Category: Business Daily

Africa Eats, a venture capital (VC) firm financing African companies in the agriculture value chain, is set to list an exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Nairobi Securities Exchange in a quest to raise funding from local investors.

The VC fund, which is listed in Mauritius, says it is waiting for the approval of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) before bringing the ETF to market and will comprise the investment vehicle and its portfolio companies.

An ETF is defined as a listed investment product which tracks the performance of a particular index or a basket of shares, bonds, money market instruments or a single commodity. ETFs are traded on an exchange just like an ordinary share, with prices being determined by demand and supply.

The Africa Eats ETF will give investors exposure to the fund and its portfolio companies.

Africa Eats has 24 portfolio companies, three of which are also listed in Mauritius, while its local footprint includes Nyota, a seller of frozen vegetables and cereals.

Other Kenyan-based firms in the portfolio are Chicken Basket-a seller of chicken feed and marketer of chicken, and Boka Eats, which manufactures and sells animal feeds for smallholder farmers.

The VC has favoured an ETF listing over a cross-listing, citing the lack of sizeable foreign listings on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

‘The reason we are working on an ETF instead of cross-listing all of the companies is that the NSE only has one foreign company listed (Bank of Kigali),’ said Africa Eats Chief Executive and Co-founder Luni Libes.

‘The right answer for us after engaging the NSE and other stakeholders is creating a wrapper for Kenya through the ETF. The likely path is to cross-list each operation in the country where it is based, but leave Africa Eats listed in Mauritius.’

The venture capital fund will become NSE’s third exchange-traded fund after the Absa New Gold ETF, a commodity tracking the market price of gold bullion and the Satrix MSCI World Feeder ETF, which tracks the Morgan Stanley Capital International World Index comprising large and mid-cap stocks in 23 developed markets.

Africa Eats has deployed an estimated Sh1.8 billion ($14 million) to take up strategic minority stakes in the 24 portfolio companies, with a further Sh129 million ($1 million) being cash at hand. The portfolio companies achieved Sh7 billion ($55 million) in total revenues in 2025.

Africa Eats does not currently collect dividends from the portfolio companies, allowing them to tap retained earnings to accelerate growth.

The venture fund was initially financed using raises from family offices but incorporated institutional investors after its December 2024 listing.

The fund has two other co-founders who together serve as the employees of Africa Eats, Jumaane Tafawa and Lilian Nshangeki. Mr Libes also serves as the Chairman of the VC, while Mr Tafawa and Ms Nshangeki are board members.

The three take inspiration from American investor and chairman of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, and they expect to maintain their stakes in the growth companies over the long term.

‘We are using the public markets to raise money rather than cash out. We are a permanent investor-the Berkshire Hathaway of Africa. We intend to own most of these companies 60 years from now,’ added Mr Libes.

‘Our target base is fast-growing, profitable food and agriculture companies that are building the supply chains. We are a permanent capital vehicle, we are not a holding company or a conglomerate, and we are not controlling these companies.’

Africa Eats has minority stakes in firms through equity and debt investments and helps scale the companies through a business accelerator before maintaining the shareholding for the long term.

Other Africa Eats portfolio companies are Ghana’s Agromyx, Uganda’s Green Charcoal, Malawi’s Honey Products and Ethiopia’s Obamastove.

Safaricom has raised its interim dividend payout by 54.5 percent, nearly matching its half-year profit growth in a move that will see the government pocket Sh11.92 billion ahead of its partial divestiture from the telco.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm announced it will pay an interim dividend of Sh0.85 per share, up from Sh0.55 per share it had paid in the last two financial years.

‘The Board of Safaricom Plc is pleased to announce that at its meeting held on 4th February 2026, it was resolved to approve the payment of an interim dividend of Sh0.85 per ordinary share for the year ending 31st March 2026,’ said the telco in a public notice.

‘The interim dividend will be payable to shareholders on the register of members as at the close of business on 25th February 2026 and will be paid on or about 31st March 2026.”

The announcement follows the company booking a 52.1 percent net profit growth to Sh42.7 billion in the half year ended September, buoyed by double digit growth of the financial services platform M-Pesa.

Safaricom will pay an aggregate interim dividend of Sh34.05 billion to its shareholders, with the government taking Sh11.92 billion for its 35 percent stake.

The government signed an agreement to sell a 15 percent in the company to Vodacom Group in a deal that will also see the National Treasury receive an advance dividend of Sh40.2 billion, representing a discount of Sh15.5 billion on a total stream of future payouts of Sh55.7 billion it would be entitled to on its residual stake of 20 percent.

The spike in interim dividend signals a rise in the total payout for the current financial year, with the company having maintained a distribution of Sh1.2 per share in the previous three years.

The Sh34.05 billion interim pay is equivalent to 70.8 percent last year’s total payout of Sh48.08 billion, signaling higher pay for this financial year, which ends March 2026 and results set for release in early May.

Safaricom has a policy of paying 80 percent of its net profits as dividends and it has committed to continue with this payout ratio despite substantial growth in borrowings.

The jump in dividends confirms Vodacom’s earlier estimate that it will recoup the advance dividend to be paid to the government within two or three years.

“So…we actually fully expect it to be paid down in just over two years,” Shaun Biljon, the group financial controller at Vodacom, said in December 2025.

Safaricom’s share price rallied to highs of Sh32.5 in Thursday’s trading session, approaching the Sh34 per share at which the government is selling its six billion shares to Vodacom.

Yvonne Muinde’s first commissioned artwork was a motorbike mural she painted for her twin brother when she was about 11 years old.

While her brother was outgoing and social, Yvonne preferred to stay home and paint, draw and doodle. She also loved the comic book series Asterix and Obelix, and her bedroom walls were covered with stickers, much to her mother’s dismay.

Yvonne’s love for art was influenced by Spanish artist Salvador Dalí (Dalí’s paintings also evince a fascination for Classical and Renaissance art), and she loved surrealism.

“I found it fascinating that we could mix all these different worlds and things together,” she said.

Today, 51-year-old Yvonne is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning matte painter and visual artist. She has worked on films such as Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, San Andreas (2015), Meg 2: The Trench (2023), and Godzilla x Kong (2024), among her 46 visual effects credits. Most recently, Yvonne and her company, Ikweta Arts, released a trailer for the Road to Shujaa documentary, for which she is the filmmaker.

Yvonne was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. She attended Loreto Convent Msongari, and when selecting courses before taking the KCSE exam, she chose art courses for her university studies. Her headmistress at Loreto, Sister Pauline, gave her a prospectus for the Savannah College of Art and Design to study fine art.

“I think Sister Pauline thought, ‘This one actually just wants to paint.’ My parents were very supportive, and I quickly packed a suitcase and left for the US, hoping to become an amazing painter.’

Exploring social narratives has always been important to Yvonne. After completing her studies in 2003, she painted a piece called “Blinded by Greed” and wrote the title in Braille.

Then, she was picked up by the John Pence Gallery, a well-established gallery in San Francisco.

“I was in one of the best galleries in the city,” she said. But as a young artist trying to find her way, I made a lot of mistakes. I felt like the gallery owner was trying to push me into a style of painting I wasn’t interested in. I packed my things and walked out. Then, I moved to another gallery, Bradford Codwell, and finally, to the Thelma Harris Gallery in Oakland, in the Bay Area.

While doing work for galleries, she ended up in a commercial mural studio. They painted a lot of stuff for casinos in Las Vegas. She remembers being tasked with painting a cauliflower for the lunch area of the Harrah’s Las Vegas hotel and casino.

In the Bay Area, there was beautiful public art all over the Mission District, San Francisco’s oldest neighbourhood. Seeing this inspired her to do something more meaningful than painting cherubs.

She started applying for grants. She applied to the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library in Denver, received the grant, and painted a mural themed “Moving West” for the lobby. She was paid enough to buy a plane ticket and fly her father in from Nairobi for the mural’s unveiling.

“My dad is very open-minded. He never saw my art as inferior. It was an extremely proud moment for me to have him see it.’

Her dream of ending up in a museum also came true. A collector purchased two of her pieces and added them to the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Arts’ collection, “The Chemistry of Colour.” However, living in the Bay Area was expensive. Her husband, whom she met 25 years ago, worked at Tippett Studios and was the first to tell her that her skills were transferable to visual effects.

“After three years of asking a lot of questions, I landed at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the folks who made Star Wars. I spent my first year there. That’s where I learnt how to teach visual effects and how I believe the skill is transferred.’

Yvonne then moved to Animal Logic, a visual effects company in Australia, for two years, where she worked on Happy Feet. After that, she spent eight years at Weta Digital as the only woman in a “sea of 1,500 people” and head of matte painting.

She then moved to Scanline VFX in Vancouver, Canada, where she worked as head of environments and matte painting for four years. There, she worked on Black Panther (2018), Game of Thrones and Guardians of the Galaxy, among others.

After 28 years abroad, Yvonne returned to Nairobi about seven years ago. Scanline VFX was already working in a remote pipeline, so she requested to relocate to Nairobi.

Though she returned to Nairobi with a three-month contract, it lasted five years after the pandemic normalised remote work. Yvonne and her husband founded Ikweta Arts in Nairobi with the sole aim of telling authentic African stories. The couple has already written a story titled ‘First Universe.’

She picked up new clients along the way while working for DNEG in Australia, and she is currently working on her first Chinese film. During this time,

Now that she has stabilised the company, Yvonne has resumed painting and hopes to display her artwork in galleries again.

Yvonne says the documentary, The Road to Shujaa, is personal to her because she loves sports. A triathlete, she is one of the few Kenyan women to have ever completed a full Ironman, which she did for her 50th birthday in 2024. Another “extremely personal” story that Ikweta Arts is working on is Guardians of the Mountain, a story about Mount Kenya.

Since her return, Yvonne has noted a lack of understanding of what visual effects are, their potential, and what they can bring to the country.

“We need to expand our vision so that we can dream bigger and achieve more. We need to create more learning pathways and pipelines. How many credits run through every time you watch a movie? Those are all jobs; people doing something they love.”

In 2024, Nairobi hosted the first visual effects creative festival, sponsored by Création Africa. Industry leaders came to speak about VFX, including five Academy members (Yvonne among them) and six Visual Effects Society members.

“For me, art is ever-evolving. It’s difficult to pursue what you love when there are so many obstacles along the way. It’s not a smooth journey; you have to be passionate about what you do. You need to pay it forward, and you need to share what you’ve learned. You can’t keep it to yourself. It’s not a sprint; it’s a long, steady run. Pace yourself. But at the end of the day, it’s completely worthwhile.

Are you struggling to find healthy, yet fulfilling snacks? Beef jerky can be the perfect chewy snack, and you can make it at home. Homemade beef jerky, seasoned, cured and dried by hand, is gaining popularity for its rich taste. BDLife spoke to an executive on how to make it.

Recipe By Executive Chef Stephen Karanja Safari Park

1. Homemade beef jerkyIngredients:

2lbs lean beef (top round, eye of round, or flank steak)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp curing salt

Instructions:

Choose and slice the beef

Pick a lean cut (fat can cause spoilage).

Partially freeze beef for 1-2 hours for easier slicing.

Slice against the grain for a tender chew or with the grain for a chewier jerky.

Cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick strips.

Marinate

In a large zip-top bag or bowl, combine all marinade ingredients.

Add beef strips and coat well.

Refrigerate and marinate at least 6 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours for stronger flavor).

Dry the Jerky

Oven method:

Preheat oven to 170°F (75°C) or the lowest setting.

Line a baking sheet with foil; place a wire rack on top.

Lay beef strips in a single layer (not overlapping).

Dry in oven with the door slightly open (to let moisture escape) for 3-6 hours, checking for doneness (jerky should bend and crack but not snap).

Dehydrator method:

Set dehydrator to 160°F (70°C).

Dry jerky for 4-6 hours or until firm and dry.

Storage:

Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Room temp: up to 1 week

Fridge: up to 1 month

Freezer: up to 3 months

2.Yellow Smoothie – Immunity Booster

Mangoes are in plenty. Let them not go to waste. Make a smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 cup mango

½ banana

½ cup Greek yogurt

½ cup orange juice

Blend all the ingredients together in low speed

Benefits:

It is high in vitamin A, C and probiotics, this smoothie strengthens the immune system, improves digestion and supports healthy vision.

Mango’s natural sweetness also makes it a refreshing morning drink.

The ride-hailing industry is emerging as one of the key drivers of the electric mobility industry, with almost a quarter of all electric vehicles and motorcycles in Kenya now operating on the platforms.

Bolt, one of the top ride-hailing firms, has disclosed that of the 24,754 electric vehicles and motorcycles currently in Kenya, 5,808 are operating on its platform, accounting for about 23 percent.

While other ride-hailing firms such as Uber and Little have not disclosed how many EVs are operating on their platforms, Bolt’s figures paint a picture of a heavy concentration of EVs in the ride-hailing industry, as many drivers on these platforms often cross-list on multiple apps.

This highlights how the fast-growing digital taxi industry is boosting the adoption of e-mobility in Kenya, supporting the transition to low-emission transport options in efforts against climate change.

Bolt East Africa General Manager Dimmy Kanyankole told the Business Daily that the ride-hailing sector is attracting several EV sign-ups because drivers retain more earnings due to lower operating costs.

‘Ride-hailing is helping electric vehicles reach scale much faster than private ownership alone by combining income-generating use with lower operating costs,’ he said.

‘There are also partnerships with financial institutions that enable drivers to acquire electric vehicles more affordably.’

He adds that EVs on the Bolt platform get a higher utilisation rate than combustion engine vehicles because they are cheaper on the platform. ‘This allows drivers to realise earnings faster,’ he said.

The Ministry of Roads and Transport revealed in the recently launched E-mobility policy that Kenya’s EV uptake has skyrocketed since 2022, with the number of EVs on Kenyan roads growing from just 796 in 2022 to 24,754 in 2025.

Most of the EVs are motorcycles, followed by other units like buses and passenger cars.

Ride-hailing firms introduced EVs on their platforms in 2023, with Bolt and Uber announcing a phased transition beginning with electric motorcycles in Kenya. Now, Bolt says the electric two-wheelers account for 40 percent of all two-wheelers on its platforms, while EVs account for 11 percent of all the cars it has listed.

The government is also contributing to the increased uptake of EVs, with a target of acquiring at least 3,000 EVs for ministries by the end of next year. Kenya Power has also announced a phased transition to electric vehicles.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, supporting millions of households and a major contributor to national growth.

Given the sector’s crucial role, the country has embarked on a mass livestock vaccination against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

FMD has long been a major obstacle to livestock productivity, especially among smallholder farmers. This group has struggled with high treatment and vaccination costs, recurrent outbreaks, and reduced milk and meat yields. Therefore, government’s decision to implement a coordinated, subsidised, mass vaccination programme offers them relief.

Through this campaign, the government aims to vaccinate 22 million cattle and 50 million sheep and goats, with activities starting in 11 counties including Meru, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Kajiado, Bungoma, Bomet, and Narok.

The initiative will soon be scaled to all 47 counties as Kenya targets 70 percent vaccination coverage within four years, the internationally accepted threshold for effective FMD control.

As of 27th November 2025, approximately 40,000 farmers and 250,000 cattle had been onboarded, with 200,000 animals vaccinated. With early implementation challenges now addressed, the project is expected to accelerate significantly in the coming weeks.

This campaign is anchored on strong partnerships between the government, private sector, and development partners. Key collaborators include the World Bank through the National Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA), county governments, and community-based cooperatives.

The involvement of these diverse players ensures that the programme is consultative, technically sound, and grounded in the realities confronting farmers.

Additionally, the collaboration injects the exercise with the requisite skills, insights and experiences crucial in making it a success.

It also creates opportunities for private veterinary surgeons and para-professionals to earn income and expand their skills through participation.

A central pillar of the campaign is the subsidised vaccine model. Farmers now pay Sh50 per animal, a reduction from the previous cost of Sh160.

The subsidy is particularly important to smallholders, who often bear the highest brunt of livestock diseases yet can’t afford the high cost of treatment.

Benefits of controlling FMD are far-reaching. Outbreaks of the disease cause massive losses, estimated at up to Sh62 billion annually, due to livestock deaths, reduced productivity, and restrictions on trade.

By preventing these losses, the vaccination programme strengthens livelihoods, improves food production, and contributes to national economic growth.

Kenya’s livestock sector already contributes Sh1.4 trillion to the economy and employs nearly half of the agricultural workforce. The government’s ambition to raise the sector’s GDP contribution from 12 percent to 20 percent by 2027 depends heavily on disease control initiatives. Increased production will help reduce national milk deficit and cut dependence on imports. The country currently produces about six billion litres annually against a demand of seven billion litres.

Beyond domestic benefits, the FMD campaign is also a strategic investment in Kenya’s export potential. International markets, including the European Union, impose stringent sanitary requirements that Kenya has historically struggled to meet due to persistent livestock diseases.

Effective control of FMD will pave the way for higher-value exports of meat, milk, hides, and value-added products such as cheese and leather, thereby boosting foreign exchange earnings.

Concerns initially raised about safety have since been dispelled. The vaccines are made locally by the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute, which has assured farmers of their safety and efficacy. With ongoing sensitisation, farmer uptake is bound to rise going forward.

As this historic vaccination drive gains momentum, farmers are encouraged to fully embrace the programme. Protecting livestock from FMD is not only a preventive action but also an investment in higher productivity, better incomes, and improved quality of life.

The mass vaccination campaign represents a pivotal moment for Kenya’s livestock industry and a defining step towards a more food-secure, economically empowered future.

The programme is also expected to create 11,000 jobs, including 1,350 veterinary surgeons and 10,000 para-professionals, many of whom are already actively engaged.

This not only injects income into rural economies but also strengthens professional networks and enhances service delivery across the country.

Collaboration with the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) has been essential in ensuring qualified veterinary practitioners are brought onboard.

Technology and innovation are central to the success of this vaccination campaign. A digital e-voucher system guarantees transparency, accountability, and efficiency in service delivery.

The adoption of advanced animal identification technology using unique muzzle patterns, marks a major shift from traditional tagging and branding.

This cutting-edge system enhances traceability, improves disease surveillance, and offers a powerful tool for deterring livestock theft.

The High Court has temporarily halted the Nairobi Hospital’s annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for Friday, following a petition by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.

Mr Omtatah, alongside Bernard Muchiri and Naomi Misati, have questioned the legitimacy of the register of members, which determines voting rights at the AGM, claiming that it has been manipulated.

The petitioners further allege systemic mismanagement, which they claimed has pushed the hospital to the brink of financial and operational collapse.

‘That a conservatory order is hereby issued restraining the 1st and 2nd Respondents (the board of management), whether by themselves, their agents, servants, employees, proxies, or any person acting under their authority, from convening, holding, conducting, facilitating, or in any manner whatsoever proceeding with the annual general meeting of the Kenya Hospital Association scheduled for February 6, 2026, or any adjournment or continuation thereof,’ said the court.

The court stated that the order would remain in force until February 23, when the case would be mentioned or until further directions.

About 15 cases have been filed over leadership and governance issues at the premier facility, with the majority of them yet to be concluded.

The Busia Senator said the Nairobi Hospital is not an ordinary private entity but a premier tertiary healthcare institution with an overwhelming public interest that has evolved over seven decades into a regional medical pillar, providing essential and specialist services to millions of Kenyans and patients from across East Africa.

He said that once the AGM is held, irreversible governance actions will be undertaken, including elections, ratifications, and resolutions, which will fundamentally alter the governance structure of the hospital, rendering the petition useless.

The petitioners allege that audited losses exceed Sh3 billion, supplier arrears surpassing Sh4 billion, and the apparent disappearance or unaccounted-for status of approximately Sh9.1 billion in accumulated depreciation funds (with only Sh572 million traceable in cash equivalents).

The petitioners said relevant State agencies have failed to act decisively to protect this public asset, despite credible evidence and judicial findings highlighting grave misconduct.

They further alleged that governance has been captured through factional board infighting that has paralyzed decision-making, sidelined essential committees (including the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), raising risks to clinical standards and patient safety), flouted procurement rules, and involved suspicious related-party transactions for personal gain.

Mr Omtatah said patient safety and professional standards have been compromised as clinical oversight structures, including the MAC representatives have been marginalized, which directly imperils the right to health.

‘That faced with this institutional meltdown and the demonstrated inability of internal and regulatory mechanisms to provide a remedy, the Petitioners have been left with no alternative but to seek the intervention of this Honourable Court as the ultimate guardian of the Constitution and public interest,’ Mr Omtatah said.

The petitioners will be seeking a declaration that The Nairobi Hospital, by virtue of its location on public trust land and its essential public health function, is an institution of paramount public interest subject to heightened constitutional accountability.

They will also be seeking an order compelling a multi-agency team comprising of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Assets recovery Agency and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to conclude the investigations they have been conducting into the affairs of the hospital and file a comprehensive status report in court within 45 days from the date of judgment.

The petition says the role assumed by The Nairobi Hospital during periods of regional crisis is neither incidental nor episodic, but reflects a settled institutional character shaped by history, capacity, and public reliance.

The petition further stated that during moments when neighbouring health systems are unable, constrained, or rendered unsuitable whether by medical complexity, security risks, political instability, or systemic overload the Hospital has repeatedly operated as a regional stabilisation and referral centre of last resort.

The Nairobi City County government is seeking to replan Westlands to limit new developments as a flurry of high-rise buildings strains infrastructure and amenities amid a surge in commercial activity that was never intended for the area.

The county has advertised a tender for a contractor to prepare a new local physical and land use development plan for the Westlands zone, which will be used as a basis to regulate new constructions in the area.

City Hall claims developments in the area have spiralled out of control, defying the original plan for Westlands.

‘Originally envisioned as an upscale low to medium-rise residential district with controlled commercial activity, Westlands has undergone rapid transformation characterised by high-rise apartments, commercial towers, mixed-use complexes, and institutional developments,’ City Hall said in a disclosure.

Westlands and Upper Hill have, over the years, been primarily targeted by developers for new projects, mainly Grade A office units, to complement the Nairobi Central Business District, where accessibility and supply of such units were limited.

‘This growth has intensified pressure on infrastructure systems such as water supply, sewerage, storm water drainage, transport networks, and social amenities, including schools, healthcare, recreational spaces, and public utilities,’ City Hall said.

‘Additionally, emerging development patterns have raised concerns regarding environmental protection, land use compatibility, urban form and the preservation of the unique character of neighbourhoods such as Loresho/Kyuna, Upper Spring Valley and Parklands,’ it added.

Westlands area constitutes seven upmarket estates including Spring Valley, Parklands, Loresho, Kyuna, Kianda Triangle, Muthangari, and Rhapta, all of which were originally designed to be residential areas.

According to City Hall, most of the new developments in these neighbourhoods have not followed the original plan and have raised concerns about the preservation of the ‘unique character’ of the neighbourhoods.

‘The current development dynamics in Westlands highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive planning framework that balances urban growth, infrastructure capacity, environmental sustainability, and metropolitan planning objectives,’ it said.

City Hall said it has prioritised the preparation of the Local Physical Development Plan for the Westlands Zone, aligned with the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan (2014-2030) and other national planning frameworks.

‘The plan will provide actionable local-level strategies, guide land use and infrastructure planning, and promote sustainable, resilient, and well-coordinated development across all the subzones within Westlands,’ it said.

Currently, there is no proper guideline on the issuance of permits for new developments. The repeal of the Physical Planning Act rendered the 2004 zoning guidelines long relied upon to issue permits redundant.

The move comes after Nairobi residents from different neighbourhoods, including Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Karen, Westlands, and others, consistently complained of the surge in uncontrolled developments in the city.

In December, a group of residents from upmarket estates in Parklands and Lavington took developers to court, claiming the uncontrolled developments have deprived their homes of proper sunlight and ventilation.

But it was not the first case brought by residents to challenge new developments. Similar cases have been brought by several other residents’ associations, including those from Rhapta, Westlands CBD, Kyuna, and Muthangari.

‘The plan will provide actionable local-level strategies, guide land use and infrastructure planning, and promote sustainable, resilient, and well-coordinated development across all the subzones within Westlands,’ said City Hall.

Data shows that Nairobi City County approved building plans worth Sh149.2 billion between January and November 2025, down from Sh197.5 billion over the same period in 2024.

Kenyans, on average, spend less than Sh2,000 on wellness monthly, way below what many of them living in urban areas spend on mobile phone bills and internet data, a new survey shows.

According to the Global Wellness Institute, which captures spending on beauty and personal care, fitness, nutrition, mental health support, and wellness tourism, one person in Kenya spent an average of $149 (about Sh19,220) on wellness in 2024, translating to about Sh1,600 monthly on gyms, beauty treatments, healthy food, and self-care.

The average annual earnings per person in the year under review were Sh297,300 ($2,305). This means that Kenyans spent about 6.5 percent of their annual income on wellness.

Fitness industry consultant James Mwangi noted that current pricing structures explain the limited participation of most Kenyans in the wellness economy, with spending concentrated in Nairobi and other major urban centres.

‘Most Kenyans want to join a gym or eat healthier, but when a gym membership costs more than their monthly transport budget, it becomes a luxury they can’t justify,’ he said.

‘The few affordable options are often overcrowded or poorly maintained, so people give up after a month or two. You have gyms charging Sh15,000 to Sh20,000 monthly with all amenities, and basic facilities at Sh3,000 to Sh4,000 that barely cover operational costs. What’s missing is the middle-tier affordable but quality wellness services that the average middle-class Kenyan can sustain month after month.’

Market data shows that in Nairobi, gym memberships range from Sh3,500 for budget facilities to Sh15,000 monthly for premium centres.

A mid-range gym at Sh5,000 monthly costs Sh60,000 annually-three times the national per capita average.

Specialised fitness classes cost more. Mr Mwangi said that yoga and pilates studios charge Sh2,000 to Sh3,400 per class, while personal training sessions cost Sh2,000 to Sh4,000 each.

Beauty and personal care, the largest segment of Kenya’s wellness industry, shows similar pricing. Haircuts at mid-range salons cost Sh500 to Sh2,000, while hair treatments reach Sh3,000 to Sh15,000. Regular salon visits cost Sh10,000 to Sh20,000 monthly. Spa services range from Sh3,000 to Sh12,000 per session.

Organic produce costs about 30 percent more than conventional alternatives. Mental health services remain costly, with therapy sessions ranging from Sh2,000 to Sh8,000. Nutrition consultations cost Sh2,500 to Sh5,000 for initial sessions.

Kenya’s total wellness economy was valued at Sh1.1 trillion ($8.4 billion) in 2024, the Global Wellness Institute survey showed, making it the third-largest wellness market in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria.

Globally, Kenya trails developed markets, with North America leading with per capita wellness spending of $6,029(Sh777,861.58) annually, followed by Europe at $1,876(Sh242,379.20).

Naphtaly Kipchirchir Rono, the nominee for the powerful post of Director-General of the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), is inheriting one of the most daunting assignments in the Kenyan state.

As head of Kenya’s premier anti-money laundering agency, he will sit atop a vast trove of sensitive financial data: every banking transaction above Sh1 million, property transfers, mobile-money flows, and movements through law-firm client accounts. Few public offices offer a clearer view of the economy’s bloodstream.

Yet his appointment comes at the most precarious moment in the institution’s history. Kenya remains grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), weighed down by 21 action points demanding urgent and demonstrable compliance.

Circling this process is growing scrutiny from Western governments and security think tanks, increasingly invested in Kenya’s financial system.

Mr Rono’s immediate challenge will be navigating the narrow corridor between international cooperation and the protection of Kenya’s sovereign interests. The path to exiting the grey list is clear in theory but treacherous in execution.

Kenya must show effective-not cosmetic-compliance by strengthening the FRC’s analytical capacity, improving inter-agency coordination, and imposing credible oversight on high-risk sectors such as real estate, legal services, and precious metals.

Recent developments have significantly raised the stakes. The case of an American national allegedly defrauded by gold dealers operating between Nairobi and Dubai has offered a rare glimpse into Kenya’s phantom gold trade. Investigations have revealed shadowy service providers offering private safe-deposit vaults to dealers operating entirely outside the regulatory perimeter.

This episode coincides with explosive claims by former US President Donald Trump that funds swindled from Minnesota by Somali networks are laundered into Kenya’s property market. Whether exaggerated or not, the allegation has amplified international scrutiny of Kenya’s real estate sector. Kenya produces negligible quantities of gold commercially.

Yet scarcely a month passes without reports of billion-shilling disputes involving dealers operating between Nairobi and Dubai. The obvious question-rarely asked-is where this gold originates.

US investigations into Uganda’s gold trade have established that minerals from conflict zones in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo reach international markets through Uganda and Dubai. It would be dangerously naïve to assume Nairobi is not part of this chain. The integrity of Kenya’s financial system suggests otherwise.

Under the FATF action plan, Kenya is required to establish a comprehensive framework for monitoring property transactions, including the regulation of estate agents and developers, the reporting of suspicious transactions to the FRC, robust know-your-customer requirements, and the disclosure of ultimate beneficial ownership.

Yes, the law was amended to establish the Real Estate Agents Registration Board. But it remains a toothless bulldog-run by three board members and a chief executive-with no comprehensive register of estate agents or developers operating in the country. From available evidence, it has yet to file a single suspicious transaction report with the FRC. This failure is especially glaring given renewed allegations that Kenya’s property sector is a destination for laundered foreign funds.

The picture is no better in the precious minerals sector. Suspicious transaction reporting is almost impossible because the sector lacks an effective regulator.

Oversight nominally rests with the State Department for Mining, which lacks the capacity to generate reliable data on suspicious activity or ultimate beneficial ownership. Ironically, the most credible data sits with a self-regulating industry body-the Chamber of Mines.

Last year, Kenya transferred the management of trusts from the Ministry of Lands to the Office of the Registrar of Companies. While this improved transparency around beneficial ownership, it remains a passive register. The Registrar has neither the mandate nor the capacity to detect or report suspicious transactions.

Then there is the unresolved problem of lawyers. After nearly six years of disputes over onboarding law firms into the suspicious-transaction reporting regime, responsibility for monitoring lawyer-client accounts was shifted from commercial banks to the Law Society of Kenya. Months later, the FRC has yet to receive a single suspicious transaction report from the LSK.

Lawyers, accountants, real-estate agents, casinos, company-formation agents, and dealers in precious metals and stones-gatekeepers whose services are routinely used to disguise beneficial ownership and move illicit funds-sit at the very heart of Kenya’s anti-money-laundering problem, and therefore at the centre of its path off the FATF grey list.

Until these professions are properly licensed, monitored, and sanctioned, Kenya’s exit from the grey list will remain not a policy outcome-but an aspiration.