Category: Business Daily

Kenya is set to establish three new embassies following Cabinet approval on Tuesday evening.

The embassies in Vatican City, Denmark and Vietnam mark a major step in strengthening the country’s diplomatic engagement and advancing what it described as global, moral, and development diplomacy.

In its meeting at State House, Nairobi, the Cabinet said the new embassy in Holy See will deepen Kenya’s bilateral relations with the Vatican, enhance cooperation on peace-building, climate action, and humanitarian work, and expand engagement with the Vatican’s vast network of faith-based institutions worldwide.

‘The establishment of the embassy will strengthen our engagement with Catholic development agencies that run more than 7,700 schools and 500 health facilities across Kenya,’ read part of the Cabinet brief.

The Vatican City, home to the Holy See and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, plays a central role in international dialogue and development through its diplomatic, humanitarian, and interfaith influence.

The Cabinet noted that a resident mission in Vatican City will provide a vital platform for Kenya to leverage the Church’s extensive social and development infrastructure, particularly in education, health, and poverty alleviation.

The decision also reflects Kenya’s recognition of the Vatican’s global leadership in promoting peace, social justice, and human rights, areas where the Catholic Church has been an important partner in Kenya’s national development journey.

The embassies in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Hanoi, Vietnam are also part of a broader strategy to expand Kenya’s diplomatic footprint and deepen trade, cultural, and development ties with key global partners.

Denmark is one of Kenya’s long-standing development allies, and the new office opens up opportunities for increased cooperation in renewable energy, climate resilience, and technology transfer.

In Hanoi, the new embassy is expected to boost trade and investment links between Kenya and Vietnam, a rapidly growing Asian economy with significant experience in manufacturing, agriculture, and export diversification.

The Cabinet said the three new diplomatic missions form part of Kenya’s continuing foreign policy realignment to ensure a stronger presence in regions critical to the country’s economic and strategic interests.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved a number of major domestic policy and development measures aimed at improving governance, infrastructure, and service delivery.

Among the key decisions was the endorsement of a Comprehensive Framework for Infrastructure Projects Pricing, designed to curb inflated costs, ensure transparency, and guarantee better value for money in public investments.

The framework seeks to replace irregular and precedent-based pricing with a data-driven model known as the First Principles Approach, which has been successfully implemented in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore. The new system could reduce project cost overruns by up to 25 percent.

The reform, to be coordinated by the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, will be implemented through a Multi-Agency Technical Working Team that has already developed sectoral pricing models, cost derivation criteria, and proposals for a National Infrastructure Pricing Database.

Cabinet further approved the waiver of interest and penalties on outstanding land settlement loans to ease the financial burden on low-income settlers. The waiver, covering 520 settlement schemes in 26 counties and amounting to Sh12.3 billion, will allow beneficiaries to obtain title deeds, access credit, and regularise their land accounts.

‘The decision will empower thousands of settlers to unlock the economic value of their land, increase agricultural productivity, and address historical land injustices,’ Cabinet stated.

To improve mobility in the Nairobi Metropolitan area, the Cabinet also gave the green light for the dualling of the Muthaiga-Kiambu-Ndumberi road, a 23.5-kilometre stretch that currently experiences heavy traffic congestion. The project will expand the existing highway into a dual carriageway with bypasses, loops, and non-motorised transport lanes, and is expected to significantly cut travel times between Nairobi and Kiambu Town.

The Cabinet also approved the implementation of the Nairobi National Park-Athi-Kapiti Wildlife Corridor, a flagship conservation project aimed at securing migratory routes and dispersal areas vital for wildlife survival.

The initiative will reconnect Nairobi National Park to surrounding conservancies in Machakos and Kajiado counties, restoring migratory pathways for species such as zebra and wildebeest. Implementation will include land acquisition, wildlife-friendly fencing, and the construction of overpasses and underpasses to ensure safe crossings.

To enhance devolution and service delivery, Cabinet also endorsed the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes splitting the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill into two separate laws to speed up disbursement of funds to counties.

The reform is expected to end delays in county funding that have previously stalled local development projects.

Uchumi Supermarkets has posted a rare profit of Sh8.8 million for the year ended June 2025, largely driven by rental income from tenants such as China Square, offering reprieve for the debt-laden retailer, which has been struggling to regain stability.

Management accounts disclosed under the company voluntary arrangement (CVA) show that the net profit was from a loss of Sh49.7 million disclosed in the audited accounts for the year ended June 2024. The Sh8.8 million profit was, however, below the Sh12.85 million that had been targeted.

This marks the first time in years that the debt-ridden retailer has posted a profit, even as it faces risk that the outcome of the legal battle with Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) over the ownership of 17-acre land in Kasarani in Nairobi could make or break its revival.

The CVA report, prepared by Owen Koimburi of the business advisory firm Forvis Mazars Kenya, shows that sales revenue rose during the review period to Sh123.01 million from Sh65.4 million, giving it a 79 percent jump in gross profit to Sh27.7 million. This was after netting off Sh95.31 million as the cost of sales.

However, Uchumi’s biggest boost came from rental income, which jumped nearly fivefold to Sh62.7 million from Sh13.5 million, largely driven by China Square – the low-cost household goods retailer that leased Uchumi’s Lang’ata Hyper branch effective June 2024.

‘The company’s growth potential is evident from the financial performance report, which indicates consistent growth to date. Priority should be given to closing the gap between actual and budgeted performance,’ said Mr Koimburi in the report.

Currently, Uchumi has 11 tenants paying it a monthly rental income of Sh5.94 million. China Square pays Sh5 million or 84.1 percent of Uchumi’s monthly rent collections, followed by Paris Lounge Grill (Sh300,000), Isle Garden (Sh212,155), Sudo Liquor Store (Sh114,223) and Spatial Barberz (Sh64,655).

Uchumi’s CVA was set up in March 2020, providing a roadmap for settling preferential and unsecured debts over a six-year period ending June 2026. This implies that the CVA status for Uchumi will end next year unless the plan is revised.

The report shows that the company has managed to pay 95 percent of the Sh245.86 million in debts that it planned to settle by the end of the review period.

Banks top the list of beneficiaries, having received Sh146.5 million, followed by trade creditors and landlords (Sh9.84 million), staff salary arrears (Sh6.83 million).

Legal fees and other preliminary expenses have cost Sh62.36 million while the Mazars, which is monitoring the CVA, has earned Sh5 million),

Mr Koimburi cautioned that the success of the CVA hinges heavily on the ongoing legal battle with KDF over the 17-acre piece of land in Kasarani, which Uchumi values at Sh2.38 billion.

In May this year, the High Court ruled in favour of the military over the ownership of the land. However, Uchumi appealed the case and is awaiting the outcome.

‘There exists a material uncertainty from the delayed timeline arising from both litigation outcome and the Court of Appeal … If the appeal fails, CVA may be unviable without fresh capital injection or a new plan,’ said Mr Koimburi.

They turned up at the Ngong Racecourse grounds in great splendour, flanked by families, friends and caregivers. The stage was set for them to put their best paw forward at the Shaggy Dog Show, dubbed ‘Pawchella,’ last Sunday.

The furry affair saw dogs of all breeds and sizes flaunting their charm and competing in nine categories, including ‘dog with the waggiest tail’, ‘dog most like their owner’, ‘best fancy dress’ and ‘shaggiest dog’.

Annette Martyres, whose two dogs, Kobe and Rafa, won ‘dog with the waggiest tail’ and ‘dog most like their owner’ respectively, says participating in the event is not about winning titles.

‘It’s just like how you can take children out for a fun event, I take my dogs out,’ she says.

Ms Martyres adds that the show gives her pets a chance to practise what they have been taught by their trainer. ‘They learn how to socialise with other dogs.’

Although she insists it is not about winning, it is impossible to miss the pride in her voice as she talks about her dogs. ‘Kobe is the friendliest dog, which is probably why he won the waggiest tail. He loves everybody.’

She believes Kobe’s motto is ‘Don’t worry, just be happy,’ a mantra that has inspired her and her family in how they approach their own lives. Kobe, a three-year-old Labrador, has been with her since he was a pup.

Rafa is a black and white Springer Spaniel she has had for just a year. He is a rescue dog whose previous owners could not afford to keep him.

‘Luckily, they were kind enough to bring him to the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA) kennels, and that is where I adopted him,’ says Ms Martyres. ‘Now, wherever I go, he goes. I am the light of his life. He is a very obedient boy, very sweet and very protective.’

Making memories

Ladha Sathya, a returning attendee of the dog show, was accompanied by her husband and their three white dogs, a close-knit furry family of their own: Sparky, the father, a 15-year-old Maltese-Shih Tzu cross; Spotty, the mother, a 12-year-old West Highland Terrier; and their son Buddy, a 10-year-old who earned his name for his friendliness.

‘We travel with them wherever we go, even on holiday,’ says Ms Sathya. For them, every day spent with their dogs is a special memory, especially now that Sparky has dementia.

‘Sometimes he forgets everything except how to eat,’ she says softly. ‘It is heart-breaking, and that is why we wanted him to come to the show this year. With his age, you never know about tomorrow. When he sleeps, we are always worried whether he will wake up.’

The couple finds it difficult to spend time apart from their dogs.

‘They are pampered, indoor dogs that sleep with us, so we cannot leave them at a kennel somewhere. That is why we cannot have a holiday to ourselves without them,’ she explains.

To anyone considering adopting dogs, Ms Sathya cautions, ‘You will need a lot of time for training and to give them attention. You cannot just lock them at home and go away. If you will not give them the care they need, then do not get a dog.’

Traumatised to transformed

Another participant, Sandy, a three-legged rescue dog, captured hearts with his remarkable story. Named after Colonel Sanders of KFC, he was adopted late last year by Nicodemus Mulinge.

‘He had his leg chopped off because he used to hunt people’s chickens,’ Mr Mulinge recalls. ‘His tail was also cut off, and if you look at his face, around the nose, he has several scars.’

Mr Mulinge chose the name Sandy because of his colour and age. ‘I wanted an older dog, and he is eight years old.’

When Sandy was first adopted, he was frail and traumatised. With constant love, care and daily exercises to strengthen his remaining legs and improve his balance, Sandy has transformed into a healthy, affectionate companion who loves being in the garden and no longer hunts chickens.

Sh500,000 treatment

One of the biggest dogs at the show was Zena, a massive Caucasian Shepherd who won the ‘shaggiest dog’ category. Despite her imposing size, Zena was gentle and calm, happily soaking up all the attention.

She was accompanied by Mugo Karaba of Green Garden Kennels, which offers dog boarding services.

His biggest challenge, particularly with large dogs, is injuries.

‘You cannot stop injuries, especially if you have big dogs that like playing rough. Like now, Zena’s brother broke an elbow while playing with her, and treating that cost me close to Sh500,000.’

Another standout at the show was Romeo, a sleek black German Shepherd who competed in the ‘fancy dress’ category, wearing a red hoodie and shiny neck chain.

Deep Nimavat, who brought Romeo from DD Kennels, maintained a tight grip on his leash throughout, especially when other dogs wandered too close.

‘He is very strong and aggressive and doubles up as both a guard dog and a pet dog,’ says Nimavat. ‘He is generally okay with people. He just gets jealous when other dogs come close to me.’

For Nick Foley, whose Great Dane won ‘best fancy dress’ in a green alien outfit, supporting KSPCA’s work made the event even more meaningful.

‘The competition was stiff, so it feels amazing to have won, more so because my children designed the dog’s outfit.’

Besides being a fun day out for dogs and their humans, the Shaggy Dog Show also presented a fundraising opportunity for KSPCA, whose operations are entirely donor-funded.

‘It is also a way to sensitise the public on the need to adopt and give shelter animals a second chance,’ says Wangari Kariuki, a shelter director at the animal welfare organisation.

‘Anyone can attend, even if they do not own a dog, and learn a bit about what we do and why it matters. Our culture has not fully embraced animal welfare yet, but it is important for people to understand that animals have feelings too. They are social beings and deserve kindness.’

The 33 State-owned entities targeted for mergers will spend a combined Sh118.54 billion on salaries and allowances in the current financial year, underscoring the huge recurrent savings if the reforms are enacted.

The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) says the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has the biggest recurrent budget among the 33 entities with a budget of Sh41.54 billion in the financial year to June 2026 followed by Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) at Sh22.1 billion, Universities Fund (UF) at Sh17.26 billion and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) at Sh10.4 billion.

The 33 are to be collapsed into 15 entities as the government seeks to end an overlap in delivery of services besides reducing the financial burden of the loss-makers that perennially rely on bail outs.

Merging of the firms is also expected to trigger job cuts, pushing the Treasury to push for a budget for employees who will opt to retire under the voluntary exit option.

‘Potential annual savings are likely to be attributed to reduced personnel costs, unified ICT systems, and consolidated procurement functions,’ PBO says.

Plans to merge over 33 State-owned firms were first announced more than a decade ago under the previous administration of Uhuru Kenyatta. But the process was delayed, casting doubts on whether it would finally take off and ease the funding pressure on the Exchequer.

The reduced costs are critical, coming at a time the Treasury is grappling with mounting debt repayments that have significantly squeezed funds for development projects.

Helb will be merged with UF while KeRRA and KURA will be collapsed into one. The State also plans to merge Tourism Fund and Tourism Promotion Fund.

The three empowerment kitties, Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, and Youth Enterprise Development Fund will be combined into one.

It remains unclear how much money the Treasury is seeking for the voluntary retirement scheme in the firms to be merged. The early exit is likely to target staff close to hitting the retirement age of 60 years.

But the PBO -the unit that advises lawmakers on budget and economic affairs- has also warned that the mergers are likely to face opposition from agencies pushing back against loss of autonomy, loss of highly technical and experienced staff, and may also face political backlash.

‘Although the proposed mergers promise significant fiscal and operational benefits, they carry a number of potential risks that must be carefully managed,’ the unit added.

The Cabinet approved the merger of the State-owned firms in January this year as part of the wider government plan to ease pressure on the Exchequer besides optimising service delivery.

Other firms which include the cash-rich Kenya Pipeline Company will be privatised with the government losing its majority shareholding and in turn raising billions of shillings to plug budget holes.

Manufacturing bucked a trend of ballooning bad loans in the banking sector in the year ended June 2025, becoming the only major segment in the credit market with improving loan quality.

Non-performing loans (NPLs) in the manufacturing sector dropped 4.5 percent to Sh123.7 billion at the end of June from Sh129.5 billion a year earlier, an analysis of latest Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) report on banking sector asset quality trends show.

The growth in NPL was higher than the 2.6 percent rise in industry gross loans to Sh4.1547 trillion in the review period, underlining that the industry is facing more of a credit quality problem than a supply challenge.

Bankers say the credit quality squeeze reflects broad weakness in the economy, despite interest rate relief touched off by successive easing of the benchmark interest rates by the CBK’s Monetary Policy Committee.

Since August 2024, the CBK has cut the benchmark rate from 13 percent to 9.25 percent, signaling commercial lenders to ease borrowing costs for businesses and households.

‘There is a correlation between the average asset quality in the industry and the quality of the economy,’ Moses Muthui, director of consumer banking at Absa Kenya, said last month.

‘We are dealing with the lag effect of high interest last year. That has not washed out yet. There are inherent weaknesses in parts of the economy.’

Banking insiders have argued that the improvement in NPLs for manufacturing is not because activities in that sector have rebounded, but shows that it probably absorbed impairment pain earlier.

Lenders have been pushing through aggressive loan restructuring cycles from 2023, supported by collateral rules and partial write-downs of legacy exposures.

‘Our recovery teams have enhanced recovery efforts, rehabilitation or restructuring to ensure that our customers’ cash flow matches what we are asking them to pay … .and we have done some write-offs,’ Lawrence Kimathi, KCB Kenya Group’s Finance Director, told an investor briefing in August.

KCB’s NPLs data showed that bad loans held by manufacturing firms dropped to Sh41 billion in June 2025 from Sh49 billion a year earlier.

The CBK data indicate firms in the transport and communication sector posted the sharpest deterioration in the review period, with NPLs jumping 36.1 percent year-on-year to Sh56.5 billion.

This came as the lender cut exposure to the sector by 4.7 percent to Sh326 billion in June 2025 compared with a year earlier, reflecting a pull-back from loss-making PSVs, trucking and cross-border logistics clients.

Households -the single biggest borrower class- saw bad loans rise 17.1 percent to Sh110.8 billion from Sh94.6 billion the year before, followed by traders who recorded a 16.8 percent bump in NPLs to Sh167.9 billion.

Bad loans in real estate increased 15.1 percent to Sh131.6 billion, reflecting struggle by developers and landlords, particularly in Nairobi’s upmarket areas, to find buyers for commercial properties with prices largely flat in recent years.

The NPLs in the building and construction sector also remained in the double-digit growth territory, climbing 15 percent to Sh51.4 billion.

That underscores liquidity distress among small and medium contractors, including road sub-contractors, caught in delayed settlement cycles for government-funded projects.

Agriculture, which is prone to climate-linked shocks, including floods of 2024, saw bad loans edge up 3.1 percent to Sh33.1 billion.

Banks have expanded restructuring, rehabilitation and recovery efforts this year through what aligns repayment schedules with customer cash flows with some executing selective write-offs.

The sector-wide NPL ratio hit 17.6 percent in the second quarter of 2025 from just 16.3 percent a year earlier, before easing slightly to 17.1 percent by the end of September.

As Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms economies globally, there is an urgent question Kenya’s universities and technical and vocational education and training institutions (TVETs) must answer: What is their purpose in the era of AI, and in driving our national ambitions toward Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda?

For decades, the higher and technical education sector understood its purpose largely through access: how many students we could enrol, how many campuses we could build, and how many graduates we could produce. That focus was right for its time. Expanding access was an act of justice, progress and nation-building.

Yet in an age where intelligence has become a shared global resource, quantity is no longer enough. The true measure of purpose and progress must be relevance, and particularly, how well our teaching prepares students to thrive in a future world shaped by artificial intelligence.

Across the world, governments are not waiting for the future to arrive. They are designing for it. In the United Arab Emirates, every citizen now has access to free AI tools.

In Jordan, the Ministry of Education is ensuring that every child learns with AI. In the United States and China, children as young as six are being introduced to AI concepts.

These governments understand that nations at the forefront of AI development will shape emerging industries and set economic standards. Similarly, in the Global North, universities are beginning to see AI not as a threat but as a partner.

They are using it to reimagine teaching, learning and research in ways that make education more adaptive and discovery more dynamic. Kenya cannot afford to be a spectator in this race.

Our universities and TVETs must evolve from institutions that deliver knowledge to generating intelligence.

This means embedding AI not as a single course but as a cross-cutting competence shaping every discipline: from the sciences to the creative arts and humanities. Imagine a TVET student in automotive engineering graduating with an understanding of AI-powered predictive maintenance.

Equipped with that skill, they could help matatu or bus fleet owners use simple sensors to forecast vehicle breakdowns, saving thousands of shillings and improving road safety. That is the power of applied intelligence, turning theory into transformation.

Now picture a law graduate who understands vibe coding and uses that to build a low-cost agentic legal AI for small businesses that cannot afford legal representation.

The outcome is not just innovation; it is inclusion. These examples are within reach if we reimagine curricula, invest in capacity building for educators, and let innovation flow between universities, TVETs and industry.

Innovation is nothing new to us as Africans.

From the metal furnaces of the Haya in ancient Tanzania to intricate irrigation systems that sustained early communities, from the architectural marvels of Great Zimbabwe to the astronomy of the Dogon people, we have always pushed the boundaries of what is possible.

AI now gives us new tools to express that same spirit of ingenuity, and through modern research systems and institutional collaboration, this creative energy can once again be channelled into national transformation.

At the heart of this transformation lies science, research and innovation. From climate-smart agriculture to public health and the creative economy, AI-driven research can become our new engine of growth.

This is already beginning with initiatives such as NRF AI, being developed for the National Research Fund, which gives researchers access to an intelligent research assistant trained on Kenyan and African data but connected to global repositories to ensure that our ideas contribute to global knowledge.

Sustaining this momentum needs bold and visionary leadership across the sector. In this regard, Kenya’s university vice-chancellors and TVET principals have a unique opportunity to turn awareness into action by providing the direction, collaboration and capacity needed to turn promising ideas into lasting national impact.

By embracing AI as a tool for transformation, they can help shape a more innovative, inclusive and competitive Kenya. Yet technology alone will not secure progress. Its real value will lie in how education itself evolves to shape the people, ideas and ethics that guide innovation through that technology.

The question before us is no longer whether AI will change education. It already has. The real challenge is whether education will, in turn, change Kenya and also whether our institutions will be bold enough to lead that transformation.

That transformation will not happen by chance but through the choices our universities and TVETs make today. We owe it to a new generation of Kenyan learners to make the right choices for they will inherit the world we are shaping.

Those choices begin with a new mindset: to view AI not as a threat but as a tool to reimagine teaching and research, expand opportunity and strengthen our nation’s capacity to think and create. In the years ahead, history will not remember who built the most campuses or graduated the most students, but those who equipped our learners with the best ability to thrive in the AI age.

A Mombasa court has been asked to hold Taifa Gas Investments SEZ Ltd, its directors, contractors or agents in contempt over alleged disobedience of court orders temporarily stopping the construction of a Sh16 billion Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) terminus at Dongo Kundu, Mombasa.

In an application at the Court of Appeal, Likoni residents want the directors and principal officers of the company committed to civil jail for a term not exceeding six months.

Taifa Gas is associated with Tanzania’s billionaire businessman Rostam Aziz.

According to the applicants, the court had issued clear and binding orders of status quo directing that the construction be put on hold pending hearing inter partes of an application at the Environment and Land Court (ELC).

At the ELC, the applicants have filed a petition challenging the construction of the LPG terminus.

Taifa Gas then moved to the Court of Appeal seeking to have it set aside orders and directions of the ELC suspending the construction of its 30,000 metric tonnes of LPG terminus.

At the Court of Appeal, parties agreed to comprise on the applications before the court (of appeal) and directions were issued that an application at the ELC be heard and that the status quo subsisting be maintained, meaning the contested construction of the project be put on hold in the meantime.

In their application at the Court of Appeal dated November 5, the residents now claim that Taifa Gas has acted in defiance of the orders and proceeded with constructions works on the project the Court of Appeal ordered halted.

‘Such conduct is not mere omission or inadvertence, it is a calculated, willful and contemptuous affront to the dignity of the court deliberately engineered to mocks its authority and render its lawful orders impotent,’ argue the applicants.

They claim that unless restrained, Taifa Gas will have accomplished by illegality that which the law has forbidden thereby making the court process a mere academic exercise.

Messrs Karungu and Nyiro also argue that the court has inherent power and jurisdiction to punish for contempt and enforce its orders against any party who seeks to undermine its authority, underscoring that court orders are not suggestions or opinions but commands that must be obeyed.

They also want the court to direct immediate cessation of all construction or related activities by Taifa Gas on the project site pending full compliance with the orders and further directions from the court.

In their petition at the ELC, the applicants say they are residents of Likoni close to the project by Taifa Gas.

They contend that the respondent has proposed to construct the LPG plant and intends to clear indigenous natural trees and vegetation and excavate the land to provide space for the LPG tanks which will lead to soil erosion and environmental degradation of the land and its environs.

‘The petitioners aver that clearing the vegetation will interfere with the coral rock and will negatively affect the eco-system around the land,’ part of the petition states.

According to the petitioners, the project by Taifa Gas involves the construction of a pipeline which will lead to suspension of sediments that will ruin the quality of water and penetration of light for the ecosystem within sea water.

‘The petitioners also contend that the construction of a pipeline will ruin the fishing grounds which is a source of livelihood for the local population,’ argue the petitioners who have named the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) as an interested party in the case.

The petitioners argue that the proposed development will have adverse environmental and land use impacts on the land including the depreciation of the environment, increase in pollution, increased vehicular and human traffic and rise in insecurity which will pose a great threat to the inhabitants around the land.

They want a conservatory order of injunction issued to restrain Taifa Gas from carrying out deleterious activities, carrying out construction or works including but not limited to setting up of the LPG terminus without prior compliance with Articles 10, 40, 42 and 69 of the constitution.

The petitioners also want a declaration that Taifa Gas unauthorized construction, felling and destruction of indigenous trees, excavation or proposed commencement of works to set up the LPG terminus without prior notice to consent, consultation or compensation to them and compliance with mandatory provisions of the law is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

They are also seeking compensation from Taifa Gas for destruction of the environment, indigenous trees and vegetation and excavation works in violation of the law.

When Annabelle Njambi Wamunyu and her husband first opened a small convenience shop at a petrol station in Kenol nearly 12 years ago, it was just a quiet roadside rest stop for motorists on their way to Murang’a or Nyeri.

‘Kenol was almost empty. At that time, even selling a gas cylinder in a month was impossible. People would come, ask the price, and leave. We didn’t have that kind of clientele back then,’ she says.

Their mini mart and a small restaurant, known as Magomano, were part of a simple experiment of combining fuel sales with eatery and a small shop, copying what bigger petrol stations along the highway were doing.

Mrs Wamunyu says business was slow at first; however, as more travellers began stopping at Kenol for meals and short breaks, the couple spotted a bigger opportunity.

‘People going for weddings, burials, and other ceremonies would stop at Kenol. Soon, our restaurant became busier. We realised the mini-mart was also picking up, and we needed space.’

They pulled down the service bay, car-wash, and petrol offices to create what is currently County Supermarket, a three-storey retail hub and one of the oldest surviving supermarkets in the area.

‘We started with only the ground floor, then two or three years later, we added the other floors as business grew.’

The name change, she adds, was very intentional.

‘We wanted a name that could fit anywhere in the country. When counties were being introduced, we said, Let’s call ourselves County Supermarket because it represented our ambition to go beyond Kenol,’ she says.

She is among the many people who have reaped the benefits of Kenol’s growth over the past decade.

‘Today, Kenol has great potential. We have seen estates coming up and many other businesses setting up. Ten years ago, no big retail chain would have looked at Kenol, but they are all here because of the growth.’

That boom, Mrs Wamunyu says, has translated into a more diverse customer base.

‘Before, most of our shoppers were travellers, but now we serve construction workers, and families who have settled here. People who used to pass through now call Kenol home,’ she says.

Jump in rents

The retail expansion has also pushed up commercial rents, which has been a major sign of business confidence.

‘When we started, many buildings couldn’t attract tenants, so rent was low. However, small shops that are not along the highway are going for between Sh30,000 and Sh50,000, depending on the landlord and location. Along the highway, rent is even higher; if you move a bit inside town, it’s cheaper.

‘Every week you see someone opening a salon, a hardware store, or a boutique,’ she adds.

Beside her supermarket, Mrs Wamunyu owns an acre of land where she operates a car wash. She recalls buying half of the property years ago for about Sh700,000, which, when she decides to sell today, she says it will fetch almost Sh30 million, and the whole acre could go for even Sh100 million.

‘Kenol is still a town to watch. There’s land, there’s space, and there’s energy. More people are coming in, and that means more business. If you set up something here today and do it right, you’ll grow with the town just like we did,’ Mrs Wamunyu says.

When the BDLife visited, the first impression was of a fast-growing town. Modern shopping centres and well-known eateries stand along the main road, giving it a touch of urban life. However, moving further inside, there is no formal market, no designated stage for matatus, every activity seems to be cramped up.

Just like many unplanned growing towns, Kenol marketplace is stretched along the roadside where grocery vendors sit under their old, faded umbrellas shielding their fruits and vegetables from the sun.

Here, they sell potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, and everything one would expect to find in a market.

In between the commercial stalls, there are small iron sheet shanties with some used as shops, while others are serve as stores.

Matatus have no proper stage either, so they stop anywhere they can find space as they pick and drop passengers.

Consequently, commercial businesses including hardware stores, petrol stations, grocery stalls, and small shops, also sit close to each other, all competing for space and customers. The buildings are packed extremely tightly with commercial and residential units, almost blending into one another.

That main road separates Maragwa and Kandara constituencies, and it is filled with trucks and vehicles passing through.

Real estate boom

Unplanned or not, the town that once had a single bank and a few kiosks has turned into a real estate magnet that is drawing developers, homebuyers, and businesses in equal measure.

Anthony Kiragu, the director at Wiklund Property, a real estate firm, says that back then, Kenol was just a rural town. Land was cheap, but investors were few, which made development minimal.

He recalls when a half-acre plot in Kenol, which was a few metres from the tarmac road, could cost around Sh400,000.

‘Today, the same half-acre is going for between Sh10 million and Sh15 million, depending on location,’ he says. ‘Even a single plot that we sold in 2010 for about Sh280,000 now costs more than Sh2 million. The prices have gone up, a lot.’

According to Mr Kiragu, Kenol’s transformation is driven by its strategic location and improved infrastructure.

‘Kenol is a gateway to the Mount Kenya region. The dual carriageway of the Thika Superhighway and the Kenol-Marua road have opened up the town. They’ve made movement from here to Nairobi very convenient. You can live in Kenol and still work in Nairobi without much traffic.’

He adds that reliable amenities like water, electricity, and road networks have made the area attractive for both investors and residents. ‘When accessibility improves, prices follow. That’s exactly what we’ve seen in Kenol,’ he says.

To illustrate the pace of growth, Mr Kiragu points to what he calls ‘visible markers of progress.’

Developers and homebuyers

Kenol’s real estate boom has also drawn a new class of investors. ‘The buyers cut across,’ says Mr Kiragu. ‘We have companies coming in to set up factories and agro-processing units, we have individuals building residential homes, and even a few speculators, though not as many as before.’

He notes that, unlike a decade ago, most buyers now build immediately after the purchase of land. ‘People don’t just buy and wait anymore. You’ll find someone buying land and starting construction the next month. Whether it’s a home, a block of apartments, or a factory, they’re building,’ he says.

That surge in construction has also had a ripple effect. ‘Fifteen years ago, you could count the buildings in Kenol; today, you can’t. We have so many contractors, real estate firms, and even valuers. Back then, we had only two valuers; now, there are dozens. The number of transactions happening here every month is unbelievable.’

Additionally, the housing market has mirrored the land price boom. ‘By then, you could rent a two-bedroom house for Sh7,000 to Sh8,000,’ says Mr Kiragu. ‘Today, modern units go for between Sh25,000 and Sh35,000, depending on the location. Along the highway, prices are higher, but once you move a bit inside, they drop slightly.’

‘People are building modern homes, and tenants are willing to pay more for comfort and accessibility,’ he adds.

Growth challenges

Still, the growth has not come without challenges. ‘Regulatory approvals take time, and infrastructure is becoming overstretched. You’ll find delays with power connections or road access because the demand has outpaced capacity. Resources are overwhelmed.’

‘Half an acre, about four kilometres from the tarmac, goes for about Sh2 million. A plot along the roadside cut by 40 by 80, although we have 50 by 100, can go from Sh8 million to Sh10 million,’ Mr Kiragu adds.

‘People saw the potential and moved in.’

James Githui moved to Kenol 34 years ago. He says it was nothing but open land and trees. ‘ There were no buildings, no businesses, just open land,’ he says.

Currently, he serves as chairman of the Kenol Business Community, overseeing a network of traders in what has become Murang’a.

County’s fastest-growing commercial hub. ‘Kenol’s growth has been very evident. Many people have moved into the area with investment plans because of the proximity to towns like Murang’a and Thika. The junction itself has travellers dispatched to different places, and that impression has brought a lot of people.’

Mr Githui runs a hardware store and several commercial businesses in the town. He remembers when the plots were large and cheap.

‘The demarcation then was in half an acre or a quarter acre. Most people were just beginning to buy land, and prices were very low.’

Currently, modern buildings line the highway, alongside supermarkets and bars that have opened, and new companies have created jobs for residents. ‘There are new companies that have created employment, which adds to the population of the place. And land fraud cases are also minimal,’ he notes.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) was established following the 2008 post-election violence, as one of the agencies to help re-establish sobriety in Kenya. It has been going about its work ever since, with the media expecting it to go after those spouting hate speech.

However, NCIC was not given prosecutorial powers, and so it has often been described as ‘a toothless bulldog’ – despite working closely with other institutions that possess such powers. Its budget has also been limited.

The media has ignored NCIC’s other activities, including the peace-building mediation in different parts of the country, and five years ago I wrote an article about how they went about it.

‘They collaborated with other agencies,’ I wrote then, ‘benefitting from their expertise and their networks; held public barazas and organised work projects bringing youth together… As a result of their mediation, progress has been made.’

Recently, inter-generational issues have emerged as a serious source of conflict, and so NCIC decided to apply its experience to hosting meetings that brought together members of different generations, both genders and various sectors of the local communities.

The town hall meetings were held where conflict issues specific to those communities were evident, in Marsabit, Isiolo, Nairobi, Taita Taveta, Kisumu, Busia and Kilifi.

NCIC called these meetings intergenerational conversations, a nice term, that captures listening as much as speaking, in a friendly atmosphere.

In the selected counties, where inter-ethnic tensions and historical marginalisation have strained community relations, the need for cross-generational dialogue was particularly pressing. Intergenerational and inter-ethnic mistrust have continued to fuel misunderstanding, polarisation and vulnerability to manipulation by extremist actors.

And when youth – especially Gen Z – feel alienated and unheard, they become more susceptible to recruitment into violent networks and misinformation campaigns.

Conversely, when they are meaningfully engaged and connected to mentors, elders and institutions, they become powerful agents of peace and resilience.

By bringing together the experiences of elders, the innovation and energy of youth and the influence of women and local leaders, the conversations facilitated mutual understanding, addressed generational grievances and fostered a shared vision for peaceful coexistence.

In Isiolo, for instance, the forum generated several recommendations and achievements, including calls for increased youth representation in governance, review of public participation laws and strengthened mentorship programmes to bridge generational gaps.

A key outcome was the recognition that elders provide wisdom, while youth bring energy and innovation, helping dismantle the ‘us versus them’ mentality and replacing it with a shared vision of cooperation.

NCIC followed up with podcasts where diverse voices from across Kenya were heard to engage in honest, reflective, positive and forward-looking discussions on governance, leadership and political culture.

The first episode, ‘Wisdom in Transit’, explores how values, ethics and lessons on leadership are passed across generations.

‘New Guards’ highlights emerging youth leaders and their role in reshaping Kenya’s governance culture. ‘Old Wisdom: Bridging the Ages’ examines how traditional knowledge and modern governance can coexist to promote cohesion.

‘Political Decency in Action’ focuses on civility and integrity in political engagement, while ‘Government Without Borders’ discusses collaboration across counties, institutions and communities within a devolved governance system.

The sixth episode, ‘The Cost of Indecency,’ analyses how intolerance, corruption and disrespect weaken democracy and development.

‘Youth Agenda: The Future of Governance’ centres on the aspirations of young people and their inclusion in leadership, and the final episode, ‘A Shared Vision’, calls for collective action toward a just, decent and unified Kenya.

Given an availability of budgets, NCIC would host many more town halls, create and distribute more podcasts, and follow up on earlier engagements.

I am encouraged to see that the recently appointed NCIC CEO/Secretary, Daniel Mutegi, has a background in monitoring and evaluation, and he has been a member of the Vision2030 Secretariat. All this means he will be focusing on the long-term impact of such initiatives in a robust manner.

And as Rev Dr Sam Kobia reaches the end of his term as chairman of NCIC, we can look back on all that the ‘toothless bulldog’ has accomplished to promote cohesion and integration, much of it quietly behind the scenes. Well done, Dr Kobia.

Let us view NCIC’s intergenerational conversations as role models of how to bring Kenyans together, within their communities and higher up to the national level.

Schools across Kenya have closed, with the exception of candidates sitting the national examinations. Many parents might assume their children are safest at home. Yet for thousands of learners, especially girls, the close of school term often ushers in a period of greater risks and insecurity.

The worsening economic situation has left many families struggling and renewed fears of gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, and child exploitation.

For many children, school is more than a place for learning. It is a protective environment that offers knowledge, mentorship and distance from potential harmful abusers. When they are on holiday, they spend longer hours in homes or communities where supervision is limited and financial strains run high.

The saddest reality is that poverty and desperation can expose children to sexual abuse or transactional relationships in exchange for basic needs.

Reports from past school holidays often show a rise in cases of defilement and early pregnancies, a worrying trend that demands urgent attention.

Increasing family conflicts and broken marriages have also left many children emotionally exposed, without the guidance or protection they need.

Parents must strengthen communication with their children, not through fear, but through love, trust, and guidance. Honest conversations about self-awareness and relationships can help protect children from harm and manipulation.

Communities, leaders, faith institutions, guardians, media, and government agencies all have a vital role to play.

The media, in particular, must continue to shine a light on cases of abuse, raise awareness, and provide platforms where survivors’ voices can be heard without fear or shame.

Reporting processes should be clear and accessible to everyone. Economic hardship cannot be an excuse for moral decay. Protecting children from violence is a constitutional duty and a moral obligation. Every instance of abuse represents not just a broken family, but a wounded society and a lost generation.

As Kenya navigates economic uncertainty, one truth must stand firm: the safety of our children is non-negotiable. When the classroom doors close, our duty to protect must open wider in every home, church, village and heart, among others.

A nation’s true strength is measured not by its economy, but by how fiercely it shields its children when the noise fades and the danger grows silent.