Category: Business Daily

The value of retail investors’ assets under management by Jubilee Holdings’ unit has crossed the Sh20 billion mark, pointing to sustained interest by individuals eyeing optimal returns from the investment option.

Jubilee Asset Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jubilee Holdings, said the figure represents over Sh3 billion rise in under two months, given that the figure stood at Sh17 billion early September this year.

The Jubilee Asset Management manages three retail investment funds that comprise the Kenya shillings-denominated Jubilee Money Market Fund, Jubilee Fixed Income Fund and the US dollar-denominated Jubilee Money Market Fund.

The milestone comes barely two years after the launch of the retail investment funds in December 2022, translating to an annualised growth rate of about 167 percent. Jubilee Asset Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jubilee Holdings.

The growth comes on the back of easing inflation and a growing shift by investors from traditional savings products to regulated collective investment schemes (CIS) that balance between security and yield.

‘This milestone is a testament to the steady rise in investor confidence and the growing appetite for professionally managed investment funds. It reflects a broader shift among Kenyans towards structured saving and investment solutions, driven by greater access, financial awareness, and improved digital experiences,’ said Dominic Kiarie, CEO at Jubilee Asset Management.

He added that the growth reflects Jubilee Asset Management’s strategy to simplify investing through digital access, transparent reporting, and prudent asset allocation that prioritises long-term value over short-term speculation.

Last year, the firm launched the JAM Hub digital portal that enables customers to manage their investment accounts online. This includes opening new individual accounts, topping up existing accounts, lodging withdrawal requests, or monitoring their investment account, among other services.

Jubilee Asset Management also manages institutional funds, where the figure stands at Sh191 billion. Previous disclosures in September last year had put the figure at Sh195 billion. Combined, the retail and institutional segments bring total assets under management to Sh211 billion.

Jubilee’s growth mirrors a broader surge in Kenya’s CIS market, where total assets under management nearly doubled over the past year.

Data from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) shows that by June 2025, CIS assets had climbed to about Sh596.6 billion, up from Sh254.1 billion at the end of June last year.

Money Market Funds remain the dominant product, accounting for more than 60 per cent of total CIS assets as investors seek low-risk, high-liquidity options amid economic uncertainty.

The CMA has also accelerated approvals of new funds and sub-funds, expanding the range of products available to retail investors – including dollar-denominated and hybrid offerings.

Financial literacy initiatives and digital onboarding tools have further lowered barriers to entry, attracting first-time investors across Kenya’s expanding middle class.

Carbacid Investments has recorded an 18.8 percent rise in net profit for the year ended July 2025 allowing the company to declare a record dividend to shareholders.

The company posted a net income of Sh1 billion up from Sh843.2 million recorded a year earlier. The jump followed recovery of the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and Dar-es-Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), which saw its investments portfolio rise by Sh121.2 million compared to a Sh31.2 million shrinkage last year.

The company’s board has announced a Sh2 dividend per share-up from Sh1.70 per share in 2024-which will be a record payout for the listed company.

‘The Nairobi Securities Exchange and Dar-es-Salaam Stock Exchange maintained their recovery trends, positively influencing the Group’s investment portfolio. As a result, the Group recorded unrealised gains of Sh68 million on NSE-listed equities and Sh52 million on DSE-listed equities,’ the firm said in a statement.

‘The directors have proposed a final dividend of Sh2.00 per share (2024: Sh1.70 per share), amounting to a total of Sh509,703,970 (2024: Sh433,248,375).’

The NSE gained 53.8 percent in the 12 months to the end of July 2025, as measured by the NSE all share index. The rally has been attributed to local investors seeking entry into counters that had been undervalued during the bear run.

The carbon dioxide manufacturer, whose product is used by producers of alcohol and soft drinks, recorded a 1.6 percent growth in turnover to Sh2.1 billion owing to higher domestic sales and rising demand from new markets in the South African region.

Domestic sales rose 22.2 percent to Sh613.3 million while export earnings shrunk to Sh1.48 billion from Sh1.56 billion which was attributed to strengthening of the shilling against the dollar.

‘This modest growth was mainly driven by rising demand in non-traditional markets such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi. However, the appreciation of the Kenyan Shilling against the US Dollar dampened growth when measured in local currency terms,’ said the company.

The company’s operating profit rose 11.3 percent to Sh1.35 billion signaling that it was enjoying wider gross margins. Management attributed the wider margins to improved operation efficiency especially in energy consumption.

Delivery to the South African markets however increased, dampening gains that it made from the operational efficiency.

‘Labour cost, fleet maintenance and other related costs increased due to additional distance covered to serve the customers in various markets,’ said the company.

The company’s outlook for the current financial year was dampened by an increase in royalty payments it has to make to the ministry of Mining and Blue Economy.

‘The cost of higher royalty payments, combined with persistent inflationary pressures on labour, energy, and fleet costs, is expected to put a strain on operating margins,’ said Carbacid in a statement.

‘Unless there is meaningful policy review or relief on royalties by the Ministry, these costs will pose a competitive disadvantage to Kenya’s exports of liquefied carbon dioxide,’ it added.

As businesses innovate to meet evolving customer needs, the demand for real-time data has never been greater. The unprecedented rise in systemic risks has exposed the limits of traditional resilience measures. Despite genuine efforts, many organisations still fall short of achieving true operational resilience.

To remain competitive, businesses must prioritise their ability to absorb and swiftly recover from disruptions through real-time business activity monitoring.

For years, banks have relied on robust d

These typically involve mapping systems, identifying points of failure, simulating disruptions, and introducing redundancies alongside failover and recovery mechanisms. While this provides a solid foundation, it falls short of addressing today’s complexity and unpredictability.

Black swan events, unpredictable, and high-impact, are increasingly common. Geopolitical cyberattacks, third-party outages, and cascading network failures can defy even the most rigorous testing.

Moreover, compliance costs are rising. Smaller businesses often face a trade-off between investing in innovation and allocating resources to risk management, an uneasy balance essential for commercial survival.

Testing also comes with inherent blind spots. Simulations are based on assumptions; you can only test for what you already know. Real-world incidents are further complicated by human factors such as miscommunication or burnout, which can exacerbate disruptions.

Relying solely on proactive testing therefore creates dangerous gaps in awareness-organisations may not detect unfolding issues until critical thresholds are breached, leading to prolonged outages, regulatory violations, or irreversible loss of customer trust.

Real-time visibility transforms how businesses respond to operational challenges. By providing instant insights, it enables teams to detect anomalies as they happen, assess their potential impact, and act before problems escalate.

True operational resilience requires a mindset shift; from trying to prevent every possible failure to accepting that failure is inevitable, and instead focusing on minimising impact through rapid detection, real-time insight, and agile response. In essence, you cannot plan for everything, but you can be ready for anything.

Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) provides detailed, end-to-end visibility of transactions across multiple internal systems and channels. It tracks the entire lifecycle of a transaction-from initiation to completion-allowing institutions to swiftly detect, investigate, and resolve issues before they affect customers.

With a centralised view, teams can immediately identify bottlenecks or abnormal transaction behaviour. For instance, an unusual surge in payment volumes from a single channel at 3 am during the festive season could signal potential fraud or system stress.

BAM also helps monitor service level agreements (SLAs) and assess Value at Risk (VaR). As transactions approach thresholds that could breach contractual obligations or expose financial assets, automated alerts can be triggered to pre-emptively address the issue-preserving compliance and customer confidence.

Beyond resilience, BAM can reveal hidden opportunities and inefficiencies. It can identify revenue leakages-such as payments failing due to timeouts, misapplied pricing or discounts, loans abandoned mid-process, reconciliation gaps, or underbilled services. It can even detect patterns like agents splitting payments to earn extra commissions.

In today’s hyper-connected world, customers are highly sensitive to service disruptions, delays, or downtimes. A single viral social media post can erode loyalty and damage a brand built over decades. Businesses with real-time resilience frameworks are better positioned not only to withstand disruptions but to address them proactively-often before customers notice.

Operationally efficient organisations also optimise resources by streamlining workflows and reducing response times during incidents.

This fosters a culture of continuous improvement, empowering teams to embrace agility and anticipate future risks rather than merely reacting to them.

Without real-time visibility, institutions risk prolonged service interruptions, financial losses, and severe reputational damage. In today’s competitive landscape, even brief downtimes can undermine customer trust and market position.

To thrive in such an environment, organisations must fundamentally rethink their operational strategies-making real-time business monitoring not just a technology investment, but a strategic imperative.

The sharp pop of a knuckle crack can be oddly satisfying. Every now and then, I find myself cracking the knuckles of my fingers for no apparent reason.

For some people, it is a way to focus, while for others, it is simply a nervous reflex that feels right. Yet it is also one of those habits that quickly draws stares and warnings from friends or family who say, “Your joints will be damaged in the long run. Stop doing that.”

Curious to find out how common the habit is, I ran a short poll on Instagram. Nearly half of the respondents (45 percent) said they have never counted how many times they crack their knuckles, suggesting it happens without much thought.

About 32 percent said they do it fewer than five times a day, while 13 percent admitted to doing it countless times. But what really happens when we crack our knuckles, and could it have any lasting effects?

Dr Eva Langat, an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at the Nairobi Spine and Orthopaedic Centre, says cracking your knuckles is not as harmful as many believe.

“When you crack your knuckles, you are stretching or increasing the space within your joint,” she explains.

Each joint contains a lubricating substance known as synovial fluid. When you stretch or expand the space inside a joint, the pressure within that joint drops. The fluid contains dissolved gases which, under reduced pressure, separate and form bubbles.

“The cracking sound comes from the gas separating into bubbles and then bursting,” says Dr Langat.

Does it cause arthritis?

Cracking your knuckles does not increase the risk of arthritis. Dr Langat clarifies that arthritis results from cartilage damage, which can occur due to trauma, infection, autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks its own joints, or natural wear and tear with age.

However, moderation is important. “If you bend your fingers slightly and apply a bit of force, that has not been shown to cause any joint damage,” she says.

“But if you twist or pull your fingers violently into abnormal positions, you risk dislocation or injury to the ligaments and tendons, because the joint is being forced beyond its normal range.”

When is cracking risky?

For people who already have arthritis in their finger joints, cracking knuckles can worsen symptoms.

“With arthritis, the cartilage lining the joint surfaces becomes rough. Instead of smooth gliding, there is grinding and friction. Any motion that adds strain to the joint will increase discomfort and pain,” says Dr Langat.

She warns that you should stop cracking your knuckles if you experience pain during or after doing so, or if your finger fails to return to its normal position. “That could mean you have dislocated or partially dislocated the joint,” she adds.

Myths and misconceptions

Dr Langat emphasises that there is no proven benefit to cracking your knuckles. “Those who do it have no advantage over those who do not,” she says.

She cites the case of Dr Donald Unger, a researcher who cracked the knuckles of his left hand at least twice a day for 60 years but never cracked those on his right hand.

“After many years, X-rays showed no difference between the two hands in terms of arthritis, bone quality, or grip strength.”

The same applies to cracking other joints such as toes, the jaw, or the spine. However, spinal adjustments should be left to professionals.

“Within the spine, we have similar joints, but also other delicate structures such as discs and nerves. Applying pressure incorrectly can injure these areas and cause serious complications,” she cautions.

Why do people do it?

According to Dr Langat, people who frequently crack their knuckles tend to do so out of habit or as a response to stress, anxiety, or nervousness. Some may even use it as a coping mechanism for obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

“There is no specific demographic of people who are more likely to. Most develop the habit when they are young and continue it into adulthood,” she says.

At the Lone Tree meadow in Rosslyn Estate, George Kebaso Mokogi’s terrier dog, Snowy, named so because he is white as, er, snow, stares you down menacingly.

Snowy keeps watch here, where Kebaso, Managing Director, East Africa at YaFibr, has become a kind of master builder, showing his hand in the wooden finishings and old colonial-style relic housing. ‘I get my style from my dad,’ he says, ‘He made clothes look good.’

This house is his personal project, set catercorner to his neighbour’s, and a swaddling silvan silence settles upon it, lending credence to the term ‘tucked away.’ Yet the city is fast encroaching this way, and he knows it’s only a matter of time.

This is important because, earlier in his career, he ‘lived on the plane.’ Now, he seeks ‘smart travelling’, he wants to plant his roots, and claw back some of the hours strangled by airports and queues, particularly with his eldest daughter.

‘Only that she pencils me in to her schedule, never the other way round,’ he says.

Not so for his lastborn, 16-month-old Kemunto, who perches on his knee like a pint-sized personal bodyguard. She straddles the conversation with proprietary interest and a disapproving nod, as if deciding how much longer she’ll allow anyone to borrow her father.

How did you develop your eye for style?

I think it’s from my parents. Dad was very stylish. I was looking at a picture of him the other day with my eldest brother-in-law’s dad, a senior chief. He used to even wear his blazers [shows me pictures]. But he passed away in 2018. I have nine sisters, I’m the last born and the only boy. We lost two sisters, however.

Were you a spoiled lastborn?

No. If anything, I was put under pressure. The sister that I follow will say I’m spoilt because she used to be told to leave the sausages for the child [chuckles]. My sisters and I grew up in two shifts, for we were many.

When I was born, I really didn’t know my elder sisters. I got to know them later. My eldest sister is one of my best friends, because she sort of raised me more than my mom, and we just get each other.

When you guys meet, do you still feel like the lastborn?

No, because they treat me with respect. Thankfully, mum is still around; she is 93 this year and lives in Runda, across the road. Mum was a sharpshooter. The best sharpshooter in Kenya when she was in Kenya Prisons.

What’s one thing you kept here that reminds you of your upbringing?

In my office, I have one of dad’s awards that he was given posthumously for a hospital that was being constructed upcountry. Growing up, he always told me to be patient, don’t take shortcuts.

That’s why I even got a tattoo to mark the same. And family-you always have to care for family; if you don’t, they’ll still become your problem. So, best you take care of them before they become your problem [chuckles].

What’s your design guilty pleasure-that thing that you added just because?

The bedroom patio. My wife probably will end up using it more than I do. I set it up because I felt, you know, sometimes you wake up and don’t want to come and deal with the rest of the world. It’s nice and has birds, Therem, you can just be one with nature. I know it is for a limited time because the city is coming this way [chuckles].

Are you a golf-playing executive?

Golf is a very interesting game. It tortures you, but you still keep going back. Then you have those two or three nice holes, which make you want to go back. I go back for the two holes. So it’s more social and fun. It’s a brotherhood. If something happens to one of us, we try to support each other. But we also talk.

We have our golf tours, local and international. We have one president of the group and he’s also the only admin [chuckles]. It’s a good brotherhood. You enjoy it, and it also enhances your network. As you see, a lot of business is done on the course. If you enjoy it, even better.

What is the one quality that you bring to your friendships?

Honesty and empathy. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes the delivery might not be so smooth. And then of course, integrity is important too.

Do you still see your friends as those teenagers you met in high school?

Yes. So my best man was my locker mate in Mang’u High School. He has had the same behaviours since high school-during visiting day, he’d eat all the meat and bring me the chapatis and starch, haha! We went to the US and still kept in touch. He’s the only guy who can walk into my office and call me names and get away with it [chuckles]. It’s important because such friends keep you grounded.

Your daughter seems to like you quite a bit. Do you see parts of yourself in her when you were that age?

Yes. Because of just being free. You know, going to the neighbourhood, playing with the other children, and she’s the one who really enjoyed it. My eldest daughter did not enjoy this as much since I lived on the plane.

What’s your favourite part about being a father?

The birthdays and putting them to bed. My son will always reminds me to do the night prayers before we sleep. But I’m pretty sure when he becomes a teenager, like his sister, he will disappear. But at least with her, the good thing is we have lunches, anakupanga [fits me in her schedule]. Don’t mess with her schedule. I am also an active parent in school.

Is there guilt for that missed opportunity?

Yes, I wish I could have been there more feel for my eldest daughter. But for these ones, I’m still there, and I’m making the best of the time.

Now I’m conscious. You see, before I was in a position, and this is the beauty about maybe doing this later, you have a little leeway and can balance some elements of economics and quality time.

We have travelled quite a bit, creating experiences and memories with them, and my dad tried to do that too. He worked more, but the little time that we spent together, I treasured it. My dad was actually my roommate back in the US, and I would cook for him, print him the Daily Nation newspapers, watch TV et al.

What’s a fatherhood hack that you know?

That’s a tough one. But I think fairness. Every child responds differently and if you get to know how to connect or engage with each child, then you’re home and free. And every child has a different language of love; your job is to find it.

What role does travelling play in your life?

Travelling now is one, more of experience, and then two for business and refreshing the networks. We are building infrastructure here, which is a heavy investment, but travelling means I have to get the users on my infrastructure. But it has to be smart travelling. Over the years, I’ve learned, you should not overstretch yourself.

What’s your top travelling tip?

First, comfort wear. If you can wear, you know, your tracksuits or whatever that’s comfortable, and t-shirts and sneakers. Secondly, home food is always the best. I try to have my meal before I leave, the plane is just for dessert or good wine [chuckles].

What’s the one place you’ve gone to that shifted your perspective either for good or bad?

That’s a good one. Toulouse in France. It’s a multifaceted view because the food and cooking are different. It’s heavy. That’s where the rugby players come from. So, the food is nice and rich and heavy. And then I like the friendliness of the city, and Airbus and all these other tech companies are there too. And then of course you can also get good wine.

As a foodie, what is the one ingredient that never misses on your plate?

I would say between black pepper, paprika, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. I’m addicted to garlic. It opens up the food.

What will surprise people about how you spend your weekend?

I actually have a very good balance of family time and me time. I’ll find time to go play golf and have a bottle of wine, or whisky on my whisky days. And there are times that it’s just family like for the last few weekends, we’ve been going to the new organic farmers market in Tigoni. My wife is trying her hand in farming, no chemicals, just organic.

In your me time, what is your sacred ritual?

It’s got to have an element of sport. Either hours of basketball or golf. And then of course, the social element. But it has to have a sport. Because not only do I enjoy it, but it keeps me healthy. This year was a special year because I turned 50.at a Coldplay concert, haha!

Are you a sore loser when you are playing?

No, it’s never that serious [chuckles]. For basketball, I am. I picked basketball in high school because my dad scared me out of rugby because of the injuries. The knees are holding up okay [chuckles].

Have sports given you any clues to human behaviour?

It helps me read people very quickly. I think I’m a very good judge of somebody’s character in the first 10, 15 minutes. And I also read energy, and I don’t like being around bad energy. I am a big Dallas Mavericks fan too and I spend a lot of time watching American football.

What cheers you up the most?

When the home is happy I am happy. Seeing my basketball teams and my American football teams win make my week.

Can one have it all?

You can, yes. And all is defined in your head. The thing is, you have to adjust all in your head to fit within whatever you’re trying to do. But I believe you can have it all.

What do you splurge your money on?

Mostly family and family experiences. I enjoy that. Because those are memories, and they are priceless

If there were a sandwich named after you, what would be in it?

Haha! Tomatoes. That’s a good one. Definitely sun-dried tomatoes. Some crispy bacon. Some meat with a hint of garlic. And some creamy, nice, rich cheese. Here’s the hack: good bread is everything.

If you could do it all again, what would you do more?

What would I do more? I think I would start investing at a much younger age. I did a few things in college, but I also wasted some money.

I also chair one of the biggest mergers and acquisitions companies in East Africa, Horizon Capital, and that gives me a vantage point where I’m able to see trends. I am learning a lot and enjoy this journey. I sit on the board of Nairobi Primary, not for the money but impact, to see how we can transform an old institution that has a lot of legacy, to see how I can impact.

A senior legal officer was sacked for running a private law firm while employed by the State-owned Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), court papers show, turning the spotlight on moonlighting in the public sector.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court found that Eurry Mabonga, who worked at AFC from April 2013 to January 2025, registered Mabonga and Company Advocates in July 2020 while still at the corporation. During his 12-year stint, he was never promoted and was not paid a non-practice allowance, the judgment notes.

In the public service, a non-practice allowance is payable to professionals who relinquish private practice to serve exclusively in the public sector.

Mr Mabonga was terminated in January 2025. AFC accused him of breaching fiduciary duties under the Public Officer Ethics Act by engaging in private practice and exposing the institution to legal risk. To buttress its case, AFC produced a certificate of registration and a firm profile for Mabonga and Co. Advocates. The corporation also accused him of gross negligence in handling court matters.

Evidence presented showed Mr Mabonga’s work laptop contained draft legal documents, including a Sh7.5 million professional undertaking for an external firm. AFC argued this proved he was managing a private practice during work hours, a claim Mr Mabonga denied, insisting his firm handled AFC-related cases.

Court’s ruling

The court held that Mr Mabonga’s alleged cumulative negligence in court cases, exposing AFC to losses, justified termination. However, it declared the dismissal unlawful for failure to follow due process, including denying him access to crucial documents and allowing an investigator to sit on the disciplinary panel.

The corporation’s IT officer, who extracted evidence from Mr Mabonga’s laptop, sat on the disciplinary committee, breaching AFC’s HR policy.

A witness testified that analysis of the confiscated laptop uncovered unauthorised professional undertakings for third parties, including loan facilities and a land transaction. Mr Mabonga denied the allegations.

The court found AFC breached Mr Mabonga’s rights by withholding evidence. He was denied access to critical documents before the hearing, undermining his defence.

The court faulted the disciplinary process, stating it ‘was a mere formality’, declaring the termination unlawful under Section 41 of the Employment Act.

Professional negligence

At the same time, the court agreed that AFC had valid reasons for termination, citing alleged negligence, including a Sh316,515 loss from a salary dispute. It noted a pattern of professional negligence, such as failure to file defences in a magistrate’s court matter, leading to a Sh30,000 costs award against AFC, and the dismissal of two debt-recovery suits for inaction, costing AFC Sh807,041.

AFC also accused him of signing loan documents without authority, though the court found insufficient proof of forgery.

The judge observed that while individual lapses might not warrant dismissal, their cumulative effect undermined AFC’s legal interests, satisfying Section 45 of the Employment Act.

Problematic practice

Still, the private-practice issue-though ethically problematic-was not included in the termination charges.

‘The disciplinary process was a procedural mockery,’ the court observed, citing breaches of natural justice.

In his claim, Mr Mabonga admitted registering the firm but said it was not concealed and benefited AFC, asserting all filings were on the corporation’s behalf.

The court stated: ‘However, the claimant did not produce any pleadings filed for the respondent (AFC) through the firm. Even if such filings existed, it is unclear how filing the pleadings under the firm was beneficial to the respondent, seeing that there is no indication nor even a suggestion that the respondent was unable to file pleadings in its own name.’

AFC was ordered to pay Sh3.3 million plus interest and Mr Mabonga’s legal costs. The award includes Sh2.6 million in non-practice allowance for 88 months (April 2013 to July 2020, when he registered the firm) at Sh30,000 per month.

The court dismissed his claim for Sh1.7 million in salary disparities, finding no evidence that he performed the duties of a head of department.

Costlier mistake

While the court accepted that ‘Public officers must avoid conflicts of interest, but employers must follow due process,’ it concluded that AFC’s procedural missteps rendered the dismissal unlawful-making the flawed process, rather than the alleged misconduct, the costlier mistake.

Mr Mabonga described himself as well-educated and said he leveraged his skills to deliver favourable judgments that saved AFC over Sh3.5 billion in direct costs. He also claimed stagnation, alleging junior and inexperienced staff were promoted over him, leaving him with heavier workloads and lower pay.

Every dawn around 5am, it’s a familiar sight at Alpha Fit Gym in Thindigua: 50-year-old Richard Agufana pedalling steadily on a Merach cross-trainer. His mornings begin slowly and deliberately, spending 15 to 20 minutes easing his body into motion.

Some 27 kilometres away at Workout Warehouse on Uhuru Highway, 59-year-old Susan Omondi has already broken a sweat by 6.30am. You’ll find her commanding a StairMaster or at her neatly arranged corner, dumbbells at the ready.

Susan’s devotion to weighted cardio borders on sacred. Her unwritten rule: two hours minimum – 30 minutes of weighted cardio, an hour of strength training, then 30 minutes on the treadmill or stairs, without fail.

‘I always start with a light cardio session, then move on to strength training where I push the weights a little harder. I must finish with at least 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill,’ she told BD Life. It’s been her ritual for years.

For the muscular and disciplined Richard, the cross-trainer is the only cardio he trusts. Once done, he spends an hour and a half lifting weights.

‘I played football until I fractured my right leg at 28, that’s why I don’t do much cardio anymore. Everything starts and ends with the cross-trainer. It’s less risky than the treadmill for my old injury. The only other time I do cardio is certain Sundays when my peers and I play football, and as you know, ‘mpira ya wazee’ isn’t that intense,’ he explains.

Then there’s engineer Peter Kamau, 46, who lives for the treadmill. At least an hour on it kicks off his session, followed by 30 to 45 minutes of lighter strength work-often sled pushes.

‘At the gym, I always start on the treadmill. I’m a recreational runner, doing about 200 kilometres a week. There’s always a distance target to hit. I don’t do much strength training; 30 to 45 minutes is enough. Sometimes, depending on the race I’m preparing for, I finish with a slow run on the treadmill.’

For Lorna Bonareri, 53, a die-hard advocate of intermittent fasting and an all-round fitness enthusiast, the ‘cardio before or after weights’ debate barely registers.

‘I’ve been active for more than 30 years,’ she says. ‘My body has muscle memory, so I can switch things up easily. I don’t stress about what comes first. One week I’m cycling; the next I’m lifting or doing cardio; the next I could be swimming. Sticking to one routine plateaus your growth.’

A daily dilemma

As gym culture surges among urban Kenyans, especially those in their 40s and 50s, increasingly conscious of how their bodies age and perform, the conversation keeps returning to one question: after 40, the age where life supposedly begins, should you do cardio before or after strength training?

For many gym-goers, the daily dilemma is familiar: you arrive, scan the room, and wonder-left toward the weights, or right toward the cardio section? You planned to do both, but in what order? Does it even matter?

‘I do believe it depends on one’s objective. What is your goal? Do you want to lose weight, build some muscle, or keep up with general fitness without caring much about your physique?’ argues Juma Hamisi, 47, a certified fitness trainer and ardent advocate of listening to your body.

As you get older, the body gets stiffer and strength declines naturally.

‘If one’s target is to lose weight, it’s advisable to start by warming up the muscles. This increases blood flow and gets your body ready for a more intense cardio workout. But if the goal is to build muscle, then a warm-up is okay-followed by an intense strength session or lifting weights depending on the workout of the day. You might finish with light cardio, either a 20-minute walk on the treadmill or cycling on the spinning bikes,’ adds Juma.

Juma Hamisi: Why I have slowed down on exercises at 47

Former bodybuilder turned fitness instructor Collins Omondi, 49, wants anyone past 40 to be very careful about how they start.

‘I highly recommend starting with cardio, although the intensity varies from person to person,’ Omondi says.

‘It’s important for those aged above 40 to warm up their joints, which naturally become stiffer with age. The body takes longer to heat up, which is why cardio is effective in getting things moving. Jumping straight into strength training or weightlifting increases the risk of injury, and as you may know, the body’s recovery and healing processes slow down with age.’

But 50-year-old boxing coach Hassan Abdul Salim disagrees.

‘I think many people get it wrong. Before we even discuss cardio versus weights, let’s talk about what should truly come first – stretching. Most gym-goers skip stretching because they think it’s a waste of time, but there’s nothing more effective, especially for anyone over 40,’ Hassan explains.

‘Stretching shocks all the nerves in your body and wakes them up because nerves naturally go numb with age. After a proper stretch, which should take no less than 15 minutes, you can move into light cardio like a slow treadmill run, progress to light-weighted cardio, and finally build up to heavy lifting or intense strength training.’

The sequence matters, he insists.

‘If you immediately jump into strength training or load lifting with your muscles and nerves still stiff, getting injured isn’t a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ and ‘how soon.’ That is why I insist for clients past 40 that we start with stretches to eliminate stiffness and prepare the body for what’s ahead. Once you’ve done that, the rest of the workout becomes a matter of personal preference. To me, this is the safest and most effective way to begin any workout session.’

Start this way…

All things being equal, it makes little difference whether you do cardio before or after weight training. However, if one discipline matters more – say your cardio is part of marathon prep, or your lifting is aimed at building muscle – start with that.

‘Start with the thing you want to get better at,’ advises exercise physiologist John Mukami.

‘If you’re a recreational runner training for a race, you want to do the cardio before the strength work. The reason is simple: if you lift first, you’ll already be fatigued when you start your run, which means you won’t perform at the same level. You’ll compromise your ability to hit your target pace during tempo runs, intervals, or whatever workout you’ve planned for that day.’

Similarly, if your goal is to build strength or hit a personal best in the gym, st art with weights.

‘If that is your priority, begin with strength training and then move on to cardio,’ Mukami adds.

While the physiological differences between doing cardio before or after lifting are minimal, instructors Hassan and Omondi agree that for those past 40, it’s often wiser to separate the two sessions entirely. The risk of injury rises with fatigue-and full recovery takes longer.

‘Fatigue only makes your form worse. You’ll never have better form when you’re already tired,’ Omondi notes. Even when cardio and lifting hit different muscle groups-say, a shoulder workout followed by a run-the combination can still tax your overall systems and mental focus.

A 2025 report by a sports science team on SportRxiv found that warming up before strength training had an insignificant impact on overall exercise performance, including strength, endurance, and perceived exertion.

‘At the end of the day, skipping strength, cardio, or even a warm-up-because you might get too tired to finish the rest of your session-does more harm than worrying about which one to start with,’ notes Juma.

After all, the best workout is the one you actually do.

Competition in Kenya’s high-end health insurance market is heating up after UK-based AXA Global Healthcare partnered with Old Mutual General Insurance Kenya to roll out international private medical insurance (IPMI) plans locally.

The cover, which is aimed at executives working abroad or those who frequently travel overseas, offers comprehensive international medical protection, including emergency care such as ambulance transport and hospital stays when urgent treatment is needed.

The AXA-Old Mutual deal also includes Executive Healthcare Solutions (EHS), one of the major IPMI providers in Sub-Saharan Africa, which targets executives, expatriates, families and organisations with exclusive access to global healthcare solutions.

‘This partnership strengthens Old Mutual’s mission to provide accessible, trusted and customer-focused healthcare protection that meets the needs of a dynamic and globally connected population,’ said Japheth Ogalloh, managing director at Old Mutual General.

The policy also provides access to specialised services like cancer treatment, virtual doctor consultations, and mental health support with access to psychologists.

Members also benefit from medical evacuation and repatriation, as well as a second medical opinion from world-leading health specialists.

Second entry

The entry of AXA into the country’s high-end health insurance market comes barely seven months after another UK insurer, Bupa Global, entered Kenya.

In April, Bupa opened its first African office in Nairobi after receiving approval from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA).

The deal highlights a growing race among international players to capture the country’s expanding market for premium health cover.

This is amid forecasts that Kenya’s IPMI market will grow by more than 10 percent annually, driven by rising demand for cross-border healthcare and quality medical protection for executives, expatriates and globally mobile professionals.

Under the new deal, EHS will act as the exclusive distributor of AXA policies in Kenya, while Old Mutual will provide local insurance backing.

The agreement also includes the renewal-based transfer of EHS’s existing IPMI customer portfolio across several African markets.

Karim Idilby, chief growth officer at AXA, said collaborating with Old Mutual aligns with the firm’s global growth strategy.

‘Old Mutual’s leadership position in Kenya and East Africa makes them an ideal partner, particularly as we focus on the individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises strategic growth segments,’ said Mr Idilby.

‘Our deep understanding of the insurance needs of those living and working in Africa means we know what clients are looking for from their international health cover,’ said Aly Maherali, CEO at EHS.

Andy O’Cain, global head of distribution at AXA, said the firm aims to sign partnerships in other markets in Africa to gain access to existing and new customers and become the leading player in the continent’s international private medical insurance market.

AXA’s move follows its recent market expansion in the UAE, as the company continues to build momentum in key global growth regions.

The funeral of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nyanza pushed up the country’s inter-county travel costs, with domestic airfares and matatu fares rising sharply in October.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the average cost of a local flight increased by 52 percent to Sh16,722.56 from Sh11,001.44 in the same month last year, as airfares on the Nairobi-Kisumu route surged ahead of Odinga’s burial.

Domestic air ticket prices also increased by 3.8 percent month-on-month, rising from an average of Sh16,106.09 in September, reflecting the sharp rise in inter-county travel by wealthy Kenyans and government officials flying to Kisumu for Odinga’s funeral.

The veteran politician died on October 15, 2025 and was buried in Bondo, Siaya County, on Sunday October 19.

Inter-county bus fares, which typically spike in December, also increased in October as tens of thousands of mourners, alongside dignitaries, travelled to the funeral.

Read: Nairobi-Kisumu airfares double ahead of Raila Odinga’s funeral

‘The cost of international flights declined by 0.6 percent, while prices of petrol and diesel remained unchanged. In contrast, country bus and matatu fares for travel between towns increased by 1.4 percent,’ said KNBS Director-General Macdonald Obudho in the October Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report.

Air fares

Following Odinga’s death, most flights were fully booked throughout the weekend as mourners and political delegations prepared to travel to Nyanza for the final ceremonies. Some airlines, such as Kenya Airways, had to increase their flight frequencies.

Buses on the Nairobi-Siaya route were also fully booked, with some transport companies adding extra services.

A spot check by Business Daily showed that one-way air tickets on major carriers ranged from Sh18,000 to Sh23,000 – almost double the usual price of Sh8,000 to Sh10,000 for this route.

As of midday on Thursday October 16, a one-way Jambojet flight from Nairobi to Kisumu on Saturday was priced at Sh19,500.

Prices have since dropped to between Sh8,300 and Sh10,300, reflecting the cooling demand after the burial of the opposition leader’s burial.

Ordinarily, the Nairobi-Kisumu corridor is one of Kenya’s busiest domestic routes, connecting the capital to western Kenya’s commercial and political heartland. Fares usually range between Sh8,000 and Sh10,000 depending on the time of booking and seat availability.

Odinga, who died at the age of 80 while receiving treatment in India, was a towering figure in Kenyan politics for more than three decades. His death sparked national mourning and drew thousands to vigils in Nairobi and Kisumu, triggering a surge in travel demand.

Read: KCAA halts operations at JKIA as Raila mourners throng facility

Airline data shows that most morning and evening flights from Nairobi to Kisumu on the Friday and Saturday ahead of the burial were sold out, with return flights early the following week also filling up fast.

The rise in ticket prices pushed the cost of a return trip to about Sh40,000 – roughly double the normal average – highlighting how Kenya’s domestic air market remains highly sensitive to sudden, event-driven demand spikes on high-traffic routes like Nairobi-Kisumu.

Odinga, a five-time presidential contender, commanded a passionate following, especially in the Nyanza region, explaining the heightened interest in his funeral.

Hotels in the lakeside city of Kisumu also reported being fully booked in the lead-up to the ceremony.

Inflation rate

According to KNBS data, transport inflation rose by 4.8 percent year-on-year in October, even though the overall inflation rate – the increase in consumer prices over the previous 12 months – remained at 4.6 percent.

The High Court has ruled that banks and financial institutions cannot be subjected to disciplinary action by the Auctioneers Licensing Board for conducting auction-related activities without licences, dealing a blow to professional auctioneers fighting to monopolise asset recovery services.

In a ruling that limits the disciplinary powers of professional boards and protects the financial sector from dual regulation, the court emphasised that the board’s mandate only covers licensed auctioneers, not banks regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

The court overturned a decision by the Auctioneers Licensing Board, which had sought to penalise Co-operative Bank of Kenya and several other lenders for allegedly engaging in auctioneering without proper licensing.

The judgment clarifies that only licensed auctioneers – not banks – fall under the board’s regulatory purview, setting back professional auctioneers’ arguments that lenders have encroached on their exclusive domain.

Kensap complaint

The case arose from a complaint made in February 2023 by the Kenya National Society of Professional Auctioneers (Kensap), who accused banks of conducting repossessions and auctions without auctioneering licences, thereby violating Section 4(2) of the Auctioneers Act.

Kensap argued that publicly advertising auction sales and conducting repossession exercises are activities reserved for licensed auctioneers under the Auctioneers Act.

The complaint arose from an auction advertisement published in the Daily Nation by the Co-Operative Bank concerning the sale of repossessed property.

Kensap contended that, by engaging in the auction business, the financial institutions had subjected themselves to the jurisdiction of the Auctioneers Licensing Board.

In a November 2024 ruling, the board concurred with Kensap and dismissed Co-operative Bank’s objection, asserting jurisdiction over the matter.

Disciplining an unqualified person

This prompted an appeal to the High Court, which overturned that decision, declaring that the board erred fundamentally.

‘Just as an unqualified person posing as a doctor cannot face medical council sanctions, banks, (regulated by the Central Bank) cannot answer to auctioneers’ tribunals,’ said the court.

The court held that the Auctioneers Licensing Board lacks authority over banks, as they are governed by CBK regulations, not the Auctioneers Act.

It likened the situation to disciplining an unqualified person practicing law before the Advocates Disciplinary Tribunal, an impossibility since tribunals only regulate licensed professionals.

The judgment affirmed that if banks engage in unlicensed auctioneering, the proper recourse is criminal prosecution under Section 9(2) of the Auctioneers Act-not disciplinary action by the board.

Penalties under this section include fines of up to Sh100,000 or imprisonment for up to two years.

The court found similarities between this case and a 2022 dispute involving the Kenya Bankers Association, in which it was ruled that complaints against unlicensed auctioneering must be pursued criminally, not administratively.

The ruling reinforces banks’ ability to conduct auctions and repossessions without fear of disciplinary action from the Auctioneers Board. It also weakens Kensap’s ability to regulate auctioneering activities, potentially reducing demand for licensed auctioneers in bank-led recoveries.

Festering issue

While the judgment settles the jurisdictional question, it leaves unresolved whether banks’ auction activities constitute illegal auctioneering.

The court acknowledged this ambiguity stating that ‘the dispute remains a festering issue’ requiring legislative or judicial clarity.

‘The issue as to whether the appellant (Co-operative Bank) can continue to render services that are exclusively reserved for auctioneers (as held out by the Kenya National Society of Professional Auctioneers) still largely remains unresolved. It is a question that will continue to vex the licensed auctioneers while causing anxiety and apprehension to parties who render the services that the auctioneering body complains of,’ said the trial judge.

Prosecutors must mostly pursue criminal complaints against entities engaging in unlicensed auctions, though such prosecutions remain rare.