Category: Business Daily

The Kenyan passport has strengthened its global standing in 2026, climbing five places to 68th worldwide despite a marginal decline in visa-free destinations, new rankings show.

The improvement marks a reversal from last year’s slide and signals stabilisation in the local travel document’s strength following years of volatility linked to weak reciprocity and limited bilateral visa waiver agreements.

During a recent virtual project review, a team of managers from across three continents gathered to discuss progress on a global initiative. Midway through the meeting, the project lead from Germany presented his update with characteristic precision; clear, factual, and unambiguous.

He directly identified what was off-track and proposed corrective steps.

A colleague from Japan, who had quietly taken notes, appeared uneasy but said little. Afterward, she shared privately that the discussion had felt ‘too sharp,’ almost confrontational. The German lead, on the other hand, was perplexed as he thought he had simply been transparent and efficient.

Both professionals were competent, committed, and well-intentioned. Yet they experienced the same moment through very different cultural lenses.

This scenario captures one of the most persistent realities of modern work: in global and multicultural organizations, communication is never just about what is said, it is also about how it is understood. The owner of the meaning is indeed the receiver!

Culture is the invisible framework that shapes how we express ourselves, how we interpret messages, and how we respond to others.

It defines whether we value directness or diplomacy, whether silence signals reflection or disagreement, and whether hierarchy determines who speaks first, all voices being equal.

Even nonverbal cues such as eye contact, gestures, tone, and physical space carry meaning that differs dramatically across cultures.

A raised eyebrow or a brief pause can mean very different things in Paris, Nairobi, or Shanghai. An up and down motion of the head could be either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, depending on where you are on the globe!

These subtleties can lead to communication breakdowns if they go unrecognized. A brief email that seems efficient in one culture may appear abrupt in another. I remember a high-ranking official of a company that used to write ‘one sentence e mails’ in all capital letters and red color.

The rebellion simmered below surface, but not for long. It proved quite counterproductive as senior managers started to complain openly.

Looking back, it was cultural. I have noticed that, over time, small misunderstandings of this nature can accumulate into friction, frustration, and even fractured relationships. Teams may find themselves working hard yet misaligned.

This may not be due to a lack of skill or effort, but because of unspoken differences in how they communicate.

The key to bridging these gaps lies not in conformity, but in cultural agility. This refers to the ability to adapt one’s communication style without losing authenticity.

Cultural agility begins with self-awareness: recognising that our preferred way of speaking, listening, and leading is shaped by our upbringing and environment, not by universal truth.

It extends to curiosity, which is seeking to understand how others convey respect, disagreement, or enthusiasm. This mindset transforms cultural difference from a source of tension into a source of strength.

Organisations that operate successfully across borders intentionally develop cultural intelligence as part of their leadership DNA. In practice, this means taking deliberate steps: checking for shared understanding during meetings, inviting quieter voices to contribute, and framing feedback with awareness of how it might be perceived in different cultural contexts.

Instead of saying ‘ I don’t agree with that view’ which would be too direct and hurtful in some cultures, we encourage statements like ” That’s an interesting view, may we additionally consider the other option that.”. I have found this work wonders in practice.

In today’s interconnected world, the effectiveness of our communication defines the effectiveness of our leadership. It determines whether we build bridges or barriers, whether our messages connect or collide. Communication, at its best, is not merely about transmission, it is about connection.

Peter Drucker captured it well that ‘the most important thing in communication is hearing what is said and what is not’.

As workplaces continue to evolve across geographies and generations, the challenge for leaders is not just to speak clearly but to listen deeply, with empathy, openness, and cultural humility.

For in truly understanding one another, we move beyond words and build workplaces that are not only productive but profoundly human.

Directline Assurance is looking for a new CEO hardly three months after its former boss, Sammy Kanyi, was ejected amid a shareholders’ row at the country’s second-largest public service vehicles insurer.

The development follows the exit of Mr Kanyi in September last year after one of the insurer’s top shareholders, Samuel Kamau (SK) Macharia, ejected several senior management staff as wrangles over control of the company escalated.

Kenya is banking on three power plants and increased supply from Ethiopia this year to boost its unused electricity capacity, commonly known as the spinning reserves, and avert widespread power rationing amid a fast-rising demand.

The State Department for Energy expects a boost from three geothermal plants in Menengai with a combined generation capacity of 70 megawatts (MW), the country’s oldest geothermal plant, whose output has been increased now generate 63MW, and imports from Ethiopia, which are expected to double to 400MW from December this year.

Africa steps into this new year standing at an inflection point, one defined not by what the world once promised to do for the continent, but by what Africa is now positioned to do for itself, and ultimately, for the planet.

The forces shaping the next decade, demographic acceleration, geopolitical realignment, economic restructuring, and ecological urgency, are converging in ways the world has never experienced.

The cost of connecting the country’s rural areas and slums to the electric grid is projected to rise by Sh165 billion, following waves of new settlements that will require the installation of new transformers.

As part of its constituency electrification programme, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (Rerec) expects to spend Sh22 billion on 15,325 new transformers alone between 2017 and 2030.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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