Category: Business Daily

In Kenya, consumer protection has been progressively transforming from a basic legal obligation into a core business strategy with many modern companies now using transparency, data privacy and fair pricing to cultivate deeper consumer trust, differentiate themselves in crowded markets and comply with watchful authorities.

The fast-paced corporate environment in Kenya has recently seen consumer trust making the transition from being a defensive legal requirement into an offensive business strategy. Once viewed by executives as little more than an expensive compliance burden that slowed down product launches, consumer safety is now widely recognized as a major catalyst of market expansion.

Rapid digitalization, the active regulatory environment overseen by the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and extremely vocal consumers have motivated businesses to discover the clear correlation between companies that actively secure customer rights and higher retention rates, lower customer acquisition costs and superior brand equity.

How The Digital Gaming Shift Illustrates Risk and Trust

The commercial value of consumer protection is probably the most visible within Kenya’s high-stakes online entertainment and iGaming sectors, where the explosive rise of the popular aviator game has pushed the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) to introduce strict regulatory reviews.

In light of public outcries related to financial distress among youth as well as unregulated, standalone apps that were exploiting users, the BCLB enforced a nationwide crackdown on unvetted algorithms and illegal sites that were refusing to honor payouts.

Since the core software is hosted internationally, local authorities face enforcement difficulties that have essentially forced the local market to self-regulate. Licensed sites embedding safety tools into the Aviator game do more than just protect them from regulatory fines; it doubles a smart player retention strategy.

They can differentiate themselves from illegal sites by incorporating features like:

Real-time spending limits

Transparent odds tracking

Reliable payment verification

When you know your sensitive financial information is safe, and your winnings will be paid out without delay, you’re more likely to continue playing on a site. This is how these sites increase their customer lifetime value, proving that ethical game design and consumer protection are highly profitable in the long run.

Catalyzing Growth Across the FinTech and Retail Sectors

Aside from online gaming, consumer protection also drives growth across several other major business sectors in Kenya’s economy.

FinTech and Digital Credit

The online lending industry has recently reported an exorbitant 400% increase in consumer complaints pertaining to hidden charges and unexpected loan terms, causing the Central Bank of Kenya to tighten its oversight in response.

Sites that actively implement transparent pricing models are attracting more reliable and lower-risk borrowers, effectively reducing their non-performing loan ratios.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

The formalization of BNPL products in accordance with the Business Laws Amendment Act has provided a clear blueprint for sustainable corporate expansion. Instead of trapping users with complex debt tactics, companies offering clear repayment methods build lasting loyalty among their customers.

Consumer Electronics and E-commerce

New requirements that mandate a strict minimum one-year warranty as well as clear return policies for mobile devices have fundamentally changed the retail sector. Brands that exceed these minimum requirements are building much stronger customer relationships and justifying premium pricing.

Building trust with consumers doesn’t just increase the lifetime customer value for companies; it also makes you feel like you’re actually getting your money’s worth, even if you’re paying more. Brands that feel like they’re cheating you out of your money or loans with unclear terms are less likely to get returning clients because the interaction doesn’t feel honest or trustworthy.

Ethical Scaling for Modern Kenyan Businesses

If they want to scale successfully, then modern Kenyan companies need to move away from short-term customer exploitation toward a more focused approach that prioritizes building long-term relationships. When a company decides to restructure or implement AI algorithms, its operational systems must prioritize consumer protection if they want to protect the value of their brand.

Companies that respect user privacy and offer fair contract terms enjoy the benefits of:

Fewer regulatory penalties

Lower legal costs

Free word-of-mouth marketing

In a market where people are quick to share their experiences on social media, clean consumer practices can protect a brand from sudden reputational crises.

Consumer Centricity Creates a Lasting Advantage for Modern Kenyan Businesses

Long-term business success depends on a brand’s ability and willingness to think beyond making a quick buck in the immediate future. Vague contract terms and hidden fees may have a short-term return, but they create long-term damage that few businesses will ever recover from.

When companies prioritize consumer protection, they’re able to cultivate trust with their customers and build lasting relationships. The returns on honest and transparent practices far outweigh those gained through unscrupulous business practices.

Brand value is largely determined by having a good reputation, and the best way to build this is by treating consumer protection as an integral component of building a solid business strategy.

Some meals are better eaten in the comfort of your home, where you don’t have to mind the sticky fingers, the sauce on your cheek, or the growing pile of napkins on the table. Barbecue pork ribs are one of them.

With the long holiday coming, this is an especially good time to learn to embrace rather than worry about the mess.

Getrude Ayieko, the chef behind Mama’s Plate, shares her saucy, melt-off-the-bone pork ribs recipe, guaranteed to not only get everyone to the table without much persuasion, but also have them rolling up their sleeves and digging in.

What you’ll need:

A rack of ribs (1kg)

Mustard or mayonnaise

All-purpose seasoning mix

Paprika

1 chilli cube

Salt

For the barbeque sauce:

Ketchup

Brown sugar

Soy sauce

Vinegar

Fresh orange juice

It starts with choosing your cut. When it comes to pork ribs, Chef Ayieko recommends baby back ribs, which are uniform in size and generally make for a neat presentation. However, she notes that baby back ribs in Kenya can sometimes have very little meat because butchers tend to prioritise other cuts.

If buying from a local butcher, she recommends giving clear instructions on the cut you want. Otherwise, spare ribs or shoulder ribs from a well-stocked supermarket are good alternatives. ‘Whichever cut you choose, don’t go for an extremely lean rack,’ she says. ‘Fat is flavour. A little of it gives the ribs a better result.’

Once you have your ribs, take them out and check the bone side for the thin white membrane covering the rack. If it is still attached, slide the tip of a knife under the edge of the membrane, loosen it, and pull it away. Removing it, Chef Ayieko says, helps the seasoning to penetrate the meat and flavour it evenly on both sides.

Pat the ribs dry and then spread a thin layer of mustard or mayonnaise over one side of the rack. ‘This acts as a binder for the seasoning,’ says the chef.

Over the spread, sprinkle your spice mixture and salt, adding paprika for its smoky flavour and colour. Rub the spices gently into the ribs, working them into the meat rather than simply leaving them sprinkled on top. Flip the rack over and repeat the process on the other side, making sure to season the edges as well.

Wrap the seasoned rack first in baking paper, then in aluminium foil. This double wrap helps trap the ribs’ natural juices and melted fat, creating a moist cooking environment that keeps the meat juicy and tender rather than allowing it to dry out. It also traps heat and steam around the ribs, helping them cook evenly.

Place the wrapped ribs on a baking tray and transfer them to a preheated oven. Bake at 180°C for about two hours or until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bones.

‘It’s possible to tell whether ribs are perfectly cooked without cutting into the rack,’ Chef Ayieko notes. ‘You can try and twist one of the bones. If it easily twists off the meat, then they are perfectly done.’

While the ribs are cooking, turn your attention to the barbecue sauce. The sticky, sweet and slightly tangy coating that will give the ribs their final burst of flavour. Pour some ketchup into a saucepan and add brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and fresh orange juice. You can also include some of the orange pulp to add an extra citrusy zing to the ribs.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are well combined. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy.

Once the ribs are ready, take them out of the oven and carefully unwrap them. Slather the barbecue sauce onto the rack, making sure to coat both the top and bottom sides.

‘Be careful not to overdo the sauce, because we don’t want it overpowering the flavour of the seasoning,’ the chef adds. ‘A light, even brush is enough.’

Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top, then put the ribs back in the oven, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to its highest setting to allow the sugar and sauce to caramelise, creating that sticky, slightly charred finish. Then, as the chef puts it, slice the rack into individual ribs and watch the meat fall off the bone.

The ribs can be enjoyed on their own, but if you want to turn them into a full meal, she recommends pairing them with potatoes and a salad.

‘The potatoes can be in any form; French fries, wedges, mashed, or even mukimo,’ she says. ‘As for the salad, my favourite to have with this is cold apple slaw or Waldorf salad.’

While the chances of having any leftovers are slim, Chef Ayieko advises reheating them uncovered in an air fryer for about five minutes. Alternatively, wrap the ribs in foil and place them in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

Equity Group Holdings staff count rose worth by 410 employees in the three months to June 2026, even as more of its operations shift to digital platforms.

The group’s staff count rose to 14,265 in June 2026 from 13,855 in March, with its unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) posting the largest growth in employee count.

Equity’s employee numbers have been rising since September 2025 after dropping for three quarters in a row. The group had 12,159 staff as of September 2025.

The drop in staff headcount coincided with an ethics audit on its staff. The fresh growth in staff numbers suggests that Equity is replenishing its workforce.

This is the highest staff number the group has held despite the bulk of its transactions, 98.3 percent, occurring outside branches.

The higher staff numbers signal the need for human skills to assist at the back end of automated processes.

‘Digital adoption continues to accelerate across the Group, with 98.3 percent of all transactions now occurring outside branches and 89.7 percent processed through digital platforms,’ said the group’s chief executive, James Mwangi.

‘These trends highlight customers’ growing preference for Equity’s digital ecosystem and the reliability of its technology infrastructure.’

The group’s staff costs grew by 35 percent in the 12 months to June 2026 to Sh23.8 billion, after the staff count increased by 1,352 in the period.

The group also increased the pay package of its staff during the third quarter of last year to retain talent and match its peers’ remuneration packages.

The remuneration package linked employees’ pay with the lender’s performance in what was dubbed a shared prosperity policy, pledging to pay its staff 15 percent of its net revenues.

The group’s net profit rose by 32 percent to Sh43.7 billion in the six months to June 2026, signalling a bumper bonus for staff.

Equity Group operates in six countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, South Sudan and Rwanda. The DRC reported the highest increase in staff numbers, adding 253 to 3,560 despite the number of branches operating in the mineral-rich country remaining flat at 81 over the same period.

Equity has disclosed plans to open insurance operations in DRC, with its shareholders approving plans to spend Sh3.47 billion to open life and general insurance units in the country that early this year suffered from an Ebola outbreak.

The number of employees in Kenya, including those in non-banking subsidiaries such as Equity Foundation, insurance and investment banking, increased by 34 to 7,505.

Equity also disclosed it had a new group director in charge of human resources, James Muhia, who replaced David Ssegawa in its executive suite.

The new hires will give hope to fresh graduates with ambitions of working in the banking sector, whose shift to digital banking has seen some lenders report annual job cuts.

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya last year saw its workforce dip below the 1,000 mark to 942 following an 11-year downsizing programme attributable to the shift to digital banking.

Absa Bank early this year spent Sh717 million to let go of 82 employees in a voluntary early retirement package that was attributed to the digital shift.

Three tycoons are locked in a battle for control of East Africa’s multi-billion shilling cement industry, embarking on an expansion spree that is stretching their empires across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Industrialist Sarbjit Singh Rai is the latest to seek an expansion of his cement business in Kenya, after he sought to set up a cement plant in Nyeri at an undisclosed price, according to a regulatory disclosure by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).

Mr Sarbjit, who operates from Uganda, joins Kenya’s Narendra Raval and Tanzania’s Edha Nahdi in seeking to carve out a slice of the cement market across the East African Community (EAC), highlighting the growing flow of capital across the borders of the seven-member regional bloc.

Together, the three tycoons have committed at least Sh133 billion to cement acquisitions and new clinker plants across East Africa in the past three years, excluding deals and projects whose costs have not been disclosed.

The shift reflects the indigenous ownership of East Africa’s cement industry, with African tycoons deploying billions to expand local production, increase competition and bring down cement costs as a construction boom gathers momentum.

The local tycoons have also kept China’s Huaxin Cement at bay as the Chinese giant rapidly expands its footprint across sub-Saharan Africa through major strategic acquisitions in Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Malawi.

As European cement giants like Holcim retreat and governments sell down their stakes, Africa’s industrial billionaires are swooping in – buying factories, building new plants and betting that the continent’s housing and infrastructure deficit will keep cement demand rising for years.

With deep pockets and fortunes built in other businesses, these investors have been able to deploy billions into the capital-intensive cement industry, setting up plants to produce clinker, grinding facilities to turn the material into cement and distribution networks to get the finished product to markets.

Others have snapped up assets from foreign investors exiting Africa and governments such as Kenya’s, which have been divesting from what they see as non-strategic sectors.

The result has been an increasingly concentrated cement industry, with a handful of well-capitalised tycoons positioning themselves to reap big from a continent that is, quite literally, a construction site.

Mr Rai, through his conglomerate Sarrai Group, already operates the Kisumu-based Rai Cement, which serves mostly the Western Kenya market.

Based in Uganda, Mr Sarbjit’s wealth has also come from sugar and he got the lease for Mumias Sugar. He is also in timber, flour, household products and energy.

With the proposed Nyeri plant, Sarrai Group will venture into clinker production, a move that has probably been informed by the government’s decision to impose heavy tariffs on this critical raw material in cement manufacturing.

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) estimates the proposed investment at about Sh2 billion, although the project’s formal estimated cost section does not disclose a figure.

Sarrai Group also operates cement businesses in Uganda and Rwanda, putting him in the small group of deep-pocketed individuals with interests in cement spanning multiple East African markets.

Mr Sarbjit’s planned expansion adds to a flurry of activity in the cement sector in Kenya, with the highlight being Mr Nahdi’s acquisition of Bamburi Cement and a stake in East African Portland Cement (EAPC) through his holding company, Amsons Group.

Besides acquiring a 65 percent stake in Tanzania’s Mbeya Cement from Holcim, Mr Nahdi has also unveiled a Sh38.8 billion clinker plant for Bamburi, even as he committed to invest Sh51.6 billion in the Kenyan cement maker over three years.

Holcim, the Swiss-based multinational, was a major shareholder in both Bamburi Cement and EAPC, holding 58.6 percent of Bamburi and a further 29.2 percent of EAPC through its subsidiaries.

Amsons, through Kalahari Cement, further increased its shareholding in EAPC by buying the Kenyan government’s stake in the Athi River-based cement manufacturer at a cost of Sh1.6 billion.

While Amsons took over Holcim’s interests in Kenya, Sarrai Group and Rwimi Holdings acquired its stakes in Uganda and Rwanda, in a Sh18 billion transaction.

Besides cement, Mr Nahdi, one of the region’s youngest billionaires, is also in oil, logistics, real estate, food and trading.

Recent activity in the sector has also seen Mr Raval, popularly known as Guru due to his priestly background, expand his cement empire, building a new clinker plant in Kenya even as he acquired a cement maker in Rwanda, in the quest for a bigger share of the building industry’s supply chain.

In April 2024, Mr Raval, one of Kenya’s wealthiest individuals, unveiled the Sh45 billion clinker plant in West Pokot, as the steel magnate moved to become a major regional supplier of the key raw material used in cement production. The plant has a capacity of 6,000 tonnes of clinker a day.

Earlier, in January 2024, Mr Raval’s National Cement Company completed the buyout of a 99.94 percent stake in Rwanda’s Cimerwa Plc in an $84.3 million (Sh13.6 billion) deal, expanding the tycoon’s cement operations in East Africa. Mr Raval’s estate extends to steel, roofing, fertiliser, packaging and aviation.

That cement has made some Africans billionaires is not unique to East Africa; Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, got his big break by dealing in cement.

The Nigerian built Dangote Cement, now Africa’s largest cement producer, with a capacity of about 48.6 million tonnes annually across 10 African countries.

His compatriot Abdulsamad Rabiu is another cement billionaire.

Nigeria’s second-richest person, according to Forbes, Mr Rabiu controls BUA Cement, which has grown into one of Africa’s major cement producers.

Mohammed Al Amoudi of Ethiopia is the other billionaire who has made his fortune through cement through Derba MIDROC Cement.

Derba is one of Ethiopia’s major cement plants, with reported capacity of about 2.5 million tonnes annually.

Mr Sarbjit’s plant in Lusoi Village will be developed by Ndovu Rock Limited, in which the businessman holds a 50 percent stake.

Ndovu Rock was registered on June 8, 2012. Its other shareholders are Rajbir Singh Rai and Amaanraj Singh Rai, who each hold a 25 percent stake.

‘The proposed establishment of a cement and cement products manufacturing plant in Lusoi Village, Nyeri County aims to meet the growing demand for high-quality cement and related products,’ Nema said in the notice/environmental assessment document.

The company says it specialises in cement manufacturing and lime processing, serving the growing demand for construction and industrial raw materials within Kenya and the wider East African region.

Clinker is mined from limestone, a creamy white or soft gray rock. Ndovu Rock, whose core business activities include the extraction, processing, and manufacture of cement and lime products, has recently secured mining licences in Homa Bay, Kericho and Kisumu counties.

Gone are the days when the perfect weekend formula was simple: a borrowed car, a friend who knew every hidden gem in Naivasha, and just enough money for a boti.

That combo was all you needed to forget the horrors of adulting, at least until Monday dragged you back. In my glory days, Friday evenings meant club-hopping through Westlands and Nairobi West, hunting for whichever spot was cool that week.

Saturdays were for nursing the hangover with painkillers, only to go out and ‘toa lock’ again, then repeat. The winning formula, right?

Maybe it was our underdeveloped frontal lobes talking, but back then, that was the only “creative” way to spend a weekend.

We didn’t own cars, and we definitely didn’t want to end up stranded in Naivasha with the infamous wababaz so we kept our steam-release strictly within city limits.

Ten years later and Nairobi has changed. Clubs are no longer the only stress reliever.

The growth in the hospitality and entertainment scene has made it possible to travel, pick up new hobbies, and get on the self-improvement journey without losing the social element that made the old days fun in the first place.

Nairobi is no longer just party central. Nairobi is the city that can transform into anything you want.

Here are the different ways you can spend your Nairobi weekends.

For foodies

From wine and whiskey tastings that take you around the world in a single glass, to bespoke culinary experiences and food clubs that bring Nairobi’s food enthusiasts together to eat and network.

It is safe to say that the city’s food scene has exploded.

World-renowned chefs and hoteliers are now bringing years of culinary expertise straight to the city, turning a simple meal out into an event worth planning your weekend around.

For thrill-seekers

For the adrenaline enthusiasts, a go-karting session can turn the track into your own personal F1 circuit, while running clubs have quietly become the new place to keep fit and land a date. Shopping malls have gotten in on the action too.

Adventure parks and indoor playgrounds for both children and adults have taken over. Zip-lining, VR gaming, trampoline parks, and gravity-defying drop towers have replaced the food court and cinema combo that used to be the default mall outing.

The wild side

Have you ever met a Nairobi resident who has never seen a lion? I have. And I had a few words for them, because it makes no sense when Nairobi National Park is both accessible and affordable. Why would you let your children learn about the Big Five from Cocomelon when they could see wildlife in person for less than Sh200?

In the last year, KWS reported that 60 percent of park visitors were domestic tourists, proof that Kenyans are embracing their own backyard.

The city is also home to forests like Karura and Oloolua, with trails perfect for scenic walks or runs if you want to stay fit, and just as perfect if you simply want a breath of fresh air.

Jack of all trades

If you ever wanted to learn a fun new skill to keep your life interesting, or simply for bragging rights, Nairobi has no shortage of options.

Sip-and-paint events, sneaker painting, pottery, knitting classes, mixology, carpentry and even glass blowing. Would you use the skills you gained? Maybe not. But you had fun, flexed your creative side, and walked away with photos that’ll give your followers a little FOMO.

I have been on a journey to experience the most that Nairobi has to offer. The truth is, some of these experiences take planning and saving up for but that shouldn’t stop you.

Plenty of them are just as accessible as they are unforgettable. Nairobi was never just the party city. It just took us a decade, and a few too many hangovers, to notice.

Justice Jemimah Keli has stepped aside from a case challenging the recruitment of engineers and directors by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra) after the petitioner, the Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya (IET-K), questioned her impartiality.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court judge recused herself despite rejecting claims of actual bias, saying the applicant was convinced it would not receive justice before her.

The legal dispute concerns 87 engineering vacancies advertised by Kerra in December 2025, including deputy director roads, assistant director roads, principal engineer, senior engineer and engineer positions.

The Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya sued, claiming the advertisements discriminated against engineering technologists by requiring professional registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), rather than recognising registration through the Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board (KETRB).

On February 27, Justice Keli declined IET-K’s request to stop the recruitment, finding that the petitioner had not shown a credible case of a constitutional violation.

She held that engineers and engineering technologists are distinct professional cadres with different qualifications, career paths and functions.

‘The court finds the differentiation in vacancies advertised by the respondent of the professions of engineering technologists and engineers is rational, lawful and objectively justifiable,’ she ruled.

IET-K later sought her recusal, arguing that the February ruling had gone beyond the question of whether temporary orders should be granted and had effectively decided the main petition.

The association said the ruling had determined that its members were not qualified for the contested jobs and created a reasonable fear that the judge had already formed a view on the case.

It cited Justice Keli’s finding that engineering technologists could only ‘work under engineers’ and her conclusion that technologists were not qualified to perform functions reserved for engineers.

The respondents opposed the recusal application, arguing that dissatisfaction with an adverse ruling was not evidence of bias.

They said judicial officers are presumed impartial and that recusal requires objective evidence showing a real possibility that the judge cannot fairly determine the dispute.

Justice Keli agreed that the applicant had not established actual bias or prejudice under the judicial conduct rules.

But she acknowledged that her earlier ruling had determined some aspects of the petition’s merits.

‘The only fault was the court having determined whether or not there was a prima facie case as outlined by the applicant, which the court agreed to some extent determined the merit of the petition on some aspects,’ she said.

The judge nevertheless concluded that the petitioner remained apprehensive about receiving a fair hearing.

‘There is nothing the court can do to assuage the applicant of getting justice in the cause before it than grant his wish for justice to be seen to be done in this case,’ she ruled.

She therefore recused herself and referred the file to the Division Presiding Judge for reallocation. The file will now be placed before another judge.

The underlying employment dispute remains unresolved. IET-K maintains that requiring EBK registration excludes technologists registered under KETRB, while Kerra has maintained that its recruitment requirements comply with the law.

Both EBK and KETRB are statutory bodies. EBK is mandated to develop, regulate, and promote the engineering profession, while KETRB licenses professionals, regulates conduct, and enforces ethical standards for engineering technologists.

The dispute has its roots in the separate statutory regulation of the two professions. IET-K says technologists are regulated through KETRB, while engineers are regulated through EBK.

IET-K says its purpose is to advance engineering technology and regulate engineering technology in Kenya.

The court is yet to determine whether the contested recruitment requirements were discriminatory under the Constitution and law.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 is celebrated as a transformative charter, and few provisions capture that ambition better than Article 10, which makes public participation a national value. Its promise was simple: state authority would no longer be exercised over citizens, but with them.

Public participation was meant to turn Kenyans from passive observers into active partners in governance.

Sixteen years after promulgation, that promise remains under strain. As we mark Katiba Day, public participation is firmly embedded in law but increasingly absent in practice. What was envisioned as a safeguard against executive and legislative overreach has too often become a procedural ritual rather than meaningful engagement.

Kenyan courts have repeatedly clarified that public participation must be real, meaningful and not cosmetic.

Citizens must receive reasonable notice, accessible information in plain language and a genuine opportunity to influence decisions. Public participation, the courts have stressed, is not the same as public notification.

The reality, however, tells a different story. Consultation periods are frequently compressed, while lengthy and technical policy documents are released only hours before public hearings. This leaves citizens with little time to understand proposals or prepare informed submissions. Even where memoranda are collected, there is often little evidence that public views shape the final legislation.

The result is compliance without influence. Authorities point to notices issued and meetings held as proof that constitutional requirements were met, but the impact of citizens’ contributions remains unclear.

This gap between constitutional promise and institutional practice has fuelled growing public distrust. As a consequence, courts have become the default arena for resolving disputes over public participation. Constitutional petitions challenging laws on procedural grounds are increasingly common.

That is an expensive and unsustainable model of democracy, signalling a breakdown of trust between the state and its citizens.

The proposed Public Participation Bill, 2025 offers an opportunity to establish clear standards across national and county governments.

If the Constitution is to remain a living document, public participation must move beyond political optics and return to its original purpose: the genuine exercise of sovereign power by the people.

Without meaningful participation, consent becomes an illusion, and constitutional democracy is weakened.

Illegal organ transplants will attract jail terms and fines of up to Sh50million, if Parliament approves a proposed law aimed at curbing unethical practices.

The Kenya Blood, Cells, Tissues and Organs Bill, 2026, tabled by James Nyikal, chairperson of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health, proposes the creation of the Kenya Blood and Transplant Authority, which would replace Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority, taking over regulation of blood, cell, tissue, and organ services.

Under the bill, hospitals would require case-by-case approval from the Authority before carrying out transplants involving living, non-related donors, in addition to being licensed to offer transplant services.

‘A person who transplants cells, tissues, or organs from a living donor without the prior authorisation of the Authority commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine of between Sh20 and Sh50 million, or to imprisonment for a term of up to ten years, or both,’ the Bill states.

The proposed approval system requires a prospective donor to notify the Authority within seven days of informing the transplant facility.

The Authority will have 7 days to respond.

These changes would affect hospitals offering kidney and other living-donor transplant services, including public and private facilities.

Offenders convicted of organ trafficking or selling organs would face tougher penalties, including a fine of up to Sh50 million, imprisonment for up to 25 years, or both. Currently, the maximum penalty for illegal organ trafficking is Sh10 million or 10 years in prison.

The Bill comes months after the Health Ministry was embroiled in a row with Eldoret-based Mediheal Hospital over claims of organ trafficking .

However, in April, Dr Nyikal ‘s committee found no evidence of malpractice or ethical violations at Mediheal and recommended that sanctions against the hospital and two other Eldoret facilities be lifted.

However, a parliamentary health committee chaired by Dr Nyikal found no evidence of malpractice or ethical violations at Mediheal

‘A person who receives any monetary or other form of compensation for cells, tissues or organs, other than reimbursement of donation-related expenses, commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding Sh50 million, imprisonment not exceedin twenty-five years, or both,’ the Bill states.

‘A person who sells one or a pair of organs from a living donor for financial or any other form of compensation commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding Sh50 million, imprisonment not exceeding twenty-five years, or both”.

The proposed law would also introduce licensing for the import and export of blood and blood components, with breaches attracting a fine of up to Sh1 million or three years in jail.

Private blood collection and processing centres would be required to register with the new Authority within six months of the law taking effect, and full implementation of the legislation is expected within one year.

The Bill comes months after the Health Ministry was embroiled in a row with a private hospital in Eldoret, Mediheal Hospital over claims of organ trafficking.

The claims prompted the Health Ministry to suspend kidney transplant services at hospitals in Eldoret and appoint an independent committee to investigate the allegations. A government taskforce later recommended investigating and prosecuting former Kesses MP and Mediheal chairman Swarup Mishra, as well as three senior doctors, for their suspected involvement in illegal transplants.

Ten high-profile disputes involving firms and the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) have been thrown into limbo after the Competition Tribunal lost the quorum required to hear and determine appeals against decisions by the regulator.

The tribunal’s secretary and chief executive officer, Julius Mutua, has urged Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to urgently fill the vacant position of the chairperson, saying the institution has been unable to conduct business since September 17, 2025.

The cases pit CAK against Carrefour owner Majid Al Futtaim, clean-energy start-up Koko Networks, small lender Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), steelmaker Corrugated Sheets Limited and others.

In a letter dated February 19, 2026, Mr Mutua said the terms of the tribunal’s chairperson and one member expired on September 16 and July 13, 2025 respectively. The tribunal currently has three members but no substantive chairperson.

‘The situation has continued to cause serious delays in the resolution of disputes there-by exposing businesses and other stakeholders to prolonged uncertainty and potential economic loss,’ said Mutua.

‘The prolonged non-appointment has not only undermined the effective functioning of the Tribunal, but has also placed its institutional credibility into question, and by extension the National Treasury and Economic Planning as the appointing authority mandated to ensure that the Tribunal remains properly constituted and operational,’ added Mutua.

Among the cases now stuck is an appeal by Koko Networks (Kenya) Limited, over an exclusive arrangement between the clean energy company and Vivo Energy for the supply/distribution of Koko’s bioethanol cooking fuel. Koko Networks is currently under administration.

Others include cases involving Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA), Vivo Energy Kenya and Joseph Sumba.

The tribunal is also unable to progress two cases involving Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets, the owner of Carrefour in Kenya.

The cases pit the retailer against CAK and Pwani Oil Products Limited, and CAK and Woodlands Company Limited, after the competition watchdog found that Carrefour had abused its superior bargaining position over the two suppliers by imposing rebates and other charges that reduced their profitability.

CAK fined Carrefour owner Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets Limited a combined Sh1.108 billion and ordered it to refund about Sh16.7 million in rebates and other charges to the suppliers.

The Dubai-based hypermarket operator wants the decisions overturned and has filed separate appeals before the Competition Tribunal. Both cases are ongoing.

The other pending matter listed by the Tribunal includes an appeal by Guaranty Trust Bank (Kenya) Limited, in which the lender is accused by the competition watchdog of engaging in false and misleading representations and unconscionable conduct in its handling and renewal of credit facilities for ASL Limited.

CAK fined GT Bank Sh33.18 million and ordered it to refund ASL Sh13.21 million in fees and charges it found to have been improperly levied.

There are also cases involving Corrugated Sheets Limited and Brollo Kenya Limited, which were among steel manufacturers that CAK found to have engaged in price-fixing and, in some cases, restricting output in violation of the Competition Act.

Mr Mutua warned that the prolonged vacancy was causing serious delays in resolving disputes, exposing businesses and other stakeholders to prolonged uncertainty and potential economic losses.

He said the failure to appoint the chairperson had also undermined the tribunal’s effective functioning and raised questions about its institutional credibility.

The last chairperson of the Tribunal was Daniel Ochieng Ogola. He was appointed on September 25, 2020.

The Competition Tribunal is established under the Competition Act, 2010 to hear appeals and review applications arising from CAK decisions.

A party aggrieved by a CAK determination can appeal to the tribunal within 30 days. The tribunal can uphold, vary or set aside the regulator’s decision.

The paralysis comes after the tribunal had begun handling increasingly significant competition disputes.

In July 2025, it delivered decisions in a cluster of appeals arising from CAK’s investigation into Kenya’s steel industry.

The cases involved major manufacturers including Devki Steel Mills, Tononoka Rolling Mills, Accurate Steel Mills, Blue Nile Wire Products and Nail and Steel Products.

CAK had investigated allegations of coordinated conduct, including price fixing and output restrictions, after searches of several steel companies.

The tribunal dismissed the appeals and upheld CAK’s decisions, demonstrating the importance of the appellate body in testing the regulator’s enforcement actions.

The tribunal has also previously handled a significant dispute involving Majid Al Futtaim.

In 2021, it upheld CAK’s findings in a buyer-power case involving the retailer and Orchards Limited.

The High Court later allowed Majid’s appeal in May 2024, raising questions about CAK’s use of draft buyer-power guidelines and the scope of its powers when dealing with supplier agreements.

The current paralysis could become even more impactful with the pending Sh388.2 billion sale of East African Breweries Limited (EABL) by Diageo to Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings.

The transaction has been under regulatory review for more than a year and is awaiting approval by CAK in Kenya after securing approvals in other East African markets where EABL operates.

CAK has proposed that EABL establish a Sh15.5 billion reserve, equivalent to four percent of the transaction value, to cater for claims, disputes, liabilities and regulatory challenges that could arise.

It has also proposed reserving at least 20 percent of refrigeration space supplied to retailers for products that are not branded by EABL or Asahi.

Diageo and Asahi have rejected the conditions, arguing that they are unprecedented and outside CAK’s mandate.

They have also raised concerns that the regulator risks interfering with matters already before the courts.

If CAK decides that the parties challenge, the dispute could ultimately find its way to the Competition Tribunal.

For years, a second passport was seen as part of the ultimate wealth package: another layer of security, easier access to international markets and a way of giving families more options abroad. But among Kenya’s wealthiest individuals, that appetite appears to be cooling.

The latest Wealth Report by luxury property consultancy Knight Frank shows that fewer wealthy Kenyans are actively looking to acquire a second citizenship, with many choosing instead to keep their primary residence, businesses and investments at home.

Knight Frank classifies Ultra High Net Worth Individuals as people with a net worth of more than $30 million (Sh4 billion), while High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) have at least $1 million (Sh128 million).

‘Domestic confidence among Kenya’s HNWIs remains notably strong in 2026, with limited appetite for second citizenships or alternative residency programmes,’ Knight Frank notes in the report.

Less than 10 percent

Fewer than 10 percent of wealthy Kenyans surveyed said they ‘plan to apply for a second passport or new citizenship’ this year. Another 38 percent said they are not currently pursuing alternative citizenship status.

The findings mark a notable shift from the second-residency buzz that gained momentum after the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings are broadly consistent with the trend observed in 2025, when similarly, fewer HNWIs expressed interest in acquiring second citizenships.

Instead, more of the country’s wealthy appear inclined to keep their capital and investments closer to home.

‘The continued preference for retaining primary residency in Kenya reflects sustained confidence in the country’s long-term economic prospects and investment environment, despite prevailing global uncertainties,’ the report adds.

However, the broader African picture is somewhat different.

In an interview with BDLife last October, Orience, a global investment migration firm operating in Africa, said alternative residency programmes had continued to attract wealthy Africans, with South Africans and Kenyans emerging as the continent’s most enthusiastic applicants in its database between 2023 and 2025.

Kenyan demand, however, remained modest compared with South Africa, although Orience said the emerging interest pointed to a potentially significant market opportunity.

‘Residency by investment programmes such as Portugal’s Golden Visa or the US’s EB-5 programme, China and India are always at the top [in terms of applications]. But among African countries, South Africa leads, followed by Kenya,’ Lisa Bathurst, Orience’s South Africa manager, told BDLife.

However, Henley and Partners, a global residence and citizenship planning firm, cautions against interpreting the findings as evidence that Kenyan appetite for second citizenship or alternative residency is necessarily waning.

Sophisticated conversations

‘We would be cautious about interpreting any apparent softening in demand for second citizenship or alternative residency in isolation as a decline in international mobility planning,’ says Dominic Volek, Dubai-based Group Head of Private Clients at Henley and Partners.

What is changing, he argues, is the sophistication of the conversation among wealthy individuals and families.

‘Increasingly, the objective is not simply to acquire a second passport or relocate permanently, but to create greater optionality across jurisdictions through a combination of residence rights, citizenships, investments, business interests, and family arrangements,’ he says.

Volek suggests the latest figures may point to a more nuanced approach to wealth diversification among Kenya’s affluent.

‘We describe this increasingly sophisticated approach as building a ‘sovereign portfolio’, creating a diversified geographical footprint that gives families greater flexibility and resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.’

Beyond the convenience

The motivations driving HNWIs toward second residencies, he says, extend well beyond the convenience of holding another passport.

‘Geopolitical uncertainty, changing tax and regulatory environments, tighter or less predictable visa regimes, access to international business and financial centres, education opportunities, quality of life, security, and succession and legacy planning can all influence the decisions wealthy families make,’ Volek says.

Many successful entrepreneurs and business families, Volek notes, remain deeply invested in their domestic economies while simultaneously establishing options elsewhere.

There is also a generational dimension to the changing conversation around second residencies.

‘Younger entrepreneurs and first-generation wealth creators tend to be highly internationally minded, and their priorities can extend well beyond visa-free travel,’ Volek says.

‘For them, global business connectivity, access to markets and capital, the ability to operate internationally, and creating education and career opportunities for their children can all form part of the decision.’

And according to him, the evolution is not unique to Kenya. Globally, the investment migration landscape is becoming increasingly diverse, with wealthy individuals pursuing different combinations of residency, citizenship, investment and business interests.

‘In the first six months of 2026 alone, Henley and Partners received applications from 86 nationalities across 47 investment migration programmes, with Americans in the USA being our biggest client cohort, illustrating the breadth and increasingly international nature of the market,’ Volek says.

He argues that one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding investment migration is that it is primarily about buying a passport, securing visa-free travel or reducing tax liabilities.

‘In reality, sophisticated wealth mobility planning is far broader. Rule of law, quality of life, family inclusion, geopolitical stability, capital mobility, business opportunities, and the long-term predictability of a jurisdiction are increasingly important considerations,’ he says.

For Andrew Amoils, Head of Research at New World Wealth, however, Kenya’s changing position in the wealth migration conversation is closely tied to its geopolitical and economic appeal.

Nairobi is currently home to just over 4,000 HNWIs and 10 centi-millionaires as of June 2026, making it the sixth-wealthiest city in Africa, according to New World Wealth.

‘As East Africa’s economic engine room, the city boasts some of the continent’s oldest luxury residential neighbourhoods, including Karen and Muthaiga. Its mild, temperate climate also gives Nairobi an unusual advantage,’ Amoils notes.

Emerging HNWI destination

He further observes that, ‘Nairobi accounts for about 45 percent of Kenya’s total wealth and more than 60 percent of the country’s millionaires. It is also emerging as one of Africa’s leading fintech hubs, home to companies such as M-Pesa, Cellulant and Tala.’

Amoils believes these attributes could eventually turn the traditional wealth-migration equation on its head, with Kenya not merely exporting wealthy residents in search of alternative jurisdictions, but potentially attracting them.

‘We see Kenya possibly becoming a HNWI retirement destination of the future, as it is home to several top eco-estates which are becoming increasingly popular among the world’s wealthy,’ he says.

Kenya, he adds, also has a well-developed luxury residential sector, giving it an edge over several of its East African neighbours.