Category: Business Daily

Frank Molla, the managing director at MDP Africa, a fintech company, wants to make something clear. He wanted to get a university degree, but he just couldn’t. If he had it his way, he would have.

The clue is in the numerous executive leadership courses he has taken: Two at Harvard University, a quintet at Strathmore Business School, among others. ‘My executive courses are beyond degrees,’ he says.

No need to rehash his life story; who doesn’t know he was a garbage collector or a matatu tout? Or that, because of his questionable antecedents and the stain of a childhood in Kariobangi South, or K-South as he calls it, he is not pure, yet he has the potential for purity, like a soiled white shirt.

Here, Frank is a bee caught in a Venus flytrap, needing to translate himself, peppering his sentences with Sheng, talking about ‘root systems’, and ‘hood’ and ‘fake lifestyles’-the boy from K-South upsetting the caste system in Karen, in a neighbourhood where everyone keeps to themselves.

Frank, what do you miss about yourself before you became important?

That’s an interesting question. There’s a certain level of freedom where you really don’t care what people think. You would do anything, and nobody would judge. In K-South, I’d hooch over and ask my neighbour for salt.

The funny thing about exposure and being a CEO is that there is a certain expectation society has put on you. So you are very cautious and end up bucketing your friends-social friends, marriage friendships, book clubs, et al. I miss that carefree life.

You’ve been at the bottom, and now at the top. What is similar between the two positions in life?

There is still K-South in me, my root system. What has remained consistent is my belief in the importance of friendships and meaningful connections. I have a WhatsApp group with my friends from K-South to date. They were here at my place recently, although you can’t say you are humble; someone else has to tell you that [chuckles].

What are the pros and cons of being you?

You should have sent these questions [chuckles]. That’s a hard one.

The word authentic has been abused, people say, ‘come as yourself, the way you are,’ and I don’t want to use the word ‘authenticity’, because there are authentic thieves, authentic liars, and authentic laziness [chuckles].

My pro is that I want people to come as who they are, which is also a con, because I struggle with people who do things just to fit in. This is why I started Executive Connect [a club that hosts top executives] on humanising leadership, to put your titles aside and talk as you are.

What about the con?

Faking who you are, being ashamed of where you come from. Don’t do things to please people.

Do you ever have survivor’s guilt for leaving K-South?

For the longest time, I had a poverty mindset. I was running but didn’t know that I was. I was running because of the fear – what if something happens, and I end up back there? I also discovered that I wanted to be a saviour; if anything happened, I wanted to be the one who stepped in. The disadvantage is that you don’t give other people room to contribute. I felt I had this weight on me to do something, but I got help from coaching.

Do you feel bad that you left your friends behind?

No, and we talk about this every time. We meet all the time. The point is, if you are in K-South, I hope you are constructing something somewhere, because I know my friends are working at reputable companies. I have no guilt, and I have zero apologies; this is the path I chose.

We don’t discriminate. My friend supplies Romo [a restaurant that he owns in Nairobi] with eggs, and if there is something we can benefit from each other, we do it. For instance, we have been visiting each other’s parents and we contribute equally-we have gone to Murang’a, then Juja, then Kisumu, then Western until we are done. There is no guilt, for we have all accepted ourselves.

Is there an advantage to having a façade as a CEO, or can CEOs just be themselves, as you said?

Both can work, but one has a fixed timeline. The people-pleaser CEO is short-lived, because your real self always comes out when something triggers you. Leadership is built and grown into.

Perhaps in the past, leadership was dictatorial, no compromise, and people still delivered, not because of passion but because they needed the money. The downside? When employees got the opportunity to leave, they jumped ship. Some CEOs deliver results, but at great human cost.

Leaders who take the human angle today, and are just themselves, tend to achieve not the best of results, but consistency in results with low staff turnover. Be firm but kind. However, just because you are the top salesperson does not necessarily mean you should be the head of sales.

How do you define yourself without the titles?

Ah, Frank Molla. People call me Rafiki. It picked up because when I called someone, I would say, ‘Hey Rafiki’ That’s my brand.

What never makes it to your CV?

I’m a dancer and a trainer of Rhumba dances. In fact, I will be the lead instructor of Rhumba dances at Romo this year [chuckles]. I started dancing with Joseph Imbwaka ‘Rogarow’ at Visions’ Plaza, then went to Impala, Karen and Parklands. I join Rhumba dance challenges that last up to three hours. We’ve been to Nakuru, Arusha and Uganda. But I also play the sax. Self-taught?

No. My son was in music and was playing the trumpet. The teacher said to encourage him, somebody needs to do it practically, so I bought a sax [chuckles]. Initially, it was just for fun, but he dropped the class, and I continued haha!

What is it about Rhumba dances?

It’s a mix, and it’s a full exercise. Dancing is my happiest place where I am just free, just myself. But because I travel too much and sit on the plane, this is my favourite exercise. I’d land and look for a dance class, be it at Impala or Soweto in South Africa.

Is leadership really that lonely, or are some CEOs just bad at networking?

The air is thin at the top. I have been lonely every step of my career. You are not promoted as a group; you don’t grow as a group, you grow as you, and by what you demonstrate. That vision you have for yourself can be lonely. When I got to an MD role, I realised the air is thin because there is much to be done, so much expectation from people and from yourself, and you are carrying the brand of an entire institution.

What do you need more of in your life?

Time. How I spend mine matters to me. I always say I have 48 hours in a day because of the things I do. I am employed, an entrepreneur, I run an executives’ programme, and I sit on no fewer than three boards.

You don’t wake up earlier?

Yes, but what do I want to achieve at 5am? I sleep at 11pm and get up at 7am, and when I am on leave, I can sleep up to 10am. I delegate a lot, and that is why I can do many things.

Even from an eight-to-five perspective, some people spend more than an hour in traffic, chatting, going for lunch, et al. A lot of time is lost in all those things. For me, I become more intentional about the time I lose than the time I use. I plan my day critically, and the universe aligns with that plan.

What do you need less of, then?

Hard questions. People only say they prefer less after getting more [chuckles]. I’ll tell you this, I have driven one car for the last 10 years. Before that, I had a Range Rover, a Jaguar, and some I forget. Now? I want fewer liabilities. Why do I need all these cars? All my shirts are white, for ease of choice, and I have fewer than five suits, all blue, ever since.

How do you show yourself love?

Haha! I shop, and I shop for quality. I thank myself every month after giving to others; I keep some portion to myself, and I have a reserve price, which I almost always exceed [chuckles].

I am very specific about what I splurge on, especially clothes and good food. I recently went to The Atmosphere, at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, on the 122nd floor, where there is a minimum spend requirement. One must part with about 700 dirhams (Sh24,000). We ended up spending over Sh200,000 on food alone. It was worth every cent. It’s not the expense that drives you; it’s the quality, and also the crowd.

What is the most K-South habit you have brought to Karen?

Haha! A longing for communal living. I still want to ask for salt from the neighbour, just to connect. We have a WhatsApp group, but everyone keeps to themselves. Here, you just can’t go to someone’s house or do something over Christmas, which is why I think I bring people from outside. But it’s life.

Frank Molla, the managing director at MDP Africa, a fintech company, wants to make something clear. He wanted to get a university degree, but he just couldn’t. If he had it his way, he would have.

The clue is in the numerous executive leadership courses he has taken: Two at Harvard University, a quintet at Strathmore Business School, among others. ‘My executive courses are beyond degrees,’ he says.

No need to rehash his life story; who doesn’t know he was a garbage collector or a matatu tout? Or that, because of his questionable antecedents and the stain of a childhood in Kariobangi South, or K-South as he calls it, he is not pure, yet he has the potential for purity, like a soiled white shirt.

‘Here,’ he says, ‘I can’t just go over the fence and ask for salt from my neighbour, like in K-South.’

Here, Frank is a bee caught in a Venus flytrap, needing to translate himself, peppering his sentences with Sheng, talking about ‘root systems’, and ‘hood’ and ‘fake lifestyles’-the boy from K-South upsetting the caste system in Karen, in a neighbourhood where everyone keeps to themselves.

Frank, what do you miss about yourself before you became important?

That’s an interesting question. There’s a certain level of freedom where you really don’t care what people think. You would do anything, and nobody would judge. In K-South, I’d hooch over and ask my neighbour for salt.

The funny thing about exposure and being a CEO is that there is a certain expectation society has put on you. So you are very cautious and end up bucketing your friends-social friends, marriage friendships, book clubs, et al. I miss that carefree life.

You’ve been at the bottom, and now at the top. What is similar between the two positions in life?

There is still K-South in me, my root system. What has remained consistent is my belief in the importance of friendships and meaningful connections. I have a WhatsApp group with my friends from K-South to date. They were here at my place recently, although you can’t say you are humble; someone else has to tell you that [chuckles].

What are the pros and cons of being you?

You should have sent these questions [chuckles]. That’s a hard one.

The word authentic has been abused, people say, ‘come as yourself, the way you are,’ and I don’t want to use the word ‘authenticity’, because there are authentic thieves, authentic liars, and authentic laziness [chuckles].

My pro is that I want people to come as who they are, which is also a con, because I struggle with people who do things just to fit in. This is why I helped start Executive Connect [a club that hosts top executives] on humanising leadership, to put your titles aside and talk as you are.

What about the con?

Faking who you are, being ashamed of where you come from. Don’t do things to please people.

Do you ever have survivor’s guilt for leaving K-South?

For the longest time, I had a poverty mindset. I was running but didn’t know that I was. I was running because of the fear – what if something happens, and I end up back there? I also discovered that I wanted to be a saviour; if anything happened, I wanted to be the one who stepped in. The disadvantage is that you don’t give other people room to contribute. I felt I had this weight on me to do something, but I got help from coaching.

Do you feel bad that you left your friends behind?

No, and we talk about this every time. We meet all the time. The point is, if you are in K-South, I hope you are constructing something somewhere, because I know my friends are working at reputable companies. I have no guilt, and I have zero apologies; this is the path I chose.

We don’t discriminate. My friend supplies my family business in Nairobi with eggs, and if there is something we can benefit from each other, we do it. For instance, we have been visiting each other’s parents and we contribute equally-we have gone to Murang’a, then Juja, then Kisumu, then Western Kenya until we are done. There is no guilt, for we have all accepted ourselves.

Is there an advantage to having a façade as a CEO, or can CEOs just be themselves, as you said?

Both can work, but one has a fixed timeline. The people-pleaser CEO is short-lived, because your real self always comes out when something triggers you. Leadership is built and grown into.

Perhaps in the past, leadership was dictatorial, no compromise, and people still delivered, not because of passion but because they needed the money. The downside? When employees got the opportunity to leave, they jumped ship. Some CEOs deliver results, but at great human cost.

Leaders who take the human angle today, and are just themselves, tend to achieve not the best of results, but consistency in results with low staff turnover. Be firm but kind. However, just because you are the top salesperson does not necessarily mean you should be the head of sales.

How do you define yourself without the titles?

Ah, Frank Molla. People call me Rafiki. It picked up because when I called someone, I would say, ‘Hey Rafiki’ That’s my brand.

What never makes it to your CV?

I’m a dancer and a trainer of Rhumba dances. I started dancing with Joseph Imbwaka ‘Rogarow’ at Visions’ Plaza, then went to Impala, Karen and Parklands. I join Rhumba dance challenges that last up to three hours. We’ve been to Nakuru, Arusha and Uganda. But I also play the sax.

Self-taught?

No. My son was in music class, playing the trumpet. The teacher said to encourage him, somebody needs to do it practically, so I bought a sax [chuckles]. Initially, it was just for fun, but he dropped the class, and I continued, haha!

What is it about Rhumba dances?

It’s a mix, and it’s a full exercise. Dancing is my happiest place where I am just free, just myself. But because I travel too much and sit on the plane, this is my favourite exercise. I’d land and look for a dance class, be it at Impala or Soweto in South Africa.

Is leadership really that lonely, or are some CEOs just bad at networking?

The air is thin at the top. I have been lonely every step of my career. You are not promoted as a group; you don’t grow as a group, you grow as you, and by what you demonstrate. That vision you have for yourself can be lonely. When I got to an MD role, I realised the air is thin because there is much to be done, so much expectation from people and from yourself, and you are carrying the brand of an entire institution.

What do you need more of in your life?

Time. How I spend mine matters to me. I always say I have 48 hours in a day because of the things I do. I am employed, an entrepreneur, I run an executives’ programme, and I sit on no fewer than three boards.

You don’t wake up earlier?

Yes, but what do I want to achieve at 5am? I sleep at 11pm and get up at 7am, and when I am on leave, I can sleep up to 10 am. I delegate a lot, and that is why I can do many things.

Even from an eight-to-five perspective, some people spend more than an hour in traffic, chatting, going for lunch, et al. A lot of time is lost in all those things. For me, I become more intentional about the time I lose than the time I use. I plan my day critically, and the universe aligns with that plan.

What do you need less of, then?

Hard questions. People only say they prefer less after getting more [chuckles]. I’ll tell you this, I have driven one car for the last 10 years. Before that, I had a Range Rover, a Jaguar, and some I forget. Now? I want fewer liabilities. Why do I need all these cars? All my shirts are white, for ease of choice, and I have fewer than five suits, all blue, ever since.

How do you show yourself love?

Haha! I shop, and I shop for quality. I thank myself every month after giving to others; I keep some portion to myself, and I have a reserve price, which I almost always exceed [chuckles].

I am very specific about what I splurge on, especially clothes and good food. I recently went to The Atmosphere, at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, on the 122nd floor, where there is a minimum spend requirement. We ended up spending quite a lot on food alone. It was worth every cent. It’s not the expense that drives you; it’s the quality, and also the crowd.

What is the most K-South habit you have brought to Karen?

Haha! A longing for communal living. I still want to ask for salt from the neighbour, just to connect. We have a WhatsApp group, but everyone keeps to themselves. Here, you just can’t go to someone’s house or do something over Christmas, which is why I think I bring people from outside. But it’s life.

The government plans to spend up to Sh100 million annually to pay social media influencers and bloggers to promote government narratives online, aiming to improve its image and boost public awareness of its programmes.

The Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy (MICDE) is seeking the allocation to fund its objective of ‘positively profiling the government brand,’ in collaboration with the Presidential Communication Service and the Office of the Government Spokesperson.

The move comes amid growing dissent on social media, with many recent protests organised online, prompting the State to turn what has been a headache into an opportunity to engage citizens.

The proposals are outlined in the National Communication Strategy, which notes that ‘with the rise of digital media, the government has found it increasingly difficult to control information as multiple voices have emerged.’

‘The strategy is designed to enhance synergy and coherence across all communication efforts while fostering a citizen-centric culture in public discourse, as well as strengthening the government’s brand image,’ MICDE states in the recently published document.

It also aims to ‘leverage the potential of diverse media platforms and communication assets’ for the government’s advantage, including enlisting social media influencers and bloggers to push government narratives.

Under the plan, part of the budget will pay influencers a stipend, while the rest will provide tools and resources to help them fight misinformation in their communities and participate in regular engagement events with State officials.

The initial proposal targets 10 macro-influencers, who would receive Sh100,000 quarterly, and 20 micro-influencers, earning Sh50,000 quarterly, based on the spending estimates outlined in the document. Their duties include ‘creating hashtags and promoting them on social media.’

Micro-influencers typically have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers, while macro-influencers have more than 100,000 and can reach millions.

Kenya currently has one of Africa’s most vibrant influencer economies, with marketers increasingly using them to promote products, events and narratives. In 2025, marketers reportedly paid influencers a total of Sh645 million for advertising deals, according to data firm Statista.

While this is the first time the use of influencers has been officially documented and budgeted by the government, the practice itself is not new.

A report by Amnesty International last year revealed that the government had paid influencers to drown protest hashtags and push pro-government messaging, while also intimidating those viewed as dissenters.

In 2021, Mozilla also reported that influencers were paid to dilute criticism and shape online debate following the Pandora Papers leak, which exposed business dealings by the Kenyatta family abroad.

Across Africa, governments are known to employ ‘keyboard warriors’ to shape public discourse and quell online dissent, but the practice is widely condemned by human and digital rights advocates.

The Nairobi Hospital has been ordered to pay Sh500,000 for the illegal use of a patient’s personal image in commercial advertising without consent.

In a ruling, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner found the hospital liable for breaching the Data Protection Act after a staff member covertly recorded the patient during medical treatment. The images were later used to promote the hospital’s services.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Caroline Wanjiku, a former patient, in August 2025, alleging misuse of her personal data.

The dispute arose when Ms Wanjiku discovered that images and video recordings taken during her admission in September 2024 had been displayed on the hospital’s digital screens as part of promotional advertisements.

She told the Data Commissioner that the recordings were made secretly, without her knowledge or consent, while she was receiving medical care. The promotional video also featured commentary from the hospital’s senior nurse endorsing the facility’s quality of care – again without her permission.

The hospital defended its actions, claiming the videography was authorised and that consent had been freely given. It argued that the footage was meant solely for internal educational purposes.

However, investigators determined that the material was used to advance the hospital’s commercial interests.

‘From the evidence presented, it is clear that the respondent used recordings containing the complainant’s personal images to advertise its services,’ the Data Commissioner ruled. ‘As such, the complainant’s image was being used to advance the respondent’s commercial and economic interests.’

The decision followed failed attempts to resolve the matter through alternative dispute resolution.

The Commissioner criticised the hospital for failing to provide verifiable proof of consent, emphasising that the burden of proof lies with the data controller – in this case, the hospital.

‘The respondent claimed it recorded the complainant with her consent but offered no supporting evidence,’ the ruling stated.

The Commissioner stressed that legal consent must be express, specific, informed and verifiable, particularly when personal data is used commercially.

The hospital was found to be in violation of Sections 32 and 37 of the Data Protection Act. As redress, it was ordered to compensate Ms Wanjiku Sh500,000 and delete all advertisements containing her personal data from its platforms, submitting proof of compliance.

Failure to comply with the deletion order would result in an enforcement notice. Both parties retain the right to appeal the decision in the High Court.

The reinsurer, in which the government owns a 60 percent stake, will hold a special general meeting on February 11, 2026, where it will propose to amend its Articles of Association to give the State permanent control on the board through the creation of two classes of shares.

Articles of Association refer to a company’s internal rulebook that outlines how the business will be run, managed, and governed. The document defines the roles, responsibilities, and rights of shareholders, directors, and other stakeholders.

The company said in a notice on Friday that the changes will provide ‘fair representation’ of the majority and minority shareholders on the board, whose membership will be cut to nine from the current 11.

If approved, the proposals at the special meeting will see Kenya Re constitute class A and B ordinary shares. Class B shares will be those held by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary on behalf of the government, while Class A shares will be those in the hands of the rest of the reinsurer’s shareholders.

According to the proposal, the State’s class B shares will entitle it to elect five directors to the board, while the rest of the shareholders will be entitled to three directors through their class B shares.

‘The holders of class A and B shares shall have the same rights and privileges except with respect to nomination and election of directors,’ say the proposed changes to the Articles of Association.

The proposed changes mean that even if the government’s stake falls below the 50 percent plus one share threshold that typically confers majority ownership, it will still have influence in the boardroom of the reinsurer that underwrites more than 200 insurers spread over 50 countries.

Jubilee Holdings is the second largest shareholder in Kenya Re (2.73 percent). Local institutional investors (including the government) hold 78.98 percent stake, followed by local individuals (15.94 percent) and foreigners (5.08 percent).

Kenya Re’s proposed shareholding model will mirror that of many private sector companies in developed markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom, where board control has been delinked from shareholding through differentiated voting rights and shareholder agreements.

Companies such as Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Meta Platforms (Facebook’s parent company) and Berkshire Hathaway operate dual-class share structures that allow control to be exercised independently of ownership.

Kenya Re is also seeking to amend Article 100 on the appointment of the managing directors to cap their term limit at six years. Currently, there is no cap.

‘The directors shall be responsible for the recruitment, appointment and removal of the managing director for a term of three years, renewable once and on such terms and with such powers, and at such remuneration… as they may think fit,’ reads the proposed amendment.

The absence of a term limit had seen Jadiah Mwarania, the predecessor of the current CEO, Hillary Wachinga, serve at the company’s helm for about 12 years. Mr Mwarania was appointed CEO in April 2011 and exited in December 2022 amid a row with the board.

The rest of the Kenya Re directors will be required to hold office for a maximum of two terms of three years each, as opposed to the current practice where they are allowed to serve a maximum of three terms of three years each.

The company says that at all times, at least one third of the directors will be independent non-executive directors. A director will lose a seat if he or she is absent for three consecutive meetings without board approval.

The company is also introducing the suitability criteria for an independent director, including the requirement that such a person should not have been affiliated with a political party in the preceding five years to the appointment.

Kenya Re last year suspended Dr Wachinga for two months but reinstated him without giving details of how the matter was resolved.

In the financial year ended December 2024, Kenya Re’s net profit retreated by 10.6 percent to Sh4.44 billion, mainly on foreign exchange losses, even as the reinsurance service result-reinsurance revenue less service expenses-grew 4.4 times to Sh2.95 billion.

The reinsurer is staring at increased share of reinsurance business from the Kenyan market through the proposed regulations that seek to increase to 25 percent the portion of business that they must mandatorily place with it.

The Treasury late last year proposed new regulations that will see insurers cede at least a quarter of their reinsurance business to Kenya Re, up from the current 20 percent.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the change, under the draft Insurance (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, is designed to strengthen local insurance and reinsurance market, promote financial stability and reduce reliance on foreign reinsurers.

Further, the proposal seeks to make the 25 percent mandatory cession a continuing requirement, remaining in force until Kenya Re is privatised or the regulations are further revised. This will be a departure from the current practice in which the reinsurer reapplies for the mandatory cession each year.

The value of bonds traded in the secondary market at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) hit a historic high of Sh2.7 trillion in 2025, promising stockbrokers and the exchange operator higher commission income.

The bonds turnover was nearly double the Sh1.5 trillion worth of debt securities that were traded at the bourse in 2024, which also represented an all-time high and the first instance of the annual value crossing the trillion-shilling mark.

At the same time, equities turnover rose by 37.3 percent or Sh30 billion to Sh145 billion in 2025, further boosting the expected commissions by market players as local investor activity picked up in line with the market’s bullish run in the period.

The NSE attributed the rising turnover numbers to increased participation and demand from investors, with falling interest rates making older, high-paying bonds such as the infrastructure papers issued in 2023 and 2024 more attractive.

‘We saw investors pivoting to the secondary market due to the central bank’s easing cycle, hunting for favourable yields and capital gains,’ said Melodie Ndanu, a research analyst at Standard Investment Bank.

‘The muted growth in banks’ lending to the private sector meant that they were also trading in government securities as they rebalanced their balance sheets.’

There is an inverse relationship between bond prices and yields in the secondary market, where an increase in one results in a fall in the other.

When rates on new issuances in the market are going down in line with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) base rate cut from 13 percent to nine percent, investors are reluctant to sell existing holdings, which pay higher interest, since they would earn less returns from new purchases in the market. They therefore demand a premium on price if they are to sell their bonds.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been ordered to compensate 23 police officers whose secondment to the agency was abruptly terminated three years ago.

The officers were part of a team of 60 seconded to the agency’s investigations and enforcement department, but their services were terminated in January 2023 and they were released back to their employer, the National Police Service (NPS).

KRA had defended their redeployment to the police, saying the contracts were terminated to allow the tax collector to engage the NPS on a framework for support and collaboration in law enforcement and security-related activities.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court, however, said that even though KRA had a right to terminate the contracts, due notice was necessary to allow for planning and to enable the officers and their families to prepare for relocation and changes in salary, given existing commitments such as children’s schooling, housing payments and loans, among others.

‘The treatment of the petitioners by the respondent (KRA) was indeed harsh and inhumane and in breach of their constitutional rights, in particular fair labour rights under Article 41 of the Constitution, inhumane and degrading treatment under Article 28 of the Constitution, and Fair Administrative Action under Article 47 of the Constitution,’ said the court.

The court directed KRA to pay the 23 police officers four months’ salary as compensation, plus the costs of the petition.

Another group had previously sued KRA successfully after the court found that the termination was unfair as it led to a reduction in their salaries and other benefits.

The affected officers had successfully applied for the positions and were taken through a competitive recruitment exercise before their secondment.

The police officers were invited by KRA in conjunction with their employer.

The contracts stated that they would serve for a period of three years from the date of signing, and the offer was later extended for a further two years.

In addition to enhanced salaries, the officers enjoyed other benefits, including medical cover for each officer, their spouse and four declared children, group personal accident insurance cover for the duration of the secondment, and 30 pro-rated working days of paid leave per year of service.

However, they were served with notices on February 3, 2023, terminating their secondment without any reasons being provided.

The officers said the termination caused them serious unplanned relocation costs. They also had to contend with lower pay.

They argued that the termination of their secondment was harsh, unilateral and unprovoked, and caused them grave loss as they earned less and lost benefits obtained during the secondment.

KRA defended the termination, saying it was done in line with the contracts, which provided that the agreement could be terminated on disciplinary or other grounds.

The tax authority added that the reduction in salary and alleged loss of benefits enjoyed during the secondment could not form a valid or legitimate claim, as these were temporary benefits applicable only for the duration of the posting.

Although he is a CEO, Sang does not have an elevator dedicated to him at his office at Nairobi’s Kenpipe Plaza. He always takes the stairs to the sixth-floor corner office. Twice or three times a week, he goes to the gym in the same building, using his lunch break for a quick but targeted workout session.

‘I try to move my body as much as I can, and taking the stairs is one way to remain active. In the gym, I work out different parts of the body on different days. My body, I am told, needs precision in training. I am not young anymore, haha! So, I don’t just go to the gym, I leave my office knowing for example, today is leg day, and that is what I will do.’

‘Running, to me, is about being accountable, to my health, to my body and to the goals I have set in my fitness journey. Same with leading a company like KPC: the most valuable currency one can have is accountability to the many stakeholders we have.’

Fitness enthusiast

Nothing signals that Sang is a fitness enthusiast more than his wrists. ‘This on my right is an Apple Watch, which helps me record my workouts and sporting activities. This other one is called a Whoop fitness tracker, gifted to me by a friend. It monitors my sleep and rest time. Sleep is an important part of recovery. Mine is a very busy life and, somewhere along the line, I noticed that if I don’t prioritise rest, and more specifically sleep, it affects my productivity.’

He wears the two devices under the cuffs of a crisp white shirt. Sang tries, as much as he can, to sleep for at least six hours every day. When he can’t, due to his busy schedule, he compensates by sleeping in over the weekends and free days.

‘Somehow, the hours balance. But it has to be intentional, I must say. Sleep is not a waste of time. It is, on the contrary, an optimisation of time.’

He started running regularly about 10 years ago for fitness. ‘Every chance I got, I would run, in Karura Forest with friends, on the road, when I travelled, everywhere and anywhere.’ The longest run he completed was 21km. However, at the start of 2024, he decided to stretch himself a little further.

As a boy, Sang ran not fewer than four times a day to and from school, covering about eight kilometres. Running, therefore, he notes, is an activity deeply embedded in his being.

‘I noticed that children back in the village still do the same, and it got to me. How can I help them go through school more easily? I wanted my running to mean more. It is true, it has offered me great health benefits, but could there be more?’

His friends and peers encouraged him to set up the Joe Sang Foundation, through which he raises funds to support the education of needy children.

Marathon journey

Sang began his World Marathon Majors journey by participating in the 2024 Chicago Marathon, crossing the finish line at three hours seven minutes. A year later, on September 21, 2025, he lined up for the 51st edition of the Berlin Marathon, shaving seven minutes off his Chicago time to finish in 3:00:57.

His mileage build-up is gradual.

‘I don’t just go straight to running long distances. I start with shorter ones like 5km, then 10km, 21km, and so on.’

After six or eight weeks, depending on how his body feels, he pushes to 30-35km. Then, before running a major, he does his longest runs of the season.

‘As the marathon approaches, I push further to test my readiness for the main event. It is impossible to wake up and run 42km if your longest run is 21km. You must always test your limits before fully committing.’

The reason for his incremental pace is to avoid burnout. ‘It is pointless to run all that before the marathon and then fail at the main event.’

His diet forms an integral part of his training. ‘Weeks before the marathon, I cut out starch completely. This helps in depleting glycogen stores.’ Two or three days before the race, he reintroduces carbohydrates. ‘Carbo-loading helps in saturating the muscles with energy for race day.’

He’s quick to add that he does not adhere to a specialised diet. ‘I just eat normal Kenyan meals. I struggle sometimes with the discipline of spacing my meals because of duty calls. Sometimes I am in the office until 9pm. When I get home to have my last meal of the day, it is past the time a nutritionist would recommend. I try to be disciplined with the portions, though.’

Leadership lessons

There is no much distinction between his leadership style at KPC and his fitness regime. He describes running as ‘a big attribution in terms of being a leader.’ The discipline of waking up at 4 am to train has taught him accountability.

‘People learn to see what a leader does not through his speech, but through action.’

He applies this principle at Kenya Pipeline. ‘This discipline has pushed me to ensuring that by the time I leave the office, I have completed all the work accrued to me during the day.’

At about 11am on a Monday, when we sit for this interview, Mr Sang shows me two empty in-trays as evidence that he cleared his desk before leaving the office the previous week.

‘I have a 12.30pm flight today and I intend to have cleared all the incoming work by then.’

Training has also shaped his leadership resilience. ‘In a marathon, you get to a point where your body completely rebels, but because of the bigger calling that pushes you, you summon your inner strength,’ he says, comparing this to corporate life.

‘There are moments you want to give up as a leader, but the endurance I have learned from training helps me push through difficult stakeholders, regulators and pressure.’

Wellness culture

Fitness has also made him more accessible to his colleagues at KPC. ‘My colleagues don’t see me as the MD – they refer to me as Joe – not the very formal titles common with leaders. We run the treadmill at our gym together,’ he says.

This openness he explains, allows junior and senior employees to meet him as an equal. He adds that exercise improves mental clarity and productivity.

‘When I come out of the gym, the first three hours at my desk are very different from the days when I haven’t exercised.’

Sang argues that by creating a culture of wellness at the company, the team has become ‘more agile,’ and he directly links the firm’s performance to this shift.

‘We’ve created an environment of trust. Employees are free and they do their best. Recently, during a discussion with a company doctor, we realised that medical expenses for our employees have gone down significantly.’

Golfing

Golf offers a gentler but equally meaningful balance to the intensity of running and gym work.

‘It is one sport you can actually, God willing, play until you’re 90,’ he says. As he grows older, it provides the steady cardio he needs. ‘It’s one sport I’ve seen many old men play.’

Beyond physical conditioning, the sport gives him a long, consistent stretches of movement, reflection and outdoor time. ‘Golf gives me the freedom to be with my thoughts.’

Microsoft is working with a little-known Nakuru-based health-technology startup whose artificial intelligence-powered platform is being built on the US tech giant’s enterprise tools to improve efficiency and profitability at independent pharmacies across Kenya.

The collaboration reflects Microsoft’s push to embed its AI products in business applications in emerging markets, particularly in healthcare supply chains dominated by small, owner-run outlets.

The platform is built by Zendawa, a three-year-old venture, on Microsoft’s AI assistant Copilot, its data visualisation tool Power BI and the cloud computing platform Microsoft Azure.

It enables pharmacies to digitise inventory management, track stock in real time and forecast demand, reducing losses linked to expired medicines and poor stock planning.

In Kenya, a significant share of outpatient care begins at community pharmacies or clinics with pharmacies. Yet many independent outlets are small, owner-run businesses that operate on thin margins and still rely on pen-and-paper systems. This exposes them to frequent stock-outs, over-ordering and drug wastage.

Zendawa’s software programme aggregates sales and prescription data to guide ordering decisions, reducing the need to stock multiple versions of the same medicine while improving visibility into fast-moving products.

The software also generates data-based credit profiles that pharmacies can use to access financing from partner lenders without providing traditional collateral.

Wilfred Chege, an IT specialist, co-founded Zendawa with pharmacist Dr Victor Achoka in 2019, before setting up the business in 2023.

Mr Chege says pharmacies using the platform report reductions in expired stock of about two-thirds, as well as longer operating hours after automated stock-taking reduced the need for frequent shop closures.

Zendawa’s software has three modules that can be activated independently. Pharmacies typically begin by digitising their point-of-sale systems, especially those moving from manual record-keeping.

‘After up to three months of transactions, data has been generated, and the platform can unlock an embedded financing module. Sales data is used to assess stock-keeping units (SKUs), turnover and cash flow, which then inform a pharmacy’s credit profile,’ the 26-year-old told the Business Daily in an interview.

The startup also runs a web-, mobile- and SMS-based marketplace that allows consumers to place medicine orders for delivery or in-store collection, similar to large online pharmacy platforms like Kenya’s MyDawa. Access to this module is subject to pharmacies meeting minimum operational thresholds.

Zendawa has partnered with licensed credit providers to extend loans.

‘Our data is the guarantee that a pharmacy has a certain turnover or cash flow and can be given credit,’ Mr Chege said.

‘The liability does not lie with us, but with the pharmacy and the lender. We are just an introducer.’

AI-powered forecasting is another core part of the platform. Using Power BI, Zendawa analyses historical sales and prescription trends to predict consumption patterns for specific medicines over defined periods. Information on stock-outs, slow-moving items and approaching expiries is then made available through a Copilot-powered chatbot, which allows pharmacists to query their data in real-time.

Zendawa was part of the inaugural Microsoft GenAI Accelerator last year, a programme run in partnership with another US tech giant, NVIDIA, to support African startups building and scaling generative AI products. Through the collaboration, Zendawa works with Microsoft engineers and Silicon Valley-based consultants and receives cloud credits to ensure the platform integrates seamlessly with Microsoft’s enterprise tools.

Zendawa has expanded since 2023 to support 820 pharmacies, mainly in Nairobi and Nakuru. There is a rising interest from big tech firms in using AI to strengthen healthcare supply chains and support small businesses in Africa’s urban markets.

Mr Chege said the partnership with Microsoft does not involve direct capital investment; the startup is fundraising separately as it looks to expand its footprint beyond its Nakuru base.

‘So far, we are leveraging each other for acceleration and adoption,’ Mr Chege said. ‘[Microsoft] are looking for wider adoption of their enterprise products, and we get faster scale in the market.’

Step into any of these spaces and one thing quickly stands out: most of the mats, the reformer, and the Wunda chair are occupied by women.

A BDLife tour of several Pilates studios around the city confirmed this trend, but it also uncovered a lingering misconception.

Men ignore them, thinking they are too light, too gentle, not manly enough or simply not serious enough.

However, fitness experts insist this narrative could not be more off balance.

Pilates, they say, is a full-body workout that builds strength, improves posture, protects joints, and sharpens core stability.

In fact, experts argue that Pilates may be one of the best workouts men can embrace, especially those in their 40s and beyond who want to stay active without waging war on their knees and back.

‘Many men shy away from Pilates, and what I find both funny and interesting is that when you look at its history, Pilates was actually designed by a man, for men. Joseph Pilates designed the exercises to rehabilitate injured soldiers during World War I. These were men recovering from different war injuries,’ says Jacqui Wangari, a certified Pilates instructor and founder of Zuberi Pilates.

So why, then, do Kenyan men run away from Pilates classes?

Wangari says there are two ways to look at it. The first is perception.

‘Social media has painted Pilates as a women’s workout simply because women have picked it up and embraced it so visibly. Then there’s the studio environment itself. Many Pilates studios in Kenya have a very feminine feel -pink walls, floral designs, soft aesthetics. For a lot of Kenyan men, that setting is not welcoming,’ she explains.

The second reason, Wangari believes, has to do with how Pilate workouts are conducted.

‘In my experience, men tend to struggle more in group settings when it comes to following detailed instructions. You might find a man who has been doing Pilates longer than some women in the class, yet he still struggles [to get the posture right and complete all the repetitions. But put that same man in a one-on-one private session, and he does just fine.’

The result is a quiet withdrawal.

‘Because of how Pilates classes are conducted in Kenya, they are not always welcoming or conducive for men, so naturally, many stay away. I guess that explains why only about 15 percent of my clientele are men.’

Anuja Chehar, co-founder of BASI Pilates Academy, also in Nairobi, agrees.

‘Most of our clients are women, and among the men who do come, almost all prefer private sessions rather than group classes.’

Like Ms Wangari, Ms Chehar notes that the majority of their male clientele did not simply walk into the studios and enrol in classes.

‘I think all of our male clients have been referred to us because of injuries they sustained or picked up. We have rehabilitated a number, especially those who sustained those injuries from playing golf.’

‘Whether as a primary workout or a complement to weight training, Pilates offers something many ageing bodies desperately need. The truth, however uncomfortable, is that muscle loss and declining energy begin quietly, often just after the high-octane years of your 20s. By the time you hit your 30s, many people start wishing they could borrow some of that old vigour to stay strong and build muscle. But nature, as always, keeps its own timetable,’ Chehar notes.

By the 40s, the body undergoes even more changes. Weight gain can feel sudden, almost as if a switch has been flipped. Staying sharp, strong and mobile now demands far more effort than it once did.

Experts point out that even if you have been active all along, energy decline with age is unavoidable.

This is why, for many men, even lifting weights begins to feel less empowering and more punishing. Pilates, they argue, offers a gentler but deeply effective alternative, one that works with the body rather than against it, and might just be the quiet game-changer men did not know they needed.

‘I always say Pilates is for all abilities, all ages and all conditions. It’s one of the very few exercises that works the mind, the muscles and even the soul. It’s a very holistic fitness system,’ Wangari says.

Men who do it

Elite athletes with some of the well-toned bodies have long embraced Pilates – from David Beckham, Andy Murray, LeBron James and Tiger Woods. Pilates is also incorporated into their training regimens.

For Kenyan men in their 40s, Wangari says Pilates is especially effective because of its low impact on the ageing body and declining energy levels, while still strengthening the body.

‘For anyone in their 40s, it improves flexibility and mobility, because as you age, the body stiffens. As a secondary workout, especially for men who lift weights or do high-impact exercises, it becomes extremely important for injury management and body alignment.’

Wangari observes similar benefits for women entering menopause, which typically begins from the age of 45, although some women experience it earlier.

‘When women enter menopause, their bodies undergo changes due to hormonal shifts. A good number of research studies suggest that high-impact exercises aren’t very good for women in menopause, and that’s where Pilates becomes a strong alternative.’

Less time, more fitness gains

Chehar notes that Pilates is also ideal because even a 30-minute session can be effective, unlike many other exercises that require longer durations to maximise results.

‘Unlike trendy workouts promising quick fixes, Pilates delivers sustainable results through gradual progression. With over 600 exercises, the Pilates method balances strength with flexibility while respecting your current capabilities. Whether you are going through hormonal shifts, experiencing changes in energy levels or simply want to build lasting fitness habits, Pilates provides a foundation that adapts and grows with you at every stage,’ she notes.

According to Wangari, the Pilates movement system emphasises controlled, precise movements that build strength from the inside out.

‘In your 40s, the true value of Pilates comes from its focus on functional movement patterns that transfer directly to daily activities like carrying groceries, sitting on the toilet, maintaining good posture at your desk or bending to pick something up safely. Pilate movements target common issues you may already be facing as you age, including weakened core muscles, reduced flexibility and shifting weight distribution,’ she says.

She adds that, as a low-Impact workout, Pilates offers particular benefits to the ageing body.

‘The controlled, flowing movements of Pilates minimise pressure on the knees, hips and spine while building strength and endurance. A typical session works the muscles to fatigue through resistance and bodyweight challenges rather than through jarring movements common in the gym or with weight-lifting.

‘Pilates is not about shocking the muscles, but rather, attempting resistance with your body muscles. The exercises also generally distribute effort across your entire body rather than targeting a specific part of your body or muscle. That way, it helps create balanced muscular development that prevents you from overexercising the more vulnerable areas,’ Wangari explains.

While you might experience soreness after an intense lifting session, this is rarely the case with Pilates.

‘It isn’t unusual to feel worked out but not worn out after Pilates, which is a good indication that you exercised and experienced muscle fatigue without the exhaustion that often accompanies more physically demanding workouts,’ Chehar adds.