Category: Business Daily

A Danish development finance institution, Impact Fund Denmark, has invested 65 million Danish Krone (Sh1.31 billion) in a Kenyan medical equipment and supplies firm to set up a new factory.

The fund said, in a statement on its website, that it has made the investment in Crown Healthcare -a firm founded in 1998 and operates across the medical supply chain, including sourcing of medical equipment and supplies.

The fund did not say whether the investment is in the form of debt or equity. This marks the latest investment for the Danish fund in Kenya.

A Danish development finance institution, Impact Fund Denmark, has invested 65 million Danish Krone (Sh1.31 billion) in a Kenyan medical equipment and supplies firm to set up a new factory.

The fund said, in a statement on its website, that it has made the investment in Crown Healthcare -a firm founded in 1998 and operates across the medical supply chain, including sourcing of medical equipment and supplies.

The fund did not say whether the investment is in the form of debt or equity. This marks the latest investment for the Danish fund in Kenya.

The fund’s other investments in Kenya include last year’s 63.55 million Danish Krone (DKK) or an equivalent of Sh1.28 billion loan to MyDawa -a digital health start-up.

In 2023, the fund also loaned Nithio FI -a climate fintech firm- 74.66 million DKK (Sh1.55 billion). This came after a 2008 deal in which it bought 50.96 million DKK (Sh1.03 billion) shares in Rabai Power that supplies electricity to Kenya Power.

In addition, the fund also invested 34.55 million DKK (Sh695.58 million) in a food systems firm, African Coffee Roasters, in the form of shares and loan. The deal was closed in 2015.

The Danish fund said the completion of Crown Healthcare’s new factory will help the company produce medicines locally and on a large scale, according to the fund.

‘The new factory will strengthen Kenya and the wider region’s supply chain by anchoring production locally and increasing the number of quality products produced. In this way, quality medicine becomes much more accessible,’ said the fund.

Some of the Crown Healthcare’s products include pharmaceutical refrigerators, transport ventilators, electric dialysis chairs, operating lights, laboratory consumables and basic medical equipment like stethoscopes and blood pressure machines.

The fund added that the new factory will help reduce Kenya’s dependence on imported medical suppliers, which are vulnerable to counterfeits, global supply chain disruptions and rising international logistics costs.

‘With this investment, we are helping to improve the availability of essential medicines and make the region more resilient to global crises,’ said Lisbeth Erlands, managing director and co-head of healthcare.

Information on its website shows Impact Fund Denmark has completed more than 60 investments in East Africa across sectors including manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, textiles and tourism.

Andiamo! (Let’s go) It’s a breezy Wednesday evening, and we are by the pool at Nairobi’s Serena Hotel. Three of us raise our glasses and toast in anticipation of a curated journey through Italy.

Around us, jazzy notes curl through the air as small clusters of guests gather at cocktail tables, drinks in hand: sunset-orange Aperol Spritzes and translucent neon-green mocktails that the lady mixologist called ‘the Green Alien’.

Trays of eggplant caponata, zucchini parmigiana, and stuffed bread rolls glide past, carried with effortless poise by the servers. I savour the mashed potato with parmesan and pancetta- light, airy, and indulgent enough to leave me wanting more.

Appetites sufficiently whetted, we find our assigned seats in an upstairs lounge overlooking the pool, each table named after a city in Italy. Mine is Milan, the economic capital of Italy.

Chef Vincenzo Buttice, who is visiting from Italy, is our captain for the evening at the event organised by the Italian Embassy, Italian Trade Agency, and the Italian Institute of Culture and Ambasciatori del Gusto.

‘I don’t speak English, I only speak food,’ he opens, inviting us to journey through Italy with him. ‘The first course is the perfect egg, celeriac soup, and truffle pearls. Buckle up and enjoy the meal.’

Buckle up indeed, because while the pale-yellow dish presents with an understated elegance: dark beads glinting against a creamy backdrop in which the egg is fully submerged, the harmony of the velvety soup, the silky, molten yolk, and the delicate pop of the truffle pearls has me rethinking my idea of a perfect egg. Further solidifying the dish as a proper start to the evening is its wine pairing, the Ferrari Trento DOC. Nixon Munga, a sommelier, Italian wine ambassador, and our tour guide for the evening, enlightens us about the local name for the Italian straw yellow wine – ‘the bubbles of the mountains’.

‘It’s a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, whose crisp and refined taste matches with the chef’s desire to start the evening in a fresh and fantastic way.’

We nibble on focaccia bread and sourdough sticks from the mountains of Trentino-Alto Adige in the Northern part of Italy, until we arrive at our next stop: Sardinia, the sophisticated mediterranean island full of sandy beaches.

Here, we sample the Rafia Vermentino DOC di Sardegna, served with broad beans, fennel, and either smoked pancetta (turf menu) or squids and Italian caviar (surf menu).

‘As served today, the broad beans are quite creamy. The Vermentino’s fresh, citrusy notes and acidity cut through the creaminess to add some vibrancy to the dish,’ our knowledgeable tour guide says. ‘Also, the fact that it comes from an area with lots of seafood makes it the perfect pairing for the squid because as they say, if it grows together, it goes together.’

A few bites of bread later, we find ourselves in Custoza, a northern Italian village. Here, we enjoy the Monte del Fra Ca’ del Magro Custoza Superiore paired with either risotto shrimps, thyme, and lime, or risotto zucchini, lime, and mint.

As the Italians like it, the risotto is perfectly al dente and its rich texture goes hand in hand with the rich intensity of the Ca’ del Magro, their combination like that of two powerful singers with none screaming over the other. Delizioso! (delicious). From northern Italy, our company is split into two, one group heading to Sicily, and the other to Tuscany. The low hum of conversation dips a little, replaced with the clink of silverware as those in Tuscany enjoy exceptionally tender veal cheek, melt-in-your-mouth mashed potato and corn and a lovely, dark sauce made from veal stock. To wash it down is the red Ridolfi Rosso di Montalcino DOCG.

‘The wine has a kiss of oak to give it enough power to match the veal,’ informs our trusted guide.

Those in Sicily dig into a Messina-style fish fillet served with tomato sauce and the Planeta Etna DOC Rosso, a red wine in the style of Pinot Noir, that is light, fruity, and refreshing. The sauce definitely finds a suitable companion in it.

‘This is also a wine that someone who does not enjoy strong, dry wines would really like.’

This particular course, the Sicilian course, leaves a number of taste buds reeling, earning itself a number of mentions throughout the evening.

‘That taste was a bit unique for me, and I really appreciated it,’ comments Innocent Simiyu, who has not only taken a fancy to different cuisines around the world but has also attended a number of wine-pairing dinners.

Monia Posti, a thorough Italian who’s been living in Kenya for the past 31 years, and runs an Italian food company, Queen Deli, also has things to say about the fish-fillet.

‘It was really nice,’ she croons, ‘my favourite so far. I have a bit of a sweet tooth though, so I’m eagerly waiting for dessert.’

But before the dessert is served and any of us get the chance to indulge a sweet tooth, the servers bring out a tiny cup of hibiscus, sambuca and passion fruit infusion.

A proper palate cleanser if there ever was one. Sweet, floral, and tangy, the ruby-red drink resets our taste buds and sets the stage for the final leg of the epic journey, the forgotten panettone.

Anything but forgotten, this dessert is a Christmas staple, dare I say, the ultimate one, when it comes to the famously passionate country and its people. The surprise might have been if it was missing from the menu. Classically paired with the Vite Colte La Gatta Moscato d’Asti DOCG, a sweet, aromatic, lightly sparkling red wine from the hills of Piedmont, there’s nothing but clean platters, empty glasses and satisfied smiles, the kind that only good food can produce, by the time the trumpeter tucks away his instrument, the piano man’s notes come to an end, and we all return to the chilly Nairobi night. Arrivederci! (goodbye until we meet again).

A quick cheat sheet to desserts and Italian wines

When you get a hold of a sommelier with enough knowledge to earn an Italian wine ambassador badge, you ask them everything you’ve always wondered about.

First, the assumption is right. Sweet goes with sweet.

‘Dry wines leave a sour taste in your mouth, so the first principle would be to have a wine that is ideally sweeter than your dessert,’ says Nixon Munga. ‘But when sweet and sweet meet they amplify each other, so to ensure that your dessert doesn’t become cloyed, the wine should also be high in acidity so it can refresh the palate. This is the second principle.’

Beyond the pairing logic however, the wine expert says there is no such thing as wrong wine for a dessert dish, or any other dish for that matter.

‘For me what is important is that people explore wine – go to tastings, find what you like, double down on it, and just enjoy wine,’ he advises. ‘You don’t have to be a professional to enjoy wine, all you need to know is whether you like it or not.’

The temperature at which you serve your wine also matters, as the expert says, it affects how you perceive the flavours.

‘Most of the time, red wine is served at 15 degrees celsius, though there are some lighter styles that can be served at a lower temperature of around 12 degrees celsius. This is like the Planeta Etna DOC Rosso,’ he informs. ‘White wines should be served at a lower temperature, most of them at 12 degrees celsius.’

For sparkling wines, which are some of the most versatile wines and can be used from the first to the last course, the sweet spot is between eight and nine degrees celsius.

When doing a chocolate and Italian wine pairing, the sommelier would go for a white wine for white chocolate.

‘A Moscato D’Asti is a very safe bet. It’s nice, lovely, has a bit of bubbles, and is quite refreshing.’

For dark chocolate, he would go for a Vin Santo or a Marsala, both in the dry style.

‘If the dark chocolate is above 70 per cent, then I’d suggest a fantastic Amarone della Valpolicella or a Passito-style red wine.’

For classic Kenyan favourites like maandazi, Nixon calls for some creativity.

‘Since maandazi is quite rich and sweet, I’d probably go with a Marsala semi Vecchio or a Passito di Pantelleria or Passito di Noto. With these, you can then have your maandazi with jam or something else a little creative.’

For unconventional pairings that he has come across, and they ended up giving him a pleasant surprise, the wine connoisseur names the pairing concept of sour foods with sweet wines.

‘They can work quite well, but it’s a very tricky balance.’

If he were to recommend a singular bottle for an extensive range of desserts, his go-to would be a sparkling sweet or semi-sweet wine.

‘This is because it has the sweetness and can work well with so many different desserts, but also, most of the time, sparkling wines are high in acidity.’

More than eight out of ten county governments in Kenya have implemented measures to improve healthcare services for persons with disabilities, marking significant progress in the devolution of disability-inclusive healthcare.

The disability inclusion assessment report, conducted by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) across 41 of Kenya’s 47 counties, found that 82.9 percent (34 counties) have taken specific steps to improve healthcare access for persons with disabilities.

These measures include physical accessibility to health facilities, disability-specific medical support, and inclusive health communication strategies.

Currently, 85.4 percent of counties provide essential mobility and support equipment such as wheelchairs, white canes, hearing aids, and prosthetics.

Of these, 91.4 percent offer the devices completely free of charge, removing a critical financial barrier that has historically prevented many persons with disabilities from accessing the tools they need for independence and social participation.

“These findings suggest that most county governments recognise the need to address disability-related healthcare access. However, the seven county governments without any reported interventions represent a significant gap,” the report said.

“This raises concerns about potential inequality in healthcare delivery and the need for national-level guidance to ensure universal health access for all persons with disabilities.”

The report also shows that nearly three-quarters of counties (73.2 percent) provide some form of rehabilitation services, with physiotherapy universally available in counties offering such care.

Additionally, 68.3 percent of counties offer disability assessment services free of charge, facilitating access to various disability benefits and support programs.

These numbers come at a critical time in the country’s journey toward deepening devolution and incorporating inclusion in governance structures, as per the Constitution of Kenya.

The Persons with Disabilities Act of 2025 guarantees persons with disabilities the right to access healthcare.

However, despite these achievements, the assessment reveals persistent gaps that threaten to undermine progress. While 23 counties have established county-level health insurance schemes, only 15 counties (37.5 percent) have implemented special measures such as free or subsidised coverage to ensure persons with disabilities can actually afford the care they need.

“The absence of such schemes in nearly half the county governments limits access to affordable and inclusive healthcare, particularly for persons with disabilities who often face higher medical needs and costs,” the report said.

Moreover, while rehabilitation services exist in most counties, only 43.3 percent provide speech-language and audiology therapy, and just 13 counties offer the full spectrum of rehabilitation care, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, mental health support, orthopedic technology, and speech therapy.

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Geographic inequality further compounds these challenges, with specialised healthcare largely confined to urban centers, effectively excluding rural populations who face both distance and cost barriers.

Community-based rehabilitation programs that could bring services closer to where people live exist in only a handful of counties.

Furthermore, among counties offering free disability assessment, only 53.6 percent have anchored this policy in law, leaving these services vulnerable to budget cuts or reversal with changes in county leadership.

The assessment also found that while 68.3 percent of counties have waiver mechanisms to exempt vulnerable populations from healthcare costs, implementation remains inconsistent.

Kenya has made notable policy commitments toward disability inclusion over the recent years. However, for millions of persons with disabilities, everyday life remains defined by exclusion rather than access.

According to national census data, about 2.2 percent of Kenyans-roughly 900,000 people aged five and above live with some form of disability. Notably, women are disproportionately affected, with disability prevalence higher among women than men, while mobility and visual impairments remain the most common.

At the same time, more recent household surveys suggest that up to 15 percent of Kenyans report at least one functional difficulty, including challenges in seeing, hearing, walking, remembering, or communicating.

This disparity points to long-standing undercounting and highlights persistent weaknesses in disability data systems. Beyond prevalence, economic exclusion remains one of the most entrenched challenges.

Persons with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty and less likely to access stable employment.

In practice, despite legal provisions requiring inclusion, recent workforce assessments show that persons with disabilities make up just about 1.3 percent of the public-sector workforce, far below expected thresholds.

Without income security, households face compounded vulnerability, driven by additional disability-related costs such as assistive devices, transport, and ongoing care.

Meanwhile, social stigma and misinformation persist, shaping attitudes in homes, schools, workplaces, and public institutions.

‘This assessment gives us a clear baseline,” says Dr Alfred Mutua, Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, in the report’s foreword.

“We can now see where counties are succeeding and where urgent action is needed. The next step is to move from assessment to action-to ensure every county is equipped and committed to serving all its citizens, including those with disabilities.”

The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has claimed that its Sh26 billion borrowing spree was triggered by a pile-up of unsold stocks due to a ban on direct tea sales by its factories and introduction of reserve prices.

The agency said it borrowed billions of shillings to pay tea farmers for their supplies after stock-ups of unsold products surged to 104 million kilogrammes last year, tripling foregone revenues for growers in three years.

In a statement on Tuesday, KTDA said about half of the loans were borrowed to pay farmers who had supplied the unsold tea.

‘The commodity loan (Sh12.8 billion) was borrowed as a bridging finance on the background of high tea stocks of 104 million Kgs, compared to 37 million kgs in 2021. The high stocks build-up was due to the ban on direct sale operations, the introduction of reserve prices, and geopolitics in our key market,’ KTDA said.

It said its guidelines allow it to use commodity loans to cover expenses such as paying off farmers for leaf supplies and working capital.

KTDA said it paid off the Sh12.8 billion loan by the end of September 2025, but facilities procured for other uses continue to be serviced.

An audit by the Tea Board of Kenya said that other than the Sh12.8 billion commodity loan, KTDA factories had loaned one another Sh10.36 billion, had asset-based financing valued at Sh2.6 billion, and Sh300 million in project loans.

The audit faulted KTDA management for sanctioning inter-factory loans at the headquarters and over-valuing assets to get bigger loans, while factory managements took loans not approved or beyond the limits approved by the respective boards.

KTDA disputed the claims but admitted that its factories, mainly those in Western and Rift Valley regions, have been operating in a cash crunch.

‘Cashflow challenges for factories arose due to huge stocks build, low prices, and unfavourable exchange rate after the shilling strengthened against the US Dollar,’ KTDA said.

The agency has defended its policy of borrowing stating that its model requires that it pays them after they have delivered produce, even if the stocks haven’t been sold.

‘The farmer can’t wait for five months for the tea to be sold to pay them. That is why bridging commodity funding is important,’ it said.

The 2025, 16 Days of Activism, under the theme ‘Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,’ reminded us that empowerment is no longer optional; it’s essential.

In many communities, girls are still raised to believe marriage is their ultimate achievement, yet lack of economic empowerment is often a major contributing factor to toxic and unstable marriages.

Financial independence is a shield. When a girl works, earns her own income, and builds confidence, she enters marriage as an equal partner, not a dependent.

But when she steps into marriage without empowerment, she may find herself tolerating harmful environments simply because she lacks the means to stand on her own. Economic dependence traps women in relationships that harm the emotional and physical well-being.

As we reflect on Gender-Based Violence during these 16 days, we must widen the conversation. The digital space offers unlimited opportunities for girls and women to learn, work and build suitable livelihoods.

From online businesses to freelancing, digital marketing, virtual assistance, coding, content creation, e-commerce etc., the digital economy is a powerful tool for financial freedom.

However, digital spaces also carry risks, harassment, exploitation and cyberbullying. That is why the theme on digital violence matters.

Women and girls must be equipped not only to enter the digital world, but to do so safely, confidently and with purpose.

They should embrace technology as a means of earning decent income, not as a space where they are pressured into harmful or exploitative activities. Communities, parents and all learning and non-learning institutions should shift from preparing girls solely for marriage to preparing them for independence, leadership and lifelong skills.

Empowered girls become empowered women who choose relationships out of strength, not survival.

Empowerment does not destroy families, rather, it builds healthier ones. When girls are educated, skilled and financially secure, they make informed choices and contribute positively to their homes and society.

As we end the commemoration of the 2025, 16 days of Activism, let us champion a future where every girl is empowered whether online, off-line and long before marriage begins.

According to the November Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), business conditions in Kenya have recorded the strongest improvement in more than five years. The Index rose to 55.0 in November, up from 52.5 in October.

That is the highest it has been since October 2020. Interpretation? Strong economic expansion across all sectors the economy.

Because this is different from the daily diet of negativity, let’s delve deeper.

First, the PMI is a composite figure – an index – derived from a monthly survey of purchasing managers in 400 leading Kenyan companies. It covers all sectors – agriculture, manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail and services. It gives you insights into business confidence, conditions, and trends.

A weighted average of five key indices, it covers new orders, output (production), employment, suppliers’ delivery times, and stocks of purchases. When the index is above 50.0, business conditions have improved relative to the previous month. When the index is below 50.0, conditions are deteriorating.

The November survey findings show a significant rise in new business, stronger output, faster employment growth and increased purchasing activity. These trends are driven by low inflation and increasing consumer demand.

Companies reported the fastest increase in sales volumes in more than five years. The momentum came from improved customer purchasing power, successful product launches, and effective marketing campaigns. All sectors recorded growth in new orders, so the recovery is across the economy.

Business activity expanded at the fastest rate since 2020, the result of stronger market demand and accelerated order inflows.

Responding to this, companies increased their input purchases significantly, with the highest growth rate over five years.

Supplier delivery times improved in November. Increased competition among vendors encouraged faster delivery. Led by the construction sector, stocks of purchases increased at the fastest rate in three years. Employment levels rose for the 10th month in a row, at the second fastest rate since August 2023. All sectors added staff.

The PMI is a timely and fairly accurate indicator of economic health. But I’m sure you may be asking like many Kenyans, if business conditions are improving, if inflation is low, if the exchange rate is stable, why am I not feeling it in my pocket?

Conditions are improving, but need to be sustained for a longer period for the effects to reach every citizen.

The narrative that Kenya is not working well cannot hold. While it is the job of the opposition to critique government, and offer better policy alternatives in a functioning democracy, political competition based on bashing each other, spewing negativity, bad-mouthing our republic is taking competitive politics way too far.

My casual observation conforms with the indications of the PMI. I spent last week in Wajir on a work assignment. It is easy to get to. Two flights daily to an international airport. A shared defense and civilian facility, the military is discretely tacked away, noticeable only because of they control the access point.

In one of those mysteries of markets, it is cheaper to fly to Wajir from Nairobi than to Nanyuki, half the distance. You can leave from Wilson or JKIA.

Once there, be sure to sample camel milk. Despite its name, I-Mall is not a shopping arcade. Rather, it is well-appointed hotel where my team and I stayed.

Governor Ahmed Abdullahi’s government has transformed Wajir town. Tarmacked town roads, complete with provision for non-motorised traffic. Devolution works.

Saturday found me in Nanyuki, enjoying a most colourful musical extravaganza. Lkereti – my culture – is a new album by the Maa musical group, Multisystem, led by artists Lentir and Nokisho.

The launch was quite the show. CS for Tourism and Wildlife was chief guest. On hand, the State Department for Tourism, KICC, Kenya Wildlife Service, and a galaxy of local political heavyweights. Thousands of fans filled the arena at the Nanyuki Showground. Talent, music and culture fusing to generate commercial outcomes.

As I drive out of Nanyuki on Sunday morning Mt Kenya is basking in the morning sun. I count half a dozen new hotels, restaurants and service stations between Ichuga and Naro Moru.

A couple of other structures look like factory buildings. Clearly something is going on.

As I return to the book I’m reading – Good economics for hard times – by Banerjee and Duflo, I ponder one more mystery. How is it that signs of economic recovery are everywhere, from Wajir to Nanyuki, but some citizens are still not feeling the effects?

Telecoms operator Safaricom Plc has raised Sh20 billion from the first tranche of its corporate bond after a 177 percent oversubscription of the offer which closed on Friday.

Total bids received for the offer were Sh41.6 billion, surpassing the target of Sh15 billion which handed the telecoms operator the window to take an additional Sh5 billion in a green shoe option.

Investors participating in the offer have locked in a fixed interest rate of 10.4 percent per annum for the five-year paper expected to mature in December 2030.

The notes are expected to list on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) on December 16, 2025.

‘Following strong investor demand, Safaricom has exercised the Sh5 billion greenshoe option, thereby increasing the total allotment for Tranche 1 to Sh20 billion, which enables Safaricom to accommodate heightened investor demand and remains within the Sh40 billion programme limit approved by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA),’ Safaricom said in an update.

The company announced the Sh40 billion medium note programme (MTN) last month for the purposes of financing and refinancing green projects.

The corporate bond which is the largest by a listed firm has revitalised the corporate debt market on the NSE which has been starved of action with the only other recent issuer being EABL which just raised Sh16.7 billion.

The corporate debt segment has been dented previously by issuers who went belly up soon after issuing their notes including Imperial Bank and Chase Bank.

Microlender Real People, which has Sh1.63 billion in outstanding notes, also ran into a scandal after raising funds which were diverted to its parent firm in South Africa.

Safaricom previously tapped Sh30 billion sustainability-linked loan or green bond from a consortium of local 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.

Safaricom finance costs have increased recently, compounded by capital spending in its new business in Ethiopia.

The telco’s capital expenditure in the current financial year is estimated at between Sh72 billion and Sh78 billion where spending on Kenya is projected at between Sh54 billion and Sh57 billion.

Spending in Ethiopia is estimated between Sh18 billion and Sh21 billion.

‘In Kenya, we remain focused on executing our strategy through segment-led execution and integrated solutions and our customer business will deepen partnerships to accelerate 4G+ devices access and availability alongside scaling content solutions,’ Safaricom’s chief executive officer Peter Ndegwa said previously.

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

It 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.

Safaricom’s net profit grew from Sh28.11 billion a year earlier. The telco is expected to declare an interim dividend in February next year.

The operator remains the subject of further corporate action as the government prepares to cede a 15 percent stake and future dividends in the firm to South Africa’s Vodacom Group in a deal expected to raise Sh244.5 billion for the exchequer, reducing its dependence on debt to fund its budget deficit.

The National Treasury is expected to receive Sh40.1 billion in upfront dividends as part of the transaction, with the amount representing a discount on expected shareholder payouts from its remaining 20 percent stake.

The transaction requires requisite approvals from major regulators including the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) in addition to the green light of Members of Parliament.

A new Parliamentary report has revealed intriguing details following an inquiry into the pricing of tea in Kenya. Several entities disclosed how tea farmers from the Mt Kenya region earn higher than their peers in Western and Rift Valley, in revelations that have shed more light on operations of one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners. While the farmers from the region classified as West of the Rift Valley (WoR) supply 70 percent of the tea sold at the Mombasa auction, their produce fetches relatively lower prices as compared to their counterparts in the east of the Rift Valley (EoR) region.

What is the economic size of Kenya’s tea sector?

The tea sector is the third leading foreign exchange earner for Kenya, bringing in Sh181.7 billion from exports last year, and supporting an estimated 600,000 smallholder farmers countrywide, according to the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK). How is Kenya’s tea sector structured?

The tea sector is structured into large-scale producers and smallholder farmers. While large-scale farmers have the muscle to access the market, the majority of smallholder farmers operate mainly under the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA)- a private company owned by the farmers- which operates 54 factories countrywide.

The farmers take their produce to these factories, from where it is processed and taken to the Mombasa Auction for sale. A smaller number of smallholder farmers supply their produce to large-scale producers as out-growers, and the tea follows the same process to market.

Among the smallholder farmers, those located in counties classified as WoR (counties in Western and Rift Valley) supply 70 percent of the tea to KTDA, as those based in EoR (counties in the Mt Kenya region) supply 30 percent of the tea quantities.

Why do farmers’ earnings vary from one zone to another?

Different players have indicated a number of reasons causing tea from Mt Kenya counties to fetch higher prices than the produce coming from Western and Rift Valley. The TBK, which regulates the sector, cites a number of reasons, mainly high production costs among factories in the WoR, where it costs 31 percent higher compared to EoR factories. It also says that Pakistan and Egypt, the major buyers of Kenyan tea, have had a preference for tea from the EoR, thus making it competitive at the Mombasa auction. The regulator also cites low quality of tea from WoR as being responsible for the produce fetching low prices, noting that the region’s quality has particularly dropped since 2021 when the government introduced a reserve price to guarantee farmers minimum earnings.

‘Some of the directors required factory managers to compromise green leaf standards from tea farmers on account of the guaranteed reserve price,’ TBK says.

Are agro-ecological conditions a factor in earnings?

KTDA, which represents the majority of smallholder farmers, also says natural geographical factors like altitude, soil, and climate causes the quality of tea in WoR counties to be lower than that of the counties in EoR, thus causing the disparity in prices.

The agency also blames human influences of agronomy, such as plant husbandry, varieties, plucking standards, plucking cycles, and post-harvest handling of the leaf for lowering tea quality in the WoR. Other factors cited by the KTDA are buyer preferences, demand, and supply forces vis-à-vis the different varieties of tea available in the market, and the quality of made tea, such as poor size of grade, mixed grading, and presence of fibre.

Farmers from the WoR blame substandard green leaf due to poor crop husbandry, shortage of pluckers, and cartel control over labour, which reduces harvest efficiency and increases costs, and inconsistent access to fertiliser and farm inputs for earning less than their EoR counterparts.

How does tea pricing happen at the Mombasa Auction?

Valuation of tea offered for sale at the Mombasa Auction is done by brokers following tasting to ascertain its quality.

The tea tasting parameters of interest include the physical appearance of the tea in terms of the degree of blackness, evenness and blackness of the particles forming the grade, as well as its liquor properties of brightness, colour, briskness/astringency, strength and flavour, the TBK explains.

The teas are then classified as ‘best’, “good”, “good medium”, “medium”, “lower medium”, and “plainer”, and it is from these grades that the tea is valued to provide a bidding price.

‘The lower quality of green leaf plucked by farmers in the WoR explains the reasons why most of the teas in the Region fall within the category of “medium” to “plainer” category,’ the regulator says.

What can a farmer do to improve the quality of green leaf which is the first stage?

While there exist factors farmers may be unable to address in pursuit of boosting tea quality, actions such as professional crop husbandry, plucking the required leaves, and handling the green leaf carefully before delivering to the factory can boost tea quality.

The TBK observes that its surveillance shows green leaf quality standards in the WoR are less than 50 percent in most instances, against the desired minimum of at least 60 percent.

What is being done to improve the quality of tea from the WoR?

The government says the removal of the reserve price in October last year was one of the actions aimed at boosting the quality of tea from Western and Rift Valley, where cases of a drop in quality were witnessed in recent years, causing stockpiles of unsold product.

The State is also providing a Sh3.7 billion concessional financing to smallholder tea factories to modernise their equipment and expand production of orthodox teas as a way to cut costs, since high production costs eat into farmers’ earnings.

KTDA also says its plan is to ensure that the quality of tea is assessed from the factory, during the manufacturing process, and once packed into a lot, even before it gets to tea brokers and buyers, to ensure that it gets to the final stages in good quality.

The waiting time for radiotherapy services at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) more than doubled in the financial year ended June 2025, dealing a blow to cancer patients amid repeated breakdowns of key medical machines.

Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Latest data shows radiotherapy wait times at Kenya’s top referral hospital jumped to an average of 37 days from 18 days in the previous financial year.

This was more than twice the target of 17 days, with the hospital attributing this to machine breakdown and increased demand for the service.

‘In the financial year 2022/23 and 2024/25, targets were not met. This was due to frequent equipment breakdown and increased demand for radiotherapy services at the hospital,’ says the State Department for Medical Services in health sector reports to the Treasury.

KNH has faced recurring issues with its radiotherapy machines, particularly the Linear Accelerator (Linac) machine, which is a critical part of the hospital’s cancer treatment.

The rise in wait times for radiotherapy services contrasted with chemotherapy, which saw an improvement to 2.57 days compared to three in the previous year, and the targeted 12 days.

This was on the back of introducing round-the-clock services. ‘Targets met and overachieved. The hospital introduced 24-hour outpatient chemotherapy services as well as the implementation of the patient navigation programme,’ said the department on chemotherapy wait times at KNH.

Overall, KNH saw the number of oncology sessions on chemotherapy and radiotherapy drop to 22,873 in the year ended June this year from 43,216 in the previous year.

This points to the impact of the Linac machine setback.

Machine breakdowns also affected highly specialised services at the hospital.

KNH’s cardiothoracic unit reported missed surgery targets in 2024/25, specifically due to the breakdown of the image intensifier and Cath lab equipment-both essential for heart surgeries. The number of heart surgeries fell to 1,045 from 1,293. Radiotherapy delays were not unique to KNH. Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital reported wait times of 70 days from 69 in the previous financial year and 46 in 2022/2023.

However, MTRH posted a rise in the number of external beam radiotherapy sessions to 21,482 from 17,014, surpassing the targeted 10,150.

‘This was attributed to continued scheduling of patients and timely treatment planning, and by operationalisation of the second Linac radiotherapy machines, employment of two more medical physicists, and timely procurement of radiotherapy source,’ said the State department.

Over the same period, MTRH saw the number of oncology sessions on chemotherapy and radiotherapy rise to 1,492 from 1,092 due to the availability of oncology medication and equipment.

At Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), the average wait time for radiotherapy improved to 18 days in the year to June 2025 from 60 days in the previous year, but came short of the targeted 12 days.

This was due to the high number of patients.

‘The targets were not achieved due to the inability to meet the demand for radiotherapy services. The hospital capacity for radiotherapy (one Linac machine) is stretched to the maximum,’ said the State Department.

The average wait time for chemotherapy services at the same hospital more than doubled to 14 days from six days due to increased demand.

This eroded the gains in the previous financial year, where the introduction of a new shift for chemotherapy services had cut the average wait time from seven days.

In financial year 2024/25, the number of patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at KUTRRH dropped to 19,561 from 21,640 due to challenges with supplies of chemotherapy drugs.

For years, HR teams have battled a familiar frustration: investing heavily in new programmes that employees barely use. Whether it is learning initiatives, wellness activities, new HR technologies, diversity efforts or recognition schemes, many well-designed strategies fail quietly because employees simply do not engage with them.

The issue is not the quality of the programmes themselves; it is the assumption that once something is launched, adoption will automatically follow. In today’s workplace, participation must be earned.

Historically, HR relied on a compliance-driven approach: issuing directives from above, sending reminder emails, setting deadlines and implying consequences for non-completion. But the modern workforce, particularly younger employees, no longer responds to pressure or obligation.

They expect relevance, clarity and choice. If people do not understand why something matters, even the most urgent initiatives become background noise.

Marketers mastered this challenge long ago. Their work revolves around capturing attention, generating interest and influencing behaviour-exactly what HR has been trying to do but with less effective tools.

There is now a compelling opportunity for HR teams to adopt proven marketing practices that make their internal programmes more appealing, more visible and ultimately more successful.

The first shift HR must embrace is an audience-first mindset. Marketers spend years understanding customer behaviour and preferences, segmenting their audiences and tailoring messages accordingly. HR can do the same.

Employees are not a single, uniform group. They differ by generation, role, working environment and motivation. Understanding these variations allows HR teams to frame programmes in ways that resonate, rather than relying on generic communication that appeals to no one.

Equally important is the way HR introduces new initiatives. Marketers never send a single announcement and hope for results; they build campaigns with teasers, stories, testimonials and follow-up narratives. HR can significantly increase adoption by adopting a similar approach.

A new programme should be rolled out in phases, reinforcing the purpose, showcasing internal success stories and keeping the conversation alive through regular touchpoints. This transforms HR communication from one-off notices into ongoing engagement.

Branding is another lesson HR can borrow. Products succeed because people recognise and relate to them. The same principle applies internally. A leadership programme branded as ‘Emerging Leaders Lab’ creates excitement in a way that a generic ‘Leadership Training’ never will.

Visual identity-logos, colours, taglines, even small branded materials-helps an initiative stand out. When respected employees or leaders i.e. internal influencers publicly endorse a programme, it gains credibility and momentum, much like customer influencers in the commercial world.

Content quality also matters. In marketing, content is crafted carefully to attract and hold attention. HR must raise its standards here. Dense, jargon-heavy communication no longer works.

Employees respond to clear storytelling, clean visuals and concise formats that fit naturally into their workday. With information coming from every direction, HR must compete for the same attention employees give to social media, news and digital content.

Finally, HR must embrace data as a strategic tool. Marketers track analytics relentlessly-open rates, click-throughs, conversions. HR can look beyond completion rates to measure what truly matters: behaviour change, repeated usage, segment-specific participation and the long-term impact of programmes. Data provides insight into what employees value, what needs improvement and how future initiatives can be refined.

The broader shift is clear. HR can no longer rely on authority to drive engagement. The tactics of the past-deadlines, directives and warnings-deliver compliance, not commitment. Real engagement comes from relevance, storytelling and emotional connection. Adoption is not automatic; it must be inspired.

If marketers can sell products through identity, influence and compelling narratives, HR can apply the same principles to sell ideas that shape the employee experience. Because the future of HR isn’t about forcing action. It’s about inspiring it.