sixthly, they like dealing in cash for some reason.
And finally, customs in Kenya is not transparent. As long as you remember that and play in those lines you should be fine. But if you are fed up with them like I am you can always use the Somalis – they are more expensive but you are more in control of the costs.
This is a short list of things that I have gone through first hand
If you are shipping stuff to Kenya by sea or air, there are a few things you should expect
Firstly, most of the important information such as the processes, forms and the standardised customs rate are not widely available. You would need to really look hard on the KRA website to work out the details.
Secondly, if you are importing stuff worth LESS than $500 you do not need a clearing agent. You can clear your goods for yourself. What no one tell you is that the value on the receipt is not what they will go off…. They can decide that the value on the commercial invoice is too low and thus revalue the goods (Always upwards) making it such that you need a clearing agent.
Thirdly, it is unclear whether ‘ we cannot clear your goods today because KRA systems are down’ is a valid reason or an excuse. KRA system does go down a lot.
Fourthly, the clearing agent more often than not will amend the commercial invoice so that they pay less tax and pocket the difference. However, if KRA questions the ‘amended invoice’ you as the importer take the hit and they could mark your name on the system. If your name is ‘marked’ every time you import goods in your name they will be interested in investigating the value of your goods. So if they ‘uplift the value’ NEVER ship in your name again. Get a brother or a sister or someone else whose name you can use. Whatever, you do, do not lose sleep over it!
Fifthly, every night/day the goods are in the warehouse – they attract a warehouse storage fee.
Sixthly, they like dealing in cash for some reason.
And finally, customs in Kenya is not transparent. As long as you remember that and play in those lines you should be fine. But if you are fed up with them like I am you can always use the Somalis – they are more expensive but you are more in control of the costs.
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