On 14th and 15th July 2022, Kenya’s biggest Telco, by bullying and monopolising services, organised an Engineering Summit for young Kenyans.
It was reported that the Safaricom Engineering Summit intends to support young talented engineers and software developers.
But I doubt it.
What was not being said was that in January 2015, Safaricom launched a similar initiative by the name of ZINDUA CAFE where young Kenyan talented Kenyans sent their inventions.
According to the firm, the portal will serve as a central place to capture innovators ideas and prototypes and as well ensure their Intellectual Property are respected. – A blog reported, but they lied on the Intellectual Property part
Safaricom stole the best inventions.
When complaints were lodged in court, the Telco threatened some with death, others were defeated on a technicality of bribed judges.
Others still weren’t able to raise the money to put up a legal challenge.
Safaricom has stayed long with the increasingly out-of-fashion M-PESA and is looking for a new way to revamp its useless internal creative team.
MShwari, MPESA-1Tap (ruled in favor of Safaricom), Tuwaanike and MPESA Bill Manager for Businesses have their roots in theft.
Click each one of the above to read about that.
If Safaricom paid for the inventions, whose ideas they get from the young Kenyans, things would be great in this country.
However, the crooked managers have made it a habit of stealing, threatening, bribing and getting away with it.
For Safaricom, it doesn’t matter if one signed a Non-Disclosure agreement or their copyright, patent or utility model is registered, they’ll still steal it.
The mainstream media has not covered the issue of Intellectual Property Theft in Kenya because they get adverts from Safaricom.
This has put the youth at a disadvantage since most don’t know what they are dealing with.
Warning to the engineers at the Safaricom Engineering Summit.
Your invention will be stolen, you’ll complain in court and some shadowy people/cars will start following you.
Your friends will desert you
Your lawyer will also take bribes.
You will walk alone.
When that happens, join those who call for respect for intellectual property rights.
Make the mainstream media houses expose these ills.
NOTE:
The advertising for the Safaricom Enginering Summit was poor. I’ve found out that, at any time, less than 1000 people were watching the summit on YouTube.
