Total currently trades at a PBV of 0.6,PSR of 0.3,some people on wazua are using Total's recent first Quater results as a benchmark as to how Kenol will perform in 2010...on top of that Total is the number 1 oil company in Kenya and doesnt have legal issues like Kenol...their balance sheet look fat...one red flag it looks as if their paying a loan??? Will 2010 be the year for Total? Will they return to their 2.50 dividend?

no interim dividend and the best time to buy Total is the 4th quarter and offload in the 1st quarter either after gaining about 15% in capital gains or when it goes ex-dividend.

ja for future growth KK is the way...but that dividend at the current prices is awesome...

Are your good sentiments for Total or for KK?

Price Controls have always failed... Show me a country where they have been successful...???

It is easy to introduce Price Controls coz POPULIST but it is inefficient... Encourages smuggling, deters investment thus loss of suppliers means either lower quality or shortages...

Maize, wheat, sugar & food oils are all GLOBAL commodities... Kenya imports all of the 4 above...

If you sell at 'below' cost then it will be smuggled from Kenya into Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan!!!

Dont forget fuel... Kenya imports 100% of its crude oil & petrol/diesel requirements... It's the high taxes (40% of petrol prices are direct taxes)...

If you are a speculator....total not a good stock. If you are in it for the dividend then it is the stock to buy.

Th chevron aka caltex acquisitions should begin to generate positive Cf's and earnings this year. All in all a good stock to have in your portfolio.

Politics harm markets... coz most politics are bad for business...

A price-setting committee dominated/controlled by politicians will ALWAYS play to the lowest common denominator...

- moi used to race-bait everything. It was always the 'foreigners', UK, USA, Wazungu, Wahindi... never the policies, his sons, biwott, kulei... Do you remember the uneducated kotut? Ama scams like goldenberg?

- ndegwas used influence to buy out insurance firms getting 'favored' forex allocations from CBK...

- waruru kanja & kamotho used to facilitate licenses for imports for a kickback...

Note all the above were cause these 'committees' were CONTROLLED by politicians & their sidekicks! We paid the price by paying 'more' on the black market (under the table) for oil, milk, etc.

I remember my mzee used to go looking for petrol before a safari for work. Had to carry it (very dangerous) in the car. We used to keep jerricans of fuel at home (v. risky) for emergencies.

@the deal.....you stirred up the hornest's nest.

@vvs..... well said. The pitfalls of controls given our history.

@youcant no i didnt...the preference shares spooked me out....i went for Ugali instead....

How is the cat doing? Did you get a name for him or her yet?;-)