2007 Review: Blogging Highlights

Blogging has been for me just a way of putting down mainly thoughts on the investment world, work, and minimal other stuff like issues appertaining to the motherland. One of the good things has been the ability to put down some of the stuff I research while I am doing my investing and geting feedback from readers. A repository if you like. With the yr coming to an end, I'll take a few weeks off and visit the motherland for some nyama choma with fried matoke and greens, sweet potatoes; introduce MT Jnr to his extended clan; catch some rays et al.

So why not go thru some of the highlights in blogsphere:

1. Meet-ups: The reason d’etat for starting this blog was to give a then embryonic KCIG some PR so we could get more members. So it was ironic when a blogger posted comments asking us what we were doing at the NSE when we could go to FTSE or AIMS. Months later that blogger was enjoying some chapos at our house but then outdid himself by posting an embarrassing post on the same. I refer of course to the long-monikered Christopher Ssembonge. It was a pleasure meeting you bwana Ssembonge. I’ve also met several others and hope to do so as time goes by.
2. Reading great blogs: As far as influences go I’d say CT stands out for me because of the passion, knowledge and in-depth understanding of the subject matters he writes about and especially those appertaining to required improvements for Kenya’s economy which are mostly on point. Bankele’s AGM coverage has been very informative and helpful for me as an investor. Riba Capital cleanly presented yet well-analysed and informative posts have been a joy to read (still waiting for the TC prospectus though). Away from investments, I’ve enjoyed reading Kenyaeconomics (still waiting for the his piece on inflation in Kenya), Kenya Imagine (I initially thought they were being typical know-it-all Diasporians but they are objective and have a good variety of excellent writers), Sunny’s column, the aforementioned LovelyMoney (this post was too funny) and Wakenya wa Sweden (one of my favourite countries in Europe).
3. Bloggers I wish would post more often: Pesa Tu who has done some excellent posts (on Safaricom and Mobilitelea) and Equity vs. Barclays and KenyaEconomics I’d encourage to post more often as both have something fresh to say about investment and economy respectively. And the aforementioned CT who seems to post in peaks and very deep troughs
4. Bloggers I wish would post less often: Kumekucha wins this category hands-down. To use your blog to disseminate tribal hatred (whether aimed at Giriamas, Kiuks, Luos, Kambas etc) would be the lowest of the low at any time, but at General Elections when temperatures are high anyway is not intelligent in my view. Let me tell you a secret, no politician in Kenya today cares about you. All will fill their baskets (bellies) first and then if the are leftovers will be open the gate for you to come in. Ask yourself where Kibaki has been as corruption has been on a runaway train, what pro-development bill even for Coast Raila has introduced to parliament similarly with Kalonzo. The best way to get ahead in life will be to develop the skills you need, find ways of growing you and your extended family during economic growth times so you can survive during any downturns.