Category: Business Daily

The operator of the Ritz-Carlton Maasai Mara safari camp, a luxury hotel charging guests $3,675 (Sh476,647) per night, has opposed the withdrawal of a petition seeking its closure, arguing that only a full hearing would clear its name after months of damaging public scrutiny.

Lazizi Mara Limited contends that allowing the petitioner to abandon the case would leave unresolved allegations that have harmed the reputation and commercial viability of one of Kenya’s most high-profile luxury tourism investments.

The request to withdraw the case was presented before the Environment and Land Court in Narok on Wednesday after conservation activist Joel Meitamei Ole Dapash, the petitioner, instructed his lawyers to file a formal notice.

The petition, which also named global hospitality brands JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton as respondents, alleged that the camp obstructs wildlife migration corridors and violates constitutional protections for ecosystems.

However, the petitioner’s advocate informed the court that discussions among stakeholders since the filing of the petition had led to progress in addressing the concerns.

‘We received instructions from the petitioner that there have been constructive conversations between various parties regarding the concerns raised,’ the advocate said. ‘He is satisfied that the issues are being resolved and has instructed us to withdraw the petition.’

The advocate urged the court to mark the matter as withdrawn without imposing costs.

However, Lazizi Mara Limited opposed the withdrawal, insisting that the case proceeds to a full hearing to clear its name after months of negative publicity.

The company’s advocate warned that withdrawing the case would leave damaging allegations unresolved.

The Lazizi Mara lawyer informed the court that his client had faced prolonged vilification due to claims of environmental violations.

‘The petition was filed in August, but we were served three months later,’ the advocate said.

Read: Luxury Maasai Mara camp, activist in legal battle

The court will review the withdrawal notice and submissions from all parties before issuing a decision.

‘The matter has been debated publicly for months, and my client has been vilified not just locally but globally,’ he added.

He argued that since the case was filed in the public interest, the court should not permit a simple withdrawal without scrutinizing the claims.

Lazizi seeks a judicial determination confirming that no laws were violated in developing and operating the camp.

‘We want the court to rule on whether our client is at fault. Otherwise, these allegations will continue to cast a shadow over our operations,’ its advocate added and urged the judge to prioritise pending applications, including one seeking conservatory orders and contempt of court proceedings against the petitioner.

The legal dispute follows a statement by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) two weeks earlier, clarifying that the luxury camp does not obstruct the wildebeest migration path, contrary to claims in the petition.

The Ritz-Carlton Maasai Mara camp, operated by Lazizi Mara Limited under the Marriott International brand, opened in August and positions Kenya as a premier destination in the global luxury safari market.

The dispute centers on allegations that the camp was unlawfully constructed and poses ecological risks to the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

In court filings, Lazizi Mara maintained that it secured all necessary approvals from regulatory bodies, including the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), Narok County Government, and the Water Resources Authority.

The company emphasized that the project sits on leased county land, not within the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Lazizi argued that the case threatens jobs, community revenues, and Kenya’s reputation as a premium tourism destination. The facility employs over 200 people and expects to contribute billions of shillings in taxes and tourism-related revenue.

Despite Lazizi’s assurances, environmental groups remain uneasy. A lawyer representing the East African Wildlife Society as an interested party opposed the petition’s withdrawal, arguing that environmental disputes should not be abandoned lightly.

‘An environmental matter like this cannot simply be withdrawn. What happens to the public interest?’ he questioned.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also sought to join the case as an interested party, citing Constitutional provisions allowing judicial discretion in such matters.

‘Nothing prevents my client from filing a fresh petition if necessary. We are prepared to proceed if permitted,’ the LSK lawyer said.

Other respondents took differing positions. The Narok County Government did not object to the withdrawal and urged the court to terminate the petition.

In response, the petitioner’s lawyer reiterated that forcing a satisfied petitioner to continue would abuse court processes.

‘This court cannot compel a party to proceed once their concerns have been addressed,’ he argued.

Nairobi’s healthcare performance has risen by 6.3 points over the last five years, lifted by more investments in modern diagnostics and treatment and competent staff, marking a steady recovery from pandemic-era stagnation.

Latest analysis by Numbeo, a global research database that tracks the quality of life shows that Nairobi recorded a Health Care Index of 62.8 in 2025, up from 56.5 in 2020.

The Health Care Index is a composite metric that measures the overall quality of healthcare systems based on factors including medical staff competency, equipment quality, service speed, cost, and accessibility. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating better healthcare performance.

Nairobi scored highest on convenience of location at 75 percent, a reflection of its dense urban geography and relatively accessible network of health facilities compared to many African cities-a critical advantage for residents who can reach care without lengthy travel.

‘Medical staff competency earned solid confidence at 63.64 percent, while modern diagnostic and treatment equipment scores even better at 67.23 percent,’ said Numbeo.

Beyond clinical capabilities, administrative professionalism has also improved.

Accuracy in medical record-keeping and staff friendliness both register at 69.52 percent, signaling better patient experiences and more streamlined processes in healthcare institutions-improvements that reduce medical errors and enhance trust in the system.

However, operational challenges persist and continue to frustrate patients daily. Speed in completing examinations and reports sits at 59.59 percent, while responsiveness around waiting times lags at just 51.35 percent, pointing to an evidence of congestion and workforce strain that force many residents to spend hours in queues or seek care in the private sector.

Cost satisfaction remains moderate at 56.42 percent, reflecting growing affordability pressures as inflation and out-of-pocket expenses continue to rise, pushing healthcare further out of reach for lower-income households and threatening to deepen health inequalities across the city.

The city was ranked fourth in Africa, slipping from third position, after Namibia surged ahead with a score of 67.4. Globally, Nairobi was position 211. Cape Town and Pretoria, in South Africa, continue to lead the continent with Health Care Index of 68.8 and 66.5, respectively.

The Numbeo statistics come at a time when county hospitals are reporting long queues in outpatient departments, with patients left sitting on benches facing slow services and extended waiting times.

This, together with unsustainable insurance coverage, continues to leave patients stranded and forced to pay for care out of their own pockets.

‘What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing’ said Oscar Wilde.

What is the value of value? Is noticing that chattering voice in your head a valuable insight? Do you pay a price for listening to the cerebral noise? Is money the defining technology of our time? Does money shape us, or is money simply a tool?

‘Create and capture value’ is the essence of business success.

With fast moving constant change, it’s not uncommon to find what was once a service or product with a price tag, is now available for free. Prime example would be WhatsApp, a platform providing the ability to communicate globally, for the cost of credit.

Ability to learn just about anything in business is there for free on YouTube. World-class, free online courses from top universities – like Harvard and Stanford – and organisations like, for instance, Google, Khan Academy, Deep Learning AI, and the World Bank are a few clicks away.

It’s no longer possible to whisper ‘sweet nothings’ and say, ‘look at me, aren’t I wonderful’ with a newly minted degree. Today, one has to be able to create tangible value from the beginning to grab an employer’s or buyer’s attention. Talking fluffy jargon and creating hype, no longer works.

Valuable business insights that in the past had a price tag, are now available at just about no cost, using the smartphone in your pocket. Catch is the ability to take the ideas – concepts and turn them into a profitable reality. ‘Make something people want.’

Too many entrepreneurs invest a lot of time and money in creating a product that buyers are not ready to pay for. Best to run tiny low cost experiments, constantly pivoting, evolving and adapting.

Thinking about thinking

One of the most valuable insights is in asking the question – Are you that little voice in your head? Which voice you ask? Well, that one that is talking to you right now. One of the most treasured age old insights is to realise that you are not that voice in your head.

Helps to consider that perhaps you are the observer, the listener, the consciousness that notices that voice, that noise. It’s impossible to shut off that ‘monkey mind’ that constantly leaps from one stand of thought to another.

‘Your brain, fundamentally, is a three-pound lump of meat, just another biological organ concerned with your survival. The product it produces to aid with that altruistic purpose is thought. Although, as a race, we humans have managed to push our brains to the point where they have created iPhones and built civilisation as we know it, the original function those brains were designed for is entirely focused on keeping us alive.

‘To do that, our brains analyse the world around us, turn our complex environment into simple concepts that we can grasp and then turn those concepts into words (the only building block of knowledge we can comprehend). With this knowledge, we can make the all-important decisions needed to survive, and then implement those in the form of orders given to the different parts of our bodies so we can remain safe. That’s it, really.

Your brain is your inner voice. It’s the one telling you what’s going on and suggesting how things should be. It is the one making all the noise,’ writes Mo Gawdat, the former chief business officer of Google X in his 2022 book: That Little Voice in Your Head.

Quieting the noise

Amid uncertainty and chaos, Ray Dalio who founded Bridgewater Associates in 1975 has credited one daily practice giving him the ability to quiet the noise, and succeed in the face of relentless unpredictable change: meditation.

Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, is known for its systematic global macro approach, and unique transparent corporate culture has roughly $124 billion of assets under management.

It’s not uncommon to find market leaders, across the spectrum practicing mindfulness. Essentially, the ability to create a sense of calm and space, just observing the constant chatter of the mind for what it is – noise.

We associate money with the longer term goal of getting wealthy – often based on a bright product idea. To do this, one has to ask ‘Is this authentic to me?’ And then, as Silicon Valley sage, Naval Ravikant points out, how can one turn the bright idea into a product in demand? How can it be scaled? What is the leverage being used? Is it labour, capital, code, or with media?

Money, a defining technology

‘Over the past 5,000 years, money has profoundly altered humanity and our relationships with each other and with the rest of the planet. It is arguably the defining technology of Homo Sapiens. We have co-evolved with money: we have shaped money, but money has also shaped us. Unlike other technologies, money is ephemeral. It resides in our heads, representing value, but it is intrinsically valuelessFor money to work, a leap of mental abstraction is required. Counter intuitively, money is valuable not when it is scarce but when it is abundant. In this sense, money resembles another wondrous human technology: language. Both money and language are crowd phenomena,’ writes David McWilliams in Money: A Story of Humanity that will have you thinking differently about the medium of exchange.

‘The central property of money – that of representing universal value, understood and accepted by everyone – is one of the foundation stones of organised societies today. Money has proved to be one of the most seductive enduring ideas of the past five millennia. Over time, all other ways of organising complex human societies – whether it be land-based feudal systems, aristocratic hierarchies or communist nirvanas – have ultimately been replaced by societies are based around money,’ writes McWilliams.

Who does not want to be a business success? But perhaps, we have it backwards? In the illusive search for wealth symbolised by money, with all those zeros on a screen — the first step is asking: How does one create value?

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value,” advised Albert Einstein.

State corporations failed to pay Sh26.8 billion in salaries and remit Sh39 billion in health insurance contributions between July and September 2025, undoing the progress made in settling pending bills.

New details show that unpaid salaries by the entities grew from Sh10.5 billion to Sh37.3 billion, while their unremitted health insurance contributions rose from Sh125 million to Sh39 billion during the three months.

The rise in the unpaid dues was one of the main reasons why the national government’s pending bills rose by about Sh600 million during the July-September 2025 quarter, despite huge settlements in other areas, the Controller of Budget (CoB) has revealed. CoB Margaret Nyakang’o budget report for the period notes that overall pending bills for the national government rose from Sh524.8 billion in June to Sh525.4 billion in September.

‘This comprised Sh406.49 billion (77 percent) for State corporations and Sh118.94 billion (23 percent) for MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies),’ Dr Nyakang’o said. A review of the report shows that since June 2025, when the 2024/25 fiscal year ended, overall State corporations’ pending bills rose by Sh2.2 billion.

While huge payments were made towards pending bills owed to contractors and unremitted pensions, accumulation of new unpaid bills offset these gains, an analysis of the COB reports shows.

For instance, the State corporations remitted Sh32.1 billion worth of pension arrears as of June, lowering the unremitted pension burden by 92.5 percent to Sh2.6 billion in September.

The State agencies also reduced debt owed to contractors by Sh15.2 billion during the three months, bringing the burden down to Sh195.8 billion by the end of September.

However, the payment of Sh47.3 billion worth of pending bills during the three months was neutralised by an accumulation of new arrears, mainly in the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) taxes, Sacco and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions.

PAYE arrears increased from Sh23.4 billion to Sh25 billion, unremitted Sacco contributions went up by Sh8.6 billion to Sh10.9 billion, and unremitted NSSF contributions increased by 40 percent to Sh898.7 million.

Overall, State corporations had pending bills totalling Sh406.5 billion in September, while MDAs had Sh118.9 billion.

The CoB reported that MDAs’ pending bills dropped from Sh120.5 billion as of June 2025.

‘MDAs’ Trade Payables (Pending Bills) comprised Sh76.34 billion (64 percent) for recurrent expenditure and Sh42.6 billion (36 percent) for development expenditure,’ the CoB said.

The office notes that MDAs’ pending bills include payments due to contractors/projects, suppliers, unremitted statutory and other deductions and pension arrears for the Local Authorities Pension Trust.

The Treasury indicated that the arrears as of September did not include bills under litigation, noting that they are being handled by the Attorney-General.

‘The highest percentage was for contractors/projects (Sh195.85 billion), at 37 percent, followed by National Hospital Insurance Fund (Sh39.6 billion), at eight percent, and personnel emoluments arrears (Sh37.35 billion), at seven percent,’ the report says.

British multinational company Diageo Plc has agreed to sell its entire 65 percent stake in East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and its holding in the spirits maker UDV Kenya to Japanese beverage firm Asahi Group Holdings in a deal worth $2.3 billion (Sh296.6 billion), net of tax and transaction costs.

Asahi will take full control of Diageo Kenya Limited, the investment vehicle through which the British firm holds the EABL stake. Asahi will also takes ownership of Diageo’s 53.68 percent holding in UDV Kenya. EABL owns the remaining UDV Kenya stake and also has management control of the unit.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval.

The transaction values EABL at Sh618.9 billion ($4.8 billion), which is 3.1 times the company’s current valuation of Sh198.78 billion at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Diageo is exiting EABL less than three years after raising its stake to 65 percent from 50.03 percent in a deal valued at Sh22.7 billion.

‘This transaction delivers both significant value for Diageo shareholders and accelerates our commitment to strengthen our balance sheet. We remain committed to returning the group to well within our target leverage ratio range of 2.5 – 3.0 times through disposals of non-strategic, non-core assets,’ said Diageo Plc interim chief executive officer Nik Jhangiani.

‘We are excited to partner with Asahi through the licensing of Diageo brands in the region going forward.’

As part of the deal, Diageo says it has entered into long-term licensing agreements with EABL to secure the continued production and distribution of Guinness, local spirits and ready-to-drink brands, as well as the distribution of its international spirits.

The transaction forms part of Diageo’s broader strategy of shedding non-core assets, which has seen it exit major African beer markets.

In April, it sold its entire stake in Seychelles Breweries Ltd, an 80.4 percent stake in Ghana Breweries and last year ceded a 58.02 percent stake in Guinness Nigeria. This followed exits in Ethiopia and Cameroon in 2022.

Asahi Holdings, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, produces a diverse range of beer, alcohol, and non-alcoholic beverages, and food brands. The company maintains a presence in Japan and East Asia, Europe, and the Asia Pacific, with annual revenue of $19 billion (Sh2.45 trillion).

A communication firm has lost a bid to be paid Sh76 million by the owners of Garden City Mall for breach of contract.

Although the High Court found GC Retail Limited in breach of the contract entered into in 2015, the court said JohnGray Communication Ltd, a firm hired to manage signage, events, and other commercial activities at the popular mall, did not prove the losses alleged to have been suffered.

The court noted that the marketing manager did their part of the bargain to actualise the five-year contract.

‘Applying that principle, I find that the Defendant’s (GC Retail Ltd) unilateral and immediate termination of the agreement, without notice, without invoking the permitted grounds, and without opportunity to remedy, constituted breach of contract,’ said the court.

The court, however, said a party alleging breach of contract must go further and demonstrate the actual loss suffered.

‘The court is only able to award damages where the plaintiff proves the fact and quantum of loss on a balance of probabilities. This position is consistent with the settled principle that damages are compensatory and must be anchored in evidence of actual loss,’ said the court.

The court also dismissed a demand for compensation of Sh20 million for alleged loss of reputation.

While dismissing the claim, the court noted that JohnGray Communication Ltd was allowed to complete the existing contracts.

It was noted that the firm’s managing director John Kimani Muthami, admitted that all the payments were received and that no evidence was tendered of reputational injury or loss attributable to GC Retail Ltd.

In a win for GC Retail Ltd, the court allowed part of its counterclaim comprising unpaid invoices, revenue share from signage, and other sums.

Evidence tabled in court showed that the parties entered into a commercialisation arrangement at the popular mall on Thika Road, Nairobi, in 2015.

JohnGray Communication Limited said it was hired to provide services such as generating revenue from non-gross leasable areas, managing internal and external signage, and organising events and activations.

The marketing firm sought special damages of Sh76.3 million or, in the alternative, restitution for the value of services rendered, interest, and general damages for alleged loss of reputation.

‘I therefore find that there was a binding agreement, partly written and partly by conduct, governing the commercialisation services,’ said the court.

GC Retail Ltd denied the alleged breach and disputed the existence of any agreement beyond a memorandum of understanding dated May 25, 2015.

The mall owner then sought payment of Sh16.9 million comprising unpaid invoices, revenue share from signage, and other sums.

‘The net substantiated unpaid amount is Sh 3,257,283.12/=. PW1 (Dr Kimani) was unable to dispute these figures, and indeed conceded under cross-examination that some items aligned with the Plaintiff’s own documentation,’ said the court.

GC Retail Ltd denied the alleged breach and disputed the existence of any agreement beyond a memorandum of understanding dated May 25, 2015.

The mall owner then sought payment of Sh16.9 million comprising unpaid invoices, revenue share from signage, and other sums.

‘The net substantiated unpaid amount is Sh 3,257,283.12/=. PW1 (Dr Kimani) was unable to dispute these figures, and indeed conceded under cross-examination that some items aligned with the Plaintiff’s own documentation,’ said the court.

The court said the amount will attract interest at court rates from the date of this Judgment until payment in full. 470

Aviation in Africa, as in many regions, plays a uniquely catalytic role in socio-economic transformation. Kenya’s economy, for instance, is deeply intertwined with international mobility, spanning horticulture exports routed through Nairobi, and the tourism corridors connecting the country to markets across Europe and Asia.

Tanzania’s development strategy similarly depends on stronger air links to sustain tourism and open channels for industrial diversification. Rwanda and Uganda, with their expanding conference and services sectors, are also strengthening their aviation capacity to support national development.

As a result, demand for air travel across East Africa, like the rest of Africa, is expected to rise steadily over the next 20 years, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) , an encouraging sign of economic momentum, but one that risks locking the region into a high-carbon transport model just as global policy is tightening.

In this context, a calibrated combination of technological renewal and smarter operations defines the path forward. New-generation aircraft, capable of cutting emissions by up to 25 percent compared with older fleets, are already transforming the carbon intensity of travel in East Africa.

Serving major hubs such as Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, these modern aircraft reduce fuel burn while improving reliability and lowering noise. They also offer improved maintenance efficiency, which supports cost stability for airlines. Yet while these efficiency gains are significant, they cannot on their own deliver the scale of reductions required.

This is where operational efficiency comes in as an essential second lever. Measures such as continuous-descent approaches and single-engine taxiing within regional airspaces deliver immediate emissions reductions, even in infrastructure-constrained environments.

Modernising airspace coordination can reduce flight distances and delays through harmonised procedures, upgraded navigation technology and more seamless cross-border routing. These measures create the structural conditions for sustained emissions reduction beyond aircraft and operational improvements.

A third lever involves the integration of infrastructure and airspace modernisation, adding an equally important dimension to long-term decarbonisation.

Modern airport designs, which factor in energy-efficient lighting, improved power management and the development of on-site renewable generation, play a role in cutting back ground-side emissions.

Indeed, it is exciting to see several airlines implementing complementary measures to reduce waste and strengthen circularity.

Commitments to eliminate single-use plastics on board including the replacement of cutlery, cups, stirrers and similar items with biodegradable or reusable alternatives, are cutting waste volumes and reducing upstream emissions associated with plastic production.

Many airlines are also expanding cabin-waste segregation and more efficient catering logistics, each contributing modest but cumulative environmental benefits.

The coming decades will determine whether aviation continues to enable global opportunity or becomes constrained by its environmental footprint.

For East Africa, the stakes are particularly high because the region stands to benefit enormously from stronger connectivity. However, it also has a unique chance to shape a model of growth that is more efficient and aligned with the scientific imperatives of this era.

Providers of virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies will be required to maintain up to Sh50 million in paid up capital, as part of their licensing requirement as the government moves to legislate the buying and selling of digital assets in the country.

The capital requirements which also include reserves are to build safeguards for investors engaged in the trading of the assets.

Proposed capital, shareholding and liquidity requirements seen by this publication shows that wallet providers and virtual asset exchanges will have the steepest requirement alongside issuers of stablecoins.

This includes Sh50 million each as paid up capital, Sh50 million in shareholders’ funds and Sh10 million in liquid capital.

Payment processors, brokers, investment advisers, asset managers, offerors of initial coin offer, and tokenisation (digital representation of an asset) have lower capital thresholds of between Sh2.5 and Sh30 million for total paid up capital.

All licensees are however obligated to have insurance coverage to cushion client assets.

‘A licensee shall hold and maintain insurance coverage including professional indemnity coverage of not less than Sh500,000 and such other insurance policy allowing for the necessary protection and coverage of client’s assets,’ the regulations read in part.

‘The insurance coverage shall be commensurate with the level of risks and the scale of proposed virtual asset service provider business.’

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) who are set to serve as the designated regulators for the industry are expected to determine whether licensees hold adequate capital.

The authorities are also allowed to raise the base of capital as they deem necessary. Providers are also obligated to keep reserve assets in Kenya, maintaining the cover at levels equivalent to liabilities owed to clients.

‘A licensee shall, at all times, maintain reserve assets or monies equivalent to one hundred percent of the liabilities owed to the client’s asset being held by the licensee,’ the regulations add.

The Virtual Asset Service Providers regulations follow the recent legislation of the Virtual Assets Providers Act which established a legal framework to license and regulate the activities of service providers in the industry and connected purposes.

Both pieces of legislation follow the drafting of a national policy on virtual assets by a multi-agency taskforce composed of CBK, CMA and other regulators as a response to the proliferation in use of virtual assets in recent years.

Kenya was ranked as the world’s fifth-largest market by cryptocurrency transaction volumes underpinned by stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that is convertible into fiat currency on a 1:1 basis.

The country only ranked behind Ukraine, the United States, Nigeria and Vietnam in transactional crypto use according to the 2025 World Crypto Rankings report by global cryptocurrency exchange Bybit.

The report noted that the Kenyan market has demonstrated its readiness to adopt cryptocurrencies, especially in retail transactions.

‘This activity points to a population that is already comfortable moving value on-chain, a key prerequisite for scaling crypto payroll.”

All crypto service providers including platforms must be licensed and meet anti-money laundering, consumer protection and operational security standards.

Kenya, the ‘Silicon Savannah’; a title that is well-deserved and worn with pride. It reflects the global success of M-Pesa in driving financial inclusion, the strength of our innovation ecosystem, the presence of regional technology headquarters, and the confidence with which Kenya shows up at global digital forums. Kenya sees herself, and is often seen, as a continental, nay global, innovation leader.

Yet nearly two years ago, the Worldcoin saga exposed a disquieting gap between this brand and the institutional machinery behind it. It was a moment that forced the country to stop, look in the mirror and ask, ‘Who, exactly, was in charge?’

Contrary to public memory, the story did not begin with the viral queues at KICC. It began a year earlier, when orb-like devices appeared in shopping malls; a kind of sci-fi décor that no one had ordered. While most people walked past with curiosity, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) was already acting, issuing directives, and asking the questions no one else seemed to be asking: Who is this entity? What data is being collected? On what legal basis? There were no cameras then, no online outrage, just a small, thinly staffed regulator tracing an unfamiliar activity.

Once tokens-for-cash hit the scene and the KICC queues formed, the matter shifted from technical inquiry to national spectacle. Media descended, Parliament leapt into action, ministries contradicted one another, and Kenya realised that a global biometric token project had embedded itself in the country.

Claims flew, from exploitation to fears that iris capture could somehow ‘switch off our eyes.’ Exaggerated? Maybe, but it resonated as no institution appeared visibly in control.

Much of the blame landed on the ODPC. Only a few acknowledged that the Data Protection Act was never designed to give the regulator sweeping powers over complex, cross-sector technology initiatives. The Act empowers enforcement; it does not grant authority over multi-domain projects touching finance, identity, security, and consumer protection.

As the public outcry grew, multiple agencies intervened. Parliament conducted hearings with dramatic flair. Later, the High Court upheld the government’s suspension of Worldcoin’s activities. The judgment offered legal clarity, but it also confirmed that the institutional fragmentation on display was not imagined. Regulators had acted; the system had not.

Two parallel realities had existed: early regulatory work conducted quietly, and a later, noisy political scramble. In between, speculation flourished. Concerns about surveillance, allegations of exploitation, and stories of eye discomfort filled the void left by the absence of coordinated, authoritative communication.

The narrative settled into the public imagination, remaining unresolved and unchallenged.

This saga revealed an uncomfortable truth: Kenya does not suffer from weak regulators; it suffers from a fragmented regulatory architecture.

To be clear, the relevant institutions did not fail to perform their role. However, if an objective grade were to be given based on singularity of purpose, the score would be an F.

Technology does not respect institutional boundaries. It does not pause while agencies negotiate jurisdiction, and citizens should not be left to guess which regulator is responsible at the very moment their rights, identity, or financial security may be affected.

Kenya urgently needs a permanent Cross-Regulator Digital Council, not a crisis-era taskforce, but a standing, well-resourced mechanism for horizon scanning, joint risk assessment, coordinated enforcement, and unified public communication.

Today, Kenya has no multi-agency sandbox for emerging technologies, no formal mechanism for managing cross-cutting digital risks, and no clear process for determining institutional leadership when innovations span several domains. Everyone has a mandate; no one has the mandate to connect them.

This is not only a governance problem; it is a business problem. Fragmented regulation undermines investor confidence, heightens compliance uncertainty, and exposes the country to reputational risk.

Kenya’s digital economy contributes nearly 10 percent of GDP and continues to attract significant domestic and international capital.

For the Silicon Savannah to retain its credibility, the next breakthrough technology must encounter a coordinated state, not one navigating its digital future in the dark and discovering the scale of the challenge only after Kenyans begin queuing.

Allan Kilavuka has left Kenya Airways after six years at the helm, creating a dual leadership vacuum at the national carrier after its board chairman of nine years also departed earlier this year.

Mr Kilavuka proceeded on terminal leave effective December 16, ahead of the expiry of his tenure in April, making him one of the carrier’s longest serving chief executives.

Mr Kilavuka was brought in at one of KQ’s most turbulent times, shortly after his predecessor Sebastian Mikosz -who had been brought in from Poland to help turnaround the carrier after years of loss-making- resigned.

Added to the woes that had kept the flag carrier in the red at the time, the Covid-19 pandemic heightened the heavy assignment Mr Kilavuka would have to deal with at KQ, and as he leaves, the board seems satisfied with what he’s done.

‘Allan served with commitment, dedication, honour and diligence, steering the company through the turbulent Covid-19 period which affected the aviation sector negatively,’ reads a notice published by the KQ board announcing his exit.

‘He subsequently oversaw the growth of revenues and freight volumes, reaffirming the operational viability of the airline.’

The board announced that chief operating officer George Kamal will assume the role of interim chief executive, as the process of recruiting a substantive successor gets under way.

It did not indicate how long the recruitment process is expected to take or whether internal candidates will be considered alongside external applicants.

Mr Kilavuka has led KQ since April 2020, shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, which triggered an unprecedented collapse in global air travel. Under his leadership, Kenya Airways navigated prolonged grounding of fleets, border closures and severe revenue losses that further strained an already fragile balance sheet.

The airline returned to profitability in 2024, posting a net profit of Sh5.4 billion, its first annual profit in nearly a decade. The turnaround followed years of sustained losses and came after a period of capacity recovery, route optimisation and a rebound in passenger and cargo demand.

It is not yet clear how much of the 2024 performance was driven by operational improvements, restructuring measures or exceptional items, but the carrier has issued a profit warning -a sure sign that the profit will not be sustained this year.

Before his appointment as KQ chief executive, Mr Kilavuka served as CEO of Jambojet, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary, from January 2019. Prior to that, he was head of sub-Saharan Africa at aerospace firm General Electric.

Mr Kamal, who steps in as interim chief executive, is a pilot by training and an aviation executive. He holds a master’s degree in aviation management and a PhD in business administration.

Before joining KQ, Mr Kamal served as chief operations and executive officer at Iraqi Airways. He previously held senior operational roles at Air Arabia and Etihad Airways, where he was also head of quality operations. He began his aviation career as a pilot with EgyptAir and later flew for Etihad.

‘The Board commits to support Captain Kamal as he takes over the organisation’s executive leadership during this interim period,’ the directors said.

His tenure at Kenya Airways was not without disruption. In November 2022, the airline was hit by one of its most disruptive pilots’ strikes, which led to widespread flight cancellations and stranded passengers after members of the Kenya Airline Pilots Association downed tools over pay and working conditions.

The strike was later declared illegal by the Employment and Labour Relations Court, and several pilots were suspended or dismissed, prompting political intervention and government-led mediation.