Category: Business Daily

On September 9, John Ternus took the stage in his new role as Apple’s CEO during the ‘Surprise and Shine’ event. Many announcements were made, the new foldable Apple Duo overshadowed everything.

Among the announcements was the expansion of Apple TV to 59 new countries, including Kenya. The big twist was that access will not require a standalone streaming subscription; it comes bundled directly with your existing iCloud+ storage plan and Apple Arcade.

Starting at just $0.99 (around Sh129) a month for 50GB of storage, this instantly becomes one of the most competitive entertainment options in the market.

Naturally, this move will encourage more Kenyan users to consider Apple hardware and step into the ecosystem. But once you log in, where do you actually begin?

Well, let’s look at some productions that might be the perfect consumption jump off point for you.

Note that this list is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot that the service offers, my objective is to give you options from my point of view.

Denzel Washington

I am starting off with Denzel as a category because it’s Denzel Washington, and a Denzel Washington movie is a good place to start. He has two movies on the service.

Highest 2 Lowest – Directed by Spike Lee, with Denzel as a music mogul, also featuring ASAP Rocky.

The Tragedy of Macbeth – Denzel Washington as Macbeth, a beautiful black-and-white production that can be viewed for the drama or the technical elements.

You’ve heard of it but never seen it

These are productions you have probably heard of or come across in debates on social media because of the buzz they created.

F1 – the blockbuster racing film, dominated the global box office in 2025 as one of the year’s highest-grossing cinematic releases. As an Apple Original film, it stands out as one of the signature feature titles to come out of the service.

Ted Lasso – After watching this there is a possibility that you will become that one friend who recommends that one show. Starring Jason Sudeikis as an overly optimistic American college football coach hired to manage a British football team, remains the ultimate feel-good show. .

Silo – Starring Rebecca Ferguson, is a gripping post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama set in a massive underground bunker where strict rules govern the remaining populace. Across its multiple seasons and 30-plus episodes, you get tightly paced, layered mysteries, and strong character work that science fiction enthusiasts rave about.

Foundation – If you love sci-fi someone has probably recommended this to you.

Foundation is based on Isaac Asimov’s seminal novels, stars Jared Harris and Lee Pace in an epic, sprawling galactic saga. It spans multiple worlds and generations, pairing intricate political storylines with some of the most impressive visual effects on television today.

Pluribus -It was all over social media before it was even released, captivating viewers with one of the best opening hooks and mystery setups on TV. Even if the eventual payoff divided opinion among viewers, the sheer tension and early world-building make it worth watching.

Severance – If you are reading this in the office this is for you. Severance, starring Adam Scott and directed by Ben Stiller, explores a chilling concept where employees surgically divide their work memories from their personal lives. It is an exceptional, mind-bending thriller.

My recommendations

The Afterparty – This is at the top of my recommendations, I love this show, Season 1 specifically might be one of the most inventive comedy-mysteries you will ever watch. Created by Christopher Miller, I am not going to tell the premise because it might spoil the gimmick. But this show, especially for people who love mystery and film, is a must-watch.

Hijack – Season 1 (I am yet to start season 2), starring Idris Elba as a professional corporate negotiator on a compromised long-haul flight, is the definition of tension. This show had me on the edge of my seat up to the very end of the last episode. And of course, Idris is great in this.

Wolfwalkers – A beautiful 2D animated fantasy feature directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. It offers a refreshing alternative to standard 3D animation. Utilizing a gorgeous, hand-drawn watercolor aesthetic, it presents a visually stunning fable that appeals just as much to adults as it does to animation enthusiasts.

Prehistoric Planet – A visually mind-blowing documentary. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough and Tom Hiddleston, it is astonishing what they are able to do with CGI. The visual effects rendering these ancient creatures feel so real that they rival Nat Geo. In fact, you can easily watch this for its production value alone.

Bad Monkey – An easy watch. Starring Vince Vaughn as a former detective turned restaurant inspector in Florida, it balances witty, low-key comedy with an intriguing crime mystery. Its relaxed structure and effortless storytelling make it engaging.

Slow Horses – or what I like to think of as the Rejects, stars Gary Oldman as the cynical Jackson Lamb. It offers a brilliant spin on the spy thriller genre. Instead of suave, infallible agents like in James Bond movies, it follows a dysfunctional department of washed-up MI5 rejects.

Sugar – I love the look and tone of it. Starring Colin Farrell as a film-obsessed private investigator looking for a missing woman in Los Angeles, it is one of those shows I would recommend for the performances and mystery.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters – starring Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell across different timelines, is for Godzilla, King Kong, and creature-feature fans. It has impressive scale, top-tier monster effects, and a cinematic experience you don’t usually associate with TV shows.

Notable mentions

The Studio offers a biting film industry look. For football fans, or Lionel Messi fans, there are two productions that cover him. Jason Momoa fans also have a lot to enjoy with the service, with two shows, See being a favourite because of the original concept. AlsoMayDay, a movie recently addded is a good one.

My nitpicks with the service

While the price point in Kenya is unmatched and even as the company keeps releasing new titles, if you are a series binge machine you could exhaust the titles within a couple of months.

But my biggest problem with the service is that, like much of modern global streaming tropes, the service leans heavily on identity politics at the expense of pure, focused storytelling. You can see the checklist in fact it looks like producers are handed that checklist before they begin production, and many productions feel like they are pandering to a particular demographic, an immediate trope you can pick up from the landing page.

A bargain

Yes, it is still a strategy to slowly rope you into the Apple ecosystem, but when evaluating overall value, getting access to a high-end streaming service alongside your monthly cloud storage for under Sh130 is a bargain.

Bamburi Cement risks asset auctions over a cash claim for 224 tonnes of cement that were not delivered to a Chinese contractor eight years ago.

Bamburi says GPS data from the transporter’s truck showed that the vehicle never entered Chinese contractor China Communications Construction Company (CCCC)’s Kimuka, Kajiado site, prompting the cement maker to recover Sh3.9 million paid to its transport firm, Masai Kenya Ltd.

Masai Kenya disputed the explanation and secured a judgment against Bamburi at a Nairobi magistrate court in March 2025.

However, the High Court has stopped execution after finding that Bamburi’s appeal raises arguable questions over GPS records, delivery notes and the transport agreement.

Bamburi contended that Masai Kenya, through Betabase Auctioneers, had commenced execution of the lower court judgment and proclaimed its movable assets, including its essential tools of trade.

Masai Kenya was contracted to transport Bamburi cement. The contested consignments were allegedly delivered to CCCC at Kimuka between April and July 2018.

Bamburi told the trial court that CCCC later reported that about 224.7 tonnes had not been received. It said investigations included GPS tracking of the truck.

According to Bamburi, the data showed the truck did not enter the customer’s premises.

Masai Kenya sued, leading to a judgment by a Principal Magistrate on March 14, 2025, awarding the transport firm Sh4.4 million. The trial court relied on Masai Kenya’s delivery notes and found Bamburi had not sufficiently established fraud or theft.

Bamburi appealed, challenging the interpretation of the transport agreement, treatment of GPS evidence and delivery notes.

“The applicant has also demonstrated sufficient circumstances to warrant preservation of the status quo, particularly having regard to the proclamation of operational assets,” the High Court ruled.

At the same time, the respondent’s interests can be protected through security,” t, granting the application.

The decision means Masai Kenya and its auctioneers cannot attach, remove or sell Bamburi’s proclaimed movable assets while the appeal is pending.

Execution documents put the amount claimed at about Sh7.1 million, including interest, costs and other execution amounts.

The court ordered Bamburi to deposit 50 per cent of the decretal sum. Bamburi had already deposited Sh2.2 million in May 2025, an amount that Masai Kenya argued was insufficient because execution was based on the higher figure.

The judge rejected that argument and found that Bamburi obtained an invoice from the Court for Sh2.2 million and paid the said amount.

The court found a real risk of prejudice because the assets were said to be essential to Bamburi’s operations.

‘If such assets were sold before the appeal is determined, the resulting disruption may not be adequately remedied by a subsequent order for repayment of money,’ the judge said.

The court stressed that finding an appeal arguable did not determine its outcome. It declined Bamburi’s request to nullify the decree and warrants over alleged procedural breaches.

‘I therefore decline to set aside the decree or the warrants solely on the basis of the alleged non-compliance with Order 21 Rule 8,’ the court said.

Moving a cat or dog out of Kenya can cost anywhere between Sh65,000 and Sh2 million, depending on where it is going, how big it is and how the airline decides to carry it.

Dr Dennis Maube, a veterinary surgeon at Small Five Vet Clinic, puts the range at $500 (about Sh64,780) to $15,000 (about Sh1.9 million).

“Cats are cheaper than dogs because of the volume they occupy,” he says.

For dogs, the bill climbs with size. The airline also decides whether the animal travels as cargo, excess baggage or, in some cases, in the cabin, depending on its rules and the route.

The bill covers far more than a plane ticket. Vet checks, paperwork, a crate, airfreight and charges at the other end all add up, and much of it is hard to price until you know the route.

Dr Maube says the process is more involving than most owners expect.

“The process of pet relocation is quite complex. It involves different parties, including the veterinary side, customs, the receiving country agents and the airline,” he says.

‘You will need a valid vaccination card or pet passport, a health certificate and the relevant import and export permits. The vaccinations must be given by a vet registered with the Kenya Veterinary Board.’

Vaccinations and wait period

Timelines often depend on the destination. A pet going to Uganda can sometimes be cleared the next day, but other routes take far longer.

“Some destinations can take seven months to one year,” Dr Maube says, citing Australia, where the process is longer because Kenya is classed as a high-risk rabies country. European destinations take more than three months and up to seven.

Many countries require a rabies titration test, which measures antibody levels, followed by a waiting period. Depending on the country, pets may also need tests or vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and Ehrlichia.

Dr Japheth Nyangari Mairo, director and veterinarian at Queens Veterinary Clinic in Nairobi, advises starting the tests four to six months before travel, and earlier for destinations with rabies testing and waiting periods. The process also depends on why the pet is travelling, whether that is permanent relocation, medical treatment or service work.

“For the UK and many European destinations, the pet may need to complete a mandatory three-month waiting period after the rabies blood sample is collected,” he says.

Before anything else, Dr Mairo says, check the destination’s import rules, including breed restrictions. Then the vet looks at the pet’s species, breed, age, health and vaccination history.

Hard requirement

The first hard requirement is an ISO-compliant microchip, then vaccinations. “Administer rabies vaccination in the correct sequence after microchipping,” Dr Mairo says.

Routine vaccinations are seldom the costly part, he says, but they must be valid and properly recorded. Some countries also want parasite treatment within a set window before arrival.

For a cat or small dog leaving Nairobi, Dr Mairo estimates about Sh200,000 for the UAE, Sh250,000 to Sh350,000 for the European Union, Sh400,000 or more for the UK and Sh350,000 or more for the US. “These figures are indicative and not fixed quotations,” he says.

The final bill also depends on crate size, airline, route, travel season and charges at the destination. Age, health and breed restrictions can shift it too.

Size matters

Size matters most with big dogs, because airlines may charge by the volume of the crate rather than the animal’s weight.

“The pet may be relatively light, but if it requires a large crate, the airline can charge based on the crate’s volumetric weight rather than the pet’s actual weight,” Dr Mairo says.

Some costs are easy to predict: the vet consultation and health check, microchip, vaccinations, titre testing, veterinary certificates and Kenyan government export papers. Others are not, including the crate, airline freight or excess baggage, cargo and airport charges, customs clearance, permits, overnight boarding and destination inspection and delivery.

“The airline, crate and destination-handling costs are usually the most variable components,” Dr Mairo says.

A pet flying as accompanied baggage can cost differently from one travelling as manifest cargo, and connecting flights can add charges and transit requirements. Seasonal freight rates, and whether an airline takes pets on a particular aircraft, can move the price as well.

Paperwork

You will need a rabies vaccination certificate, vaccination and veterinary records, a fitness-to-fly certificate, Kenyan export documents and, where required, an import permit from the destination country. You may also need parasite-treatment records, your passport, flight and air-waybill details, customs documents and, if the pet travels separately from you, an authorisation letter.

‘Names, dates, microchip numbers and treatment details must match across every document. Even small inconsistencies can cause problems,’ Dr Mairo says.

Dr Maube notes that a fitness-to-fly assessment is essential before the pet travels, as existing heart problems or medication can affect whether an animal can fly at all.

Failing to meet an import requirement can mean denied boarding, delayed clearance, extra tests, quarantine, or the pet being sent back to Kenya at the owner’s expense.

The titre test is a common trap, and it adds both cost and preparation time. “If the result does not meet the destination country’s required antibody level, the pet may need to be revaccinated and tested again. This can increase the cost and delay travel,” Dr Mairo says.

“The common mistakes are starting late and taking shortcuts,” Dr Maube says.

Dr Mairo lists other mistakes including: buying an undersized or non-compliant crate, assuming every aircraft takes pets, missing blood-test or parasite-treatment deadlines, and submitting documents with mismatched details. Each can lead to repeat tests, reissued paperwork, changed flights and extra boarding fees. One problem tends to trigger the next: a missed deadline can mean a changed flight, and a changed flight can mean more nights of boarding.

Dr Mairo advises keeping a contingency of 15 to 25 percent above your expected cost. It can cover repeat exams or blood tests, a newly found medical condition, changes in freight rates, cancelled flights, extra boarding, a replacement crate, customs storage, quarantine or emergency vet care.

“An initial figure may not necessarily include the crate, airline freight, government documentation, customs clearance or destination delivery,” DrMairo says.

A professional pet mover can review destination rules, arrange vet visits and lab tests, apply for permits, source the right crate, book the airline and coordinate airport clearance. That takes a lot of coordination off your hands, though it is another cost to weigh against doing the work yourself.

If you use one, Dr Maube says to check that it is certified by bodies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) or GEM, a global association of animal relocation specialists.

Doing some of it yourself is possible. “Owners may handle some veterinary appointments, purchase the crate or apply for certain permits themselves,” Dr Mairo says. The hard part, he adds, is juggling the different requirements and deadlines without experience.

Whichever route you take; it is important to budget for the destination end too. Dr Maube says owners should plan for clearance and an agent in the receiving country, since, in his case, Small Five Vet Clinic’s role ends when the pet’s flight lands.

Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro will pocket Sh32.3 million from Kenya Power after the electricity distributor hiked its dividend payout for the year ended June 2026 by 50 percent.

The MP is the top individual investor in Kenya Power with a stake of 1.1 percent being 21.5 million shares.

Kenya Power announced a final dividend of Sh1.20 per share which combined with an interim payout of Sh0.30, brings its full year distribution to Sh1.50 per share up from Sh1 per share paid for the prior year.

Mr Nyoro has been harvesting capital gains from the growth of the utility’s share price with regular cuts to his stake which he had accumulated when the counter was trading at lows of Sh1.58 per share in 2023. This implies the latest dividend payout is nearly equivalent to the MP’s investment in the stock.

Between February and April this year, Mr Nyoro disposed of 2.57 million shares valued at approximately Sh44.24 million working with the then trading price of Sh17.2 per share.

Mr Nyoro’s stake is currently valued at Sh491.3 million based on Friday’s closing price of Sh22.75 per share. The Kiharu MP had accumulated 32.5 million shares of the company at much lower prices to emerge as the top individual shareholder with a stake valued at Sh51.3 million at the end of June 2023 when the share price was Sh1.58.

The stake, if left unchanged, would now be valued at Sh739.3 million.

Mr Nyoro is among investors who have benefitted from Kenya Power’s return to profitability and incremental dividend payouts, indicating the potential gains for those who bet on low-priced equities in anticipation of a change in tide.

Other politicians including leader of majority at the National Assembly Kimani Ichungwa, Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a and former chairman of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Anthony Mwaura also took positions in Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firms in the wake of Mr Nyoro’s reported gains.

Other individual shareholders in Kenya Power include Nehemia Ikuah with 12.2 million shares, Carl Ogola with 10.5 million shares and the Hirani Family which has a combined 22.4 million shares.

The National Treasury is the majority shareholder in the utility firm with a 50.09 percent stake which will see it receive Sh1.46 billion in dividends.

The listed electricity distributor hiked its payout to shareholders by 50 percent despite a slower growth in net profit of 2.1 percent to Sh24.9 billion in the year to June 2026.

‘In recognition of this continued improvement, an interim dividend of Sh0.30 per ordinary share was paid during the year. Building on this momentum, the Board is pleased to recommend a final dividend of Sh1.20 per ordinary share for the year ended 30 June 2026,’ said Kenya Power in a statement.

The utility’s electricity sales jumped 12 percent to 12,777 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the year under review compared to 11,403GWh a year ago but this did not translate to a similar growth in revenue amid a reduction in the base tariff across all consumer categories.

Electricity revenue rose 8.6 percent to Sh238.24 billion with the slow growth attributed mainly to the year-on-year drop in base tariffs for all consumers, meaning that the revenue yield per kilowatt-hour of power sold was lower compared to the year ended June 2025.

Nairobi Hospital has defended its financial position, arguing at the High Court that it remains financially stable, well-capitalised and capable of supporting its current operations and future growth despite allegations by petitioners that the institution is facing financial collapse.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, Bernard Muchiri Muchere and Naomi Nyakerario Misati claimed in a petition alleged financial and governance failures and challenged the legitimacy of the hospital’s register of members, which determines voting rights at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The High Court temporarily halted the AGM scheduled for February 6, 2026, pending determination of the dispute.

But in its response, the hospital said its trustees, as of December 11, 2025, reaffirmed that the institution’s asset base was strong, strategically deployed and well positioned to support both current operations and future growth.

The Board of Management, which is statutorily responsible for preparing the company’s annual financial statements and reports, also found that the hospital had maintained financial stability.

‘In fact, the Hospital reported an increase of its revenue from Sh12.21 billion to Sh12.86 billion despite a repressed macro environment,’ the company secretary Gilbert Nyamweya said in an affidavit.

The petitioners are seeking, among other orders, declarations concerning the hospital’s public-interest status and the completion of investigations by agencies including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Assets Recovery Agency and Kenya Revenue Authority.

The hospital said it is misleading for the petitioners to claim that the Hospital is in financial ruin.

Mr Omtatah and co-petitioners said the hospital’s own audited 2024 accounts had a Sh2.214 billion deficit, a negative operating fund, and governance chaos serious enough for a probe by a multi-agency team.

‘My Lord, the Petitioners seek conservatory and interim orders to preserve the substratum of the Petition pending its determination on the merits,’ Mr Omtatah said.

The petitioners also cited alleged losses exceeding Sh3 billion, supplier arrears of more than Sh4 billion and questioned the status of approximately Sh9.1 billion in accumulated depreciation funds.

The hospital, however, disputed the broader interpretation placed on these figures and says it is misleading to characterise the institution as being in financial ruin without considering its wider asset base, revenue performance and financial position.

It argues that the revenue growth demonstrates that the institution continues to generate substantial income and maintain its operations, contrary to the petitioners’ portrayal of a hospital on the verge of financial collapse.

Mr Nyamweya said the petitioners have presented an incomplete picture of the hospital’s affairs in an attempt to justify judicial intervention in its internal management.

The official also challenged the authority of the petitioners to file the case arguing that they are not shareholders, members, directors or officials of the company.

He argued that restraining the AGM could expose the hospital and its officials to statutory breaches and personal liability.

The hospital has also rejected claims that its status and public-interest role make it a State entity. It maintains that it is a private company limited by guarantee, registered under the Companies Act, and is neither a State corporation, public body nor government-owned enterprise.

Whereas the petitioners contended that the institution sits on public trust land and performs an essential public function warranting heightened constitutional accountability, the hospital disputed the claim saying the properties, Nairobi/Block27/467 and Nairobi/Block27/470, are held under 50-year leaseholds commencing in 2023.

It argues that the leasehold interests constitute private land and that the titles specifically provide for use of the properties as a hospital and for approved ancillary purposes.

The Kenya Capital Markets Tribunal (CMT) is facing a severe operational crisis, crippled by a complete lack of quorum for close to five months now, leaving several high-profile corporate disputes and regulatory appeals in limbo.

Sources told Business Daily that the Tribunal has been without the quorum required to hear and determine appeals since mid-May 2026.

‘We still lack quorum at the Tribunal. The JSC (Judicial Service Commission) advertised for the positions, and I think the recruitment process is still going on.

“There is a backlog of cases, and this, coupled with the uncertainty related to the nature of the disputes we deal with, is actually not a good thing for the investment space,’ the source said.

The appointment of the Tribunal’s chairperson Paul Lilan as a judge of the Court of Appeal in January, coupled with the expiry of the terms of members and subsequent delays in State reappointments, has affected operations, locking in millions of shillings in pending cases.

Mr. Lilan had been appointed the chairman of the Tribunal for a three-year term following the revocation of the appointment of the former Chairperson Adrian Kamotho Njenga on May 22, 2023. The National Treasury appointed Mr Njenga via a Gazette Notice of April 19, 2023, with effect from the April 20, 2023.

However, a month later, the National Treasury revoked the appointment of Mr. Njenga and instead appointed Mr Lilan the new chairperson of the Tribunal, together with Constance Gikonyo, Godwin Wangongu, and Paul Wanga, as members for a period of three (3) years, with effect from May 26 2023.

The JSC in July 2026 advertised positions for the chairperson and two non-advocate members and set August 13, 2026 as the deadline for the submission of applications. The appointments haven’t been made.

The CMT settles complaints from persons aggrieved by a direction, refusal, limitation, restriction, revocation, or suspension imposed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) or the Investor Compensation Fund Board.

It also makes inquiries into matters referred to it in writing and issues formal, binding written awards or decisions distributed to concerned parties and the CMA.

The CMT was reconstituted in June 2023 after years of inactivity. Before its reconstitution, disputes arising from regulatory action in the capital markets were largely taken to courts. These cases were framed as judicial review or constitutional matters, focusing on whether due process had been followed in the course of taking regulatory action.

ýýHowever, this kind of oversight, although important, left deeper issues around corporate governance failures, board responsibility, and market conduct unaddressed.

The energy regulator has capped power prices for electric vehicles (EVs) in fresh efforts to lower costs and boost e-mobility adoption amid the global fuel crisis.

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) has allowed charging stations to charge the special tariff beyond the monthly consumption limit of 15,000 kilowatt-hours (KhW).

This means that electric motorbikes, cars and buses will be charged Sh16 per KhW, with the rate falling to Sh8 per unit during off-peak hours between 10pm and 6am.

Previously, the special e-mobility tariff was capped at 15,000 kWh a month, and owners of EV charging stations charged motorists up to Sh5 extra per KhW after exceeding the limit.

The significance of the change, contained in an amendment to the 2023 electricity tariff schedule published in the Kenya Gazette on September 18, is that an operator is no longer faced with a sharp tariff penalty simply because its business has grown beyond 15,000 kWh a month.

It forced some charging station operators to limit the number of electric vehicles they could serve at a single facility to avoid crossing the threshold and incurring higher electricity costs.

For motorists, it offers a less costly and predictable tariff.

‘The cap was removed so that mass charging stations, particularly for buses or busy battery swapping stations, can benefit more from electricity consumption and reduced tariffs,’ an Epra official told the Business Daily.

The global energy crisis sparked by war in the Middle East has supercharged African demand for electric vehicles, delivering a boost for China, which dominates the market.

A surge in orders for electric motorbikes and buses assembled in numerous African countries using Chinese components has coincided with record fundraising by start-ups rolling out EV infrastructure like charging stations and battery swapping facilities.

Some of Kenya’s biggest EV companies such as the bus maker BasiGo and Dubai-headquartered e-motorbike company Spiro have been exhausting the monthly limit at their charging stations.

Removing the cap allows EV firms to charge more electric vehicles or swap batteries at a single facility without losing access to the special tariff.

Industry analysts say this also gives EV companies room to expand their charging stations countrywide and open them up beyond their vehicle brands, creating room to accommodate more Kenyans switching to electric vehicles.

‘With more power consumption headroom, we can expand our charging infrastructure beyond buses to serve other forms of transport: two-wheelers, vans and even private EVs,’ said Moses Nderitu, vice-president of the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK).

Mr Nderitu is also the managing director of BasiGo Kenya-which operates 17 charging stations in the country, a majority of them having been exceeding the monthly cap.

Spiro, which operates Kenya’s largest e-motorbike fleet, said more than 20 of its 500 battery-swapping stations exceed the monthly cap.

‘Investors, charging infrastructure providers and fleet operators have greater confidence to plan, expand and scale based on actual market demand rather than tariff limitations,’ said Flora Limukii, the firm’s head of government relations in Kenya.

Kenya has seen an increase in EVs over the past decade as consumers and businesses seek alternatives to fossil fuels.

Electricity is cheaper than petrol or diesel, and rising fuel prices have been driving EV uptake.

East Africa leads Africa’s EV usage, which was already increasing before Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas previously flowed.

The adoption of electric motorbikes and three-wheel ‘tuk-tuks’ has moved ahead of cars.

Average daily petrol costs for a motorbike taxi have risen more than 20 percent from Sh540 a day to Sh670 since the war, according to industry estimates, which indicate electric bikes can do the same distance for Sh300.

For governments, the adoption of EVs seeks to offset huge fuel import and subsidy bills and reduce reliance on oil supplies from the Gulf.

Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows the country had 35,661 registered electric vehicles as of January 2026, including 33,374 motorcycles, 1,065 three-wheelers, 591 station wagons, 98 buses, 54 minibuses and matatus, 67 saloons, 13 vans, four lorries and two prime movers.

Motorcycle and car taxis, as well as public buses, find EVs attractive.

In the year to December 2025, electricity consumption linked to charging EVs increased 188 percent to 8.43 million kWh, from 2.9 million kWh in 2024, according to Kenya Power, underlining the growth.

Industry analysts have called for more regulatory incentives to encourage EV owners and operators to charge during the 10pm to 6am off-peak period when electricity demand is typically lower.

Lack of charging infrastructure is one of the biggest deterrents to EV uptake.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) recently placed Kenya as the second-most developed EV charging network in Africa in 2025, behind Egypt.

Kenya’s private sector has taken the lead in installing EV charging stations, but most are clustered in the capital Nairobi and its satellite towns such as Kikuyu and Athi River.

The State-owned Kenya Power has in recent times installed several stations at its offices.

Across Africa, Rwanda, Ghana and Egypt have dedicated EV charging tariffs. Rwandan charging station operators are billed at the preferential industrial electricity rate of about $0.10/kWh (Sh12.95), half the standard commercial rate.

Insurance regulators from six East African countries are moving towards common supervision rules in a push to create a more harmonised insurance market and ease compliance for companies operating across borders.

The East African Insurance Supervisors Association (EAISA), bringing together regulators from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, adopted a harmonised insurance core principles assessment template during a recent meeting held in Nairobi.

The template, which includes about 25 principles, will provide a common basis for evaluating supervisory standards, identifying regulatory gaps and promoting peer learning. This sets the stage for closer alignment of supervisory practices, with the regulators agreeing to convene in December 2026.

‘The outcomes of the meetings mark a further step towards a more integrated, coordinated and technology-enabled regional insurance supervisory framework, with stronger emphasis on consumer protection, harmonised regulation and effective cross-border cooperation,’ read the joint communiqué.

The exercise is expected to identify differences in national regulations and supervisory practices that could be addressed as the region moves towards regulatory convergence.

‘This is work in progress. We agreed to carry out assessments against 25 insurance core principles and compare notes in December. The idea is to move towards one market,’ said Godfrey Kiptum, chief executive of Kenya’s Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA).

The move could reduce regulatory differences for insurers operating in more than one East African market, particularly as companies expand their regional footprints and businesses increasingly operate across national borders.

Kenyan insurers such as Jubilee, Britam, ICEA LION, Old Mutual, CIC, APA Apollo, GA and Mayfair have operations across EAC countries, making the push for common regulations relevant.

‘Having common regulations will make compliance easier for insurance companies operating across multiple EAC countries. Product development will become easier, and it will also make supervision of market conduct more effective,’ Mr Kiptum said.

Closer supervisory cooperation could also improve the handling of risks that require regional responses, including large infrastructure projects, trade-related exposures and natural catastrophes.

Many insurers face an increasingly regional risk environment, with businesses, infrastructure and supply chains operating across borders and exposure to risks such as floods, drought, cyber threats and other climate-related events spreading beyond individual markets.

EAISA meeting approved the development of regional guidelines on insurance complaints management, which are intended to establish common minimum standards for fair and timely handling of policyholder complaints while retaining national legal requirements.

The regulators also approved guidelines for monitoring and evaluation to improve the comparability of insurance market data and support evidence-based supervision.

The association further backed a harmonised approach to digital transformation, with emphasis on interoperability, consumer protection, cybersecurity and improved access to insurance services.

A regional insurance sandbox framework was also muted to give regulators a common approach to overseeing innovation in insurance technology.

The regulators approved the progression of the Regional Integrated Insurance Supervisory Software (RIISS), which is expected to strengthen information sharing and technology-enabled supervision across member regulators.

The initiatives are aimed at reducing regulatory fragmentation as insurers expand across the region and digital products make it easier to serve customers across borders.

EAISA also selected Kenya to host its secretariat for the next five years, giving the association a permanent base for coordinating the implementation of its regional supervisory agenda.

Today, September 21, marks 10 years since Kenya’s Community Land Act came into force, giving effect to a constitutional promise that communities would have stronger rights over land held under customary tenure.

For pastoralists, whose livelihoods depend on shared access to rangelands, water points, grazing areas, livestock corridors and dry season reserves, that promise remains unfinished. The issue goes beyond land ownership.

Kenya’s drylands support most of the country’s livestock, provide critical wildlife habitats and are attracting investment in conservation, renewable energy, tourism and carbon projects.

Secure community land rights determine whether local people benefit from these opportunities or are excluded from them. Community land tenure allows communities to manage shared resources such as water and pasture, develop drought mitigation plans, resolve resource conflicts and invest collectively in restoring degraded landscapes.

It also opens opportunities to participate in carbon credit projects and benefit from the growing carbon economy through shared governance.

Momentum is building for faster registration. The Sajili Ardhi Ya Jamii campaign, backed by a coalition of advocacy groups supported by Namati, is urging the government to register all community land by 2030. About 60 per cent of Kenya’s land is occupied by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, yet only seven per cent of land eligible for formal community tenure has been registered.

The principle emerging from pastoralists is straightforward: Nothing for us without us. It was the defining message at the Global Pastoralist Gathering in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, held alongside the recently concluded United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP17.

The Ulaanbaatar Declaration called for pastoralists to have direct and equitable access to land restoration and climate finance, and a stronger voice in decisions affecting their lands and livelihoods. Mali Ole Kaunga, founder and executive director of IMPACT Kenya, says those commitments must translate into faster action on secure land tenure, pastoral mobility, rangeland restoration and community resilience.

The message is particularly relevant for Kenya. Where community land remains unregistered or fragmented, pastoralists struggle to protect grazing systems, negotiate investments and safeguard seasonal mobility. Subdivision and competing land claims can weaken livelihoods and undermine environmental management.

As attention shifts from the land COP to the upcoming biodiversity and climate COPs, Kenya has an opportunity to align its domestic actions with its international commitments.

The Ministry of Lands and the National Land Commission should accelerate community land registration, while agencies overseeing climate and conservation programmes must ensure investments respect community rights and deliver transparent benefits.

Before answering, Donald Wangunyu pauses. His eyes shoot up to the left, searching the corners of his brain, looking for the right words. When he finds them, it’s an avalanche, a problem of abundance. But when the CEO of FourFront Management is not thinking, he is doing stuff. Having conversations with the dead, à la the philosopher Zeno of Citium. Or wearing bow ties, his dash of magic, or madness, depending on who you ask. He is a bit of a craftsman himself. ‘I am redesigning my wedding ring,’ he says.

He is also a systems man. Even as we take a walk at his home in Nairobi’s Kitisuru, where he is supervising some construction projects, his movements seem practised, like those of someone who did everything according to the way it was set out in some book. ‘Whoever can make whatever is complex simple,’ he says, ‘will be paid very good money.’ That’s his superpower. He is less interested in the mechanics of decisions, of making the right decision, but instead, making the decision right. Simplicity, not simplism.

Donald, what’s the greatest part about being you? The experiences that I have had, both difficult and enjoyable, have enabled me to perceive the world in the moment. Meaning that I have a very clear view that history is memory and the future is imagination. Therefore, the ability to extract all the value from this present moment, and the feelings I have about it, and being able to share those feelings, in my opinion, is the best part about being Donald.

What’s one rule you live by? I’ll give you three. One, information is not the same as a decision. Meaning that in our world today, we are surrounded by information. In fact, using technology, you can reference global knowledge, the history of humanity, but that doesn’t give you the right to delegate the decision. It will always be yours, whether it’s a personal or professional decision. A lot of people, especially younger people, don’t want to make decisions, especially one-way decisions, like getting married or what career path to take, but all of those are decisions one must make.

Two, you’ve got to think in systems. ‘Follow your passion” is an absolutely wrong idea. Passion comes from being good at what you do. And if you’re good at what you do, you’ll be passionate about it. What you should do is build discipline to drive you forward even on days when you don’t feel like doing it. Discipline, with the right system, allows you to achieve anything.

Third is curiosity. Don’t settle for what you know today. Stay curious. Imposter syndrome makes people want to stay in their position. Put those three things together: discipline, curiosity, and the ability to simply make a decision even though that decision will close options, and that’s what shapes everything.

Was there a moment in your life that challenged that rule? How much time do we have [chuckles]? You know, one would say that unless you feel the challenge, trigger imposter syndrome, and have to build a new system, you haven’t pushed yourself hard enough. You’re just doing the same thing you did yesterday. For example, I wear bow ties. I woke up one day and said, “I’ll just wear bow ties.” And I’ve been in rooms with 1,000 people, and I’m the only person wearing a bow tie. That creates attention. For someone to purposely seek attention, it means they’re pushing the boundaries, and you can feel it in your guts. I like that feeling. If your work and it feels fun and easy, you haven’t found your edge. I look to experience that as much as possible until exhaustion sets in, because psychologically, you’re fighting.

Speaking of, what’s one hard thing you’ve done lately? I do nothing but hard things. Deciding how my children are going to perceive me and creating a foundation for them from a religious perspective required very deep study, to the extent that I discovered an order of the Catholic Church for lay people who studied scripture deeply. That was on the back of deciding that every day I’d read for half an hour, no matter what. That presents a danger of not being of service to mankind-you’re consuming and building knowledge for your own self. Of course, that leads into the work that I do, which is primarily all research and development in terms of what we’re doing to bring trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange to the common person.

What’s the one money lesson you’d really want to ingrain into your son? The first is, speak up. The next is, build experiences into the children. I was doing a high-level talk in Uganda, and I took my son to give him a really clear understanding of what’s going on in the world. He got to see dignitaries, how they are handled, and what a holding room is. Ditto, my daughter, when I was doing a talk about two weeks ago. I took her. They are grounded in real experiences of what people are talking about and things that are happening. You don’t set out to make money; you set out to solve a problem. To solve a problem, you have to observe mankind or observe humanity. Speak up. You have to go against the grain because you’re trying to solve it.

Was that how you grew up? Once we hit teenagehood, our parents introduced money discussions. I played in the orchestra when I was at St Mary’s playing double bass, and I got to the level where I needed to practice more hours than I could get access to the instrument at school. So, of course, you come and ask your parents, “Okay, can I get a double bass?” And my mother sat me down and said, “Okay, if we get you a double bass, it means we’ll have to get all your siblings something. Are you sure this is the kind of cost you want to bring to us?” And I said, “You know what? I’ll talk to my music teacher.”

I also remember when we needed to choose a university to go to. If every school will teach you 1 + 1 = 2, quantify the value you’re buying. When one quantifies the value of an international school, he’s quantifying his career, where the children are in terms of being global citizens, and the relationships they build in school, which is beyond just 1 + 1 = 2.

You grew up under a successful father; what kind of pressure does that bring? There were 15 years when we spent pretty much every day going to work together. We made every decision with me observing, right down to the correct phrasing of letters for particular effects. We did it for 15 years, but when we got back home, he greeted me again as a father. There is normal employer-employee pressure, but he created a very clear distinction between home and work. My mother forbade us from talking business at the dinner table, even as adults. So you come home, have a cup of tea, and talk about life and the pursuit of happiness.

How are you being a different father than the one you had? I am trying to do much of the same, so I’m into a Catholic upbringing. My father is an entrepreneur, and I inherited that. I’m trying to expand on the foundation the previous generation built. You have three choices: maintain it, grow further from it, or expand. One of the challenges, if you take the view of maintaining, is that you have siblings, so what was managed by one person gets split between siblings. If you expand into different areas, you allow everyone to build their own visions into the structure and create different outcomes. If I could do what my father did, I would be successful.

The challenge is in understanding what the world means for my daughter as a young woman. Questions like, “Is it okay to cry in a professional environment? How does she balance being a professional, a wife, and a mother? And for my son, how he sees me treating his mother, because that affects how he will treat his wife.

What’s a lie about fatherhood that you no longer believe? The idea of ‘happy wife, happy life” is absolutely wrong [chuckles]. “Happy spouse, happy house” is the way to go. The fathers of our generation need to create stability for the family, but they must first be stable themselves. If your interior life is not stable, there is absolutely no way the house will be stable.

How has your interpretation of the word “husband” changed over the years? There are two types of husbands. The first is a temptation to give away the authority, coming from a lack of understanding of stability. Men tend to waver: either giving away authority, so the house doesn’t have a stable direction, or lording over the house. Nobody teaches husbands how to do that. But once you understand how to put your authority at the service of the household, then you remain at the centre, and everyone flourishes around you, knowing that whatever storms come, there is a harbour at the centre.

Kenya Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Banks Chairman Donald Wangunyu during an interview in Kitusuru, Nairobi on August 27, 2026.

Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group

What habit has best improved your life? Systems thinking, and reading every day, even if it’s just 10 to 20 minutes. Read every day. Before you know it, you’ll have read more books than most people will. By my calculation, it takes about two to three years. Then, think in systems; don’t rely solely on passion. For instance, I need to lose weight, so I tell my personal trainer, “I hate exercising, so your job is to engage me in conversation so I forget that I’m exercising.” So, the system I needed to create was engaging the mind.

What’s a book you’d gift your son? Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday, so he can be clear with his interior.See things as they are, says the book. When you see a big fancy car, that’s just transportation. Don’t get overwhelmed by the extra meanings people attach to things. That’s ego. Keeping up with the Joneses is the easiest way to get broke.

What’s something nice you’ve done for yourself lately? I am redesigning my wedding ring, myself. I’ve been married 18 years, and my ring fell into a cistern. I’ve been designing one for the last six months.

Will you go the whole way, including renewal of vows? [chuckles] I don’t know, because I can’t answer that question without permission. But I’ve put a budget together, and I’m redesigning a ring for the person I am today rather than who I was 18 years ago.

Yours alone, or plus hers? She will look at mine and then create hers.

What has marriage brought to your life that being a senior bachelor would not? Everything. Even at SIB Bank, my mother was the secretary while my father was in the office. Marriage is the platform upon which you succeed. Life doesn’t truly start until you get married and learn how to manage finances as a couple, rather than remaining roommates with “my money vs your money.” Then, getting children forces you to think beyond yourselves.

If you could have learned a lesson early in life, what would it have been? Go out there and do things without creating psychological barriers for yourself. If you’re not feeling anxious or experiencing imposter syndrome, you are not pushing hard enough.

What are you secretly good at? Clarifying a decision. In meetings, stripping away noise and fluff and identifying the exact decision that needs to be made. That’s why I am in the room.

What do people often get wrong about you? That I am outgoing [chuckles]. I am very good at doing what I need to do, but it takes a lot of energy to get there and much more energy to recover. I enjoy it, but I am not outgoing at all.

How do people show you love? Enabling silence. Being in the same space without necessarily having to make noise or perform. The presence in itself is enough.

What’s your top tip against life’s mental storms? If you’re struggling with a problem, think about it really hard, then go to sleep and let your subconscious work on the problem. Remember, “Ego is the enemy”, so see things as they are, and build systems. If you get demoted at work, with a smaller office, but you are still getting a salary, then your ego is your enemy.

What’s your idea of a good weekend? Exploring new places. We set a family rule not to go to the same restaurant twice in the same year. My main hobby is grilling and exploring spices and foods.

What’s your go-to grill? Pork, especially the burnt ends with maple syrup.

What do you know that I should know? Engage with the stock exchange because it’s a national asset and the potential of the country, and money will be made there whether you participate or not. Also, build a base of genuine relationships with as many people as possible and invest in those relationships. They say you can determine how wealthy someone will be by how many people they can call and put in a room together.