Category: Business Daily

Have you ever noticed how the festive season has a special way of turning simple moments into unforgettable memories? The lights feel brighter, the laughter sounds warmer, and everywhere you go, there is a sense of gathering and joy in the air.

But nothing captures this feeling more than the smell of barbecue rising into the evening sky. It is the aroma of fire, slow cooking, and shared excitement. It is the sound of meat sizzling, friends calling out to each other, and music floating gently through the breeze.

It is the time when a true grill squad master steps forward, bringing the magic of smoke and fire to life, turning every gathering into a celebration of flavour and togetherness. This is the spirit that surrounds the story of Stephen Musyoka as he leads his team into a festive feast like no other.

Stephen Musyoka,40, known to his friends as Syoks, and his team of eight, the Grill Squad, this season is all about bringing people together. ‘A nice barbecue is where you come with your friends, you chill, you celebrate,’ Syoks said, smiling. ‘It is more than just food. It is about sharing moments that matter.’

This December, they created the December Roast and Toast, a special festival to celebrate the end of 2025. Guests stepped into a space alive with music, twinkling lights, and the inviting smell of grilled meat.

Unlike ordinary meals, here people moved from station to station, collecting dishes straight from the grill and talking to the chefs.

‘We wanted people to come and experience the food, not just eat it,’ Syoks explained. ‘You see the cooking, you chat with the chef, and you feel part of it.’

Each chef had a specialty. ‘We all focus on what we are best at,’ Syoks said. ‘That is where the magic happens.’

The festival’s centerpiece was the beef ribs, brined overnight, rubbed with spices, seared, and slow-cooked in beer for hours until they fell off the bone. They were served with fresh mango salad, adding a sweet and tangy balance.

‘I love long cooks,’ Syoks said. ‘I wake up early, prepare everything, and let the ribs cook slowly. By the time guests arrive, it is perfect.’

The festival became a celebration of life’s moments. ‘You never know how things will turn out,’ Syoks said. ‘Maybe someone has been going through a tough time, or maybe someone won an award. Here, we toast to it all.’

Guests clinked glasses, laughed, and savored the smoky flavours of the grills, feeling the warmth of friendship and festive cheer.

The Grill Squad’s motto, Food, Fire, Friends, was everywhere. It was in the crackling fire, the smell of roasting meat, and the joyful chatter. ‘Good food is shared. Food is an experience,’ Syoks said.

As Stephen filled the air with slow cooked ribs and festive cheer, another master of the fire stepped forward with his own signature flavour.

The goat whisperer

Patrick Karanja, 44, also known as Bandito Tricks or the Goat Whisperer, is a master of fire, smoke, and flavour. ‘My age is 44 years young, not old,’ he jokes, standing confidently by the grill. Every festive season, Patrick and his team turn simple meat into a celebration of taste. This year, the festival promised to be unforgettable with their ultimate toast and roast feast.

‘Today I did goat legs, goat ribs, and goat arms. I marinated them last night,’ Patrick explains. The meat soaks in a special blend of 18 spices, chosen from thousands at Freddy Hush.

‘I usually test the spices on my own first before I share them with everyone. It is all about creating and innovating,’ he says. By 7:30am, the grills are lit, flames dancing over the meat as it smokes slowly for hours. The aroma fills the air, drawing crowds eager for a taste of Patrick’s signature flavours.

Patrick does not follow a strict recipe. ‘Every time, I create something new,’ he says. This approach makes each festive season unique, as every bite of goat meat is tender, smoky, and perfectly spiced. Guests come back year after year, anticipating the familiar thrill of his flavours.

‘We start with three meats; pork, chicken, and goat and add beef later, like brisket and short ribs,’ Patrick explains. Each plate is served with sides and starches, making the meal a full experience. ‘The festive season is about sharing. We want everyone to feel the joy of gathering around good food.’

Outside the festival, Patrick wears another hat with his team, BBQ Bandits. ‘We carry our own equipment, come to your home, and deliver the same experience,’ he says. From private gatherings to neighborhood celebrations, Patrick ensures that everyone can enjoy the magic of the Grill Squad, no matter the location.

‘Being Kenyan, and in the festive season, my specialty that moves a lot is goat,’ Patrick shares. Flames, smoke, and the smell of roasting meat create a scene full of warmth and joy.

From Patrick’s goat-filled fire, we move to the sizzling precision of steak and lamb.

The steak and lamb specialist

‘I love to grill,’ says Agnes Mwangi, the grill master and founder of Pot Delight. ‘The joy is in seeing people enjoy the meat.’ For Agnes, this is more than a feast, it is a full experience where meat takes centre stage, and every bite is a festive delight.

‘If you get good cuts of meat, you do not have to overdress,’ she explains. ‘Salt, garlic, black pepper, ginger, and a touch of red chili are all you need to bring out the real flavour.’ Each cut is carefully chosen: sirloins and fillets for quick grilling, lamb chops for slow smoking, and tomahawks for those who love a bold, juicy steak.

The festive menu is a feast of contrasts and colours. Roasted plantains glisten in the sun, potato wedges are spicy and crisp, and jacket potatoes are fluffy and warm. Fresh salads add brightness to the table.

‘We avoid serving meat with ugali or skuma today,’ Agnes laughs. ‘With a steak, you do not need your usual dishes. Potatoes, salads, and plantains are perfect.’ Every dish is designed to complement the smoky, juicy meats and make the celebration unforgettable.

Guests arrive with eager anticipation, the energy vibrant and warm. Agnes works the fire with precision. ‘I need to see you there before I start grilling,’ she says. ‘A quick steak is best served hot, just off the grill. You do not want to reheat it. That is how you keep it juicy and tender.’ With every turn of the meat, the air fills with anticipation and delight.

She enhances the festive flavours with sauces and marinades, bringing an extra touch to her signature recipes. ‘Once you have eaten a good steak, you need something to take it down with,’ she notes.

‘Meat used to be served in the background,’ Agnes says. ‘Now we bring it to the front. Watching people enjoy it, introducing different flavours, and serving it in a way they have never seen, that is the true festive joy.’

As the steaks and lambs reach perfection, Bandito Wangai brings a taste of Texas to the heart of Nairobi.

The barbecue mythologist

For Nicholas Wangai, also known as Bandito Wangai, this is the perfect time to bring people together over fire, smoke, and meat. ‘I love my grilling and barbecuing,’ he says with a smile. For over six years, Bandito has turned his passion for nyama choma into a craft, perfecting the art of selecting cuts, balancing spices, and achieving that smoky, tender flavor everyone remembers.

This Christmas, Bandito and his Grill Squad are ready to make the season unforgettable. ‘This is the fourth gig we are doing. Actually, it is sort of an anniversary,’ he explains. The Grill Squad is a team who started small but have grown into a holiday tradition, creating a Nyama Fest where roasting and toasting meat becomes a celebration in itself.

For this festive season, Bandito has prepared a menu that promises to delight every meat lover. ‘I want to do for my Christmas event a Texas background barbecue. Short ribs, steaks, smoked chicken, and obviously barbecue sausages and also some pork on it,’ he shares.

Every piece is carefully chosen and treated with patience and precision. ‘Start early, do not be in a rush, and take it low and slow,’ he advises, revealing the key to keeping meat juicy and tender even for a large crowd.

Bandito’s approach is a mix of tradition and innovation. ‘I was brought up in the pure Kikuyu tradition of grilling. I will slaughter, go to the market, buy a lamb or a goat, and divide the cuts according to the customary Kikuyu tradition,’ he explains. He adapts seamlessly to modern barbecue methods, blending smoky flavors and rich marinades to create what he calls his ‘barbecue mythology.’

Outside the Grill Squad, Bandito runs his own events under the name Barbecue Bandits. ‘We give and deliver what we promise,’ he says. With festive packages ranging from sh3,500 to sh4,500 per head, guests enjoy a full barbecue experience, from the aroma of smoking meat to the sizzling sound of meat hitting the grill.

As the holiday season unfolds, Bandito Wangai is ready to light the flames, fill the air with smoke, and bring families and friends together. ‘Passion. Know what you want, go for what you want,’ he says when asked about his secret to perfect barbecue.

From Texas backyards to Willy D.’s precision smoke, the Grill Squad continues the festive magic.

Master of Smoke and Pork

Willie Keya, 52, also known as Willie D. of Willie D’s Barbecue, is at the heart of it all. ‘This season is about bringing people together,’ he says, flipping a slab of pork belly over the glowing coals. ‘We want everyone to taste joy, to feel the warmth of the holidays in every bite.’

‘The Grill Squad started as a dream,’ he explains, ‘and now it has grown beyond what we imagined. This is our baby, and seeing it happen is truly a blessing.’ Each member has their own style, their own brand, but when they come together, the results are magical.

For the festive season, Willie has prepared a menu full of flavor. His signature pork belly takes center stage. ‘I focus on clean smoke,’ he says. ‘Too much smoke will make the meat bitter. The wood has to burn clean, and the fire must be just right. That is what gives the meat its rich, smoky taste.’ He also grilled steaks hot and fast, creating tender, juicy cuts with a beautiful caramelised crust.

Chicken, beef, and goat meat join the feast, all carefully marinated with garlic, onion, and just enough sugar to enhance the flavor without making it sweet.

‘The festive season is the perfect time to do something different,’ Willie says, turning a sizzling steak. ‘I rarely grill, I usually smoke. But now I want people to see the fire, hear the sizzle, and taste the freshness of hot-grilled meat.’ Around the grills, the smell of roasted vegetables, soft starches, and flavorful sauces fills the air, complementing the smoky meats. Guests do not just eat, they celebrate, laugh, and share in the joy of the season.

Behind the scenes, the work is hard. Willie often sacrifices sleep to prepare for events. ‘Sometimes we forfeit personal engagements,’ he admits. ‘But it is worth it. Seeing families and friends enjoy our food, knowing we made it with care, that is the reward.’

Every dish carries Willie D.’s mark of flavor and care. ‘Smoking meat is an art, grilling is a joy, and the holidays are about sharing it all,’ he says with a smile.

As Willie perfects the smoke, Wangari Munyiri brings the intimate joy of chicken and cornbread to the season.

Queen of the Pits

Wangari Munyiri, 48, is not just a cook. She is known as the Queen of the Pits, and every festive season, she turns her backyard into a celebration of fire, smoke, and flavor. Her annual Nyama Fest of Roast and Toast is a feast where meat sizzles, spices perfume the air, and family and friends gather to celebrate the season together.

‘Then we thought of sharing the gift and the talent and the love of food with a number of people,’ Wangari explains. Today, the grill squad carefully curates meats, sauces, and sides to create a full barbecue experience.

This festive season, Wangari is bringing the celebration closer to home. ‘For the festive season, I am bringing it back home. It is about friends, family, and small groups. We enjoy it, and we relax as well,’ she says. After months of cooking for large crowds, she wants the holidays to be intimate and joyful.

The menu is a perfect mix of tradition and festive creativity. Wangari is especially excited about her chicken, which has become her signature. ‘I am known very well for the chicken and also the cornbread. It has now ended up carrying a lot of the barbecue we are known for,’ she says proudly.

The chicken is marinated with spices carefully curated with the help of her partners, ensuring that every bite is rich and flavorful. Cornbread is infused with pumpkin spice and cranberry, adding warmth and holiday magic to the table. Smaller steaks are grilled perfectly over smoky coals, ready to be shared among friends.

Every detail matters. ‘Passion and time,’ Wangari says when asked about her secret to perfect chicken. ‘You cannot hurry a good experience. You cannot hurry quality.’ Meats are sourced from trusted partners, and spices are chosen with care. She even adapts her grilling for different cultural traditions. ‘When I am working with smaller groups, I take time to learn who they are. If it is a mostly Muslim crowd, then we make sure the meat is halal,’ she explains.

As the fire crackles and smoke drifts in the cool festive air, laughter fills the backyard. Plates are passed, glasses are raised, and stories are shared. ‘The festive season is about joy, togetherness, and creating memories with people you love,’ Wangari says. Her Nyama Fest of Roast and Toast is not just a barbecue. It is a celebration of flavor, family, and the true spirit of the holidays.

Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace can sue their employer instead of the offending worker, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi has ruled.

The court delivered the decision as it dismissed a preliminary objection raised by Ten Senses Africa Limited in a case filed by its former employee, Ms ML.

‘Even if the individual alleged to have committed the acts is not a party to the suit, that alone does not render the claim defective or incompetent,’ the court held.

The firm had argued that the case was fatally defective because Ms ML did not sue the individual employee she accused of sexually harassing her.

In its objection, the company asked the court to strike out the claim, arguing that the sexual harassment allegations were directed at a specific individual and not the company itself.

It claimed any orders issued would be unenforceable without the alleged culprit being a party to the case.

‘The claimant levels allegations of sexual harassment against a known specific individual but has not joined the said individual in this suit,’ the company submitted. It argued that, as a corporate entity, it could not commit the alleged acts.

The employer claimed the claimant had not demonstrated any failure in its anti-sexual harassment policies. It also argued that she never reported the alleged incidents internally or to the police, which denied the company an opportunity to investigate or discipline the accused person.

Ten Senses insisted that the failure to enjoin the alleged perpetrator made it ‘impossible for this court to wholly and effectively adjudicate this matter’ and urged the court to find the case incompetent and an abuse of the court process.

For her part, the claimant opposed the objection, arguing that it did not raise a pure point of law, as required for a preliminary objection.

Her advocate stated that the issue of sexual harassment was contested and could only be resolved through evidence at a full hearing. She relied on a legal precedent defining a preliminary objection as one based strictly on law, not disputed facts.

She also cited provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules that bar courts from dismissing cases solely due to non-joinder of parties.

‘No suit shall be defeated by reason of mis-joinder or non-joinder of parties,’ she argued, citing a previous judgment where the court held that non-joinder cannot be used to defeat a suit. In its ruling, the court agreed with the claimant and rejected the employer’s arguments.

The court clarified that employees alleging sexual harassment can pursue claims directly against employers without being forced to sue individual suspected perpetrators.

The court held that the objection raised factual issues that could not be determined at a preliminary stage.

‘The issues that arise in this case on the necessity for the joinder are all issues of fact and not pure and crisp points of law,’ the judge said.

The court noted that the employer’s arguments required it to interrogate whether the alleged acts occurred, whether the company could be held liable for the actions of its staff, and whether internal reporting mechanisms were triggered.

These, the court said, could only be addressed after evidence was presented.

Reaffirming that a preliminary objection must be founded on a settled point of law, the court ruled that the company’s objection did not meet that threshold.

The judge further emphasised that Kenyan civil procedure expressly protects cases from being dismissed merely because some parties have not been joined. The court dismissed the preliminary objection and ordered the matter to proceed to a full hearing on its merits.

In her suit, the claimant is seeking several declarations and monetary awards against the company. She is seeking general damages for alleged sexual harassment, unlawful intimidation, threats, and bullying, along with the costs of the suit and interest.

She also claims general damages for constructive, wrongful, and unfair termination, as well as damages for violation of her constitutional rights, underpayment, and embarrassment at the time of dismissal.

Further, she is asking the court to declare that her employment was terminated wrongfully, maliciously, and unfairly. She also seeks a declaration that the respondent violated her constitutional rights to equality, freedom from discrimination, dignity, privacy, and fair labor practices.

Additionally, she is seeking Sh1.14 million as basic salary for the remaining six months of her employment tenure and Sh190,000 as one month’s salary instead of notice.

As the controversial SIM card registration rules are enforced, telecommunication companies could find a silver lining in the use of fingerprints to curb fraud threats.

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, in May, released new guidelines for SIM card registration under the Kenya Information and Communications (Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers) Regulations, 2025.

The new regulations require mobile subscribers to submit biometrics such as fingerprints, expanding beyond traditional identifiers such as names, ID numbers and dates of birth.

‘The new rules were developed to protect citizens from SIM card-related fraud and other criminal activities, including identity theft, SIM box fraud and scams, strengthen the identity of telecommunication services and support secure access to digital services such as mobile money, e-government and e-commerce,’ said the Communication Authority in a statement last month.

Although the rules generated a public storm, telco industry insiders say the adoption of biometric verification in telecommunication services could be a win for the sector that has long grappled with cases of fraud that are growing more sophisticated with advancements in technology.

Sources said some telcos are expected to start collecting fingerprint details when registering new and existing subscribers.

‘The key focus will be on fingerprints for SIM card registration, which I see as a big advantage for us telcos who have been frustrated by fraud,’ a source told Business Daily.

Pain for telcos

Fraud has been a pain for telcos, resulting in big cash losses. For example, in 2023, security agents arrested eight suspects accused of fraudulently generating SIM card numbers and taking out more than Sh500 million in loans from Safaricom’s Fuliza mobile overdraft service.

In the last financial year, leading mobile services provider, Safaricom, listed fraud and social engineering as the principal risks facing it and its customers.

‘Due to the wide use of M-Pesa services across the country, our M-Pesa customers and partners are exposed to M-Pesa fraud due to social engineering, fraudulent SIM swaps, digital identity theft, and mobile apps takeover,’ stated the firm in its annual report.

In 2021, Safaricom launched the Jitambulishe service, allowing prepaid and post-pay customers to enroll their voice and use it to access services such as getting their PUK, unlocking M-Pesa accounts, and retrieving their M-Pesa PIN and replacing their lines.

Kenya’s SIM registration environment already requires operators to gather customer details, validate identity documents, and maintain updated records to reduce impersonation, SIM-swap schemes, and criminal use of untraceable numbers.

Telcos, however, continue to routinely face cases where fraudsters exploit weak onboarding checks, recycle stolen identity cards, or submit manipulated documents during SIM replacements, causing financial losses and eroding trust in digital services.

These vulnerabilities have made SIM swaps particularly damaging as criminals can take control of a customer’s calls, messages, mobile money approvals, and banking alerts within minutes of replacing a line.

A biometric anchor eliminates these weaknesses by tying a subscriber’s registration to a non-transferable physical characteristic that cannot be forged, borrowed, photocopied, or reconstructed from stolen data.

Multiple countries across the world have already adopted similar approaches, using fingerprints or facial recognition to authenticate individuals during SIM purchases and high-risk account changes.

Such adoptions have been driven by rising fraud levels worldwide, pushing regulators and operators to move beyond simple document checks that criminals routinely forge or manipulate.

The concept of biometric use is already prime in the financial sector, with several commercial banks in the country, including Absa Bank, KCB Group, and Stanchart, supporting facial recognition as a login option to their mobile banking platforms, subject to the capabilities of users’ devices.

According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the adoption of new technologies such as biometric verification and big data analytics comes as banks explore the potential opportunities of new business models, including virtual assets, seek to improve operations, and minimise fraud.

Traditional password

‘Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) have been adopted by most banks with a 79 percent and 64 percent adoption rate by commercial banks and MFBs, respectively,’ explained the CBK in its latest annual report.

‘This was followed by Cloud Computing, Biometrics Technology, and Big Data and Data Analytics with an adoption rate of 42 percent, 40 percent, and 40 percent, respectively, across all banks,’ it added.

Biometric verification has been widely adopted in developing markets as an alternative to traditional password and PIN requirements that are considered by many as outdated in the face of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

Some of the leading smartphone makers, including Apple and Samsung, have facial recognition and fingerprint authentication built into their devices that help users safely access their apps and personal data.

Last week, Australia implemented the world’s first social media ban for its citizens under the age of 16 in a bid to limit the harmful effects of the technology, including cyber-bullying and sexual exploitation of minors.

The ban, which has seen teens restricted from popular apps including Facebook and TikTok, will require social media firms to implement some form of biometric verification to ensure compliance.

In October this year, India started allowing citizens to approve payments on fintech platforms using facial recognition and fingerprints. Authentications are verified using biometric data stored in the state’s Aadhar digital identification system.

But telcos in Kenya will walk a tight rope on data privacy as they shift to biometrics for SIM card security.

In Kenya, the use of biometric verification for telecommunication services that include mobile money transfer will be closely watched to determine adherence to the data protection laws and other safeguards to users’ privacy.

According to the guidelines from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, ODPC, biometric data collection and processing by service providers should be lawful, fair and transparent, accurate and limited to the purposes of collection.

‘Clear policies and procedures for data retention and deletion must be established, defining specific purposes and retention periods,’ states the ODPC in the guidelines released earlier this year.

‘Prompt deletion or anonymisation should occur once the purpose is fulfilled to mitigate privacy risks from unjustified retention periods and ensure compliance with the Act and Regulations.’

At a recent end-of-year staff celebration, a truth about workplace dynamics revealed itself. In preparation for the event, the HR department had initiated a poll asking employees to nominate outstanding departments, managers and individuals in various categories, like innovation, contributions, leadership, among others. The response was enthusiastic. But when the final list was read, the HR department and its members were missing.

The HR team that designed the poll, championed the recognition, and even moderated the event, was not recognised by the employees whose welfare it had safeguarded throughout the year.

This came against a background of implementing enhanced employee retirement benefits, bereavement cover, mentorship and employee assistance programmes, lactation rooms, installing an HRIM System for seamless processes, and resolving countless staff issues with fairness.

These were in addition to the important but often invisible responsibilities of strategic workforce planning, talent development, succession management, and driving culture transformation. None of these efforts translated into recognition.

The outcome was hard to ignore. The incident triggered a moment of reflection about why HR remains one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated functions in some organisations. Some reasons come to mind.

Staff benefit from HR’s work daily, but the relationship they have with the HR staff after recruitment is often indirect and direct when there is a problem.

Employees are more emotionally connected to their line managers, who guide their routines, solve operational problems, and advocate for them in visible ways like providing additional resources.

HR, on the other hand, works behind the scenes, designing systems rather than leading teams, negotiating benefits rather than delivering daily instructions, and handling sensitive issues.

Many of HR’s most meaningful achievements are long-term, like organisational change, others are drastic-like downsizing, mergers, which affect job security. Many are confidential, especially those involving strategic business shifts, discipline, conflict resolution, gri

This structural distance often creates a skewed perception. Employees tend to remember HR’s role in difficult moments, but overlook the quiet wins. A well-negotiated medical cover does not come with HR’s name on it.

An effective HRIMS is experienced as convenience, not as a strategic investment. A stable workforce, improved productivity, and career progression appear to happen naturally, even though they are outcomes of deliberate HR planning and painstaking work with executives and department heads.

Talent management and career development, which require endless dialogue, analytics, coaching, and alignment with business strategy, rarely attract praise because the value unfolds gradually and indirectly, and may face resistance.

Why is HR misunderstood and not fully appreciated by employees? The answer is not for HR to demand praise, but to rethink how it builds connections with employees.

HR carries the burden of advocating for employees in boardrooms, absorbing organisational pressure, counselling distressed staff, and simultaneously enforcing decisions that can make them appear not compassionate.

A department responsible for people must invest in emotional presence. Simple, consistent interactions, brief departmental visits, informal conversations, participation in team moments, and regular communication can humanise HR.

Employees are more likely to appreciate what they understand, and more likely to trust what feels familiar. When HR communicates its achievements throughout the year, shares impact stories, and uses data to demonstrate progress in engagement, wellness, and talent growth, it builds visibility without appearing pushy.

Internal storytelling becomes a strategic tool for redefining the department’s identity. Instead of saying ‘introduced lactation rooms,’ say ‘We helped new mothers return to work with comfort and dignity’.

Qualify and quantify achievements using metrics and data like, number of jobs saved, careers grown from learning and development programmes, workplaces made safer and reduction of accidents, emotional health improved through wellness initiatives, systems strengthened, and efficiency improved through an HRMIS system. Create small celebrations of HR initiatives, like an enhanced new health cover.

Visibility alone is not sufficient. Organisation Leadership teams should create frameworks where cross-functional contributions are recognised alongside operational achievements.

Leaders could allocate budgets for departmental appreciation initiatives like luncheons or quarterly achievements. HR can guide such initiatives.

Recognition should not be a once-a-year moment; it should be a continuous culture-building process supported by deliberate leadership action.

The incident at the end-of-year party is therefore a reflection of a broader disconnect between what HR does and how the workforce experiences it.

For HR to be acknowledged as a true business partner, it must bridge the relational gap by being present, communicating effectively, engaging authentically, and amplifying its strategic value.

At the same time, the leadership must champion a culture where all contributors, including of HR department, are appreciated for the roles they play in sustaining organisational culture, performance and growth.

HR leadership must also interrogate its leadership styles. Well-meaning gains may be lost if the leadership does not demonstrate skills that create a strong connection with employees.

HR must also tell its own story more meaningfully, intentionally, and leadership recognise that the people who care for the employees also deserve to be felt and cared for.

In recent years, the government has intensified efforts to expand employment opportunities for Kenyan workers abroad while ensuring their safety, dignity, and fair treatment.

With an estimated four million Kenyans currently working overseas as of 2024, and hundreds of thousands migrating for work annually, labour mobility has become a critical component of the country’s employment strategy.

These reforms come at a crucial time. Kenya’s domestic labour market absorbs approximately 800,000 of the 1.2 million young people entering the workforce each year, leaving a significant gap that labour migration helps address.

Since September 2022, the government’s Kazi Majuu initiative has facilitated overseas employment for thousands of Kenyans, with an ambitious target of supporting one million workers annually over the next three years.

Recognising both the opportunities and risks inherent in labour migration, Kenya through the National Employment Authority (NEA) and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has implemented comprehensive reforms designed to make migration safer, more transparent, and more beneficial for workers, which include;

At the heart of Kenya’s strategy is the negotiation and implementation of Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) with destination countries.

These agreements establish clear frameworks for fair employment terms, worker rights protection, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

Kenya has successfully concluded agreements with six countries- Germany, the UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. Negotiations are currently underway with 17 other countries, including Jordan, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Each deal is tailored to address sector-specific needs while ensuring protection for Kenyan workers.

Another significant reform has been the overhaul of the regulatory regime governing private recruitment agencies. For years, unscrupulous recruiters operating without proper oversight subjected Kenyan workers to exploitation, abuse, and in extreme cases, life-threatening situations. The human cost of this regulatory failure has been substantial.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, working closely with NEA, has established stringent licensing requirements for recruitment agencies. Only compliant agencies meeting ethical and legal standards are granted licences, and their operations are subject to ongoing monitoring.

Those found engaging in fraudulent practices or worker exploitation face immediate de-registration. To date, thousands of non-compliant entities have been banned.

Enhanced oversight mechanisms now ensure adherence to ethical recruitment standards, with clearer guidelines on permissible fees, contract terms, and worker protections. This regulatory tightening aims to eliminate exploitation that has historically plagued the sector.

Kenya has also embraced digital solutions to enhance efficiency and transparency in labour migration. The centrepiece of this technological transformation is the National Employment Authority Integrated Management System (NEAIMS), accessible at www.neaims.go.ke.

Through NEAIMS, Kenyans can access verified overseas job opportunities, confirm the legitimacy of recruitment agencies, and apply directly for positions. Licensed agencies are required to recruit through the platform, creating an auditable trail that enhances accountability.

This digital approach significantly reduces the risk of workers falling victim to fraudulent recruiters operating outside the formal system.

The government strongly encourages all prospective migrant workers to use NEAIMS as their primary gateway to overseas employment opportunities.

Beyond regulatory and technological reforms, Kenya has implemented several measures designed to protect workers throughout their migration journey. All Kenyans travelling abroad for work must now obtain clearance from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

This process ensures that workers are departing under legitimate arrangements. Before departure, they undergo orientation training covering their rights, workplace safety, cultural adaptation, and financial literacy, equipping them with essential knowledge for their overseas assignments.

Foreign employment contracts must now be attested by the Directorate of Labour, ensuring they meet legal standards and adequately protect workers’ rights before workers commit to positions abroad.

Further, Kenya has established labour attaché offices in key destination countries to monitor working conditions, address welfare concerns, and provide support to distressed workers. Upon arrival in their destination countries, Kenyan workers are required to register with the respective Kenyan mission, facilitating rapid assistance in emergencies.

NEA also conducts extensive awareness campaigns, educating prospective migrants on safe migration practices. These programmes cover how to identify job scams, verify registered agencies, understand contractual rights, and access legitimate opportunities through official channels.

Despite substantial progress, challenges remain. Ensuring consistent monitoring of worker conditions across diverse destination countries requires sustained resources and diplomatic engagement.

Some workers continue to bypass official channels, attracted by promises from unlicensed recruiters. Strengthening coordination between government agencies, diplomatic missions, and destination country authorities remains an ongoing priority.

The government continues to enhance its capacity to respond to distressed workers abroad, including repatriation support and reintegration services for returning migrants, areas requiring further development.

As these systems mature and expand, continued investment in monitoring, enforcement, and worker support will be essential. The success of these reforms will ultimately be measured not just in the number of workers deployed abroad, but in their safety, fair treatment, and the dignity they maintain throughout their overseas employment.

NEA remains committed to refining these systems based on feedback from workers, recruitment agencies, and destination country partners, ensuring that Kenya’s labour mobility framework evolves to meet emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Uchumi Supermarkets share has shed 29.7 percent of its value in the last one week, handing investors who accumulated the stock at the peak of its recent rally a loss of Sh200 million on their holdings.

Uchumi closed at Sh1.30 per share on Tuesday, down from Sh1.85 per share a week ago, having fallen by between 9.4 percent and 9.7 percent in each of the last three trading sessions.

In the preceding four weeks, Uchumi was the fastest rising counter at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), rallying from Sh0.38 per share on November 11 after a disclosure that the company had made a rare profit of Sh8.8 million for the year ended June 2025.

The profit marked a reversal of a loss of Sh47.9 million in June 2024, as per disclosures in management accounts under Uchumi’s Company Voluntary management (CVA) framework.

The announcement of the profit triggered a buying frenzy on the share as speculators bet on the prospects of a turnaround at the company, despite its negative equity position and uncertainties over ownership of key assets such as land holdings.

As a result, the stock price rose fivefold from Sh0.38 on November 11 to Sh1.85 on December 9, before the price correction kicked in to pull it down to the current level.

The rally had handed investors a paper gain of Sh536.5 million at the peak price of Sh1.85 per share, with the company’s market capitalisation (the measure of investor wealth) rising to Sh675.2 million from Sh138.7 million. By the close of trading on Tuesday, Uchumi had a market valuation of Sh474.4 million.

This week, demand for the shares has also fallen, while the volumes supplied by those scrambling to offload their units have gone up.

In Tuesday’s session, investors traded 293,309 shares, but by close of trading the market had outstanding sell orders of about 5.06 million shares and no outstanding bids. At the peak of the rally on December 9, investors traded 4.39 million shares on the counter.

The price and demand swings illustrate the volatility of small stocks at the NSE, as well as the impact of material announcements on the performance of companies at the market.

In the case of Uchumi, the rally was triggered by the disclosures of the CVA report, prepared by Owen Koimburi of the business advisory firm Forvis Mazars Kenya, which showed that the company’s sales revenue rose from Sh63.5 million in the year to June 2024 to Sh123.01 million in the year to June 2025.

Uchumi’s biggest boost came from rental income, which was up five times to Sh62.7 million from Sh13.5 million in June 2024, largely driven by low cost household goods retailer China Square which leased the company’s Lang’ata Hyper Branch from June 2024.

As per the CVA disclosures, Uchumi has 11 tenants paying it a monthly rent of Sh5.94 million.

China Square pays Sh5 million or 84 percent of the monthly rental collections, followed by Paris Lounge Grill (Sh300,000), Isle Garden (Sh212,155), Sudo Liquor Store (Sh114,223) and Spatial Barberz (Sh64,655).

The CVA was set up in March 2020 to guide the company’s settlement of debt over a six-year period ending June 2026.

The latest report shows that the company has managed to pay 95 percent of the Sh245.9 million in debt it had planned to settle by the end of the period, with banks taking up the lion’s share at Sh146.5 million, followed by trade creditors and landlords at Sh9.84 million and staff salary arrears at Sh6.83 million.

About 2,453 wealthy individuals offered Safaricom Sh39.9 billion for the concluded green bond in a span of 11 days, reflecting the millions in the hands of retail investors amid a recovering economy.

Safaricom disclosures show that individual investors placed 96 percent of the Sh41.86 billion for the bond, putting an average offer at Sh16.2 million per person.

The individual investors’ appetite reflects Safaricom’s appeal among retail investors, echoing the interest it received in 2008 when the telecom firm listed at the Nairobi bourse via an initial public offering, which buyers oversubscribed theirs by 670 percent.

But in a recovering economy, the placement of bids worth tens of millions within 11 days offers a sneak peek into Kenya’s growing income inequality, where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small segment of the population.

Kenya’s economy has grown on average by 5.0 percent annually over the past decade, but the benefits have not been equally distributed, and the gap between rich and poor is rising, analysts argue.

The number of super-rich in Kenya is among the fastest growing in the continent, yet the economic benefits have not trickled down to the majority of Kenyans quick enough.

This also mirrors the measly share of 0.65 percent of all bank accounts, including those linked to corporate companies, which hold more than Sh500, 000.

‘Obviously you want a bond issuance to be successful, but you also want that success to be in a way that makes you feel that the issuance was broad-based. If we had a wish list, we would have wanted retail investor participation to be more than the rest,’ Dilip Pal, Safaricom Plc chief finance officer told the Business Daily in an interview on Tuesday.

‘Safaricom has in the past done that with the equity issue. We are also inching towards the same level of participation for bonds.’

This emerges in a period when retail investors have upped their investments in government papers and unit trusts, like money market funds.

Retail investors including individuals, private companies and self-help groups piled a record Sh1.44 trillion in government bonds and unit trusts at the end of August, up from Sh580.45 billion in August 2023.

This underlines the growing flight to passive investments over starting businesses in an environment where startups are strolling to survive.

The number of Kenyans investing in unit trusts more than doubled to 2.96 million in a year to September 2025, highlighting the scramble for collective investment products.

The assets under management in unit trusts reached a record high Sh679.6 billion in the period from Sh316.4 billion a year earlier.

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) revealed that individual investors controlled more than three-quarters of government bonds trading accounts.

CBK latest data showed that individual investors held 73,585 accounts or 79.4 percent of the 92,677 total DhowCSD accounts opened as of September 6, 2024.

Safaricom green bond received bids worth Sh41.6 billion, representing a 177 percent oversubscription from the targeted Sh15 billion.

The telecom operator accepted Sh20 billion from the offers by exercising a Sh5 billion green shoe option.

Investors participating in the offer will receive a tax free interest rate of 10.4 percent per annum for the five-year paper expected to mature in December 2030.

The notes were listed on the NSE on Tuesday, allowing investors to buy and sell the green bond.

Safaricom said it would use the Sh20 billion to finance new green projects and refinancing debt tapped earlier for sustainable developments.

The planned green projects include solar installation and the modernization of data centres, legacy infrastructure and network.

The projects are restricted in the Kenya market, with financing for the Ethiopia subsidiary done outside the green bond.

Safaricom will issue a second tranche of the Sh40 billion bond and the firm did not issue a schedule on when it will raise the remaining Sh20 billion.

‘The programme allows flexibility to also refinance eligible investments under the sustainable finance framework, but we are yet to decide on the quantum of debt to be refinanced at this point,’ added Dilip Pal.

Safaricom’s paper is the largest by a listed company and adds to the activity in the corporate bond segment that has been dwarfed by government securities.

Safaricom’s bond follows East African Breweries Plc (EABL) paper, which raised Sh16.7 billion last month to boost the brewer’s cash flow and clear debt obligations.

The brewer’s bond was also oversubscribed 52.4 percent giving EABL the option to absorb up to Sh6 billion offered beyond the Sh11 billion offered in the first tranche.

EABL has the headroom to borrow an additional Sh3.23 billion in extra tranches under the Sh20 billion bond.

The brewer made an early redemption of its previous five-year paper which had a Sh11 billion balance that was set to mature in October 2026.

EABL’s coupon was relatively higher than Safaricom’s, offering a fixed return of 11.8 percent.

Safaricom previously tapped Sh30 billion, sustainability-linked loan or green bond from a consortium of banks including KCB, Absa Bank Kenya, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya and Stanbic Bank Kenya.

A green bond is a type of fixed-income instrument that is specifically earmarked to raise money for climate and environmental projects.

The telecoms operator expects to spend between Sh54 billion and Sh57 billion for capital projects in Kenya over the 12-months period to March 2026.

Safaricom closed the half-year period ended September 2025 with a debt of Sh117 billion, including Sh61.2 billion in long-term borrowings and Sh55 billion in short-term borrowings.

Safaricom reported a 52.1 percent rise in its half-year profit to Sh42.7 billion, helped by a smaller loss in Ethiopia and M-Pesa’s double-digit growth.

The operator’s net profit grew from Sh28.1 billion a year earlier.

It is expected to declare an interim dividend in February next year.

Security firm G4S Kenya has raised a red flag on inconsistent compliance with labour laws, warning that it is distorting competition and trapping hundreds of thousands of guards in poverty-level earnings.

Laurence Okelo, the chief executive of G4S Kenya, said that the sector, which is estimated to employ nearly one million guards, remains fragmented and poorly regulated, with some firms defying the rules on salaries, house allowance, and overtime.

‘From a policy perspective, we would like to see better clarity on terms and conditions [of employment]. I think there could be enhanced enforcement.because it’s not just pay; it is pay, house allowance, overtime, and working hours,’ Mr Okelo said in an interview.

‘If there was complete clarity for all stakeholders, it would create a level playing field and ensure that guards receive fair remuneration and clients get value for money.’

The firm says the government should seal the loopholes in the regulatory environment through firmer and more uniform enforcement.

The renewed push by the multinational follows a February 2025 ruling by the Employment and Labour Relations Court, which upheld the Sh30,000 minimum wage for security guards announced by the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) in November 2023.

The court dismissed a petition filed by John Kipkorir on behalf of the Private Security Industry Association, challenging the notice on grounds that it lacked public participation and that minimum wages should only be set by the Ministry of Labour.

The court dismissed the challenge, affirming PSRA’s powers and effectively reviving the stalled enforcement of the higher wage level.

Currently, Kenya’s gazetted minimum wage places a day guard in the five cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret at Sh16,113.75 and a night guard at Sh17,976.54 per month.

The gazetted monthly pay in the industry is nearly half the Sh30,000 threshold PSRA set in 2023, but which has not been implemented due to industry resistance and multiple court battles.

Former PSRA director-general Fazul Mahamed said in March that security companies have actively undermined enforcement of the Sh30,000 minimum wage to protect their profit margins, generated on cheap labour.

‘When we set the minimum wage at Sh30,000, many dismissed it as regulatory overreach. However, the courts have affirmed our position,’ Mr Mahamed said.

‘The enforcement has been deliberately undermined by security firms that thrive on exploitation. These firms claim they can’t afford to pay guards the legal minimum wage, yet they report billions in revenue. Their business model depends on keeping guards in poverty while they pocket the profits.’

The comments underscore long-running tensions between regulators seeking to professionalise a sector critical to national security and employers who argue that higher wage floors would push up contract costs and trigger widespread job losses.

Mr Okelo says the sector is entering an era of transformation, driven by rising client expectations and integration of technology such as surveillance systems, remote monitoring, and access-control tools.

He argues that the shift demands both better-skilled personnel and transparent wage structures that reflect evolving job requirements.

The G4S chief added that clear, enforceable standards would also protect firms that comply with the law from being undercut by rivals offering lower-priced contracts made possible by illegal underpayment.

‘With proper clarity and consistent enforcement, everyone – the guard, the client, and the provider – benefits,’ Mr Okelo said.

Britam Holdings’ micro-insurance unit is targeting up to 20,000 households in Tana River with its flood cover that has been scaled up following a pilot phase that paid out Sh14.1 million claims in 2023.

The cover, dubbed Britam Mafuriko, is index-based and triggers payouts automatically when rainfall levels cross a set threshold. The cover benefited 300 families in Tana River during the 2023 floods that hit multiple counties in the country.

The manufacturing sector in Kenya is a vital part of the economy, providing employment to millions and fueling growth. However, a recent amendment, the Standards Levy Order 2025 (Legal Notice No. 89 of 2025), which took effect on May 16, 2025, risks undermining this foundation.

Although the changes aim to finance the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) for improved quality oversight, their implementation disproportionately disadvantages Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), effectively favouring large manufacturing corporations.