Category: Business Daily

A tribunal has dismissed a Sh18 billion claim by 600 Telkom Kenya retirees, ending a 16-year dispute over pensions paid to them.

Since 2009, the pensioners have been battling Telposta Pension Scheme, the pension administrator for former Telkom workers, accusing it of miscalculating their pensions and underpaying them.

What will tomorrow’s workforce learn about your organisation? Imagine a new recruit in 2045 opening a box that tells them who you were, what you valued, and how it felt to work in your company. That is what a time capsule can do.

It brings people together in the present while sending a message forward in time.

Supermarket chain operator Naivas Limited has appointed a non-family CEO for the first time in its 35-year history, marking a shift in leadership for Kenya’s largest retailer that has been opening up to outsiders through stake sales.

The retailer, which last week hit 110 stores with a new outlet at Nairobi’s Gachie Westbay Mall, announced Tuesday that its co-founder and managing director David Kimani, will be stepping down from his role at the end of this month.

In a land dispute that lasted almost 30 years, Kenya Breweries Ltd (KBL) has been granted a reprieve against the Mombasa County Government after a court declared the company’s certificate of lease on the land is valid and still in force.

The Environment and Land Court also ruled that the re-planning and subdivision of KBL’s land in Tudor, conducted by the county government to create other parcels, was illegal, null and void.

More households in Kenya are increasingly using cooking gas, buoyed by the lower cost of the fuel following recent tax incentives by the government.

Data from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) shows that the uptake of cooking gas in Kenyan homes rose by 14.1 percent to 443,932.46 tonnes in the year ended June 2025 from 388,970 tonnes posted in the previous year.

Should you add your child to your debit card? As more Kenyan children travel abroad for school trips or shopping, a new parenting trend is taking root, giving them access to debit cards.

For some parents, it is about teaching financial responsibility and ensuring safety while abroad. For others, it raises tough questions about the risks of early exposure to money management. But how young is too young to have a debit card, and what should parents know before adding their child as a secondary cardholder?

The Court of Appeal has rejected an application by former Kandara MP James Maina Kamau, seeking to reopen a long-standing Sh153 million tax fraud dispute with South African pay-TV firm, Multichoice Kenya.

Mr Kamau and Mainkam Ltd wanted the court to allow them to furnish new evidence to prove that he had paid the millions on behalf of Multichoice to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for imported satellite dishes and decoders.

The shares of Williamson Tea Kenya and its affiliate Kapchorua Tea have rallied to all-time highs in the past week at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), after they received regulatory approval to issue bonus shares.

Williamson Tea closed trading at Sh334.50 on Monday, representing a one-week gain of 34.7 percent, while Kapchorua Tea added 26.5 percent in the period to settle at Sh413.50.

What is the role of film in society? You’ve probably come across that question many times. This isn’t a film theory class; it’s just a question I have to ask after watching the movie we’re discussing today.

The common answer is that film is meant to reflect society, a mirror of what’s happening during a particular period.

But in the age of social media, we have excessive exposure to information, events, and news. If you can afford a movie ticket, you probably have a TV or a phone, which means you already scroll through social media or watch the news every other day. You have access to what’s happening around the world in real time, any minute, anywhere.

So, when you walk into a theatre, do you want to see the same things you’re constantly exposed to, just bigger, brighter, and produced by a creative team, or are you seeking escapism? To step into a different world and experience something else entirely?

That’s the question I kept asking myself as I walked out of One Battle After Another, a film many people are calling one of the best of the year. And to be clear, I really liked it. It’s bold, intense, and beautifully made. But I still had one big issue with it.

One Battle After Another

This is a 2025 American action-thriller written, produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It’s loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti.

The story follows an ex-revolutionary who must rescue his daughter from a corrupt military official. I could go on, but it’s one of those movies where the less you know before watching, the better.

Because it’s a Paul Thomas Anderson film, you can expect layered characters, tension, and emotional weight. His work always blends classic cinematic ambition with realism, focusing on flawed individuals chasing purpose or control.

The marketing leans heavily on DiCaprio, so you’d think this is his movie. Technically, it is, he’s the star, and he does a great job. But the real standout is Sean Penn. This is his movie.

Sean Penn completely transforms, not just in looks, but in how he moves, reacts, and carries himself. While he is in a serious role, he’s also funny in some unexpected scenes, yet remains deeply compelling. His character arc will stick with a lot of people, and his presence alone holds weight in a scene, almost overshadowing everyone else. I can see him winning an Oscar for this.

The story, however, is anchored by Teyana Taylor’s character. Her screen time isn’t long, but her role is crucial, and she elevates every moment she’s in.

Everything that happens through the film, especially involving Sean Penn, DiCaprio, and Chase Infiniti, connects back to her. Her actions ripple through the film in ways you only start to understand by the third act.

The daughter, played by Chase Infiniti, carries much of the second half. Her storyline grounds the movie emotionally. As everything comes together toward the end, she becomes the centre of it all.

Chase is excellent, so good that you can tell this is her breakout performance. Regina Hall provides a key link later on (trying to keep this spoiler-free), and she captures the passage of time beautifully through her performance and costume changes.

What works

The movie looks incredible. The cinematography is flawless, the colours pop, the framing and lighting are deliberate, and every shot feels purposeful. These are details you might not even notice because the story captures your full attention.

There’s a car chase in the third act that feels and looks like a Western. It’s shot so well it puts you in the driver’s seat and keeps cranking up the tension. Even the quieter scenes, like those between DiCaprio and his daughter, look rich and textured.

The score is most likely something you’ve heard used a lot in modern film, it’s unique.

The sound design does a great job keeping you uneasy without overpowering the moment. There’s a sequence in the second act where the sound blends perfectly with the events on screen, a move that wouldn’t have worked under a different director. The soundtrack is also great, with familiar songs that never distract from the story.

The costume design defines characters instantly. You can tell who’s who and what they represent before they even speak. Each outfit matches the character’s energy and personality, even when they go a little over the top.

It’s a long film, almost three hours, but the pacing makes it feel shorter. I never felt like time was wasted or that any scene was unnecessary.

The writing ties everything together. Early decisions ripple through the story, and small moments in the first act end up shaping the ending. The screenplay is especially strong for Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor’s characters. Nothing feels random or filler.

The are some fantastic moments that add a whole different dimension to Christmas and the concept of knowing what the time is, amusing, dark and very at times.

And while it’s an American film, it’ll resonate strongly with audiences in countries like South Africa. It touches on class, race, and generational trauma in ways that echo apartheid and inequality. People like Trevor Noah or Robby Collins would probably see themselves in at least one of these characters.

What didn’t work

At times, the film feels like the news, like scrolling through X, just cinematic and on a bigger screen. The first 30 minutes are even with the themes fantastic, a strong setup, but by the middle, a few scenes feel like they’ve been pulled straight from real world.

I understand why.

The commentary on immigration, race, and state violence is powerful and works within the context of the story. But sometimes it starts feeling less like cinema and more like activism packaged as art. One particular scene mirrors exactly what’s been happening in America over the past few months.

That’s where the ‘mirror of society’ idea becomes tricky. There’s a fine line between reflection and regurgitation.

We already know the world is on fire. Most of us, especially with the constant social and political noise, go to the movies to escape for a few hours (which the second half of the movie delivers), not to rewatch real life play out on a massive screen. That is why movies like the first Avatar make a lot of money.

Credit where it’s due, Paul Thomas Anderson handles these heavy themes with skill. Even when the message feels heavy- handed, his direction keeps it engaging. Everything still ties back to the characters, which saves the film from turning into fully fledged activism.

Final thoughts

I genuinely liked One Battle After Another. It’s easily one of the most gripping films of the year; ambitious, tense, funny, and a must-watch for film students. The performances, especially Sean Penn’s, are unforgettable.

Teyana Taylor adds something special, and DiCaprio does what he always does best, commits fully to his role. The last hour is a masterclass in building tension while keeping the characters at the centre.

So yes, the hype is real. One Battle After Another stands alongside Sinners and Weapons as one of best films to come out in 2025. Just don’t expect pure escapism, this one hits closer to home than some might want.

Kenya’s capital markets are entering a new chapter. The Capital Markets (Amendment) Bill 2025 proposes reforms that could reshape how investment flows into the country.

At the heart of the Bill is a proposal to remove fixed statutory limits on how much ownership one person or company can hold in licensed financial institutions, such as stockbrokers, investment banks, and fund managers.

Instead of embedding these limits in law, the Cabinet Secretary, working with the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), would be empowered to set them through regulations. The thinking behind this move is to make it easier for large investors to inject capital into the market.

By removing rigid caps, the government hopes to attract more money into the financial sector, leading to stronger institutions, deeper liquidity, and better access to financing for businesses. In theory, this could stimulate economic growth and job creation.

However, while the intention is sound, the execution matters. Removing clear rules without replacing them with robust safeguards could open the door to excessive control by a few dominant players.

It could reduce competition, erode investor confidence, and increase the risk of market manipulation. That’s why many experts are calling for a balanced approach, one that retains default ownership limits in law, such as the current 33.33 percent cap, but allows exceptions through a transparent, well-regulated process.

Any changes should be backed by public consultation, clear justification, and parliamentary oversight.

Beyond ownership thresholds, the reforms must confront deeper governance challenges. Investors should be required to disclose ultimate beneficial ownership, the real individuals behind shareholding structures.

Regulators must also have the authority to vet key appointments to ensure they meet high standards of integrity and competence. These safeguards are not theoretical.

The recent push by stockbrokers to remove the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) chief executive officer, citing concerns over transparency and strategic direction, has exposed tensions within the market.

It reflects a broader discomfort with reform and the need for stronger alignment between leadership and stakeholders. Such episodes remind us that governance isn’t just about compliance, it’s about trust.

When markets are predictable, inclusive, and fair, more people are willing to invest. Pension funds, insurance companies, and foreign investors look for strong governance before committing their money. Without it, even the best reforms risk being undermined by fear, resistance, or misalignment. If Kenya gets this right, it could unlock billions in long-term investment, support infrastructure projects, and help businesses scale. For example, a well-capitalised investment bank could finance affordable housing projects, while a strong fund manager could channel savings into renewable energy ventures.

These are not just boardroom ideas,they affect real lives. A boda boda rider saving for his child’s education, a teacher investing in a unit trust, or a small business owner seeking capital to expand, all stand to benefit from a fair and functioning market.

We are already seeing signs of what’s possible. The NSE has shown strong performance in 2025.

The NSE 20 Share Index recently crossed the 3,000-point mark, up nearly 69 percent compared to last year. Market capitalisation has reached Sh2.81 trillion, and trading volumes have surged.

This growth is being driven by macroeconomic stability, improved investor sentiment, and increased participation from pension funds and retail investors, helped by digital platforms and better financial literacy.

Under the Kenya Kwanza administration, efforts to stabilise public finances, invest in infrastructure, and promote public-private partnerships have laid a solid foundation.

The government’s focus on fiscal discipline and economic transformation is beginning to bear fruit. But to truly mobilise private capital, the capital markets must be ready. That means clear laws, strong institutions, and a regulatory framework that protects investors while encouraging growth.

Other countries offer useful lessons. Singapore combines strict governance with smart incentives to attract global investors. South Africa has built deep markets by supporting institutional investment and strong regulation.

Mauritius has become a hub for cross-border listings by offering clarity and consistency. Kenya has the potential to do the same, especially with Nairobi already serving as a financial gateway for East Africa.

The CMA reforms, if done right, could be a turning point. They offer a chance to modernise Kenya’s financial system, attract new investment, and deepen the market.

But they must be guided by transparency, accountability, and a commitment to integrity. That is the path to a capital market that not only grows, but grows with confidence, fairness, and resilience.

For ordinary Kenyans, this means more opportunities to invest, whether through Saccos, pension schemes, or mobile-based trading apps. It means more jobs created through thriving businesses, and a stronger economy that works for everyone.

When capital markets are inclusive and well-regulated, they become engines of prosperity, not just for the elite, but for all citizens.

Let us embrace reform not with fear, but with foresight. The future of Kenya’s economy depends on it.