Category: Business Daily

Kalahari Cement has taken formal control of East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) after the National Social Security Fund completed the sale of its 27 percent stake to the Tanzanian tycoon-owned firm for Sh1.6 billion.

The stake transfer, confirmed on Monday, followed approvals from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and the Ministry of Mining, giving Kalahari a 68.7 percent controlling interest in the listed cement maker.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) offloaded 24.3 million shares at Sh66 each. Kalahari had last month announced signing a share purchase agreement with the State-run pension fund.

Kalahari, which is ultimately owned by Tanzanian tycoon Edhah Abdallah Munif through Mauritius-based Pacific Cement Limited and Comercio Et Consiel Limited, has been raising its stake in EAPCC following a separate deal with Swiss multinational Holcim.

Holcim last month sold its 29.2 percent holding at Sh27.30 per share -representing a 46.2 percent discount to EAPCC’s share price at the time.

The contrasting valuations between the Holcim and NSSF disposals underscore the volatility around EAPCC’s pricing in recent months, with the firm’s current market capitalisation standing at Sh7.5 billion against a June 2024 net asset value of Sh20.4 billion.

The completed deal lifts Mr Munif’s effective exposure in the Kenyan cement market, adding to his 12.5 percent interest in EAPC held through Bamburi Cement, which he acquired through Amsons Group in December 2024.

Amsons said in its statement that it intends to inject fresh capital into EAPCC following the transaction and plans to increase production capacity significantly, including building an additional clinkerisation plant.

‘We see so much potential in the cement market in Kenya, and we are committed to growing it even more. We plan to make a significant investment in EAPCC with the aim that we triple production capacity in the next three years,’ said Munif.

EAPCC has struggled with persistent losses for more than a decade, only issuing a dividend this year due to proceeds from land sales rather than improved operations.

The new majority ownership now places responsibility for the turnaround on Amsons, whose ongoing projects include a 5,000-tonne-per-day clinker facility in Kwale being developed by Bamburi Cement at a cost exceeding $300 million (Sh38.8 billion).

The number of mobile subscribers connected to the fast fifth-generation (5G) network grew 19.96 percent during the three months to September, rising to 1.5 million up from 1.2 million in the preceding quarter ended June.

The growth in the review period was faster than the 5.4 percent recorded between April and June, indicating accelerating uptake of the new-generation mobile technology in the country.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) defines 5G subscribers as users with enabled devices who are consistently connected to the network, reflecting active adoption rather than mere device ownership. High-end smart devices and expensive data bundles remain a barrier to widespread 5G adoption, limiting access primarily to urban centres and higher-income consumers across Kenya.

Telecom companies Safaricom and Airtel have driven growth through aggressive network expansion and targeted marketing strategies to attract high-speed mobile data users in major towns.

‘Mobile data remains to be a fundamental drive for internet connectivity in the country fostering socioeconomic development and expanding access to services and information,’ noted CA.

‘Mobile data subscriptions were recorded at 60.2 million by the end of the first quarter of the current financial year, of which 78.3 per cent were on mobile broadband.’

Safaricom launched 5G commercially in October 2022 after trials that started in March 2021 in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other urban areas with high data traffic.

Airtel Kenya joined the 5G rollout in mid-2023, initially surpassing Safaricom in the number of sites, before Safaricom expanded to 803 sites in March last year against Airtel’s 690.

4G remains the most widely used technology, growing 7.5 percent during the quarter to 39.98 million from 37.2 million in June, as consumers continue to upgrade from 3G and 2G networks. Subscriptions on 3G networks fell 22.8 percent to 5.7 million, while 2G users grew only by a marginal 2.5 percent to 13.1 million, reflecting a clear migration toward faster and more reliable mobile broadband technologies.

Overall mobile data subscribers across all networks increased 2.9 percent to 60.2 million from 58.6 million in June, driven by growing reliance on internet connectivity for work, study, and entertainment.

Mobile broadband consumption rose 12.8 percent to 674,240.3 terabytes, with the average data used per subscriber increasing to 14.3 gigabytes during the three-month period.

‘The average mobile broadband consumption per broadband subscription was 14.3 GB with 5G users recording the highest consumption at 40.0 GB followed by 4G at 14.1 GB,’ wrote CA.

5G adoption is expected to continue growing as operators expand coverage to secondary towns and offer more affordable bundles, making high-speed connectivity accessible to a wider segment of the population.

The number of mobile subscribers connected to the fast fifth-generation (5G) network grew 19.96 percent during the three months to September, rising to 1.5 million up from 1.2 million in the preceding quarter ended June.

The growth in the review period was faster than the 5.4 percent recorded between April and June, indicating accelerating uptake of the new-generation mobile technology in the country.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) defines 5G subscribers as users with enabled devices who are consistently connected to the network, reflecting active adoption rather than mere device ownership.

High-end smart devices and expensive data bundles remain a barrier to widespread 5G adoption, limiting access primarily to urban centres and higher-income consumers across Kenya.

Telecom companies Safaricom and Airtel have driven growth through aggressive network expansion and targeted marketing strategies to attract high-speed mobile data users in major towns.

‘Mobile data remains to be a fundamental drive for internet connectivity in the country fostering socioeconomic development and expanding access to services and information,’ noted CA.

‘Mobile data subscriptions were recorded at 60.2 million by the end of the first quarter of the current financial year, of which 78.3 per cent were on mobile broadband.’

Safaricom launched 5G commercially in October 2022 after trials that started in March 2021 in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other urban areas with high data traffic. Airtel Kenya joined the 5G rollout in mid-2023, initially surpassing Safaricom in the number of sites, before Safaricom expanded to 803 sites in March last year against Airtel’s 690.

4G remains the most widely used technology, growing 7.5 percent during the quarter to 39.98 million from 37.2 million in June, as consumers continue to upgrade from 3G and 2G networks.

Subscriptions on 3G networks fell 22.8 percent to 5.7 million, while 2G users grew only by a marginal 2.5 percent to 13.1 million, reflecting a clear migration toward faster and more reliable mobile broadband technologies.

Overall mobile data subscribers across all networks increased 2.9 percent to 60.2 million from 58.6 million in June, driven by growing reliance on internet connectivity for work, study, and entertainment.

Mobile broadband consumption rose 12.8 percent to 674,240.3 terabytes, with the average data used per subscriber increasing to 14.3 gigabytes during the three-month period.

‘The average mobile broadband consumption per broadband subscription was 14.3 GB with 5G users recording the highest consumption at 40.0 GB followed by 4G at 14.1 GB,’ wrote CA.

5G adoption is expected to continue growing as operators expand coverage to secondary towns and offer more affordable bundles, making high-speed connectivity accessible to a wider segment of the population.

Kenya’s floriculture industry, one of the most valuable export sectors, is confronting a convergence of pressures that threaten its long-term competitiveness.

Without urgent interventions, Kenya risks losing its advantage in a market where quality, compliance, and sustainability now command the highest premiums.

The broader horticulture industry plays a crucial role in the agricultural economy, supporting millions of livelihoods directly and through its extensive value chain, while also serving as a significant source of export earnings.

While the sector remains a cornerstone of the economy, the environment in which flower growers operate has never been more complex. The scale of the industry underscores why safeguarding its competitiveness must be a national priority.

Flower export destinations, particularly in Europe, continue to impose stricter standards as policies evolve. These standards require heightened traceability, lower chemical residues, environmental sustainability, and verifiable carbon management, all factors that increase compliance costs.

For small and medium-sized growers, who form a significant portion of the floriculture base, meeting these requirements can be overwhelming.

The regulatory burdens at home add further strain as multiple taxes, levies, licence fees, and shifting policy directives increase the cost of production and introduce uncertainty into an industry that thrives on predictability.

Infrastructure limitations such as poor road networks, inadequate cold storage, and congestion at export hubs also contribute to rising costs and shrink exporters’ margins.

Disease pressure is escalating as well. Fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew and botrytis, continue to challenge growers, and over-reliance on older, less effective crop protection solutions increases the risk of resistance.

When these products become less reliable, growers are forced to apply them more frequently, which not only increases costs but also raises the risk of exceeding residue limits, jeopardising access to premium export markets.

To build a more sustainable and competitive future, Kenya’s floriculture industry must embrace several interconnected strategies. Innovation in crop protection must be prioritised.

There is a need to introduce newer and more effective tools that reduce reliance on outdated pesticides and chemicals.

The floriculture sector has vast potential, but its resilience depends on modernising the tools available to farmers and all stakeholders across the value chain, which move produce from soil to market, and ensuring that the regulation keeps pace with scientific progress.

This would ensure that floriculture remains a strong pillar of the national economy while protecting the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans.

This must be paired with stronger integrated pest management systems, supported by research institutions to anticipate emerging pest and disease threats.

We have not stood still as an industry. We have been actively responding by investing in modern crop protection solutions with new modes of action that help manage resistance more sustainably.

This must go in tandem with strengthening Integrated Crop Management (IPM) systems, adopting preventive approaches, and incorporating monitoring tools that help predict and respond to emerging disease threats more efficiently.

As an industry partner, we support ongoing regulatory efforts aimed at strengthening efficiency and adaptation, so that innovative, safe, and effective crop protection solutions can be made available to growers promptly.

Across the sector, partnerships between research institutions, agricultural companies such as Corteva Agriscience, and universities will help generate localized data on pests, diseases, and climate impacts, allowing growers to make more informed decisions.

Equipping growers with the knowledge needed to meet global compliance standards, from residue management and documentation to environmentally responsible agronomic practice, is also essential.

Innovation in crop protection should therefore not be a peripheral consideration but a central driver of resilience. Infrastructure development is equally important. Expanding cold-chain capacity, rehabilitating rural roads, and improving efficiency at ports and airports would reduce post-harvest losses and uphold product quality.

Standard Investment Bank (SIB) says the National Treasury is selling its 15 percent stake in Safaricom at a discount of 15.4 percent, based on comparisons of recent transactions of similar assets and the telco’s expected future earnings.

The transaction announced last week is priced at Sh34 per share where the buyer -South Africa’s Vodacom Group will pay the government Sh204.3 billion for the six billion shares.

The investment bank however sees the fair value of the company at Sh40.19, signifying a higher premium to the prevailing market price and Vodacom’s offer price.

‘The transaction price of Sh34 is a premium of 20.6 percent to the current market price but a discount of 15.4 percent to our fair value estimate of the business,’ SIB said in a research note.

The fair value is a measure of an asset’s current market value which assumes a free negotiated price between a buyer and the seller.

The higher fair value estimate of Safaricom suggests that the government could be leaving about Sh37.1 billion on the table by selling its 15 percent stake in the telecom’s operator at Sh34 per share.

The government has also sold its rights to receive Sh55.7 billion worth of future dividends on what will be its residual stake of 20 percent in Safaricom to Vodacom for an upfront payment of Sh40.2 billion, discounting the future cash flows by Sh15.5 billion.

The National Treasury has stood by its valuation of the company amid contention on pricing from various quarters, highlighting the divestiture to an existing partner in Vodacom and low settlement risks.

‘The partial divestiture especially to an existing partner like Vodacom enables the government to realize optimal value from its mature investment by selling at Sh34 per share which represents a significant premium compared to the market price as opposed to an on-market sale which would typically attract a discount to the market price,’ the Treasury said in a sessional paper to Parliament.

‘It has also been agreed that the proceeds generated will be paid in US dollars amounting to $1.577 billion. This transaction eliminates any settlement risk, as Vodacom has a strong financial capacity and proven track record in completing similar investments.’

The shareholding of the South African multinational in Safaricom will rise to a controlling 55 percent from the current 35 percent. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firm is also buying a five percent stake in Safaricom from its parent firm Vodafone Group at a cost of Sh68.1 billion and at the same price of Sh34 per share.

‘Vodacom Group Limited, will in effect gain control premium on Safaricom Plc, implying that Safaricom financials will be consolidated by Vodacom Group Limited, with the remaining shareholding treated as minority, in line with IFRS standard,’ SIB added.

The government says proceeds from the transaction are expected to be deployed to critical infrastructure investment priorities including energy, roads, water and airports.

The National Treasury has asked Members of Parliament (MPs) to give the transaction the green light and has also highlighted approvals and notifications from relevant regulators and stakeholders including the Competition Authority of Kenya, the Central Bank of Kenya, Communications Authority of Kenya and the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

‘The National Assembly is requested to consider and approve the proposal for partial divestiture by the government of Kenya of its shareholding from 35 percent to 20 percent in Safaricom Plc,’ the National Treasury said.

During this holiday season, nyama choma will be on most tables, often served with a little extra salt for more flavour. It may seem harmless to sprinkle ‘just a bit more.’

Still, nutritionist Maryanne Wanza says that habit, especially when combined with alcohol – a common pairing with nyama choma – can work against your health.

High salt intake with alcohol can accelerate dehydration, and frequent indulgence in salty meats increases cardiovascular risk. Additionally, high-salt marinades or sides like kachumbari further add to your overall sodium load.

That extra pinch of salt on the meat, plus salty sauces and sides, can quickly push you beyond safe daily limits.

“And the same would be true with any other foods prepared with too much salt. So, best practice is having meats lightly salted in the cooking process and not added at the table,” she says.

How excess salt affects your body

The sodium in salt (sodium chloride) is an essential nutrient that helps the body maintain proper fluid balance, supports nerve function, and enables muscles to contract and relax. The problem is not salt itself, but how much of it we take.

Once consumed, dietary salt (sodium) is absorbed into the bloodstream, where it regulates fluid balance by pulling water towards itself. Excess salt will therefore draw in more water, increasing blood volume.

More blood volume, Ms Wanza explains, means more pressure on artery walls as the heart works harder to pump blood around the body.

“Over time, the arteries stiffen, leading to chronic high blood pressure.”

Besides hypertension, she says high salt (sodium) consumption is associated with stroke, kidney disease and kidney stones, osteoporosis (because salt causes calcium loss in urine), excess water retention and swelling which worsens heart failure (CHF) symptoms.

“There is some evidence that links high salt consumption to the prevalence of stomach cancer,” she adds.

One teaspoon per day

The adequate intake allowance of iodised salt is set for adults (14 years and above) at less than 5g of salt per day, or approximately 1 teaspoon, which is equivalent to 2300mg of sodium.

“For children, it should be less, depending on age, and people with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions should take less than 4g of salt, which is equal to 1500mg sodium.”

It is easy to cross this line without realising it. Raising children on salty snacks and heavily seasoned foods from a very young age can increase the risk of early onset elevated blood pressure and obesity, as high-salt foods also tend to be high in fat.

Additionally, Ms Wanza says they can develop long-term taste preferences for salty foods, which are hard to reverse.

How to cut back without losing flavour

An early warning sign that your salt intake may be too high is hypernatremia, a condition where sodium in the blood is too high.

Ms Wanza says mild symptoms may include oedema (swelling) of the lower limbs or face, excessive thirst, headaches, weakness, muscle spasms, watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.

“Severe symptoms, especially in unmanaged hypernatremia, may include seizure, coma and death.”

For people who are addicted to adding salt, she advises tasting food before reaching for the saltshaker, gradually reducing salt over 2-4 weeks to allow taste buds to adjust, and using natural flavour enhancers such as garlic, ginger, lemon, herbs and spices.

They can also avoid adding salt at the table and opt for low-sodium seasoning cubes and sauces instead.

That way, you still enjoy your nyama choma and festive meals – just without overworking your heart and arteries in the process.

The year 1995 was in some respects a banner year for the nascent technology industry – the PalmPilot was a smash hit, PlayStation took the world by storm, and a company named after a rainforest started selling books online.

The desktop computer was revolutionising access to computing, and Windows 95 had just been launched, rapidly becoming the world’s most popular operating system.

Thirty years later, people have a powerful computer in their back pocket – their smartphone, gamers across the globe can play together online, and technology is present in every facet of our lives.

Life as we know it has been transformed by crucial innovations at key moments, enabling technology to be more accessible to billions of people, and opening avenues toward a vibrant global digital economy.

These innovations have changed technology from something you use – hardware – to something that is accessible through many channels.

Today, the world is on the brink of another transformative era. Harnessing the power of AI, not only can companies and corporations introduce new efficiencies and speed of operations, but anyone with an idea can build something, opening the door for non-technical people to get involved in the technology world, from anywhere in the world.

Harnessing local skills, ideas, innovation and know-how, entrepreneurs and companies can stoke the fires of a global AI economy. So, what can we learn from previous key innovations that changed the landscape?

A pivotal moment in the tech industry was the move to the cloud. With this evolution, it was no longer about hardware, it was about solutions.

The adoption of cloud technology provided scalable, cost-effective solutions that are accessible to individuals and enterprises of all sizes.

This would not have been possible without the development of critical infrastructure including improved broadband connectivity and the establishment of datacentres to provide cloud access.

The focus of hyperscale cloud providers on developing data centres early on played a critical role in the rapid diffusion of cloud in Africa and enabled African enterprises to leapfrog some of the traditional IT constraints, fostering innovation and economic growth.

The hyperscale cloud infrastructure has enabled countless businesses to leverage secure, enterprise-grade cloud services, accelerating their AI transformation journeys.

Robust technology infrastructure ecosystem development continues to be vital to economic growth, with future plans for additional data centres and edge nodes across the continent scaling infrastructure for the AI digital economy.

Mobile technology is the next innovation that dramatically increased access to digital services, which is particularly relevant in Africa, where remote locations and underdeveloped infrastructure were barriers to entry.

With mobile phones being more affordable and widespread than traditional computers, millions of people could now find information, education, and services that were previously out of reach.

African entrepreneurs have developed life-changing services using mobile technology, with pioneers like M-Pesa in Kenya revolutionising the way people conduct transactions, allowing those without access to traditional banking to save, transfer money, and pay for goods and services.

Other Kenyan startups like Twiga Foods and SunCulture have harnessed the power of mobile to boost food security, providing smallholder farmers with resources and access to markets through technology-aided agriculture.

Now, integration of AI in mobile technology is transforming smartphones into highly intelligent and adaptive devices, while governments and businesses are increasingly using 4G and 5G networks alongside technologies like AI and IoT to enhance productivity and service delivery.

By harnessing local skills, ideas, innovation and know-how, African entrepreneurs and companies can stoke the fires of a global AI economy. The opportunity is enormous.

According to PwC’s Global Artificial Intelligence Study, it is estimated that AI will contribute more than $1.2 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030.

With the IDC forecasting global AI-centric system spending to surpass $300 billion by 2026 and ICT spending in Sub-Saharan Africa to exceed $110 billion by 2027.

Certainties in life, sunrise, sunset, and death. If you’ve followed hip-hop long enough, another certainty is 50 Cent’s hatred for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

At first, I used to think their beef was manufactured, another promotional stunt, the kind of thing artistes do to sell records or hype a tour.

But, with time, I came to realise it’s different, personal to some extent. 50 Cent hates Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to the point that after Combs was sentenced in October 2025, he went as far as executive producing a Netflix docuseries on him. Which is the show we are looking at today, to figure out whether there was a story that needed to be told or if 50 was just being petty.

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

Directed by Alex Stapleton and released on December 2, 2025, the four-part miniseries digs into the hip-hop mogul’s past and sexual misconduct allegations against him. Each episode runs about an hour, and together they paint a dark, unsettling portrait of one of hip-hop’s most controversial figures.

The production credits include G-Unit Films, House of Nonfiction, and Texas Crew Productions, with 50 Cent himself listed as executive producer.

Knowing that, to be honest, I expected bias, but I was surprised by how competently put together this is. I’m going to attempt to keep the review as spoiler-free as possible.

What stood out

The first thing that had my full attention was the utilisation of archival footage and pictures. I’ve seen plenty of documentaries recycle and lazily put together the same old clips when telling this kind of story, but here I was impressed by how they were able to stitch them together.

There are moments with Notorious B.I.G. I have never seen before, plus behind-the-scenes footage from the 90s and candid recordings of Combs in later years that I had seen before on YouTube but now make compelling arguments based on how they are stitched together.

As someone who’s followed Diddy’s story closely, I thought I knew most of it, but some of this footage genuinely caught me off guard.

The edit combines interviews with former friends, business partners, and insiders to create contextually rich moments. Each episode starts and ends with text on screen. At first, I thought it got repetitive, obnoxious even. But, by the final episode, I realised the repetition was a setup, some kind of anchor that kept reminding us where we are today with the character, tying the whole narrative together and eventually revealing something much more sinister that goes beyond what was being presented.

The series flows like a crime docuseries. You know that feeling when you’re hooked even though the subject is disturbing? That’s what happened here. The way they cut between interviews and footage makes Combs’ life feel like the profile of a manipulator, which, if we are being honest here, he is, based on what was presented, especially in episode 4.

Episodes one through three are really engaging if you love hip-hop. They take you back to the Bad Boy era, the 90s, the Tupac-Biggie beef, and the rise of Puff Daddy. For millennials, nostalgic but also revealing. It reminded me how chaotic that time was, and how Combs was the one figure who came out on top while others perished.

That survival becomes part of the bigger argument and question, revealing how he thrived in a system built on manipulation and exploitation.

One testimony that really hit me was Kirk Burrowes, a founding member of Bad Boy Records. His story about how Combs treated him was heavy. Burrowes’ account felt like the emotional heart of the series and a huge lesson on business.

I also liked the music choices and some of the classic hip-hop artistes involved. They’re woven in carefully, never overwhelming the interviews but adding to the tone, context and mood.

Gripes

The biggest issue is that the documentary sometimes tells you what to think. Instead of laying out the evidence and letting you decide, it spells out conclusions. I thought it would be stronger if it laid out the evidence and trusted the audience to piece the rest together on their own.

A lot of the material isn’t new if you’ve followed Combs’ story closely. Personally, I’d already seen most of the archival footage and pictures through YouTube clips and articles. But that’s me, for casual viewers, it’ll feel fresh.

The uniqueness, I thought, was in the editing and pacing, recent clips, and structure, how they utilised what they had to paint a compelling image.

There’s enough evidence presented in the docuseries to prove that Sean Combs is just a terrible human being, enabled by power and influence. I wasn’t convinced by the attempts to explain Combs’ behaviour through his childhood, let’s call a spoon a spoon.

I get the idea that trauma shapes people, but I thought those detours distracted from the real story. The bigger issue is the system he was mentored into, a system built on exploitation and manipulation.

And there are gaps. Some notorious aspects of Combs’ life, like his infamous parties, are barely explored. The absence of some specific celebrity voices who were around the parties across the decades felt like a missed opportunity.

I mean, a large majority of your favourite Hollywood stars attended the ‘freak-offs,’ but we hardly see the stars get interviewed.

I would have wished to hear from other artistes who worked with Sean Combs in the past like Mase, Jay Z (which I know would be impossible based on his relationship with 50 cent) Lebron James or 112, just to get an idea of what they thought of him

What makes it unique

What makes The Reckoning work is its structure and execution. Even if much of the footage isn’t new, the way it’s assembled creates a compelling arc. It’s a portrait of a man who built an empire on manipulation and exploitation.

The repetition of text, the deliberate pacing, the balance of nostalgia and drama, all of it adds up to a documentary that looks and feels well thought through..

Final thoughts

For me, Sean Combs: The Reckoning is one of the most gripping documentaries on Netflix this year. It’s not perfect, it spoon-feeds conclusions, skips over some notorious details, and occasionally tries to soften Combs with childhood context, but it’s still very engaging. And I know this will sound strange to say, but it’s very entertaining.

If you’re a hip-hop fan, you’ll appreciate the trip back to the foundation with individuals I call the founding fathers of hip-hop. If you’re not, you’ll still be drawn in by the structured and chilling look at how one man manipulated an entire industry.

From time to time I’ve written here about the relationship between the public and private sectors, going back to when I first started being deeply engaged in this interface in the 1990s.

My last article on this was a year ago, when we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa), the umbrella body of the private sector.

What’s prompted this one was last month’s Kepsa Speaker’s Roundtable with the National Assembly, to address policy bottlenecks and fast-track economic delivery. Such high-level events are always very helpful, not just for the formal agreements reached, but for the quiet behind-the-scenes relationship and trust building, and the mutual influencing.

Kepsa and its two million direct and indirect constituent business and professional member organisations have certainly not been spectators in law-making, as they actively engage with the three arms of government through the now well-established public-private dialogue platforms.

What we see is that businesses that wish to see a level playing field which creates an enabling and meritocratic environment are the ones likely to join such associations, while for many others this is the opposite of what they seek.

We have a whole spectrum, from the responsible players who engage constructively with each other, with the government and other partners, to the ones who opt to operate on their own, wheeling and dealing as they defy ethical behaviour. Plus so many in between, swinging one way or another.

Whether you are in government, in civil society, or just an ordinary citizen, it’s good to acknowledge the evolution of the private sector, from just profit-driven to today’s more sustainability-focused, with ‘profits, planet and people’ at the heart of business strategies, and treating all stakeholders fairly.

What I particularly liked about the outcome of the recent Speakers Roundtable is that Kepsa and the National Assembly will meet quarterly to review progress on what was agreed.

And that they will look beyond the electoral cycle and beyond Vision 2030. This will ensure transparency and accountability in the joint efforts to translate ‘Policy to Practice’ and deliver through business and government partnership, the theme of the roundtable.

The event was structured to facilitate sector-specific discussions involving departmental committees on Energy, Health, Communication, Information and Innovation, Trade, Regional Integration, and Finance and National Planning.

So, what sort of things were agreed upon? First, cross-cutting issues such as driving national competitiveness; exploring inward-focused opportunities and alternative markets within Africa to enhance regional economic integration and resilience; developing adaptive, responsive policies and legislation; and a tripartite meeting between the private sector, Parliament, and the Judiciary to ensure alignment of the legislative and judicial systems to support a conducive business environment.

Then, on the state of the economy, to promote innovative investment channels for diaspora remittances; have the banking sector develop and implement a transparent, standardised credit pricing model; further explore and restructure Public Private Partnerships to unlock fiscal resources, accelerate infrastructure and service delivery, and alleviate budgetary and public debt service pressures on the national exchequer; address fiscal crowding-out by the public sector and curb overreach by the government agencies; and prioritise export-led economic expansion.

On the cost of doing business, to transition to precise, geo-referenced boundaries for all land parcels to enhance tenure security, reduce disputes and streamline administrative processes; continue to advocate for the implementation of a one-stop-shop mechanism for land administration; explore an energy tariff structure exclusive to telecommunications operators; involve the private sector in the digital infrastructure; and explore proposals around formulation of an infrastructure to regulate data generation, sharing and monetisation.

Finally, on productivity, the digital economy and the social market economy, to collaborate in the enhancement of a structured and evidence-based gig economy; commit to intensifying and diversifying programmes and policy coherence that foster specialised, market-relevant skills among the youth, with deliberate integration of innovation in ICT to drive employability, entrepreneurship and digital transformation.

Kepsa chairperson Jas Bedi noted that real progress from this engagement will be measured by how many jobs are created, how affordable energy becomes, how competitive exports are, and how secure Kenya’s fiscal footing remains.

The fundamentals of Kenya’s economy are improving, he stated. Together, he was confident that we could turn this moment of recovery into a decade of sustainable, inclusive growth.

After seven years of a moratorium, Kenya has seen minimal new power plants onboarded to the grid. Unfortunately, it took a crisis to lift the moratorium despite the warnings for a while now.

Be that as it may, we are all glad that the summons and restrictions are now behind us-stakeholders in the electricity space will tell you they are now a little too familiar with two legislative houses, the carpets and seats, thanks to the summons they’ve had to attend to over the seven years.

In Kenya, the private sector accounts for 35 percent of the current installed capacity. To add to that, they also account for $2.2 billion in foreign direct investment in the electricity sector alone. In the just-released Energy Compact 2025-2030, the government is seeking more involvement of the private sector beyond power generation.

With an urgent need to improve the transmission infrastructure in Kenya, the government is seeking nearly $1 billion from the private sector out of the $250 million that Kenya Electricity Transmission Company needs per year, for the next 20 years.

The urgency to improve our transmission infrastructure has never been so urgent, more so with the country at the forefront of the regional power pool conversation.

In addition to that, the government is also targeting more than $2 billion for the generation capacity in the same timeframe. This translates to double the current private investment of independent power producers (IPPs) in the country today. This not only requires collaboration with the private sector, but it also signals confidence in the private sector.

In most economies, the private sector has been known to lead the technology development front.

The balance of maintaining a good reputation and efficiency forces the private sector to deliver. Most world-changing developments in different fields have been led by the private sector. It is no different in the energy sector.

In the spirit of collaboration and utilising the private sector in Kenya, the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Directorate, in its framework, seeks to ‘accelerate infrastructure delivery by leveraging private sector efficiency and innovation.’

Recently, President William Ruto made pronouncements of developing 10GW of power. While this is overly ambitious compared to our current 3GW installed capacity, it is visionary.

And while the sector is finally aligned on the need for new generation capacity, it is also a good time to align these ambitions with a proper framework. Generation must, however, always be coupled with demand.

The Least Cost Power Development Plan is a good guide for the sector as it is informed largely by the realities of our economy and times. One thing time has made clear for us today is the need for proper data to make predictions and plans for the future.

Population growth is predicted to continue rising, and power demand has steadily grown by 7.4 percent in 2024-25 alone; the call for more generation well aligns with the need for it.

Unlike the case of the egg and chicken on who came first, demand and generation must go hand-in-hand. It will be unwise to build capacity without an assured uptake in the end. If anything, it will be way more expensive for the country in the end, and the investor confidence in this case is wanting.

One thing about capital is that it loves security. We’ve already established what we need. We know how to get it. What we now need is to assign the risks accordingly. Lay out the structures and policies, and the blessed assurance of return on investment will be a reality.