SOURCED FROM CURRENT NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has upheld the dismissal of Java House’s former Chief Operating Officer (COO) Leonard Mudachi on account of redundancy nearly 10 years ago, citing lack of evidence to support his claims that he signed the exit package under duress.
At the same time, the court directed that he be paid $208,293.75 (Sh26.9 million) being the value of his shares at Nairobi Java House Limited and Java House (Mauritius) Limited Long-Term Incentive Plan scheme.
Kamau founded and now runs a fast-growing agritech firm out in the leafy Nairobi suburb of Karen. When customer numbers surged last quarter, he divided up his staff and placed them into new departments.
He then pushed some decisions down the chain granting greater autonomy all while quietly hoping that things would work out with the new arrangement to handle the excess workloads.
Instead, the departments just did not get their information straight. The sales team kept promising tech features that the software engineers had never actually built into the system.
The operations department spent a lot of time responding to inquiries from the sales team that never materialised into actual customer acquisition.
As a result, Kamau’s senior team started meeting more often but kept spinning their proverbial wheels without actually solving much. Even though everyone was working hard the organisation just felt out of sync within itself.
There is a helpful research-based way to make sense of the above kind of institutional mess that Kamau faces. Social scientists John Joseph and Metin Sengul reviewed two decades of research on how companies set up their internal structures, standard operating processes, and technology systems and just recently published a highly prestigious study on what happens to organisations based on how they organise themselves in prior years.
The metanalysis finds that organisational design is not a one-time organisation chart that hangs on a wall and is only revisited and revised every few years. Instead it proves to be a living dynamic set of choices that must fit together inside a firm and also fit external stakeholders keeping in mind that external relationships shift over time.
When the needs of external stakeholders change and do not match the internal structure, then organisational performance drops. When leaders notice the misfit and actively realign and therefore correct the mismatch, then performance results recover and thrive.
The study breaks down four everyday lenses. First, configuration asks leaders whether the pieces inside the firm reinforce each other and match the broader external environment.
Sadly, leaders often only notice this when something does not match correctly. As an example, a growth push can weaken training, which then can weaken quality, which then can weaken the firm’s reputation. The correction cannot be found in one cookie cutter solution.
It is usually a series of small design moves that brings internal and external alignment back into sync. Sometimes it even means separating a work team to explore new creative ideas while another team tries to exploit and strengthen what already work well within the firm. Sometimes it also can mean cycling between decentralising to find options while also centralising to unify them together.
Second, the concept of control asks a leader how they guide people to act in the company’s best interests rather than merely their own.
Key performance targets, regular reviews, and organisational culture all do matter. But a narrow span of control with fewer direct reports reporting up to each manager does help managers to coach each of their direct reporting staff better.
Wider spans tend to work only when information is easy to access and flows cleanly throughout the organisation.
In such scenarios, many human resources teams focus on bonus incentives to bring about alignment. But high-powered bonuses can push effort toward short-term wins but can quietly choke and kill off long-term exploration if human resources is not careful.
If department work is truly interdependent and it is hard to see who did what and give credit to where credit is due, then simple financial extrinsic rewards will cause underperformance unless leaders adjust the task and the metrics both together.
Third, channelisation makes leaders asks where their and their department’s attention goes. Organisational structure shapes what people notice. Headquarters tends to watch the whole portfolio.
Departmental teams tend to watch their local specific wins and losses. Managers need simple communication routines that connect the diverging views so that attention converges on what truly matters.
Framing scenarios from the top down can prime staff members’ focus, but teams on the ground in departments can also pull attention upward when they feel safe and empowered to share their voices upwards all while bringing clear evidence.
Fourth, coordination forces leaders to ask how groups with interdependent tasks can move as one. If Kamau cannot act until Mutisya acts, who himself cannot act until Achieng acts, etc, it becomes difficult to proceed forward in unison.
So, when parts of the business depend on each other, leaders will need shared departmental language, step in to provide clear project interfaces, and keep some decisions that stay centralised so the whole broader team stays coherent.
This goes against conventional leadership wisdom. In other cases, managers can break work into modules. In so doing, they can let units experiment simultaneously but in parallel while keeping shock unexpected results from experiment from spilling over and harming another part of a team.
This type of modularity is complicated to implement but can be useful if and only if it can match the real interdependence within the team.
In closing, good design is not a big grand theory. Instead, it is practical attention to honest task versus structure fit.
A recent post on a popular Facebook group for mothers of teenagers sparked debate after one parent shared her shock when her son announced he had a girlfriend.
The post drew hundreds of comments, with many mothers admitting that teenage romance is a common yet unsettling milestone in parenting. Most confessed they were unsure how to handle it, often choosing to step back and wait for the ‘love bug’ to fade as their children grew older.
Family Bank of Kenya has called an extraordinary general meeting of its shareholders to seek their approval to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).
The medium sized bank, which has flirted with public listing for over a decade, will be listing by way of introduction, meaning it does not plan to sell new shares but will be giving shareholders a trading platform to make their stocks more liquid.
Early last month, Karen Thaba, a digital marketer, was approached by an agency to apply for a social media role and content creator. After she shared, the agency wrote back asking for a full social media strategy plus a two-week content creator calendar in 36 hours for a specific brand as an assignment.
“I checked the brand they requested I make the content for and noticed they could be their client,” she recalls.
Dear Doctors: My 22-year-old son is severely bipolar, which impacts his life terribly. I have kept up with the studies that have shown success in treating bipolar with a faecal transplant. Do you know of any open studies right now that might take my son? We would travel anywhere to get it done.
Dear Reader: Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by extreme swings in mood, energy, thoughts and behaviours. These repeated shifts from intense elation to crushing depression can disrupt sleep, impede judgement and interfere with the ability to think clearly. As with many conditions that affect mental health, bipolar disorder exists on a spectrum. That means each case is unique, and symptoms vary in severity, frequency and presentation. But even in its milder forms, bipolar disorder can significantly impair quality of life.
It is common for the first indications of bipolar disorder to emerge in late adolescence and early adulthood. Diagnosis includes a mental health assessment, medical history and physical exam. Once diagnosed, treatment typically combines medications, such as mood stabilisers and perhaps antidepressants, with individual, group or family-focused psychotherapy. Due to the unpleasant side effects of some of the medications, treatment can be challenging.
The cause of bipolar disorder is not yet clearly understood. Previous research has suggested links to a mix of heredity, mental health and environmental factors. More recently, though, growing awareness of a connection between the gut microbiome and the brain is leading researchers in an intriguing new direction.
This connection, known as the gut-brain axis, is a bidirectional communication system between the trillions of microbes in the gut and the brain. An imbalance in the gut microbiome has been found to contribute to inflammation, immune system dysfunction and the production of harmful metabolites.
This imbalance, known as gut dysbiosis, has been linked to a range of neurodegenerative diseases. These include Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
As you have pointed out, there is evidence that gut dysbiosis may play a role in bipolar disorder as well. It is not suggested that gut dysbiosis is the sole cause of these diseases. However, some researchers believe modulating the gut microbiome may have therapeutic benefits. This may be done through diet, the use of specific prebiotics and probiotics, and faecal transplants.
This is when a person’s colon is infused with a solution containing faecal matter from a healthy donor. A few small studies have reported success in lessening the symptoms of severe bipolar disorder through fecal transplants.
We searched at clinicaltrials.gov, the United States National Institutes of Health’s clinical trials database. At this time, there do not appear to be any new or ongoing investigations into the use of fecal transplants to manage bipolar disorder. However, several bipolar studies are exploring probiotics. You may find it useful to browse all of the studies listed on the site associated with bipolar disorder. Even if none are right for your son, they are an excellent way to keep abreast of new directions in research. Universal Features Syndicate
Nintendo has announced that Thai subtitles will be added to Donkey Kong Bananza for the Nintendo Switch 2, with players able to try out the feature at Nintendo’s booth during the upcoming Gamescom Asia × Thailand Games Show in October. The update will be free for existing owners of the game.
The move comes shortly after Nintendo revealed plans to expand its presence in Thailand with a new local subsidiary. While the company has not yet provided a specific download date for the subtitle update, it confirmed that players will eventually be able to download it at no extra cost.
At the Gamescom Asia × Thailand Games Show, taking place from October 17-19, visitors to the Nintendo booth will be able to try the Thai-language version of Donkey Kong Bananza on the Switch 2.
Nintendo stressed, however, that the addition of Thai subtitles to Donkey Kong Bananza does not mean that all of its other titles will support the language. The company said announcements will be made in advance if other games are confirmed to include Thai localisation.
Typhoon Bualoi has unleashed widespread flooding across the country, with Ayutthaya, Phimai in Nakhon Ratchasima, and Sa Kaeo among the hardest hit.
The Chao Phraya barrage in Chai Nat has increased its discharge rate from 2,100 to 2,200 cubic metres per second to cope with rising inflows caused by the typhoon.
The surge has led to heavy flooding in 11 districts of downstream Ayutthaya, affecting 38,132 households, two mosques, 20 schools, 25 temples, and 165 rai of farmland. Water levels in tributaries and canals have risen by an average of 5cm.
Local ferry services along the Chao Phraya River, especially near Wat Khun Phrom and Ko Muang, remain operational but face strong currents and high water levels. Authorities have posted warnings urging boat operators and passengers to exercise caution. Impact zones in Ayutthaya were located in 134 tambons and 758 villages, with flooding reported in 34 community roads and eight government buildings. Agricultural damage includes rice paddies, fruit crops, and perennial trees.
In Phimai district of Nakhon Ratchasima, heavy rainfall inundated many areas of the district for the third time this season. Kindergarten classes at Kulno School were suspended, while grades 4-6 continue in-person study due to ongoing exams.
Phimai New Town Market is under 20-30cm of water, forcing vendors to wade through floodwaters or temporarily close shops. The Phimai Historical Park has also suspended tourist access due to flooding around the ancient Khmer temple.
In Sa Kaeo, at 1am, flash floods from Pang Sida National Park swept through Khlong Buri village, catching residents off guard. Villagers were rescued by local officials using tractors, leaving behind damaged belongings. The village, located near the park and downstream of Khlong Phra Prong Reservoir, was overwhelmed by rapid runoff that could not drain off in time. No casualties were reported.
Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather update on Monday for Typhoon Bualoi, which has reportedly weakened over Laos.
The department confirmed that the typhoon made landfall in Quang Binh, northern Vietnam, and weakened into a strong tropical storm. As of 4am on Monday, its centre was located 50km east of Xieng Khouang, Laos, with maximum winds of 111 km/h, moving west-northwest at 20 km/h. It is expected to weaken further into a depression and then a low-pressure system.
The TMD also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in the lower North, upper Central, Northeast, East, and western South with the risk of flash floods, runoff, and riverbank overflow, especially in foothill areas and flood-prone zones. Strong winds are expected in the upper Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand, with wave heights of two to three metres, or higher during thunderstorms.
A climate change bill is key if Thailand is to achieve its commitment to greenhouse gas reductions and become a regional hub for carbon credits, according to the new Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
Suchart Chomklin made the remarks during his speech at the 4th Thailand Climate Action Conference at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center over the weekend.
He said the Anutin Charnvirakul government is focused on climate change policies that align with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.
He said that the increase in global temperature has been over 1.75 degrees Celsius (°C), well over the 1.5°C set by the Paris Agreement.
As a result, extreme climate patterns from severe drought and floods have been more frequent.
The government would respond with the adaptation and mitigation plans, including the establishment of an early warning system, he said.
To achieve the global commitment on Net Zero by 2050, the government, he added, this year would submit NDC3.0 (Nationally Determined Contributions) to the United Nations Development Programme.
The paper will focus on the issue of greenhouse gas emissions in five dimensions: energy, transport, industry, waste management and farming. All of these sectors must reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% by 2035.
“The climate change bill is expected to go through parliament this year or early next,” he said, adding that the bill would enhance policy mechanisms, greenhouse gas reduction ambitions, adaptation to climate change and financial mechanisms to support net zero.
Mr Suchart said that a carbon tax, a penalty imposed on polluters, state subsidies, and low interest rates for SMEs could be major financial incentives in reaching the net-zero goal.
The bill would help Thailand become a hub for carbon credits with an investment platform equipped to tackle climate change, he said.
Logitech G, the global leader in gaming peripherals, made a powerful statement with the worldwide launch of its PLAY 2025 event, held at Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok on 18 September. The event showcased a full suite of next-generation gaming products, blending sleek design, high performance, and advanced technology to meet the needs of both competitive and casual gamers.
Among the highlights was the debut of the Logitech G PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2c, a wireless gaming mouse weighing just 51 grams. Despite its ultra-light build, it packs a punch with the HERO 2 sensor offering up to 44,000 DPI and 888 IPS speed. The LIGHTFORCE Hybrid Switches deliver crisp responsiveness, while support for 8kHz report rate and POWERPLAY wireless charging ensures up to 95 hours of uninterrupted gameplay.
Also introduced was the PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2SE, a refined version with a minimalist design and slightly heavier build at 60 grams. It retains the same high-end sensor and switch technology, and offers full customisation via Logitech G HUB software, including DPI settings, report rate, and button mapping. It’s compatible with Windows 10 and above via USB.
For keyboard enthusiasts, Logitech G launched the G515 RAPID TKL, a low-profile tenkeyless keyboard just 22mm thick. It features Analog Magnetic Switches supporting Rapid Trigger, Multipoint Action, and Key Priority. Users can fine-tune actuation from 0.1mm to 2.5mm for precision control. The durable PBT double-shot keycaps, metal frame, and LIGHTSYNC RGB lighting make it a standout choice for serious gamers.
The audio experience was elevated with the G321 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Headset, designed for long sessions with its lightweight 210g build and memory foam ear cups. It offers over 20 hours of battery life, a flip-to-mute boom mic with 16kHz clarity, and Bluetooth 5.2 support for mobile gaming and music. The 40mm drivers deliver immersive sound across all frequencies.
Racing fans were treated to the unveiling of R50 and RS PEDALS, bringing the precision of Direct Drive and realism of TRUEFORCE technology to the forefront. Inspired by McLaren’s racing DNA, these pedals are compatible with existing G Series gear and offer upgrade paths within the Racing Series.
The showstopper was the surprise reveal of the PRO X2 SUPERSTRIKE, a revolutionary wireless mouse designed specifically for esports. It introduces two groundbreaking features:
Hall Effect Switch + Rapid Trigger for ultra-precise clicks and movement
Haptic Feedback for immersive tactile response, making in-game actions feel more lifelike
Logitech G PLAY 2025 was more than a product launch-it reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to delivering a holistic gaming experience by integrating hardware, software, and inspiration to connect gamers worldwide.