Category: Business Daily

Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya’s residential property market is entering a new phase as homeowners and investors pivot from crowded apartment blocks to secure, low-density townhouse communities. The modern buyer now seeks privacy, green space, and lasting value a shift that has propelled Langata, and particularly the Langata Link Road corridor, into one of Nairobi’s most attractive emerging residential and investment frontiers.

At the heart of this transformation stands Marigold II, a newly launched development comprised of duplex and triplex townhouses that capture both lifestyle aspiration and solid investment fundamentals.

Market Data Underscores the Shift

According to HassConsult’s Q2 2025 Property Index, detached homes were the top-performing asset class, posting 3.75 percent quarterly price growth and 7.8 percent year-on-year appreciation. Knight Frank’s H1 2025 Market Update reports sustained demand for low-rise gated housing, while Cytonn Investments’ 2025 Outlook highlights townhouse developments as a key growth driver tied to Nairobi’s expanding middle class.

The takeaway is clear: gated estates in emerging suburbs are delivering stronger yields, lower vacancy rates, and steadier capital growth than vertical apartments in oversupplied zones.

Langata’s Competitive Edge

For decades, investment attention revolved around Runda, Muthaiga, and Karen neighbourhoods that remain aspirational but command steep entry prices. Langata now offers proximity to the same schools including Brookhouse, Hillcrest, and The Banda School and hospitals such as The Karen Hospital and Nairobi Hospital Langata Branch, but at more competitive buy-in levels.

Retail and leisure options, including Galleria Mall and The Hub Karen are minutes away, while infrastructure upgrades notably the Southern Bypass and Magadi Road dualing have dramatically improved accessibility. For professionals commuting to Upper Hill, the CBD, or Karen, Langata offers unmatched convenience without congestion.

Crucially, Langata Link Road remains one of Nairobi’s last low-density residential pockets. The absence of high-rise buildings preserves a quiet, green environment a major differentiator as other inner-city suburbs densify.

Security and Controlled Development

Langata’s appeal extends beyond location. The area is strengthened by community policing initiatives, robust private security patrols, and strict zoning regulations that protect it from overcrowding. These measures help safeguard long-term property value a critical factor for both institutional and individual investors seeking stable, predictable returns.

Marigold II: Designed for Families and Investors

Located along Langata Link Road, Marigold II offers a carefully planned mix of duplex and triplex townhouses, combining generous space with modern design. The homes feature landscaped courtyards, energy-efficient finishes, and adaptable layouts suited for both investors and end-users.

The development merges privacy and community through gated access and shared green zones, creating an environment ideal for families. Comparable low-density estates in Nairobi report rental yields averaging 8 percent, surpassing most high-rise returns. With limited new supply in Langata due to zoning restrictions, Marigold II is expected to maintain strong capital appreciation over the coming years.

‘Langata represents the next chapter of Nairobi’s residential growth accessible, connected, and community-driven,’ said Kelvin Mutuma, Purple Dot head of Sales. ‘Marigold II captures that spirit through thoughtfully designed duplexes and triplexes that balance lifestyle and long-term investment value.’

The Open Day Event

Marigold II’s open day will take place on Saturday, October 11, 2025, a full-day show-house exhibition open to walk-in visitors. Investors, homeowners, and prospective buyers will enjoy an immersive viewing experience.

The event will showcase not only the architecture but also the lifestyle Marigold II represents secure, family-centred, and future-ready.

About Marigold II

By Purple Dot International, Marigold II is a collection of modern duplex and triplex townhouses located along Langata Link Road, designed for homeowners who value space, security, and long-term appreciation. The project reflects the evolution of Nairobi’s housing market where good living meets sound investment.

In a city where property remains the most reliable store of value, Marigold II and Langata together demonstrate that Nairobi’s future lies not in height, but in harmony.

Kenya Power posted a net profit for the second successive year at Sh24.47 billion in the year ended June 2025, as the firm rides on a growing customer base, increased sales and improved system efficiency.

Joseph Siror, the firm’s CEO, talked to this publication about the year under review, plans ahead, Kenya’s growing reliance on neighbouring economies mainly Ethiopia to boost electricity supply among others.

The drama surrounding new duty-free rice import has entered a new phase. In a surprising twist, two Mombasa-based commodity trading moguls have quietly withdrawn a case they had filed to block the government’s plan to import 500,000 tonnes of rice.

Change of strategy? Or have the protagonists simply decided to throw in the towel?

Dipti Mohanty, the managing director of Safal Group in Eastern Africa, prefers to work quietly behind the scenes, making things happen without the spotlight. As the boss overseeing the largest producer of steel roofing, he has five CEOs reporting directly to him.

‘The most important thing to unlearn in my position is letting go of control. You will tend to step into the CEO’s shoes, but your job is to guide, not prescribe,’ he says.

As Kenya’s digital economy rapidly evolves, the government is continuously updating its tax policies in a bid to expand the net while ensuring there are no loopholes resulting from rapidly changing business models.

A notable change introduced through the Finance Act 2025 is the imposition of a 10 percent excise duty on fees charged by virtual asset service providers (Vasps) on transactions. This measure aims to expand the tax base and integrate digital assets into the formal tax system.

Introduction of excise duty on fees charged by Vasps comes two years after the Finance Act 2023 introduced Digital Asset Tax at a rate of three percent on transaction value of digital asset exchanges.

The Digital Asset Tax imposed significant costs on digital asset traders, such as those dealing in cryptocurrencies, as it was seen as a tax on capital rather than a tax on the income of Vasps.

This was onerous and negatively affected operations of Vasps. The Digital Asset Tax was subsequently repealed by the Finance Act 2025 in favour of excise duty applied to the fees charged by Vasps on virtual asset transactions.

The shift to excise duty is seen as a step towards fostering innovation within the digital economy while still broadening the government’s revenue base.

Notably, this amendment is expected to reduce the cost of doing business for Vasps compared to the previous regime. Despite the intended positive impact of the changes to the taxation of virtual assets, implementation of the new excise tax may present several legal and operational challenges.

One of the potential challenges is the lack of clear legal definitions within the Excise Duty Act. The Act does not define the term “virtual assets.” Nor does it define what qualifies as a virtual asset.

The term “virtual assets” may cover a broad spectrum of digital instruments, such as cryptocurrencies, tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and digital vouchers.

The lack of clarity creates uncertainty as to which assets fall within the scope of excise duty, thereby increasing the risk of inconsistent application, interpretational disputes, and potential double taxation.

Conversely, when Digital Asset Tax was introduced, the Income Tax Act was amended to include a definition of “digital asset,” which provided a degree of certainty in implementation. The current lack of definition under the Excise Duty Act presents an undesirable uncertainty for both taxpayers and administrators.

Additionally, the term “Virtual Asset Service Provider” is also not defined within the Excise Duty Act. The absence of a clear definition creates ambiguity regarding which entities and individuals fall within the scope of excise duty.

To ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the law, it is essential that the legislation explicitly defines “Virtual Asset Service Provider.”

This definition should clearly outline the types of businesses, platforms, or individuals that fall within its ambit, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, wallet providers, and other intermediaries involved in the transfer safekeeping, or administration of virtual assets.

By providing a precise definition, the KRA will be better equipped to identify the intended taxpayers, minimise the risk of non-compliance and efficiently collect the relevant taxes from those operating within the virtual asset ecosystem.

The lack of clear definitions may result in tax disputes, and while Kenyan courts have previously held that the absence of a statutory definition does not always result in ambiguity, the technical and evolving nature of virtual assets makes clarity and precision in tax legislation essential to avoid tax disputes and ensure enforceability.

International best practice highlights the importance of establishing a comprehensive legal framework prior to imposing tax obligations on virtual assets.

Jurisdictions such as the European Union, Singapore, and the United States have all enacted detailed legislation to define and regulate virtual assets before introducing relevant tax measures. This approach provides legal certainty, facilitates compliance, and supports effective enforcement.

For Kenya to effectively implement excise duty on virtual asset transactions, the Excise Duty Act should be amended to include clear and comprehensive definitions of “virtual assets” and “Vasps.”

The KRA, in collaboration with other regulatory bodies, should also issue detailed guidance to clarify the application of excise duty to virtual asset transactions, supported by practical examples and compliance protocols. Ongoing engagement with industry stakeholders will be vital to ensure that the tax regime is workable, enforceable, and does not impede innovation.

While the shift from the Digital Asset Tax to an excise duty on fees charged by Vasps is aimed at a more balanced approach for business and the government, the lack of clear legal definitions for virtual assets and Vasps in the Excise Duty Act may create major challenges.

Until these issues are resolved, applying excise duty to virtual asset transactions will remain uncertain. A clear and coordinated approach is needed to give certainty to businesses, regulators, and the economy and an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

Two recent continental gatherings have sharpened the conversation on the future of healthcare in Africa: The Rwanda Healthcare Technology Innovation Conference and the Second Annual National ICT Summit in Uganda.

Both forums drew leaders from healthcare, insurance, technology, and government to wrestle with one urgent question: how can digital innovation accelerate access to healthcare across Africa?

The answer echoed from Kigali to Kampala: the continent’s healthcare future must be inclusive, data-driven, and digitally enabled. For Kenya, which has often positioned itself as a leader in technology, the lessons from Rwanda and Uganda are not just instructive; they are urgent.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face systemic barriers that stall progress toward universal health coverage.

Nearly half a billion people still lack legal identification, excluding them from vital services such as healthcare, insurance, and finance. Without this foundation, even the most advanced digital systems struggle to reach those who need them most.

Uganda illustrates the scale of the challenge. Its doctor-to-patient ratio stands at a staggering 1 to 25,000, far short of the World Health Organization’s 1 to 1,000 recommendation.

Only a third of health facilities are positioned to adequately serve rural communities, and persistent problems such as drug stockouts, weak referral systems, and fragmented patient records hurt effective care. What makes Uganda’s example compelling is the way it has turned to digital solutions to tackle these structural weaknesses.

The introduction of biometric patient identity systems has ensured a ‘one person, one record’ approach, eliminating costly duplication. Automated claims processing has streamlined approvals while curbing fraud.

Rwanda’s success reveals what can be achieved when political commitment, technological innovation, and community needs are fully aligned.

Kenya is no stranger to digital innovation. Its reputation as a pioneer in fintech and mobile communication is firmly established.

Yet in healthcare, the country sits at an inflexion point. To seize the opportunity, five lessons from Rwanda and Uganda stand out.

First, healthcare systems must be anchored on a reliable patient identity framework. Without biometric-based identity, seamless access will remain elusive.

Second, systems must be interoperable from the start. Fragmented silos, whether in facility management, claims processing, or national databases, only breed inefficiency.

Third, inclusion must go beyond urban centres and smartphone users. Rural populations must be reached through simple technologies such as USSD and offline synchronisation.

Fourth, strong public-private collaboration is essential. Rwanda’s progress owes much to its openness to working with innovators who align with national priorities.

And finally, real-time data must drive decision-making, ensuring ministr

Project funds approved through the annual budget will be sent directly to designated bank accounts for the ventures, if Parliament approves a proposed law.

The Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to amend Section 83 of the Public Finance Management Act to ensure mandatory exclusive accounts for project implementation funds.

Luxury Indian motorcycle firm Royal Enfield has entered the Kenyan market, targeting wealthy and middle-class clients in a move that brings new competition for established players like Inchcape Kenya, which sells BMW bikes.

Royal Enfield has appointed Ganatra Plant and Equipment (GPE) as its official distributor for the region, with the first store in Kenya recently opened at Nairobi’s Rosslyn Riviera Mall.

Does abnormal define the entrepreneurs and market leaders who refuse to play safe? Are the businesses that question every assumption unusual? Abnormal market leaders, don’t just think outside the box, they tear it apart.

Look around the Kenyan corporate scene – normal is overrated. Why? Because normal keeps companies stuck. Normal settles for slow growth, tired plans, predictable outcomes, responding to the easy stuff.

Abnormal is different, asking hard questions. Abnormal sparks new models, fresh markets, bold moves. Abnormal is where the future is built. Abnormal are the outliers at the refreshing edge of the normal curve. To stand out in a crowded market, should one take three steps to abnormal achievement with a focus on creating value by problem-solving, quick adapting and competing on time?

It’s a question of whether one is content with the status quo. There is a risk in hoping that an infusion of fluffy business jargon will be all that is required to survive another day. Not everyone is ready to break patterns, create new habits.

For those that are done with the average, hovering around the mean, to ignite real change requires a step into the abnormal. Normal solves yesterday’s problems. Abnormal creates tomorrow.

Your boss wants you focused, productive, not distracted. Business model of social media wants you scrolling, not thinking. And schools? They may be still busy preparing students for jobs that may no longer exist.

The world isn’t just changing. It’s accelerating. Blink, and you’re already behind. That’s why smart managers don’t spend their time glorifying stuff they learned back in the day.

Smart managers, at the edge of the normal curve, the abnormal, the outliers, are mastering a different set of skills that are much more likely to compound into unfair advantages.

We crave the Plato’s Cave of familiarity – believing the shadows on the wall are the reality. We don’t see the business world as it is, we see the events we want to see.

One – create value, solve a problem

At its essence, business is about creating and capturing value. It’s about noticing a problem, a need a customer has, and being able to solve it. Solving it with a product – service that they are ready to pay for. That’s the greater differentiator, ready to pay for.

Participants in Y Combinator, a legendary start-up incubation unit, are encouraged to sell their product, the customer solution, online to see if anyone is ready to pay for.

It may not even exist yet, they are taught to just test the waters to see if the market demand is there. After all, does it make sense to create a product that no one wants?

Wicked problem of university graduate unemployment is depressing. Parents have spent their hard-earned money, scrimping and saving, investing in four years of education that is designed to provide young Sarah with job that allows her to demonstrate her learned knowledge, skills and ‘can-do’ mindset.

Yet, the World Bank now reports that it can take up to five years for the typical Kenyan university graduate to obtain formal sector employment.

Reframe of the issue is asking: How can the young graduate obtain work experience the employer craves? How can they be taught to solve problems? If an applicant can demonstrate they can identify and come up a solution to a pressing problem an employer has, they would likely be hired on the spot.

Aim of education should be to inculcate a sense of curiosity, a love of learning, that allows the student to see the world through the eyes of their discipline.

The risk of AI is that it may stifle creativity, encouraging what has been described as ‘brain rot’. It shouldn’t be a replacement for critical thinking.

To be fair, research shows it’s a mistake to equate paper qualifications with intelligence. Some of the smartest, most productive Kenyan’s never attended university.

Two – adapt and evolve

Nothing stays constant. Even in business problem-solving, when one applies inductive logic, setting a [scientific method] hypothesis about what is happening, and goes about proving, or disproving, the best guess hypothesis shifts things, usually in unexpected ways.

Facts and figures one thought were true, often don’t turn out that way. Normal approach might be blame the data, saying this can’t be true.

Read: How do you see what others miss?

While some managers chase normal, the astute abnormal leader bends, twists and even breaks things – until something new emerges.

In fast adapting, they see possibility where others see problems. Ever-evolving, they ask questions that make people uncomfortable. They refuse to follow the linear because the future isn’t drawn in straight lines.

Three – time is the message

“The medium is the message” coined by Marshall McLuhan, means that the way information is delivered-the medium itself-has a greater impact than the content of the message. The properties of the medium, like the linear structure of print, or the visual nature of film, shape our thoughts.

Reality has at least two dimensions: physical space and time. Responding to a customer’s frustrating issue right away, sends a very different signal, in contrast to ignoring it.

Or, what may be for some, the ‘normal’ way of just letting something fall through the cracks, hoping that annoying problem may just evaporate.

Paying attention to responding, competing on the basis of time is the habit of market leaders. Conscientiousness remains a strong predictor of business success.

‘You can’t be normal and expect abnormal returns” advised Jeffrey Pfeffer.

Forty years ago, an idea came to Nazir Noordin and Raju Patel while working in office furniture and equipment spaces. They realised that investors in those businesses had adopted a trading perspective; no after-sales support, and customers could not always buy a new photocopying machine whenever theirs broke down.

A simple market survey showed that no company was offering such services, and Mr Noordin and Mr Patel decided to pick it up, marking the birth of Copy Cat Group. Their sole aim was to maximise the longevity of machines through the provision of technical expertise and spare parts.