Category: Business Daily

This month, Kenyans got a real shock when the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority announced its review of petroleum products for the period of April 16 to May 14, 2026.

Their announcement was to the effect that the price of super petrol in Nairobi would surge by over Sh28 per liter, while diesel, which is the lifeblood of freight business, was to jump by a record Sh40.

Thankfully, the government intervened to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products, from 13 percent to 8 percent. This prompted a downward revision of fuel prices following that initial sharp increase.

For logistics firms already operating on razor-thin margins, the message sent by the fuel price scare cannot be any clearer – volatility is the new normal. Yet crisis can breed opportunity. The possible spike in fuel prices should not just come as a cautionary tale but signal for our firms to build supply chains that are not merely reactive, but resilient.

The threat of a looming fuel shock did not emerge in a vacuum. Kenya’s logistics sector is battered by multiple, interlocking forces of volatility. Geopolitically, the ongoing conflict involving Iran has tightened global oil supplies and disrupted key maritime choke-points such as the Strait of Hormuz, through which a quarter of the world’s fuel passes. Higher international crude prices and elevated shipping insurance premiums have driven up landed costs in Mombasa.

Global supply chain disruptions, marked by rerouted vessels, port congestion, and shipment delays, continue to exert pressure on trade. Domestically, currency and broader economic factors amplify these external shocks.

While a weaker shilling can increase import costs and contribute to inflation, recent currency stability has helped moderate the impact. Nonetheless, businesses still face elevated transport costs, fluctuating inventory levels, and ongoing strain across supply chains driven by pricing uncertainty.

While local firms cannot control oil prices or geopolitical developments in Iran and the broader Middle East, they can determine how they respond to the resulting instability. Building resilience begins with diversification.

Many Kenyan businesses still rely heavily on a single import mode of transport. However, forward-looking firms should consider adopting multi-modal logistics strategies to enhance flexibility and reduce risk.

Currently Kenya’s internet bandwidth is experiencing rapid growth characterised by high utilisation and increasing 4G/5G penetration. This is the time when technology is an indispensable tool and those who utilise it will stay ahead of the curve.

Real-time visibility is no longer a luxury. GPS tracking, Internet of Things sensors and AI-driven predictive analytics can forecast fuel-price spikes, optimise routes and minimise idle time.

Disruptions such as the recent fuel price rise have shown us that we need to rethink our adoption of various financial tools.

Strategies like financial hedging must become standard practice. Fuel-price volatility can be partially neutralised through futures contracts or index-linked supplier agreements that share risk fairly between shippers and carriers.

Similarly, forward foreign-exchange contracts can help manage residual currency risks on imported spares and fuel, even as the shilling shows signs of stabilisation. Smaller firms can access these instruments through industry cooperatives or the Nairobi Securities Exchange’s derivatives market.

The government, on its part, can support this shift by fast-tracking regulatory approval for logistics-specific hedging products and offering partial guarantees for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

Furthermore, fleet modernisation offers a longer-term hedge. Kenya’s truck fleet is largely ageing. Transitioning to Euro-VI compliant engines, aerodynamic retrofits and hybrid or electric options for urban and short-haul routes slashes consumption.

If we pair this with driver training in eco-driving techniques, we will definitely see the gains multiply. We also need to introduce multi-sourcing by maintaining relationships with suppliers in the Middle East, Asia and even intra-African partners under AfCFTA to prevent single-point failures.

All said and done, none of this can happen in isolation. Public-private collaboration is essential. The government has already signaled willingness to cushion shocks and should now accelerate infrastructure projects like road upgrade along the northern corridor to Malaba dry ports and digital customs clearance to lower baseline logistics costs.

Tax incentives for green fleet upgrades and skills programs for logistics professionals would amplify private investment. Industry associations must also push for these measures while sharing best practices across the sector.

Today, Kenyan logistics firms stand at a crossroads. The current market volatility is painful, but it is also a loud alarm. Those who cling to old models of low-tech, road-only, reactive operations will bleed margin and market share.

Those who embrace diversification, digitalisation, financial sophistication and collaboration will emerge stronger by not just surviving volatility but thriving on it. They will deliver goods faster, cheaper and greener, positioning Kenya as East Africa’s undisputed logistics gateway.

Overall, the road ahead is uncertain but the destination is not. Resilient supply chains are not built in calm seas; they are forged in the storms we face today.

Kenyan logistics leaders must act now with courage, creativity and capital to secure the arteries that keep our economy alive. Even though the alternative offered by the current market volatility looks like stagnation, on the flip side, the opportunity is leadership.

Kenyans are still paying significantly higher rates to call some African countries than markets outside the continent, such as the United States and India, due to gaps in the implementation of regional telecom pricing reforms.

Latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the average cost of calling Somalia stood at Sh78.33 per minute in 2025, the highest among destinations surveyed, followed by Burundi at Sh71.00.

The two countries rank among the most expensive globally, with rates comparable to Italy (Sh83.33), Switzerland (Sh76.67) and the UK (Sh58.33).

In contrast, calls to the US cost an average of Sh5.33 per minute, while India and China stood at Sh7.00 and Sh8.33 respectively, making them among the cheapest destinations for Kenyan callers.

Within East Africa, calling Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan costs about Sh13.33 per minute, while Tanzania stands at Sh14.33, which is less than a quarter of the cost of calling Burundi despite being a member of the East African Community (EAC).

The differences highlight uneven implementation of the One Network Area (ONA), an agreement formed in October 2014 to reduce roaming charges and harmonise tariffs across the region, boosting business in the region.

While Burundi joined the ONA in August 2024, the expected reduction in tariffs has not been fully realised because of irregular adoption among local mobile network operators, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).

‘Only about three mobile operators in Burundi have adopted it, which means calling the country, on average, is still very expensive,’ an official at the regulator told the Business Daily by phone.

KNBS data shows that the rates of calling from Kenya to Burundi have only slightly declined from Sh71.67 per minute in 2024.

Under the ONA framework, partner states are required to cap retail call charges at $0.10 (about Sh13) per minute and reduce wholesale tariffs between operators. The initiative also removes charges for receiving calls while roaming within participating countries.

Somalia became the eighth EAC partner state in March 2024 but still has the highest call rates from Kenya. The country is yet to join the ONA arrangement; last year, Somalia’s National Communications Authority conducted consultations with telecom operators on a roadmap for joining the framework.

The DR Congo is not part of the agreement.

Industry players attribute the high costs to differences in tax regimes, incomplete tariff harmonisation and the complexity of inter-operator agreements that determine the cost of routing calls across networks.

Data from Kenya’s communications regulator for the three months to December 2025 shows Uganda accounted for the largest share of Kenya’s outbound roaming traffic within the region at 2.6 million minutes, followed by Tanzania at 742,178 minutes and South Sudan at 455,552 minutes.

The DR Congo had 10,355 minutes while Burundi recorded just 467 minutes, reflecting the impact of high tariffs on usage.

About 12 weeks ago, after watching the first two episodes of Shuga Mashariki Season 2, I promised to follow up with a complete review. This is a show, the first season, that I still consider to be one of the best young adult dramas in Africa.

Yet those early episodes of Season 2 left me uneasy. Some decisions felt shaky, even illogical. Now, having seen all eight episodes, I can finally weigh in on what worked, what confirmed my fears, and why this season feels so different from the first.

Season 1 was almost perfect in balancing purpose and entertainment. It carried the weight of social and sexual health themes while still being engaging enough to binge in one sitting.

Season 2 slows everything down. It’s built on the fallout of the events of Season 1, forcing characters to confront consequences rather than chase new thrills. That shift changes the rhythm of the show entirely.

Performances

The strongest element of Season 2 is the cast. Matthew Ngugi, Serah Wanjiru, Basil Mungai, Juliebrenda Nyambura, Fridah Mumbe, Wilson Muchemi, and many others return, and their performances and direction carry the season. The writing is weak, often oversimplified, sometimes clumsy, but these actors elevate the material. They bring emotional weight to scenes that could have collapsed under poor scripting.

Fridah Mumbe’s arc is especially important. Her character drives much of the season’s emotional core, and Episode 8 opens with a moment that should have been the season’s opening scene. New additions like Vanessa Okeyo Aika, Marima Wanjiru, Natalia Kyalo, and Jenny Muigai expand the universe with fresh energy. Their presence adds a different feel to the story, especially with the high school angle. The high school storyline, thankfully, is only a fraction of the season. Though I still don’t understand why it exists in the established universe.

Visuals and production

Visually, Shuga Mashariki remains one of the best shot series on the continent. The cinematography is vibrant, colourful, and glossy. Lighting and framing remain consistent with what we had in Season 1, with some very creative camera angles during certain scenes that reflect characters’ states of mind. Some transitions use panels, adding flair to scene changes. Location cards and neon title designs keep the aesthetic sharp and youthful.

Costume design is equally deliberate. Characters, for example, Juliebrenda Nyambura’s, are instantly recognisable through their wardrobe choices, which reflect personality and sometimes state of mind. While they remain eccentric, they are intentional, helping differentiate characters and support the visual storytelling.

Props and set design also remain largely consistent from Season 1, making the world feel lived in and believable. Language use feels authentic, with characters switching naturally between mother tongue, Sheng, and English.

I thought while Season 1 had a standout sound, Season 2 relies on various songs. The youthful energy in terms of sound is there, but nothing lingers after the credits roll. Each episode opens with a ‘truth or dare’ sequence, which stitches the narrative together.

It’s an interesting device that helps tap into each character’s psyche, though the sequence doesn’t lead to anything substantial. In fact, I thought the idea of the team having a killer amongst them had more weight than the truth and dare sequence.

Season 2’s slower pace allows for deeper exploration of emotional consequences and development. Characters wrestle with fallout from past decisions, and the show occasionally captures the weight of those struggles.

Family dynamics, especially around the Dean’s household, add layers of drama. The direction, production values, cinematography, costumes, props, remain top tier.

Performances are consistently strong, with actors like Fridah Mumbe, Juliebrenda Nyambura, and Basil Mungai having more to bite on this time.

There is a love story here that I actually enjoyed. Technology plays a big part in this season than the previous one which makes for some of the most interesting moments in the show.

But…

What doesn’t work

Season 2 is a downgrade from Season 1 in almost every narrative sense. The balance between message, purpose, and entertainment is lost. Where Season 1 hooked viewers with the use of the ‘mystery box,’ Season 2 is much more conventional, formulaic, safe. Episodes lack urgency. I binged Season 1 in one sitting; I struggled with Season 2, taking almost two weeks to complete it even when I switched off my brain and looked at it for what it was, which is a sexual health material for young adults.

The writing feels artificial. Characters often speak like mouthpieces for sexual health messaging rather than real people. Instead of presenting situations and letting audiences wrestle with moral ambiguity, the show spoon feeds conclusions.

It leans heavily into ideology, glorifying certain situations and choices while villainising others. The guys, in particular, are painted broadly as antagonists, with little to no depth.

A lot of it feels like a progressive woman’s fantasy trip rather than an authentic look at Kenyan young people. This gender imbalance makes the show feel exclusionary, as if it’s speaking only to one side of the audience.

Drama often feels manufactured. Instead of organic conflict, we get scenarios designed to push a message, for example, there is a breakup that makes absolutely no sense. That approach strips away entertainment value.

At times, it feels less like a story and more like a lecture, a conditioning tool. The moral high ground is imposed rather than explored. That lack of challenge makes the writing lazy and creatively bankrupt.

This is just me, Mariam Bishar’s character. I thought there was a missed opportunity there, especially in religion based lifestyle diversification.

The ending is the weakest point. Built on the foundations of Season 1, it should have delivered a powerful and satisfying payoff for Dada. Instead, we get an incoherent finish drowned by the need to send a message rather than to complete an arc.

The resolution is illogical, underwhelming, and disrespectful to the audience’s investment. Compared to the layered ambiguity of Season 1, Season 2’s conclusion is flat and disappointing. It’s one of the worst endings I’ve seen in a show, possibly up there with Game of Thrones.

Lastly, still no Kenya Executive Producers.

Overall

Production wise and direction wise, Shuga Mashariki Season 2 is fantastic. Cinematography, costume design, props, and performances are all excellent. The show looks really good and the actors deliver. But writing is the backbone of any production, and here it fails. Without engaging storytelling, the season feels hollow. It forgets that entertainment is the hook that keeps viewers invested. Instead, it prioritises messaging at the expense of narrative.

Season 1 was the best young adult show I’ve seen in Africa. Season 2, despite its strengths, is one of the most frustrating follow ups.

It slows down to explore consequences, which is admirable and makes sense on paper, but it loses the spark that made the first season so compelling. The result is a season that looks great, is well acted, but ultimately feels synthetic, pretentious, and uninspired.

The use of nuclear technology has been mired in controversy, largely because of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. In Kenya it remains a very misunderstood concept and continues to elicit strong resistance in certain quarters.

It is these misconceptions that anti-nuclear activists harped on and denied residents of Kilifi County the pioneer bragging rights of the nuclear energy programme. What many do not know is that this technology is already being applied in various aspects of our lives and has been so for decades here in Kenya.

But while the critics look backward to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and other unfortunate yet isolated cases, the world is looking towards tapping nuclear energy to provide extremely cheap electricity for industrial, commercial and domestic use.

Addressing a global audience of nuclear experts and presidential energy advisers at the first International Conference on Nuclear Energy held on Kenyan soil recently, President William Ruto sent a clear message: Kenya’s quest to diversify its energy sources to strengthen the country’s energy security is unstoppable, and nuclear energy will be the catalyst.

Kenya is sprinting toward an ambitious goal of expanding power generation from 3,300 MW to 10,000 MW by investing in nuclear energy projects. Why? A modern economy cannot survive on intermittent energy pulses. Solar and wind are vital, but they are variable with lowest generation peaks reported when the sun goes down and when wind levels fall. But nuclear energy provides baseload power-a steady, 24/7 heartbeat.

As Siaya Governor James Orengo aptly told the global audience of nuclear energy nations and experts when pitching Siaya County to host the first plant: ‘To reach first-world status, nuclear energy is a must. Nuclear energy is central to a secure, affordable, reliable energy mix for Kenya’s growth and Africa’s broader aspirations.’

The nexus of nuclear energy and development, financing models and fostering community acceptance dominated discussions. Critical too was avoiding pitfalls that marred such projects in other jurisdictions by tackling the “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) syndrome.

The NIMBY syndrome is mired in myths. Statistically, nuclear energy is one of the safest forms of energy. It results in 100 percent fewer deaths than coal and slightly more than 97 percent fewer than gas per unit of electricity generated. Modern reactors are designed with passive safety systems that shut down automatically without human intervention.

This technology is already in your backyard. It is in our hospitals for cancer radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging, and it is in our labs developing drought-resistant crops.

The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) has already trained 24 Kenyans in South Korea and specialised legal experts in France.

For the host county, benefits of nuclear energy supersede anticipated risks since such a project will attract heavy investments in high-capacity roads, modern hospitals, and world-class schools as prerequisites for nuclear installations.

Additionally, the technology will continue to support key sectors like agriculture and health, and drive research, and development, including new value addition ventures that usually follow availability of cheap electricity.

Nuclear energy remains a pillar of carbon-free baseload power, though trajectories vary significantly by region. Globally, 31 countries use it to provide 10 percent of the world’s electricity. France leads the pack, getting 70 percent of its power from the atom.

In the US, nuclear energy is the number one clean source, preventing 500 million metric tons of carbon emissions-the equivalent of taking 100 million cars off the road. In China it provides 4.5 percent of total power while in Russia nuclear power’s share is 18 percent of domestic power.

With Africa’s population projected to reach 1.5 billion people by 2040, electricity demand will double to 1,600 terawatt hours (TWh). To help you understand why this matters, just 1TWh is enough to power 100,000 homes for one year.

Africa’s nuclear ambitions are still in the pre-project phase, with South Africa being the only current operator on the continent with-a facility comprising two pressurised water reactors opened in the 1980s. Kenya will become the new kid on the block, soon.

For many Kenyans, the tax system often feels unfair. Ordinary workers pay what is due because their salaries are visible, yet those with complex businesses, multiple income streams or high value assets can quietly under declare what they earn.

A big part of this imbalance comes from the fact that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) cannot easily verify what taxpayers report. Under current law, KRA must go through a long, court driven process before accessing bank records even when there is strong suspicion of tax evasion.

Section 59A(1B) of the Tax Procedures Act blocks KRA from obtaining personal banking information without a court order. This means officers must prepare affidavits, file in court, wait for a judge’s ruling, and only then receive the information needed to confirm wrongdoing.

By that time, money may have moved, accounts may have been closed and the trail may have gone cold. It is a system designed for a slower era, not for today’s fast moving financial world.

Global models

Other countries facing similar challenges modernised their laws years ago. In South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Seychelles, tax authorities can request bank information directly when there is reasonable suspicion of non compliance.

In Europe, countries like Denmark, Greece, Austria, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom have dismantled bank secrecy for tax purposes and rely on clear statutory ‘information powers’ that allow tax officials to obtain relevant financial data quickly.

These systems are not free for all regimes they are anchored in legal safeguards such as proportionality, relevance and oversight. But they make tax enforcement predictable, consistent and evidence driven qualities that Kenya’s system has long lacked.

The impact of such reforms is not abstract. When a tax authority can compare what people declare with what flows through their accounts, evasion becomes harder, compliance becomes easier and the entire system becomes fairer.

It means professionals, high income earners and large businesses cannot quietly under declare income while ordinary workers shoulder the burden. It means audits are based on facts, not guesswork. And it means tax policy becomes more predictable because the government can rely on stable revenue instead of sudden shortfalls.

Tax ratios

Kenya’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below the 25 percent benchmark, especially when compared with countries that permit controlled access to bank data and consistently achieve higher revenue performance.

Across Africa, nations such as Lesotho (around 30 percent), Namibia (27 percent), South Africa (26 percent), and Seychelles (26 percent) all operate above this threshold. A similar pattern appears in Europe, where Denmark reaches approximately 42 percent, while Greece, the United Kingdom, Austria and Luxembourg each collect about 26-27 percent of their GDP in taxes.

Even outside these regions, countries like Jamaica in the Caribbean maintain tax-to-GDP levels of roughly 26 percent. Together, these examples illustrate a clear trend: jurisdictions that enable regulated access to financial information tend to achieve stronger tax mobilisation outcomes than those, like Kenya, where such access remains limited and procedurally cumbersome.

Kenya, by comparison, sits around 17 percent. With a GDP of roughly Sh18 trillion, a tax to GDP ratio of 25 percent would translate to about Sh4.5 trillion in annual tax revenue. Today, Kenya collects closer to Sh3.06 trillion. That means the country is potentially missing out on Sh1.4 trillion every year, money that could ease the cost of living, reduce borrowing, stabilise debt and fund schools, hospitals and infrastructure without squeezing taxpayers further.

India lesson

India offers a useful reminder that access alone is not enough despite having legal powers to obtain bank information, its tax to GDP ratio still sits below 25 percent because of structural factors like a large informal sector and low average incomes. The lesson is simple, access is a powerful tool, but it must be paired with strong institutions and consistent policy.

For Kenya, the real question is whether the law should evolve to match the realities of a modern economy. A reformed framework would give KRA clearly defined administrative powers to obtain relevant banking information swiftly when there is reasonable suspicion of non compliance but only under strict safeguards. Strong data protection rules must ensure that information obtained for tax purposes is never used for political, commercial or personal ends.

If designed well, such a system would not be a licence for intrusion. It would be a practical tool to make tax collection easier, more predictable and more consistent. It would help close loopholes that allow a few to avoid contributing while the majority carry the load. And it would give Kenya the chance to build a fairer, more transparent and more sustainable tax system, that supports national development without overburdening ordinary citizens or relying excessively on debt.

A tax system that is fair, predictable and anchored in verifiable facts gives citizens confidence and gives the country room to grow. When public resources are used with discipline and graft is confronted head-on, revenue rises, patriotism deepens, and the spirit of kulipa ushuru ni kujitegemea becomes a lived national culture.

On a Friday or Saturday night, in most of Nairobi’s crème de la crème nightclubs, everything hinges on one question. Will the place be packed?

Like in any business, numbers run the show. On a good night, the city’s swankiest clubs rake in around Sh3 million in sales, and with sharper marketing, that figure can climb to Sh9 million, BD Life has established.

A few years ago, Happy Hour was the magic trick. Clubs leaned on it heavily to keep seats filled and drinks flowing.

Discounted drinks drew crowds early and fast. But the spell didn’t last. Due to competition, some venues began cutting corners, using cheap liquor to stretch margins, and the craze faded almost as quickly as it rose.

The scene adapted. Nightlife moved on. It is no longer just about cocktails, décor, or glossy posters promising a good time.

Today, the difference between a packed nightclub and an echoing room often comes down to seat fillers and Socialite hosts. DJ collectives, hype masters, and MCs add to the mix, each one tasked with pulling in a crowd.

For club owners, these shifts have quietly rewritten the business of nightlife in Kenya.

‘With the dilution of Happy Hour, the focus has now shifted to entertainment,’ Alex Gakumo, Director at Kentwood Address and Cohiba Lounge, tells BD Life.

‘Clubs are now paying notable Deejays premium rates to deliver that experience. Customers are now enticed by the big-name entertainers. There’s also a rise of female DJs who don’t just spin, they perform, they dance, they command the room. The crowd loves it. And as you know, business is all about numbers.’

But it’s behind the scenes of the flashing lights and booming speakers, where nightclub owners are in constant strategy mode, plotting how to keep the doors busy and the tills ringing. And this is where seat fillers have emerged as a major differential.

According to Alex, there are two sets of seat fillers. One, the micro influencers, and the other, party-loving ladies.

Party-loving ladies

‘Seat filler is a very big and extreme spend for most nightclubs right now, and I say so with clarity, having been involved in more than one nightclub and having been in this business for many years,’ Alex says as he gives an analogy of how the seat-filling strategy works.

‘You know how, when you want to board a matatu to town, you first check which matatu has enough passengers and will be leaving shortly, as opposed to one that passengers have just begun boarding? That is how seat fillers in clubs work,’ he explains.

Location of choice

‘Most clubs will scout for very attractive sociable ladies, preferably young, in groups of about five, and we pay them for their time to just sit in the club, offer them free, less alcoholic cocktails and food, to just hang around in the club, and just look pretty. And for most men who are heavy spenders, once they get wind of a location that often has pretty women, and which always seems packed, it becomes a location of choice because again, who wants to go have a good time in a club that is always empty.’

Micro influencers

Alex maintains that most nightclubs have now set big budgets for seat fillers that would amount to anything above Sh500,000 in a month.

‘Behind the scenes, this is another major direction most locations have taken as part of investing in seat fillers as a business strategy. To some extent, it might get to Sh1 million or more in expenses in a period of two months or less depending, because this action heavily influences where customers choose to go. So you will spend based on your targets,’ Alex explains.

DJ Collective

Booking a DJ Collective is another strategy that clubs are employing to fill their establishment seats, as it is seen as less of a gamble and more of a guarantee.

Instead of banking on the pull of one DJ, they tap into an entire network of DJ that comes with its own marketing engine. DJ Collective may consist of two Deejays, a gifted hype master, dancers, and an Mcee to some extent.

With some of these collectives having established names within the entertainment sphere, alcohol brands and lifestyle sponsors regularly form partnerships with them for activations, product launches, and tours.

‘DJs are crowd pullers and MCs, too. Depending on how good you are, club owners will always reach out to you. Pay you a premium, and take care of your accommodation and transport logistics just to hype a crowd. And if you have a loyal social media fan base, once a poster is put out that you will be hanging out at a given establishment, the crowd shows up.’ Hype master MC Gogo says.

Social media has quietly handed certain individuals an unusual kind of power, not celebrity, exactly, but influence.

A micro-influencer with 10,000 to 20,000 followers has built something more valuable than fame, a loyal audience that mirrors their lifestyle. Where they eat, where they shop, where they party, their followers pay keen interest and take notes.

‘This is the major culture shaping the business right now. With social media, you have individuals who command loyal followings. A micro-influencer with 10,000 to 20,000 followers can guide an entire crowd. They eat somewhere, shop somewhere, party somewhere, and their followers want to be part of that lifestyle. So when Friday comes, people are asking, ‘Where is my favorite influencer going out tonight?’

It’s that curiosity that club owners have turned into a currency.

‘What most nightclubs do is scout those micro-influencers and make them a sweet offer. Bring your community to Kentwood, and we give you a cut, maybe eight percent of their spend.’

To make it count, club owners scale the strategy.

‘On weekends with football matches or Formula One, the crowd largely takes care of itself,’ Alex further explains.

‘So the seat fillers become critical on slow nights, maybe on Tuesdays orWednesdays. I’ll tell the influencer to come in after work, bring their high-spending friends, and stay as late as they want. All they need to do is post or talk about it on social media as part of their lifestyle, not an obvious promotion. But I won’t just take one influencer. I’ll take maybe ten, each with their own crowd. That way, you almost guarantee a full house and still protect your margins. That’s why you will notice it always seems like something is happening every midweek in most nightclubs.’

When the night winds down and the last guest heads home, the influencer stays behind for the settlement.

‘The club tallies up how many people they brought in and what those guests spent on food and drink, then hands over the agreed percentage. It’s one of the biggest strategies in nightlife right now,’ Alex says.

The Treasury will seek an additional Sh201 billion in tax revenue in the next financial year, signalling potential new taxes in the Finance Bill and a crackdown on tax cheats.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will be required to collect Sh2.985 trillion as tax revenue for the year starting July, up from Sh2.784 trillion, according to Treasury documents tabled in Parliament, reflecting a 7.21 percent increase.

The Finance Bill, 2026 is expected to deliver most of the revenue haul, with the Treasury projecting new tax measures to generate Sh120 billion, up from Sh30 billion it targeted via the Finance Act 2025.

The push for increased tax collection comes against the backdrop of a weaker economic outlook in the wake of exposure to shocks caused by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

To shore up revenue, Kenya has deepened its crackdown on tax cheats and it is expected to be more aggressive in an election period when the State is hesitant to introduce major tax increases.

‘Additional resources have been allocated to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to strengthen revenue mobilisation,’ the Treasury said in its final budget estimates tabled in the National Assembly.

‘This includes Sh19 billion provided in the 2025/26 financial year and earmarked for digital transformation initiatives to support system upgrades, data integration, and deployment of real-time compliance tools aimed at improving efficiency, broadening the tax base and sealing revenue leakages.’

The KRA is betting on the use of technology such as electronic tax invoice management system (eTIMS) and increased reliance on third-party data to weed out tax evaders and boost revenue by billions of shillings.

It is also seeking to expand the tax base and rope in more small businesses and the informal sector to raise additional revenues.

The KRA’s enforcement unit has been using various databases to pursue suspected tax cheats, including bank statements, import records, motor vehicle registration details, Kenya Power records, water bills and data from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCCA), which reveals individuals who own assets such as aircraft.

Car registration details are also being used to smoke out individuals who are driving high-end vehicles but have little to show in terms of taxes remitted.

Kenya Power meter registrations are also helping the taxman to identify landlords, some of whom have been slapped with huge tax demands.

The taxman has also sought details of suppliers and contractors hired by county governments in the quest to tighten the noose on individuals and firms evading tax.

‘Further, the National Treasury has developed tax amendment proposals with an estimated combined revenue yield of Sh120.3 billion, which are expected to reinforce revenue performance,’ said the Treasury.

The netting expected from new tax measures is a far cry from the Finance Bill, 2025, which sought to raise Sh30 billion after public protests over aggressive taxation forced the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024, with Sh345 billion.

A copy of the Finance Bill, 2026, available in general circulation but not yet confirmed to be the official document tabled in the National Assembly, reveals that the bulk of new tax measures are concentrated in tax administration reforms.

The tax administration measures include the expansion of anti-avoidance rules, reducing the steps taken by the KRA to issue agency/tax demand notices to banks and establishing reporting obligations and definitions for virtual asset service providers (VSPs).

In addition, there is a proposal to extend the tax amnesty programme, which unlocked over Sh40 billion in receipts and lapsed at the end of last year, to December 2026.

The draft Finance Bill further proposes a clean-up of the VAT Act by making input taxes irrecoverable for the manufacturers of electric buses, bicycles and motorcycles, animal feeds raw materials and inputs for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products.

The Bill proposes to increase the rate of residential rental income from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.

The higher revenue projection will be put to test by a deterioration of the economic outlook on the effects of the US-Israel war against Iran

Kenya, like many other African countries, is heavily reliant on energy imports.

The Iran conflict has left it scrambling to ?stave off shortages of essential commodities like fuel, and the war’s ripple effects are ?expected to spur inflationary pressures that could dampen Kenya’s growth prospects.

The Treasury has revised its growth projection for 2026 from 5.3 percent to five percent and expects output to be much lower if the conflict persists.

The current account deficit has also been projected to expand from 2.2 percent of GDP to three percent on higher international oil prices, lower receipts from services, slower growth in remittances inflows and reduced exports.

Domestic revenue mobilisation has already been under sustained pressure as the economy struggles to generate enough taxes to fund most of the budget.

Taxes collected through six months to December 2025 were, for instance, Sh110.6 billion below target and totalled Sh1.24 trillion against the Sh1.35 trillion expected.

Last Tuesday, Prof Scott Bellows penned a damning piece on Doctoral level education and certification, dissecting its inability to solve societal problems.

Prof Bellows is a subject matter expert with years of experience but there are several aspects of his submission that were fundamentally flawed. But more important, his article provides impetus and a useful thread to deconstruct this level of education.

It is hoped that technocrats in academia, policy makers and enforcers, enthusiasts and students at large will socialise with the primary article and this rejoinder to trigger a call to action.

According to Jordi Pujol and Jose Marie La Porte, higher education is a ‘beacon for personal, social, and civic transformation relative to the turbulence of modern communities.’

This seems misaligned to the professor’s assertions. Notably, he seems to see the attrition rate at the doctoral level as unacceptable and especially where learners have demonstrated a very high propensity to pay. But is this argument plausible? Then there is a misconception in mixing the Kenyan doctoral format and the administration of it as one and the same, with the descriptive phrases, structure and system used interchangeably.

Ability to pay and graduation must not have a direct correlation in academia. In fact, the complexities and variables at play in Doctorate qualifications is what makes it rigorous and relevant, as it should be. Prof Bellows calls it a ‘burdensome doctoral process.’

Further, equating models of doctoral level training and their duration in America, Europe and Kenya to draw parallels is misleading. The societal problems and academic interventions cannot be generalised as the underlying issues are unique in every jurisdiction.

Indeed, the Kenyan system should be a lot more painful. In his piece, another central question arises. What is Kenya’s philosophy in Bachelors, Master’s and Doctorate level education? What are the expected outcomes at every level and how is the build-up from each level designed to work? Does the course work which he calls ‘unhelpful’ serve any purpose in a scholar’s growth and development?

It really does not matter if the ‘extra hoops are hurting our nation’ and especially if they make us better. The cheating by use of the ‘illicit academic writing industry’ where he cites Rosmary Mbogo and others is another matter altogether.

Universities worldwide have to deal with this phenomenon as it is not specific to Kenya. However, the Kenyan institutions should up their capacity for counter measures. The same applies to Doctorate level supervisors that demand reverence from those they supervise. This behavior demands discipline and not training or skills development as suggested.

Inevitably and quoting renown journalist, ‘PhD holders should stand out, above the mass of title-loving politicos.’ But are the doctoral candidates part of the problem, pursuing salutation in place of genuine learning?

In Kenya, the principles of education have been eroded over time calling for radical surgery. The proponents of the knowledge economy must call for the re-orientation of higher institutions of learning if the downward spiral is to be mitigated.

Imagine teaching management and fiduciary discipline when the same institutions cannot self-sustain and suffocating in debt, irredeemably. The situation is egregious and the complicity must be called out. In conclusion, doctoral level education demands doctoral level thinking, as the zenith for new knowledge generation and dissemination.

If we pursue education for the sole purpose of learning, we will get it right almost all the time-whether as doctoral candidates, as institutions that facilitate the process, or as administrators. The alternative is a lose-lose situation (Stephen Covey).

Like many tax administrations globally, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) operates under a comprehensive governance and integrity framework designed to detect and deter misconduct.

Central to this framework is the iWhistle platform, which enables confidential reporting of corruption, tax evasion, and unethical behaviour.

The authority also conducts lifestyle audits in collaboration with other state agencies to identify unexplained wealth among staff. Officers found culpable face disciplinary action.

Recent online allegations targeting KRA and one of its commissioners, George Obel, are, therefore, highly questionable. A comprehensive review of the facts, institutional safeguards, and available records points to a narrative built on misinformation, exaggeration, and, in some instances, deliberate attempts to undermine tax administration.

At the centre of the claims are assertions that the commissioner is under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), and that he owns assets valued at billions of shillings.

One of the most prominent allegations suggests that he owns a hospital and a steel company. Public records do not, however, indicate the existence of any steel company in Kenya known as Ciala as claimed.

Similarly, reports alleging vast land ownership and an extravagant lifestyle have been contradicted by sources who describe the commissioner’s personal holdings as modest. Assertions regarding his salary have also been challenged as inconsistent with established KRA remuneration structures.

Governance and tax policy observers note that the nature of these claims reflects a familiar pattern, where individuals facing compliance pressure resort to misinformation campaigns to discredit enforcement officers.

In many cases, such narratives are amplified through informal digital platforms rather than established investigative or accountability systems.

Experts say if the claims held merit, they would be formally lodged through institutions such as the EACC, ARA, or KRA’s internal reporting mechanisms, rather than being circulated through blogs and social media. The decision to bypass these channels raises legitimate questions about both the credibility and intent behind the accusations.

These allegations emerge at a time when KRA is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. The newly established Micro and Small Taxpayers Department, barely a year old and headed by Mr Obel, has introduced a suite of digital innovations aimed at simplifying tax compliance and minimising physical interaction between taxpayers and officials.

Through the system, taxpayers can now access services conveniently and transparently. These tools cut opportunities for discretionary decision-making and eliminate traditional bottlenecks associated with manual processes.

For instance, taxpayers can file returns and pay tax dues via WhatsApp, while receiving real-time support through the chatbot. Additionally, adoption of data-driven compliance systems has helped uncover persistent non-compliance, particularly among businesses required by law to onboard onto the eTIMS platform.

While such reforms benefit the broader economy, they often disrupt entrenched interests that previously thrived in opaque systems. Resistance from these quarters can manifest in attempts to discredit reform champions and weaken institutional credibility.

The targeting of individual officers, particularly those at the forefront of reform and enforcement, raises broader concerns about the integrity of public institutions in the digital age.

Allowing unverified allegations to shape public perception risks undermining confidence in tax administration and emboldening non-compliance.

Tax administrators must be allowed to execute their mandate independently, without intimidation or fear of reputational attacks. Protecting them from undue pressure is essential not only for safeguarding revenue collection but also for maintaining the rule of law and supporting national development.

As reforms continue to strengthen transparency, enhance service delivery, and recover billions in lost revenue, the focus must remain on building a fair, efficient, and accountable tax system. Attempts to derail this progress through misinformation should be critically examined.

Maize imports rebounded sharply in 2025 following the government’s decision to open a duty-free window for yellow maize, underscoring the country’s continued reliance on external supply to stabilise food and feed markets.

Latest data from the 2026 Economic Survey shows maize imports jumped by 51.4 percent to 468,109 metric tonnes in 2025, reversing two consecutive years of decline and marking one of the strongest annual increases in recent years.

The data shows traders spent Sh13.17 billion to ship maize into the country in 2025, a 30.6 percent increase from Sh10.08 billion in 2024.