Martin Muthomi

Data Science | Opinions fade, DATA persists.

Profile 📸 Courtesy @s_igu

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@TheJackForge @zlatov_cristina I Use temporary emails for this 😅

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

" Opinions fade, DATA persists. "

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@_ekibet @OliverMathenge what point did he want to make, by them leveraging on the use of AI?

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

AI's dream seems to have no boundaries

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@moneyacademyKE If the interest rates are 'annually' then these calculations are wrong. Getting 12k for 100k in 91 days is insane

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@ogero401524 but they don't trust us 😅

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

IT guys: 'have you tried restarting your computer?'

Thread:

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

Engrossed in your incredible trip like a captivating movie. Your inspiring adventure was a story I was sharing with friends, providing regular updates during those 52 days. What a milestone. Congratulations

[Victor @victormatara]

Nairobi, Kenya 🇰🇪 to Cape Town South Africa 🇿🇦 Notes.

What you will need to travel using a car
- Passport
- Yellow Fever Card
- Car Logbook ( make several copies) ...carry your original logbook & keep it safe. Don’t leave it at any border point.
- Driver’s License
- Comesa Insurance (was helpful in Malawi & Zambia)

........
1. Driver's License and International Driving Permit (IDL):

Throughout the journey, I used my Kenyan driver's license and did not encounter any requests for an International Driving Permit (IDL) at any border crossing.

2. Carnet de Passage: We did not use a Carnet de Passage during the trip. Unnecessary when travelling South. We didn't see its significance at any of the border crossings.

3. Car Breakdowns: Luckily, our car did not experience any breakdowns throughout the entire trip. We only needed regular servicing.

4. Car Services: We had three car services during the journey. The first service took place in Nairobi before we embarked, the second in Maseru, and the final one in Cape Town on our return leg.

5. Covid Certificate: Interestingly, we were not asked for a Covid certificate at any of the border crossings.

6. Road Conditions:

It's important to note that certain road stretches on the trip had extremely poor conditions with numerous potholes.

Specifically, the Nakonde-Kapiri Mposhi stretch in Zambia, the Katima Mlilo-Livingstone stretch in Zambia, and the Salima-Nkhotakota-Rukuru-Chiweta stretch in Malawi had particularly challenging road conditions. However, roads in South Africa, Namibia, and Tanzania were generally good and enjoyable to drive on.

- While driving in Namibia always keep your lights on during the day, as failing to do so could result in a fine of 1000 Namibian Dollars. The authorities argue that this is a safety measure aimed at reducing accidents.

Experiences
...
South Africa 🇿🇦 : South Africa is an advanced country ( miles ahead) with beautiful landscapes, especially in the Western Cape region. The hype about South Africa is real. Arguably the most advanced country I have ever visited in Africa.
...
Namibia 🇳🇦: Namibia is a stunning country although internet speeds were quite slow during our visit. Their deserted roads might come as a surprise.
..
Botswana 🇧🇼: The Pula country! Botswana is known for its abundant elephant population, and the architectural diversity in Gaborone fascinated us.
..
Lesotho 🇱🇸: The kingdom on the hill

- Interestingly, their currency has the same value as South Africa.

....they have the most beautiful women on the whole continent ..trust me on this one 😅
...
Tanzania 🇹🇿: Tanzania stood out for its exceptional hospitality, good roads, and affordable food.

Zambia: Zambia offers plenty of food options, but be prepared for toll roads and fees.

Zimbabwe 🇿🇼: Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a must-visit! Would pay to see those falls for the first time again.
...
Malawi 🇲🇼: People were kind and welcoming, and Lake Malawi is a spectacular sight!

- They have the cheapest internet rates...( Airtel Malawi to be specific )
..
Kenya 🇰🇪: Kenya has the best internet, which you will definitely miss as you travel further south.

Border Crossings Charges

......
Tanzania 🇹🇿: Zero, East Africans travelling in Tanzania for less than 7 days pay absolutely nothing.
.....
Zambia 🇿🇲

Here are the costs that we incurred crossing into Zambia- Tunduma to Nakonde ( a tiring and hard-to-navigate-through border post)

1. Interpol charges - 200 Kwacha per car (Ksh. 1400)

2. Road poll charges - 20 USD per car (Ksh. 3000)

3. Car search and scan - 100 Kwacha per car (Ksh. 700)

4. Carbon tax - 370 Kwacha per car if the car is higher than 1500ccs. (Ksh. 2590)

5. Council levy - 50 Kwacha per car (Ksh. 350)

Agent facilitation fee: 650 Kwacha.. like Ksh 4550.. an agent here is inevitable.
.....
Botswana 🇧🇼

Charges for entering into Botswana via the Kazungula Border ( a seamless border this one..)

Road Permits

- National Road Safety Fund - 50 Pula

- Motor Vehicle Insurance- 150 Pula

- Road Transport Permit - 270 Pula

Kazungula Bridge Toll Fees: 150 Pula

Total cost for entering a car into Botswana: 620 Pula equivalent to Ksh 6,820.
......
South Africa 🇿🇦

Charges for entering: ZERO

Kopfontein Border Post is one of the fastest border posts I have ever used in my life. Kind staff too 🤝
.......
Lesotho

Visa-Free for Kenyans...

We used Maseru Bridge Border Post… Another seamless border crossing 🤝

Charges: paid 80 Rands… equivalent to about Ksh 670.
......
Namibia

Entered using Noordoewer Border Post.

Another seamless border crossing 🤝

Road Charges: 371 Namibian Dollars equivalent to Ksh 3300.

Unrelated: The Namibian Dollar has the same value as the South African Rand.
.....

Malawi

Here are the charges for entering a car into Malawi:

- Processing Fee: 20,000 Malawian Kwacha
- Carbon Tax: 8,000 Malawian Kwacha
- Toll Fee: 20 USD, paid in cash. I bought the 20 dollars at 46,000 Malawian Kwachas. 🤦‍♂️

- 1 Kenyan shilling is equivalent to 10.56 Malawian Kwachas.

A very expensive border border crossing.

📍Entered using Mwami/Mchinji One Stop Border Post.
......

All in all, the trip to the South is worth every coin 💯

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Can’t wait to explore the Eastern side of South Africa especially Mpumalanga, Durban & many more!

Africa is diversely beautiful! Let’s explore it!

Graphic © @WanjikuReports

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@OdipoVince There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don't.

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@droid254 You want your lights to give you a little taste of international adventure every time you flick the switch

[GDG Nairobi #DevFestNairobi @GDG_Nairobi]

🥳 Full house! 🥳

Astronauts! 🔈Are we ready or ready!!! 😃

Join us in launching this space ship!

#CodeToInfinityAndBeyond #DevFestNairobi #DevFest2022

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@mariahsudi Solution Afya from @Sol_Sacco is by far the best inpatient medical cover i have used....

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@minicheps @KenyaBankers @VisaKenya This is not really the case. The 'padlock' means the website uses secure sockets (SSL) for data transmission. This can be done to any website. Actually most hosting companies offers ssl licences for free.

[Andrew Hart @AndrewHart]

This is the nicest store I’ve ever been in. And the navigation tech is 🔥.

[Swapna Kumar Panda @swapnakpanda]

What is the difference between

❍ Web Developer
❍ Full Stack Developer

⇩

[World of Engineering @engineers_feed]

How to jump a car.

[Allan Ibutiti @allanibutiti]

I've noticed a lot of Kenyan websites feel REALLY SLOW.

So today, I took an unscientific sample of 40 of the 850 most visited Kenyan websites, wrote a script to run performance benchmarks, generated some charts.

I was right and the results were shocking 😅

THREAD 🧵

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@droid254 Thats too much for just a covid cert. why not a bracelet, ring ?

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@colorlib are all your template for wp?

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@JumiaKenya @Babiebianca11 @Sharzvuitton Thanks so much @JumiaKenya

[Martin Muthomi @_martomfyam]

@stojke209 DM price