Category: Business Daily

Many countries have invested significantly in the integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) into national health systems to improve accessibility of health services and achieve universal health coverage (UHC), expand and diversify health care markets, and protect and preserve cultural heritage, biodiversity, and intellectual property.

In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published its second Global Report on Traditional and Complementary Medicine to serve as a compendium of TCIM policy, regulation, and practice with contributions from 179 member states.

In March 2022, WHO launched – with significant contribution from the Indian government – its first Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, India as a global knowledge centre with a strategic focus on evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity, and innovation and technology to optimise the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development.

Following GTMC’s launch and the subsequent Traditional Medicine Global Summit (TMGS) in 2023, an open policy window now exists to further support countries’ attempts to strengthen governance around traditional medicine and its integration.

WHO estimates that more than half of the global population lacks access to conventional medicine and the opportunity to avail themselves of modern healthcare services. In developing nations such as Kenya, the world health body reports that around 80 percent of individuals rely on traditional medicine (TM) for their primary healthcare needs.

A preference for natural or holistic approach, a desire for a high degree of autonomy in self-management, and a perception of absolute safety contribute to the rising use of TM products. Indeed, growing evidence continues to show the benefits of TM products in disease management in such cases as cancer, non-communicable diseases, and other serious illnesses.

The potential of TM products in managing pandemics such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, achieving UHC, and improving the overall quality of healthcare services further underpin the need for ensuring public health through a robust regulatory framework.

TM products also have important economic implications. The global market for such products is expected to reach $5 trillion (Sh645 trillion) by 2050, growing at annual rate of 7.0 percent.

The use of TM in Kenya is widespread particularly in rural areas. Studies by Good and Marshall estimate that the ratio of TM practitioners to patients in Kenya is about 1:378 in the rural areas and 1:833 in the urban areas. In contrast, the studies estimate that the overall trained medical doctor patient ratio is about 1:7,142.

The development and utility of TM remain low in the country on account of the many challenges it faces.

The main problems affecting this practice include stigmatisation due to poor perceptions and attitudes, inadequate efforts to conserve medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge, modernisation, exploitation of communities that own the knowledge, issues on safety, efficacy and quality, access, and lack of a national policy and regulatory framework.

However, a healthcare system struggling to cope with demand, high costs, and adverse effects of conventional therapy as well as increasing drug resistance, have all served to give TM a lifeline in Kenya.

Moreover, there has been a steady increase in the number of scientific work that continues to validate therapeutic claims on medicinal plants made by TM practitioners.

Keeping in step with global trends, the government has unveiled an ambitious plan to integrate traditional medicine into the mainstream healthcare system by 2028, marking a major shift in how the country approaches healthcare delivery, regulation, and cultural heritage.

The move aims to transform a long-standing informal practice into a regulated, evidence-based and collaborative health sub-sector, with practitioners working alongside conventional medical professionals within national health facilities.

The framework will be anchored on safety, scientific rigour, innovation and respect for indigenous knowledge, with strong protections for biodiversity and equitable benefit-sharing enshrined in the Constitution.

TM complements biomedicine by delivering holistic, person-centred, and culturally responsive care. It emphasises prevention and balance – body, mind, and environment – while addressing lifestyle and psychosocial factors often overlooked in conventional treatment.

Therapies like acupuncture, herbal medicine, and yoga are increasingly used alongside biomedical interventions to ease pain, reduce side effects, and improve quality of life for chronic conditions.

Additionally, TM offers trusted, accessible care where biomedical services are limited. Integrating safe, evidence-informed traditional medicine into health systems will expand primary health care and strengthen equity, while collaboration between biomedical professionals and TM practitioners builds trust and coordinated care.

Scientific study of traditional medicine can also unlock new therapeutic insights, creating synergy that improves outcomes and delivers truly comprehensive healthcare. Importantly, TM is often deeply embedded in the cultural practices and beliefs of Kenyan communities.

It reflects a rich history of knowledge passed down through generations, often in oral or experiential forms. This can foster a strong sense of identity and continuity in communities.

More private investors have cut back on new housing projects amid growing uncertainty about the disruptions of the State’s ramped-up affordable housing programmes (AHPs), high material costs, and market shifts toward mixed-use units.

The value of building approvals in Nairobi, for example, dropped by 24.5 percent during the first 11 months of 2025 compared to a similar period the previous year, highlighting a sustained slowdown in private construction activity.

The State has doubled the maximum compensation payable to policyholders of collapsed insurance companies to Sh500,000 per claim, marking a boost to consumer protection in the insurance sector.

The National Treasury and the Policyholders Compensation Fund (PCF), which handles the compensation package, has announced the increase in maximum compensation from Sh250,000, effective January 1, 2026.

Glencore Singapore Pte Limited and ChemChina UK Limited bought Turkana oil for $28.34 million (Sh3.65 billion at prevailing rates) under a scheme that was meant to test the appeal of the oil in the global markets.

Disclosures from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum show that ChemChina bought 240,150 barrels while Glencore took up the remaining 174,627 barrels. Both deals were closed between 2019 and 2022.

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has been ordered to clarify issues raised by a bidder who lost a Sh2.5 billion tender for the sale of 6.38 million carbon credits.

In a ruling dated January 9, 2026, the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB) directed KenGen to respond to a letter sent by Sintmond Group Limited in September 2025 following a due diligence.

Kenya’s announcement that KenGen will serve as the owner and operator of the country’s first nuclear power plant marks a significant step in the long journey toward introducing nuclear power into the national energy mix.

While the decision has been widely reported as a boost to Kenya’s ambition to add up to 10 gigawatts of clean and reliable power, it also highlights a less visible but equally important issue: how responsibilities are shared among the institutions that will shape the nuclear power programme.

Introducing nuclear power is not simply a matter of constructing a power plant. It requires the careful development of institutions with clearly defined, well-separated roles to ensure safety, accountability, and long-term sustainability.

International guidance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consistently emphasises the importance of three core institutional pillars in any nuclear power programme: a coordinating body known as the nuclear energy programme implementing organisation (NEPIO), a competent owner-operator, and an independent nuclear regulator.

In Kenya, the NEPIO role is carried out by the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA). As the coordinating authority, NuPEA is responsible for guiding the country through the complex, multi-decade process of establishing nuclear power. Its mandate goes beyond technical studies.

It brings together government ministries, utilities, regulators, academic institutions and international partners to ensure that the legal, human resource, financial and infrastructural foundations of the programme develop in a coherent and timely manner.

The IAEA’s milestones approach, which Kenya follows, places this coordinating role at the centre of national readiness, particularly in the early phases when key policy and institutional decisions are made.

NuPEA’s work includes preparing national roadmaps, coordinating feasibility and site studies, supporting capacity building, and leading public information and stakeholder engagement efforts.

Importantly, as responsibilities shift from planning to implementation, the NEPIO ensures continuity by transferring knowledge and coordination functions to institutions that take on more specialised roles, including the owner-operator and the regulator.

In this sense, NuPEA acts as the steward of the programme’s overall integrity, ensuring that progress in one area does not outpace readiness in others.

The government’s decision to designate KenGen as the owner-operator places the utility at the heart of the project’s execution. According to IAEA guidance, the owner-operator bears ultimate responsibility for the safety and performance of a nuclear power plant throughout its entire lifecycle, from design and construction to operation and eventual decommissioning.

This includes selecting technology, managing contracts, developing operational expertise, and ensuring that safety culture is embedded within the organisation.

KenGen’s appointment reflects an effort to build on existing national capacity. As Kenya’s leading power producer, the company already operates complex generation assets and interfaces closely with the national grid, government institutions and the public.

However, nuclear power introduces a level of regulatory scrutiny and technical responsibility that goes well beyond conventional electricity generation. Over time, KenGen will be expected to develop specialised nuclear competencies, robust quality assurance systems and long-term human resource strategies that align with international nuclear safety expectations.

Crucially, while KenGen will own and operate the plant, it will not regulate itself. That responsibility lies with the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA), whose independence is a cornerstone of nuclear safety.

International best practice requires the regulator to be functionally separate from organisations responsible for promoting or operating nuclear facilities. This separation ensures that licensing, inspection and enforcement decisions are made solely on the basis of safety and public protection, free from political or commercial pressure.

The regulator’s role spans the entire lifecycle of the nuclear power plant. Before construction begins, it must review and approve site selection, design and safety assessments. During construction and operation, it conducts inspections, verifies compliance with safety standards and ensures that emergency preparedness and radiation protection measures are in place.

The regulator also oversees radioactive waste management and environmental protection, providing assurance that nuclear power is developed in a manner that protects people and ecosystems.

The interaction between these three institutions, NuPEA as NEPIO, KenGen as owner-operator and KNRA as regulator, is what ultimately determines the credibility of Kenya’s nuclear power programme.

Clear boundaries between their roles reduce conflicts of interest, strengthen accountability and build public trust. When these roles are blurred or weakly defined, international experience shows that programmes face delays, cost overruns and, in some cases, a loss of public confidence.

Kenya’s designation of KenGen as owner-operator, therefore, represents more than an administrative decision. It signals a transition into a new phase of preparedness, one in which institutional maturity becomes just as important as technical ambition.

As the country moves forward, sustained investment in regulatory independence, institutional coordination and public engagement will be essential if nuclear power is to contribute meaningfully to Kenya’s energy security and climate goals.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Spain, and Saudi Arabia have emerged as potential export markets for Kenya’s horticulture, offering the country an opportunity to reduce reliance on select markets, mainly in Europe.

The latest quarterly update by the Food and Agriculture Authority (AFA) classifies the three countries as well as Kazakhstan as a significant tier of export market for Kenyan horticulture producers in the window between July and September 2025.

Each year, the world generates over 50 million tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste), making it the fastest-growing solid waste stream globally.

Much of this waste finds its way to developing regions, particularly in Africa, where regulation and infrastructure for safe disposal remain limited.

The consequences are severe: toxic substances seep into soil and water systems, informal recyclers are exposed to hazardous materials, and valuable resources such as metals are lost instead of being recovered.

Kenya is no stranger to this challenge. With rising digital penetration, a growing middle class, and the constant upgrading of devices, the country produces thousands of tonnes of e-waste annually.

Yet only a fraction is properly collected or recycled. The majority is either dumped in landfills or handled by informal recyclers operating without safeguards. This reality has sparked a growing conversation on the need for structured systems that balance environmental protection with economic opportunity.

One of the approaches gaining traction is the circular economy – a model that emphasises keeping products, components, and materials in use for as long as possible. Instead of treating discarded gadgets as waste, the circular economy reimagines them as resources that can be repaired, refurbished, or recycled.

Across Africa, circular practices are beginning to take root in sectors such as plastics, agriculture, and textiles. Now, the spotlight is increasingly turning to electronics.

In Kenya, collaborative partnerships are emerging to address this gap. Companies, recyclers, and community organisations are beginning to align efforts to both reduce the hazards of unmanaged e-waste and unlock opportunities for reuse.

For example, some manufacturers are partnering with licensed recycling facilities to channel obsolete ICT equipment into safe collection and disposal systems.

This reduces the risk of harmful substances entering the environment while also allowing valuable metals and components to be recovered.

At the same time, refurbishment of ICT equipment is creating a bridge toward digital inclusion. Schools, community institutions, and underserved populations often lack access to functional computers and devices because of cost.

Restored equipment offers a pathway to address this digital divide, giving students and communities access to tools essential for education and livelihoods in an increasingly digital economy.

Environmental experts argue that these interventions cannot be left to government regulation alone.

‘Circular economy partnerships are critical in Africa because the scale of the challenge is too big for any one actor,’ notes an independent sustainability consultant.

‘When businesses, recyclers, and community organisations come together, you not only address the environmental risks of e-waste but also create social and economic benefits.’

This shift aligns with Kenya’s green transition agenda, which emphasises sustainable industrial practices and responsible waste management as part of the country’s Vision 2030 goals. It also connects with global efforts under the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Still, challenges remain. Public awareness about safe disposal options is low, and incentives for returning old devices are limited.

Infrastructure for collection and recycling is concentrated in a few urban centres, leaving much of rural Kenya underserved.

Addressing these gaps will require not only corporate action but also policy innovation, consumer education, and stronger enforcement of extended producer responsibility guidelines.

Despite these hurdles, the momentum is encouraging. Partnerships between industry players and recycling organisations in Kenya demonstrate that circular approaches are not abstract concepts as they can be operationalized.

When obsolete devices are collected, hazardous materials are neutralized, and refurbished equipment is redirected to schools, the ripple effects are clear: healthier environments, empowered communities, and a more resilient economy.

As Africa continues to grapple with the twin challenges of rapid digital growth and mounting waste, the lessons from the HACO – WEEE initiatives point to a broader truth: sustainability is most effective when it is collaborative.

The task ahead is to scale these efforts, embed circular practices into policy and business culture, and ensure that the story of technology in Africa is not just about innovation, but also about responsibility.

Agricultural firm Sasini reported a net profit of Sh177.3 million in the year ended September 2025, helped by higher sales and an increase in the value of its plantations.

The company had posted a net loss of Sh562.8 million the year before. Despite the return to profitability, the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firm maintained its suspension of dividend payouts for the second year.

The State has doubled the maximum compensation payable to policyholders of collapsed insurance companies to Sh500,000 per claim, marking a boost to consumer protection in the insurance sector.

The National Treasury and the Policyholders Compensation Fund (PCF), which handles the compensation package, has announced the increase in maximum compensation from Sh250,000, effective January 1, 2026.