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Leading firms in East Africa are set to be honored in a major international SMEs and Mid-sized firms international award dubbed Pacesetters Awards which comes after the feting of notable firms in East Africa. This year’s regional awards ceremony shall be held at Serena Hotel Kampala Uganda. It will bring together firms from 10 countries in the Eastern African region including top SMEs and mid-sized top institutions from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania among other Eastern African countries. Pacesetters Award (PSA) is an annual Industry leadership Recognition program organized by Jubilant Stewards of Africa (JSA), a Non-Governmental Organization, to celebrate key industry leaders for their innovation, quality products, and service delivery, job creation, exemplary leadership, growing the economy, and transforming the society. These awards are based on the economic and social impact rather than the balance sheet. Jubilant Stewards of Africa is dedicated to the improvement of living standards, social ethics, dignity, and empowerment of communities. As part of its Corporate Social Investment (CSI), JSA feels the need to encourage firms and individuals to take leadership in their respective industries and get them into pace.
This year’s Kenyan survey started on 2nd April 2021 and closed on 30th May 2022 while the East African survey started on 30th August 2021 and closed on 30th October 2022. The winners in various categories are carefully selected through a competitive and thorough process involving a public vote and a panel of judges.
Various institutions have shown interest to partner with organizers to ensure the success of this year’s Awards in various countries. Last year some of the institutions that partnered with the Jubilant Stewards of Africa included Telecommunication giant Safaricom Plc, Myspace Properties Ltd, Quipbank Trust Limited and Nation Media Group.
Jared Oundo, Executive Director of Jubilant Stewards of Africa, “Pacesetters Awards considers a range of quantitative and qualitative aspects in order to determine and honor the winners. A novel survey model was initiated in 2020 as per the hyperinflationary environment. The model has since been tested and it demonstrated its functionality, elasticity and robustness. Furthermore, models in various industries such as the financial sector were remodeled in order to enhance their significance to the current environment, enhance quality and increase the objectivity of results.”
According to the sources privy to the 2022 East African chapter nomination list, the new entrants in the 2022 Eastern Africa chapter of the awards include Super Manufacture Ltd, Electric Cars distributor – Go Electric Limited, Equity Bank Uganda, Prestige Driving School Uganda, MTN and Airtel Uganda, SGA Security and a couple of tire one banks. The organizers will be sharing the full shortlist after various nominees have been contacted and standardization is done in a press conference to be held in a Nairobi Hotel.
Most of the awardees have been conferred with other awards including the Top KPMG 100 Survey and other international awards. Notable firms that have featured in the Pacesetters Awards East Africa Kenyan Chapter include; Telecommunication giant Safaricom, Security Firm – Jeff Hamilton, drink manufacturer Kevian Kenya LTD Afia, VAELL, Digital lender Zenka Digital Ltd, Ena Coach Bus, City Walk, TingA rental platform, AVT Insurance Agency, online shopping platform Jiji Kenya, Mwananchi Credit, Myspace Properties, Certified Homes and Digital Driving School. New entrants include; Mattress maker SuperFoam, EVChaja, Staff Recruitment firm – Brighter Monday Kenya, Dakawou Transport Limited, Sarma Enterprises Ltd, and Nation Media Group Plc. The Ugandan Chapter looks to honor key industry leaders such as Airtel Uganda Limited, New Vision Printing, and Publishing Company, MTN Uganda Limited, Brighter Monday Uganda, Nile Breweries Limited, DFCU Bank, and the Kampala-based Fintech firm Service Cops among others.
Speaking in Kampala Uganda Jared Oundo, Executive Director of Jubilant Stewards of Africa (JSA) said,“Pacesetters Awards considers a range of quantitative and qualitative aspects to determine and honor the winners. A novel survey model was initiated in 2020 to the hyperinflationary environment. The model has since been tested and it demonstrated its functionality, elasticity, and robustness. Furthermore, models in various industries such as the financial sector were remodeled to enhance their significance to the current environment, enhance quality and increase the objectivity of results.”
According to Mr. Oundo, next year they intend to host the Awards in more African countries, starting with East Africa and then proceed to the countries in Southern Africa later in the year. Having hosted a successful Awards ceremony in Kenya mid this year, Jubilant Stewards of Africa looks to host the Ugandan Awards ceremony on 15th December 2022 at a hotel in Kampala. The ceremony shall include a gala dinner in which various high-profile guests and government officials are expected to be present. Jubilant Stewards of Africa shall announce and grant the winners their respective accolades.
For a decade now, Service Cops Limited- a Kampala-based Fintech firm, has been creating an impactful stack of solutions in the financial technology and business processes outsourcing spaces serving diverse sectors of the economy; education, finance, and banking, telecom insurance, trade, and business. Speaking regarding Pacesetters Awards East Africa Ugandan Chapter, Mathias Kamugasho, Chief Executive Officer- of Service Cops Uganda Limited said, “Jubilant Stewards of Africa is doing superb work by putting this Award together. Small Medium Enterprises among other business units in Africa need to be recognized for their great contribution to the development of the whole African economy.”
Regional Leasing Firm, Vehicle and Equipment Leasing Limited (VAELL) was recognized as Pacesetters in Solar and Electric Vehicles in the just-concluded Pacesetters Awards (PSA) Kenyan survey for the year 2022. This recognition comes after the company ran a series of demystification campaigns and awareness on the advantages of solar and electric automobiles compared to petrol/diesel-fueled automobiles and championing clean energy.
CPA Boniface Aluoch, VAELL Leasing Uganda Country Manager said, “We are truly honored to be recognized as pacesetters in the leasing industry. It is an even greater honor to be recognized with such an eminent award. We could have not received this award if it wasn’t for our millions of customers who have supported us to reach this level. Many thanks to our partners, you are the reason we are here. This is also attributed to the dedication and professionalism of our staff something that the award is based on. We handle clients and partners with the utmost professionalism. All our staff in every country operate in are people with very high integrity”
Speaking after receiving the news of being nominated as a Pacesetter in E-commerce, Grace Gikonyo, Head of Public Relations, Jiji Uganda said, “the world is changing and so is the way of life of many people. The microwave generation has brought in the E-commerce way, which is now the future of shopping. Being awarded as the Pacesetter in E-commerce for the second time in a row is such a huge recognition in such a time as this. This goes to show how we have adapted to customers’ expectations and showcased our dedication, expertise, and sheer hard work in enhancing safety and improving the satisfaction of both the buyers and sellers on our platform. It is one thing to be hardworking, but it is another when your brand is seen, heard, and celebrated.”
Super Foam Limited’s Head of Marketing Sanskrati Shetty said, “we are glad to have been recognized with the Pacesetter Award in Foam Manufacturing and Supplying. I would like to thank and appreciate our entire workforce that thrives every day to give their best so that our supplies are the best in the world. Our efforts have been recognized and this reinforces that we are headed in the right direction as a brand and organization. We thank Jubilant Stewards of Africa for recognizing us as key industry players.”
Dr. Mary Boniface, CEO of Jubilant Stewards of Africa in charge of Kenya said, “one of our major tasks as an organization is to make the society better for everyone, one of the ways we do that is by encouraging the companies to continue doing their best so that they can keep contributing to the economy and of course make the country a better place. We have done it today, there was a good turn up and we have seen several companies get honored. We look forward to a bigger and better event next year so that we can see who will have taken the space in terms of pacesetting.”
Commenting on the Pacesetters Awards East Africa Ugandan Chapter, Jared Oundo said, “We look forward to honoring individuals and companies- small, medium, and large, in the Ugandan market for their endeavors to take leadership in their respective industries. We seek to encourage organizations and individuals to go beyond the call of duty in their service to humanity.”