Category: Business Daily

Life insurance products have for the first time generated more premiums for underwriters than general covers such as motor and medical, indicating a shift in Kenya’s insurance market as customers turn to long-term financial planning products.

Industry data shows gross written premiums from long-term covers grew 23.1 percent to Sh235.39 billion in 2025, surpassing general insurance premiums, which rose at a slower 11.4 percent to Sh227.17 billion.

The crossover marks a turning point for the industry, where general insurance has traditionally dominated due to compulsory covers such as motor and a higher uptake of medical covers.

Life insurance premiums now account for 50.7 percent of the total Sh464.72 billion market, pointing to the growing weight of long-term savings and protection products. Many insurers have been launching and promoting such products.

The picture was different over a decade ago, with general covers dominating in terms of the value of premiums.

In 2013, life business made up just 33.8 percent of industry premiums, with general insurance commanding more than two-thirds (66.18 percent) of the market.

The shift reflects changing consumer behaviour and insurers’ strategy. Kenyan households are increasingly taking up life and pension products as long-term financial planning tools, while insurers are leaning into these segments for their predictable income streams.

Jacqueline Karasha, chief executive of SanlamAllianz Life Insurance, said in a phone interview that the life insurance business has, for several years, enjoyed a faster growth pace compared with the general business, mainly driven by individual life covers and pension deposit administration lines.

‘Deposit administration has gained traction on the back of stable returns, direct distribution channels and bancassurance, while fund managers have become more proactive in marketing pension products. At the same time, insurers have stepped up investment in marketing, financial literacy and distribution channels,’ said Ms Karasha.

Premiums from deposit administration grew 18 percent to Sh79.75 billion in the period, life assurance grew nine percent to Sh46.3 billion, and investments rose 3.9 times to Sh30.3 billion. Personal pension business grew by 14.9 percent to Sh24.97 billion, closing the top four major classes of life products.

Ms Karasha said part of the boost in pension business has also been through the enhanced compulsory contributions to the National Social Security Fund, part of which is managed by life insurers. Many life insurers have also been launching new products and enriching existing ones to cater for the evolving needs, such as simplified policies, digital onboarding and claims management.

Life products have lower claims volatility compared to general business, which is often hit by rising claims in medical and motor covers-the two main classes that take up over 68 percent of the gross premium income under short-term business.

The rebalancing could improve profitability and capital stability for insurers, given the long-term nature of life policies.

For general insurers, the shift raises pressure to reprice risk more accurately or innovate to counter slowing growth in their core segments.

‘That turn shows that, as a market, we are on track to increase insurance penetration. This is a good signal of sustained industry growth going forward. You cannot leverage much on short-term covers to deepen penetration,’ said Ms Karasha.

We call them mentors now. Coaches. Angel investors. But scripture named them first: destiny helpers – people sent by God to shift the course of a life, a family, a sector. They leave everything better than they found it. Job Kariru Muriuki was one.

Kenya’s financial sector has been mourning him. As founder and CEO of Momentum Credit, he built a non-bank lender whose flexible financing kept small businesses breathing.

Since inception, Momentum Credit has disbursed Sh40 billion to more than 300,000MSMEs; 52 percent of clients are women who record an average 28 percent income rise within 12 months. That is SDG 1 and SDG 5 showing up at dinner tables.

The firm’s loan book grew 34 percent year-on-year in 2024, with non-performing loans held below 6.0 percent – proof that trust and rigour can coexist.

Two weeks ago, his first boss eulogised him thus: I had the privilege of working with him from 2008 when he returned from Cambridge with a first-class engineering degree, after a UK management consultancy stint, to join Centum Investments.

I saw him grow into an exceptional leader: highly intelligent, deeply committed, a man of great integrity. Beyond the boardroom, he was a devoted family man.

I didn’t meet Job as a headline. I met him through his mother, Pauline Muthoni Muriuki – a woman of firsts. To know Pauline is to have known Job. She is an outlier, a pioneer whose work crossed borders without ever needing the border of a camera frame.

The titles tell part of it: Marketing Director at Unilever East Africa. CEO of Smart Applications International. Non-Executive Director at E-Soft and Linepal Holdings. In strategy rooms, they speak her name with Harrison Muiru – that rare leader who holds the whole map while others trace one road.

At Smart Applications, she stepped in as CEO to lead its founding years. Under her, Smart became the first company in Kenya to put a fingerprint on healthcare: biometrically controlled smart cards for medical schemes.

The system cut fraud by over 40 percent within two years and reduced claim processing time from 14 days to 48 hours. No more lost papers. No more fraud draining a family’s lifeline. Just a thumbprint, and a mother could treat her child. Pauline didn’t chase innovation for the word. She used it to remove the small indignities that keep people poor.

Yet when I searched for her online, there was almost nothing. Her life was never staged for applause. It was stitched into other people’s breakthroughs. She is a north star – fixed, quiet, unadvertised – the one you navigate by when the night gets too wide. To the world, she is the architect of firsts.

To me, she is simply Pauline. Sometimes ‘mum.’ Always my mentor. To be mentored by Pauline is to understand Job’s clarity. She taught what she lived: faith isn’t Sunday only. It’s the cornerstone you build Monday to Monday on.

My career began in 1995 as a management trainee at East Africa Industries, later Unilever East Africa. Pauline was among the directors who saw something in me I couldn’t see yet. She and leaders like Patricia Ithau, Timothy Kaloki, Martin Mburu, Betty Keittany, Margaret Mwaura, Peter Karatu and Judy Geda understood the sacredness of mentorship.

Pauline called greatness out with tough love, intentional conversations, and by living the example. Bounce back. Learn. Climb the next mountain.

On April 2, 2026, aged 41, Job rested after three years fighting Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis – a rare autoimmune liver disease affecting one in 10,000. It damages bile ducts silently for 10 to 15 years before diagnosis. Median survival from diagnosis: 12-18 years. There is no cure. Yet Job fought. And lived fully.

From London he went to Rela Hospital, Chennai. He received his new liver on October 29, 2024. Despite heavy immunosuppressants, his body began rejecting it in October 2025.

He flew back to Rela on February 7, 2026. Becks, the wife of his youth, prepared to donate part of hers. His best friend David had already given part of his – nearly costing his own life. ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’

Yet his organs failed. The battle ended April 2. Before he passed, Job said he intended to enter full-time ministry. At his memorial on April 14, testimonies agreed: his ministry started young – childhood friends, family he raised, staff he mentored, lives changed by one encounter. The work remains with us. Changed lives are the only audit that matters.

When a patient walks into a health centre in Bomet or a dispensary in Lamu, they are entering a county facility. The nurse who takes their temperature is a county employee. The records system that logs their symptoms runs on county infrastructure. The data generated belongs to the county health service, a function the 2010 Constitution explicitly devolved from the national government.

So when the national government signed an agreement in Washington committing “Kenya’s health data” to American authorities, a constitutional question should have been front and centre: whose data is this to give?

In my previous articles on the Kenya-US health cooperation framework, I explored what this deal means for ordinary families and why our health data is a national asset. But the devolution question cuts deeper. It is not just about fair terms. It is about whether the agreement was legally valid to begin with.

The Fourth Schedule of Kenya’s Constitution distributes functions between national and county governments. Health appears on both lists, but with a crucial distinction. The national government handles “health policy” and “national referral health facilities.”

Counties handle “county health services,” including county health facilities, pharmacies, ambulance services, and primary health care promotion.

In practice, this means the national government sets policy direction. Counties deliver the services. The clinics, the staff, the equipment, the record-keeping systems: these are county functions.

The data generated through those services flows from county operations.

Article 6(2) of the Constitution is explicit: the relationship between national and county governments must be “consultative and cooperative.” Neither level is senior to the other. When the national government commits county resources, including the data those counties generate, meaningful consultation is not optional. It is constitutionally required.

The Council of Governors, which coordinates Kenya’s 47 counties, confirmed it was not consulted before the agreement was signed. County directors of health report being summoned to Nairobi with almost no notice, not to negotiate, but to review documents already finalised.

“The time was so short we could not even call our peers in the other counties for us to consult before agreeing to greenlight the documents,” that is what one county official told DeFrontera.

Dr Gordon Okomo, chair of all county directors of health in Kenya, was summoned but could not attend due to the sudden notice. Some counties are now seeking clarity directly from the US CDC because the national government has not provided detailed information.

This is not consultation. This is notification after the fact. And county health leaders have seen this pattern before.

County directors cite the medical equipment leasing scheme as precedent, a case where the national government made major health spending decisions without consulting counties, then offloaded the costs onto them. Counties ended up with expensive machines they could not use or maintain.

The US health deal follows the same trajectory. The agreement commits Kenya to “co-investments” of nearly Sh11 billion over five years. It requires hiring thousands of health workers and lab technicians who, when the agreement expires in 2030, must transfer to government payroll. But which government? County health services are a county function. These costs will land on county budgets.

No county assembly debated these commitments. No governor signed off. The Council of Governors learned about the details after the framework was already signed in Washington.

Here is the constitutional knot: if county health services are a devolved function, and data is generated through those services, then county governments have a legitimate claim over that data. The national government sets health policy, but it does not operate the clinics. It does not employ the nurses. It does not run the systems that capture patient information.

When the US agreement commits Kenya to sharing “disease data, biological samples, and genetic information” within days of detection, it is committing resources that counties generate. When it grants access to “digital health systems and outbreak databases,” those systems often run at county level.

This does not mean counties should hoard health data or refuse to participate in national disease surveillance. Public health requires coordination.

But coordination is different from unilateral commitment. Article 187 of the Constitution allows transfer of functions between levels of government, but only by agreement, and only if the receiving government can effectively perform the function.

The court has given the government until January to respond to challenges against the agreement. If the framework is to be renegotiated, and it should be, counties must be at the table as parties, not bystanders.

This means the Council of Governors should be formally included in any revised negotiations. County assemblies should have the opportunity to debate commitments that affect county budgets and county data. Intergovernmental consultation mechanisms under the Constitution should be activated, not bypassed.

It also means governors should be asking hard questions. What happens to data generated in your county facilities? Who controls access? What share of any benefits, whether funding, technology transfer, or intellectual property, flows back to the counties that generated the underlying information?

Kenyans fought for the 2010 Constitution precisely because power had been too centralised for too long. Devolution was not a bureaucratic reshuffling. It was a transfer of authority to the people through their county governments. Health was devolved because Kenyans understood that decisions about their wellbeing should not be made exclusively in Nairobi.

When an agreement that affects county health services, county budgets, and county data is signed without county participation, it does not just raise practical concerns. It undermines the constitutional settlement Kenyans voted for.

Your governor was not in the room. Your county assembly did not debate this. The data generated at your local clinic, data that could be worth billions when processed into AI systems and drug discoveries, was committed without your county’s consent. That is not how devolution is supposed to work.

Three years ago, lawyer Emily Chepkor put out a simple Instagram post inviting anyone in Nairobi to join her for a free Saturday morning run at 8 am, no fuss.

Only three women showed up, jogged a 6km loop, grabbed coffee at a café nearby, and went home.

‘Then the following weekend there were six, then 10 the next. Every time we would post on social media and more would join the following weekend,’ says Emily, an avid runner and a gym regular.

That casual call became ‘We Run Nairobi,’ now one of the city’s most consistent running clubs. On a good day, more than 1,200 runners turn up. On many days, 100 to 300 people take over roads around Nairobi.

We Run Nairobi is part of a wider wave of running clubs reshaping Nairobi’s streets and social life and, Emily says women are driving the movement.

In recent years, that energy has spilled well beyond weekend runs. What started as fitness habits, Emily says has now evolved into a travel lifestyle. Recreational running has stretched beyond city routes into travel plans, and the culture has been quietly growing.

According to recent report by Miles4Mind, salaried Kenyan women quietly setting the pace in this movement. They spend millions in a year conditioning their bodies, and planning their calendars around races, booking flights and hotels months in advance.

The study, based on 250 recreational runners in Nairobi, shows that middle and upper-middle-income earners are most invested, often setting aside dedicated budgets for race travel abroad.

Of the 175 respondents who shared their monthly income, 60 earn between Sh150,000 and Sh300,000. Another 43 take home less than Sh150,000, while 34 fall in the Sh300,000 to Sh500,000 bracket. A further 38 earn between Sh500,000 and Sh1,000,000.

Employment appears to be the engine behind the trend. ‘Recreational runners in employment represented the largest segment at 73 percent, with business owners at 12.8 percent and the self-employed at 10 percent,’ the report notes.

Age also plays a role. The strongest appetite for running and race travel is among those aged 36 to 4, suggesting that the trend is being driven by financially stable, mid-career professionals.

Women slightly outnumber men in the running scene. Of 178 respondents who disclosed their gender, 93 were women and 85 were men.

For many, this journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when running offered both escape and routine. For many recreational runners, the Standard Chartered Marathon in Nairobi was the first step into this lifestyle.

‘Once you’ve conquered the Standard Chartered Marathon in Nairobi, your eyes immediately turn to the Kilimanjaro Marathon in Tanzania. It’s almost a rite of passage and a natural next step for ambitious runners,’notes Emily.

‘It isn’t just about the race itself; it’s about the journey. We make it a road trip, sign up with friends, and ‘collect’ an international marathon under our belts. And once you’ve done that, there’s always another adventure in the corner,’ adds Emily, who has participated in 11 marathons, several of those abroad, including the Boston Marathon.

But this lifestyle comes at a cost.

For many runners, a single race abroad costs an average of Sh300,000, when flights, accommodation, registration fees, and travel documents are factored in.

‘The cost depends on the destination, but that is the rough average. Logistics add up quickly, from tickets to hotels and even getting your passport in order,’ says Judy Karambu, a recreational runner based in Nairobi.

To keep up with the trend Judy has turned budgeting into part of her training plan.

‘Every year, I aim to run at least two marathons in Europe and one in South Africa. That means raising at least Sh1 million. Personal savings are my main cushion, and I always recommend putting money in collective investment schemes like money market funds, so it keeps growing as you plan your travel.’

For perspective, for her Sanlam Cape Town marathon slated for May this year, she is working with a Sh350,000 budget.

‘I will be returning to Cape Town once again, and I plan to stay there for 10 days. It’s a very beautiful city, but very expensive,’ Judy says.

Amos Ronoa, who has been a recreational runner for more than five years now and who will be participating in the Chicago Marathon in September, recently tells the BDLife that he plans to spend Sh400,000 for his trip.

‘My minimum budget for Chicago is Sh400,000 to take care of my race entry ticket, which is Sh37,000. Air tickets, I am looking at Sh100,000 for return. A good accommodation, probably at an at a AirBnB, will cost between Sh50,000 and Sh70,000 for three to four days. I will also need some pocket money for transport around the city and meals. I am looking at spending between $10-20$ a day, so that is about Sh14,000 in every five days,’ he notes.

But besides the travel budgets, there is an additional cost when you factor in the training and racing gear expenses.

Limo Kipkemoi, an avid ultra-runner, says a good Garmin GPS smart watch will cost at least Sh 70,000.

‘A good pair of running shoes will cost anything from Sh25,000, depending on the brand, and you will need to have at least two pairs. You also need to invest in the running bibs and jackets,’ Limo says.

The Miles4Mind report shows that the majority of Kenyan recreational runners prefer the Garmin smart watch compared to other brands such as Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and Coros. Of the 151 respondents who revealed their fitness trackers, 105 own the Garmin series.

‘It’s just not the runners, even trekkers prefer Garmin smartwatches, and that’s primarily because of their superior battery life, GPS accuracy, and detailed analytics like running dynamics, lactate threshold, and all that. They also have built-in maps of the entire world,’ Limo adds.

The World Bank has cited three hurdles that Kenya must clear before it unfreezes a Sh96.9 billion ($750 million) loan ahead of June 30 amid the economic shocks triggered by the Iran war.

The multilateral lender reckons it will release the billions once Kenya passes regulations indicating the criteria it uses to determine the beneficiaries of monthly stipends offered to orphans, the elderly and persons living with disabilities.

It also wants regulations guiding the issuance of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) and legal backing to a policy that obligates Kenya to raise its tree cover to at least 30 percent by 2032 as part of the Forest Conservation and Management Act.

These are the terms that the World Bank offered Kenya at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings in the week ended April 17.

The country risks missing out on the sizeable loan from the World Bank’s budgetary support loan, known as development policy operations (DPO), for the second financial year if it fails to meet the three conditions.

‘Regarding the DPO, outstanding prior actions include approved regulations to the Social Protection Act, amendments to the Conservation Act, and an approved sustainability-linked financing framework,’ a World Bank spokesperson told the Business Daily.

‘In addition, DPOs require an adequate macro-fiscal policy framework.’

The World Bank froze disbursements from the same facility last year after Kenya delayed passing seven laws and four policy reforms.

Kenya has since met some of the demands, including the enactment of the Conflict of Interest Act and the Social-Protection Act.

The country had gone easy in pursuit of the World Bank and the IMF for financing to cover the months to the end of the financial year in June, buoyed by billions of shillings it has received from the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC)’s initial public offering and issuance of new Eurobonds.

The Treasury has banked Sh106.3 billion from the sale of a 35 percent stake in KPC and is also selling another 15 percent stake in Safaricom to South Africa’s Vodacom in a deal worth Sh244.5 billion.

Kenya also issued two Eurobonds of Sh290.3 billion ($2.25 billion) to fund a $415.35 million (Sh53.5 billion) buyback, leaving it with Sh237.7 billion for budget support. But with delays in receiving the Safaricom cash and transfer of the KPC billions to the infrastructure fund, the need for additional help to plug the deficit is key.

The World Bank cash flows directly to budget for use at the discretion of the State, including paying civil servants’ salaries.

Besides the DPO, Kenya has requested rapid financial support from the World Bank to help it manage the economic shocks triggered by the Iran war.

Like other nations that are heavily reliant on energy imports, Kenya is scrambling to stave off shortages of essential commodities, including petrol, while managing cost increases that could drive up inflation.

The country is the first larger emerging economy to publicly confirm a formal request to the World Bank, although others, such as Egypt, have said they have approached multilateral lenders. Rapid Response Support is a term used by the World Bank for its fast-disbursing financial ?windows and policy support that help countries respond quickly to shocks or crises.

In a sign of the risks facing Kenya’s public finances, President William Ruto signed a law on April 17 cutting value-added tax (VAT) on petroleum products to 8.0 percent from 16 percent for three months to cushion consumers from a surge in crude prices.

The condition on the eligibility criteria for cash transfers aligns with an agreement between Kenya and the World Bank that the country will improve efficiency in the delivery of social protection benefits and services.

The regulations being sought are expected to mandate the national government and counties to establish eligibility criteria using the enhanced single registry (ESR) system for the delivery of poverty-targeted cash transfers and other pro-poor social sector interventions.

The Cabinet approved the National Forest Policy, which incorporates the 30 percent target for tree cover, but is yet to make amendments to the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 to incorporate the target in the law.

Kenya is yet to approve sovereign Sustainably-Linked Bonds rules, which would guide the issuance of the special bonds and improve Kenya’s climate finance credentials.

The sustainability-linked bonds are tied to achieving predetermined environmental or social sustainability targets, and the issuer or government faces penalties such as higher interest rates if they fail to meet the aims.

The government had plans to borrow $500 million (Sh65 billion) using sustainability-linked bonds by March 2026. The Treasury says it is fast-tracking the pending regulations and cited an agreement with Parliament for the passage of amendments to the Forest Management Act, which requires the nod of both the National Assembly and the Senate.

Across North America in 2025, public policy toward nicotine pouches and other non-combustible, smoke-free products revealed a stark divergence in regulatory philosophy.

In Canada, federal and provincial authorities have layered restrictions that make nicotine pouches harder to access than traditional cigarettes. In the US, by contrast, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly described nicotine pouches as among the safest ways to consume nicotine, signalling a markedly different harm-reduction approach.

In Canada, nicotine pouches, including the only authorised brand, Zonnic, are regulated under drug and natural health product frameworks. As a result, they are generally sold only in pharmacies, kept behind the counter, and often limited in flavour to mint, tobacco, and menthol.

These constraints are intended to curb youth access and recreational use. Critics, however, argue that the net effect is to restrict adult smokers’ access to harm-reducing alternatives while leaving cigarettes widely available in convenience stores and gas stations.

Parliamentary critics have described the policy as a ‘war on nicotine pouches,’ suggesting it reflects regulatory confusion rather than an evidence-based strategy.

Observers also point to unintended consequences, including reduced access to cessation tools, increased operational burdens on pharmacies, the growth of illicit markets for unregulated products, and anecdotal indications that some smokers revert to cigarettes when pouches are difficult to obtain.

By contrast, in the US, RFK Jr. has repeatedly framed nicotine pouches as a viable harm-reduction alternative to combustible tobacco. He has characterised them as the ‘safest way to consume nicotine’ and indicated that federal policy could support broader access and consumer choice.

Such statements suggest a philosophical shift toward pragmatism – reducing the deadliest forms of nicotine use by encouraging less harmful alternatives.

Kenya appears to be charting a path closer to Canada’s restrictive model. The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to significantly limit nicotine pouches, despite evidence suggesting they pose minimal harm relative to combustible tobacco.

Regulators cite concerns around youth appeal, addiction, and recreational use, with the Bill targeting flavours, advertising, online sales, and point-of-sale visibility.

While these measures are framed as youth-protection safeguards, they risk tipping the balance too far against harm reduction for adult smokers seeking safer alternatives.

Regulatory caution is understandable, but it should be informed by public-health innovation and proportional risk assessment. In Canada, classifying nicotine pouches as drugs or natural health products subjects them to stricter controls than cigarettes, creating a regulatory imbalance that limits access to safer products while leaving far more harmful ones readily available.

In the US, public endorsement by a senior health official sends a strong market and policy signal, although effective implementation remains crucial. The contrast between the two North American approaches illustrates how public messaging, regulatory intent, and real-world outcomes can diverge sharply.

Ultimately, nicotine policy sits at the intersection of science, public health, and politics. It is not only about relative risk profiles, but also about values and priorities. If the stated goal is to maximise harm reduction while protecting young people, then regulating safer alternatives more harshly than more dangerous products invites serious scrutiny.

This risk now confronts Kenya. If lawmakers refuse to engage with industry and dismiss the modified-risk pathway, the country may inadvertently entrench combustible tobacco while handicapping lower-risk innovations.

As global experience continues to unfold, Kenyan policymakers should ask whether current proposals truly align regulation with evidence.

Are we unintentionally protecting legacy products at the expense of safer ones? Have youth-protection concerns been weighted so heavily that other workable solutions are overlooked?

Achieving a balanced outcome will require a government willing to listen to all stakeholders and to strike a pragmatic middle ground – one that protects young people without sacrificing the public-health gains of harm reduction.

When Lilian Nyawanda picked up the call on April 8, she knew instantly that her career had entered a defining stretch.

On the line was the chairman of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board, Ndiritu Muriithi, informing her that she had been selected to serve as acting commissioner-general following the abrupt exit of Humphrey Wattanga.

The appointment, pending a substantive hire, placed her at the helm of one of Kenya’s most consequential institutions, mid-financial year, with revenue targets looming.

The tax authority had by the end of March collected Sh2.038 trillion by the end of March-the first time it had crossed the Sh2 trillion mark within nine months. But that meant the authority was facing an almost impossible task of raising Sh932 billion in the final three months of the current financial year to meet its Sh2.97 trillion annual revenue target set by the National Treasury.

Dr Nyawanda’s reaction to the news from Mr Muriithi was measured. ‘Mixed feelings,’ she told the Business Daily in an interview on April 22.

‘KRA is an institution that has transcended different seasons… but the mandate remains. We still have targets to hit.’

That sense of continuity, rather than disruption, defines Dr Nyawanda’s early days in office. She is not positioning herself as a reformer tearing down systems, but as a technocrat intent on refining and scaling what already works.

Yet the real test is whether the model she built in the customs can be replicated across a tax authority that has struggled to meet broader annual revenue targets over the years.

Before her elevation to the top-most managerial position at KRA, Dr Nyawanda served as Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, a department that has in recent years outperformed targets even as domestic taxes units lagged. The contrast has not gone unnoticed, and now forms the basis of expectations around her leadership. Her explanation for customs’ success is neither accidental nor singular.

It is, she insists, the result of deliberate design.

‘We focused on efficiency, transparency and technology-driven service delivery,’ Dr Nyawanda says. ‘It’s really a combination of reforms.’

At the heart of this approach is a quiet but far-reaching overhaul of how goods are cleared into the country.

The shift has done more than streamline operations. It has introduced layers of accountability and visibility that were previously fragmented. Officials can now track clearance times, monitor decisions, and reduce discretion at the point of release–long seen as fertile ground for rent-seeking.

Complementing this is a growing reliance on non-intrusive inspection technology. Scanners, which are linked to a central analysis hub, have reduced the need for physical cargo checks, allowing compliant goods to move faster while flagging suspicious consignments.

For trusted traders, the experience is even smoother. Through the authorised economic operator programme, hundreds of vetted companies get expedited clearance, with compliance verified retrospectively through audits rather than upfront delays.

The cumulative effect, Dr Nyawanda argues, is that revenue growth becomes a by-product of better systems rather than the sole objective.

‘As you give taxpayers a good experience, revenue becomes a secondary issue that flows,’ she says.

Now, the challenge is translating that success to domestic taxes-the Large and Medium Taxpayers as well as Micro and Small Taxpayers divisions which account for the bulk of KRA’s collections, but have faced persistent shortfalls.

Dr Nyawanda insists the process has already begun. The same principles of technology, process engineering, accountability, and taxpayer facilitation are being applied to large, medium and small taxpayer segments.

But she is careful not to frame this as a break from the past: ‘It’s not really a different approach…It’s leveraging what exists and taking it a notch higher.’

That continuity may reassure insiders, but it also raises questions about whether incremental adjustments will be enough for an institution under growing pressure to plug revenue gaps amid a strained fiscal environment.

Even as reforms take root internally, Dr Nyawanda is clear that the biggest gains lie in expanding the tax base, particularly in the informal sector. She acknowledges that revenue targets are set within government budget frameworks and can at times appear ambitious, but insists KRA’s focus is on maximising compliance rather than contesting the numbers.

‘We are doing our best, but there’s still room for more,’ she says, pointing to technology as a key enabler in simplifying processes and onboarding more taxpayers.

A major priority, she adds, is bringing micro and small enterprises into the tax net through sustained engagement and taxpayer education. Few institutions in Kenya attract as much public scrutiny as KRA, and Dr Nyawanda steps into office with a familiar perception challenge: that the authority is quick to enforce but slow to refund.

She does not dismiss the criticism outright. Instead, she situates enforcement within the broader context of compliance: ‘Enforcement has its place,’ she says, pointing to smuggling and entrenched non-compliance. ‘But our approach is to ensure there is a fair process before we get there.’

On refunds, she acknowledges delays but points to structural constraints, particularly budgetary allocations from the National Treasury. While funding for refunds has increased, she concedes that turnaround times are not yet where they should be.

The balancing act – between firmness and fairness – will likely define her tenure, especially as KRA intensifies efforts to widen the tax net without stifling economic activity.

If enforcement shapes KRA’s external image, corruption remains its most persistent internal threat.

Dr Nyawanda approaches the issue with a mix of pragmatism and assertiveness. She describes corruption as a systemic challenge, not unique to KRA, but insists the authority is taking deliberate steps to confront it.

Among these is the iWhistle platform, which allows anonymous reporting of misconduct. The tool has generated a steady stream of cases, leading to disciplinary action against staff and exposing non-compliant taxpayers.

‘It may look simple, but it has had an impact,’ she says.

KRA has also embedded integrity assurance officers across departments, strengthened cybersecurity systems to reduce human interaction and conducted lifestyle audits on staff suspected of unexplained wealth. The aim is not just enforcement, but culture change.

‘Corruption has no place at KRA,’ Dr Nyawanda says. ‘We are committed to building a transparent and accountable institution.’

Her confidence in system-driven reform is rooted in a career that straddles both sides of the tax divide. After starting at KRA as a graduate trainee, she moved into the private sector, taking up roles at Deloitte, East African Breweries, and later Diageo, where she handled customs and excise matters across multiple African markets.

The experience, she says, exposed her to the realities businesses faceg.

‘You understand the pain of the taxpayer,’ she says. ‘It’s about making it a win-win.’

That perspective has informed her push for stakeholder engagement, including opening up customs processes to dialogue with industry players and feeding those insights into policy proposals at both national and regional levels.

Away from policy and performance metrics, Dr Nyawanda’s life is defined by structure and support.

Her days begin early, with a routine that includes devotion and a 30-minute workout-a discipline she says is essential not just for health, but for mental clarity in a demanding role.

Balancing work and family, she admits, is imperfect. ‘It’s never really a perfect balance,’ she says, crediting a strong support system-her spouse, children and close network-for keeping her grounded.

Dr Nyawanda’s appointment may be temporary, but the expectations are anything but….With just weeks to the close of the financial year when she took office, and a longer-term mandate to stabilise and grow revenues, her tenure is being watched closely, not just within KRA, but across government and the private sector.

Her bet is clear: that systems, not slogans, will deliver results.

Whether that bet pays off will determine not only her legacy as acting Commissioner-General, but also whether she becomes the first woman to convert a caretaker role into a permanent one. For the time being, she is focused on the task at hand.

‘The institution must continue,’ Dr Nyawanda says.

The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) plans to accelerate the upgrade of its supply infrastructure as part of its strategy to improve services in the city.

‘Focus will be on key priorities including reducing water leakages, strengthening financial sustainability, accelerating infrastructure development and deepening digital integration across our operations,’ the newly confirmed managing director, Martin Nang’ole, said.

The firm said that Nairobi’s rising population, now above five million, continues to strain a system that is already operating beyond its intended capacity.

NWSC recently got a boost after the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) approved new, higher tariffs.

The higher tariffs approved by Wasreb in February are expected to help raise NWSC’s revenue collection to Sh19.9billion, and support the expansion of services amid a growing consumer base.

The firm previously generated about Sh11.5billion revenue annually, even though the management projects it requires Sh19.2billion to service the needs of the city’s fast-rising population.

The NCWSC has indicated that additional revenue generated will be ring-fenced for infrastructure rehabilitation, efficiency improvements and expansion of equitable access to water.

Water consumed in Nairobi comes from both dams and boreholes sunk into aquifers, which are underground reservoirs.

The bulk of water supply for Nairobi comes from the Ngethu-Thika dam system, which supplies 84percent, Sasumua dam (11percent), and Ruiru dam (4percent), as well as the Kikuyu Springs(1percent).

Over time, the water supply for the city has failed to meet demand. Latest records show that Nairobi has a daily demand of 935,000 cubic metres of water against a supply capacity of 658,600 cubic metres, leaving a deficit that forces rationing across various consumer zones.

The firm has stepped up installation of meters to seal loopholes that deny it more than half of its revenue from supplies to city residents.

The utility has registered massive revenue shortfalls over the years due to the high amount of unbilled water, crippling its cash flow and operations.

The world may have evolved, but Naitore Nyamu-Mathenge insists on buying the dailies. ‘Hard copies,’ she says, the way it has always been.

She didn’t fall too far from her dad’s tree, inheriting not only his manners, but his mannerisms too. Like how she wants to be unbothered. But being unbothered doesn’t mean not bothering. She bothers about her children, her husband, and her coffee. Oh, how she loves her coffee, a tonic for her soul. Or maybe that’s the ice cream?

A court has decided that a long-running family dispute over land pitting the late business tycoon Mohan Galot against his nephews will now be heard in Thika instead of Nairobi.

The Environment and Land Court (ELC) in Nairobi agreed with one side of the family that the case should be moved because the land in question is in Kiambu County, where Thika is located.

The judge said it made sense for the case to be handled there since there is a court in Thika that deals with the same kind of issues.

‘It is for this reason that I will allow the application for transfer to the Thika Environment and Land Court,’ said the court.

The judge also noted that the case has dragged on for too long and ordered that it should be handled quickly.

The matter will come up before the presiding judge in Thika ELC on May 5, 2026, for directions on how it will proceed.

The dispute was originally filed by the late Mohan Galot against his brothers and nephews, and is linked to another earlier fight over control of family businesses.

The land is more than 20 acres and has been home to the family for over 40 years. Some family members claim that although the land is in Mohan’s name, he was holding it trust on behalf of the bigger Galot family.

One of the nephews, Ganesh Galot, argued that the case should be heard in Kiambu because the land is there, all the parties live there, and there are other related cases already in a local magistrate’s court. He said moving the case would save time and money for everyone involved.

However, Avin Galot, who represents Mohan’s estate, opposed the move. He argued that the land belonged solely to his late father and accused the other family members of trying to take it away from the estate. He also said that some of the people involved live and work in Nairobi, so location alone should not determine where the case is heard.

Mohan Galot, a well-known businessman in the clothing, alcohol, and real estate sectors, died in June 2025 in London while undergoing treatment. He was the face of Galot Industries and led companies such as Manchester Outfitters, later known as King Woollen Mills.

Before his death, he had been in a long legal battle over the control of the family’s businesses. In 2024, a panel of three judges ruled in his favour, saying he had the authority to appoint or remove company directors.

His nephews-Pravin, Rajesh, and Ganeshlal-had accused him of pushing them out of the companies unfairly.

The family business dates back to 1954, when it was started by their father, Lachman Pusharam Galot, as a clothing company. It later expanded into real estate and alcohol production, with Mohan joining as a partner while his brothers were also brought into the business.