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CORPORATE SCENE Postmaster General On Postal Corporation Of Kenya Riding The Relevance Wave By Marketing Africa Crew M arketing Africa Corporate Scene hosted Mr. Dan Kagwe, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer, Postal Corporation of Kenya on how the corporation is adopting technology to thrive and remain relevant in the 21st Century. We bring you an abridged version of the deliberations as captured here-under. Marketing Africa: What is Postal Corporation of Kenya’s Mandate and obligations? Mr. Kagwe: The Postal Corporation of Kenya was established by an Act of Parliament (PCK Act 1998) and operates as a Commercial Public Enterprise. The Corporation’s mandate includes provision of accessible, affordable and reliable Postal Services to all parts of Kenya as the designated Public Postal Licensee, where communications through the Post Office is a basic human right as enshrined in the 1948 United Nations Charter. Our mission is to provide innovative Communication, Distribution and Financial solutions to our customers and create value to stakeholders at all times. Posta Kenya operates in accordance with the provision of section 50 of the Postal Corporation of Kenya Act 1998 (Revised KICA 2013), to provide and operate; Postal services, and perform incidental services relating to the receiving, collecting, sending, dispatching and delivery of postal articles and electronic mail, Postal financial services, incidental services relating to the issuing, receiving, mobile payments, general electronic agency services, registration & delivery of newspapers and periodicals, collection of bills, virtual saving services and GIRO services. 12 MAL27/18 ISSUE It is mandated to execute Electronic retail transfer and the National Payment system, as well as perform any other functions as the Cabinet Secretary may assign. The Corporation as a Postal Licensee has the monopoly to offer Post Office letter boxes services, issue postage stamps and conveyance of letters below 350gms. What is Posta Kenya’s National Network and Product Portfolio? The Post Office operates a vast national network of postal outlets totaling 625 with a distribution of at least 2 post offices in each of the 47 Counties. The population served per Post Office is over 70,000. Our overall goal is to improve penetration levels by expanding the postal network to meet the Universal Service Obligation which requires that 6,000 persons are served by one post office. Post Office provides a wide range of innovative products and services that include Mail Services: Ordinary letters, Corporate Mail, Private Letter Boxes, Philately, and International Mail Services; Courier Services: EMS services, Parcels, Post Cargo (Clearing & Forwarding) and Travel Lite; Financial Services including Money Order, Posta Pay, Utility Payments, Agency Banking services on behalf of our partners in the Banking sector, Mobile Money Transfer on behalf of Telecommunication companies among others. We are proud that Post Office provides the much-needed brick and mortar for; The National Government: Currently providing existing infrastructure that hosts over half of the Huduma Service Centers country wide; Financial Institutions: PCK is in partnership with 6 banks (KCB Group, Barclays, Cooperative Bank, Diamond Trust, National Bank, and Equity Bank) providing not only Agency Banking services but the much needed physical presence through the existing postal outlets countrywide. We envision to boost the role and capacity of the postal network as an enabler of e-commerce, notably by establishing last mile hubs, as partners to the government, citizens and enterprises that are excluded from e-commerce. This will include, especially, Small and Medium Enterprises, Young People and Women who are marginalized and lack affordable access to e-commerce platforms, payment options and delivery possibilities for cross-border e-commerce. The Post Office operates a vast national network of postal outlets totaling 625 with a distribution of at least 2 post offices in each of the 47 Coun- ties. The population served per Post Office is over 70,000. Our overall goal is to improve pen- etration levels by expanding the postal network to meet the Universal Service Obligation which requires that 6,000 persons are served by one post office.