Category: Business Daily

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) began inspecting all cargo containers both loaded and empty, in July 2025.

The move was met with uproar, as traders in crop products reported massive disruptions to their businesses owing to the inspection rule, with some cargo consignments left behind at the Mombasa port as impatient shipping lines set sail amid delays.

According to Kephis, all shipping lines and agents since July 1 this year, are required to share the manifest for both imports and exports with the department in advance to facilitate efficient inspection and compliance.

The state agency responsible for assuring the quality of agricultural inputs and produce said the certificate is enshrined in the law as provided under the legal notice 48 and CAP 324, which allows the institution to charge Sh500 for a container and Sh2000 for sea vessel inspection.

Why is container and vessel inspection important?

The agency said international markets for flowers, legumes, tea, coffee, and other agricultural products call for the consignments to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, which is only issued after inspection.

Lack of such a certificate makes Kenyan products lose market as they fail to comply with international standards. Kephis also argues that the institution conducts inspections to avert importation of pests from disinfected containers and ships.

Barely a month after the said inspection began, Kephis announced that it had intercepted a ship carrying a heavy infestation of the Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM), which is a serious pest at the Port of Mombasa, and managed to successfully disinfect the ship.

Why introduce container and vessel inspection fees?

Kephis charges the amount for the inspection of sea vessels and their containers, and aircraft to ensure compliance with phytosanitary standards.

The agency said the implementation of fees for phytosanitary services will ensure quality imports and exports of agricultural produce and products while also preventing the introduction and spread of pests and diseases.

Traders, though, have dismissed the agency, saying it is funded by taxpayers’ money, hence it should receive support from the government.

The introduction of the fees began after President William Ruto in July 2023, asked different agencies to be innovative and generate more funds to run their programmes, where he said institutions that cannot sustain themselves will be merged or dissolved.

What has been the impact of the inspection fee?

Since Kephis began inspection, different shipping lines have increased the operational costs, the latest being the Danish Shipping Line; Maersk, which controls more than 30 percent of the Mombasa port’s total throughput.

The inspection fee has resulted in increased cost of freight, which will ultimately lead to a high cost of goods to the final consumer. Beginning this month, Maersk introduced an operational Cost Imports (OCI) fee for cargo destined for Mombasa.

In the tariff, the shipping line will charge $18 for a 20-foot container and $33 for a 40-foot container, while reefers will be charged $33 and $43 for 20-foot and 40-foot containers, respectively, saying the operational fee is a result of the new cost of inspecting and acquiring a phytosanitary certificate introduced by Kephis in August this year.

CMA CGM, Diamond Shipping, among other shipping lines, have also introduced such a fee to recoup the cost associated with the introduction of a phytosanitary certificate.

Apart from an increase in cost, Mombasa port and different container freight stations (CFSs) have experienced delays due to the lack of capacity of Kephis to inspect containers on time. As a result, several vessels have left Mombasa half-empty without containers after their berth time elapsed without receiving containers, contributing to the current empty container congestion at the port and container depots.

What is the reaction of traders and shipping agents?

Shipping agents in Mombasa have argued that introduction of the services is a duplication of duty to what Kenya Port Health has been doing all along. Port health under the FAL convention board the ships to ensure conformity of edibles and crew hygiene, including medicines onboard.

The shippers said Kephis has no business to do with inspection of ships since, as per the International Maritime Organization (IMO) all containers are inspected from the port of load by qualified surveyors for empties and laden by various government organs and issued with a Certificate of Conformity (COC) hence, charges are not warranted.

Shipping is regulated by international laws, and Kephis is just causing additional delays in the supply chain, the players lamented.

A dispute over ownership of a housing subsidiary linked to the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (Kuscco) has prompted a fresh audit into the unit’s operations, amid concerns over a financial exposure of about Sh1.69 billion.

Kuscco, the umbrella organisation for saccos, says Kuscco Housing Co-operative Society (KHC) has operated for years as its subsidiary, where it holds a 70 percent stake. However, the apex body claims the unit’s directors have disputed Kuscco’s shareholding and attempted to assert their independence.

The dispute has prompted the intervention of the office of the Commissioner for Co-operative Development, with the commissioner, David Obonyo, ordering a review into the housing unit’s ownership structure and financial dealings. A letter seen by this publication shows that Kuscco managing director Arnold Munene wrote to Mr Obonyo on August 26 this year, protesting the actions of the housing unit’s leadership, led by CEO Julius Odera. KHC has been attempting to rebrand and move out of Kuscco’s premises.

In the letter to Mr Obonyo, Mr Munene sought orders to stop officials of KHC from convening an annual general meeting. He also called for an investigation into Mr Odera and requested a review and audit of the company’s books of accounts, cautioning that losing control of KHC will lead to loss of money.

‘We believe these actions are essential to protect member investments, uphold cooperative values, and maintain the reputation of the Union and the cooperative movement. We kindly ask for your immediate attention to this matter,’ reads Mr Munene’s letter.

The commissioner’s intervention comes amid revelations of a Sh1.69 billion fraud linked to the housing unit, which formed part of a wider Sh13.3 billion loss uncovered at Kuscco following a forensic audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The PwC fraud in KHC was in the form of former senior Kuscco officials irregularly tapping loans in their name and that of their associates, defaulting on payment, and then falsifying the books of accounts to conceal the theft. The fraud in housing loans was concentrated in KHC and Kuscco Housing Fund (KHF) -a Kuscco department that was restructured to KHC in December 2019.

For instance, the audit revealed that 240 loans valued at Sh1.11 billion were issued in excess of the maximum allowable limit of five times members’ savings, with the officials of Kuscco, KHC, and KHF leading in irregular borrowing.

Mr Odera is among the few Kusco officials who remain in office, serving as CEO of KHC, despite a forensic audit linking him to several financial improprieties, including conflict of interest, borrowing beyond allowed limits, and defaulting on payment.

For instance, the PwC audit shows Mr Odera obtained a Sh10 million loan from KHF against savings of only Sh940,700, representing a multiplier of 10.6 times. He also took a top-up loan of Sh4.5 million against savings of Sh228,000, translating to a multiplier of 19.7 times -far exceeding the approved maximum of five times.

Mr Munene’s letter prompted Mr Obonyo’s office into action. He appointed assistant commissioner for Co-operative Development of Nairobi, Fondo Nzovu, and senior co-operative auditor of Nairobi, John Kariuki, to carry out investigations.

Mr Munene states that Kuscco has been the ‘primary financier and operational backbone’ of KHC, and the unit continues to operate within Kuscco premises, yet some board members are claiming full ownership and control.

‘Some KHC directors have initiated a legal challenge against Kuscco’s shareholding structure and its representation on the KHC board. This action is described as inconsistent and misleading, given that Kuscco has historically held a majority of seats on the KHC board,’ said Mr Munene in the letter.

The investigations concluded last Wednesday though no formal findings have been released. KHC was formed in 2019 after Kuscco amended its bylaws, restructuring the Kuscco Housing Fund (KHF) from an internal department into a subsidiary.

Mr Munene said Kuscco had facilitated the transfer of Sh416 million in member savings from KHF to KHC even as 80 percent of KHF members transitioned into the new unit. He cautions that this could be lost if KHC breaks away.

The PwC audit revealed irregular loan approvals, diversion of rental income, and procurement anomalies. Kuscco argues that allowing the KHC team to continue carrying out affairs as though they are independent is an attempt to escape accountability.

‘The findings provide a strong legal basis for an inquiry and potential legal action against the CEO and other involved parties, as they demonstrate a failure to protect the financial interests of the cooperative and its members,’ said Mr Munene in the letter.

KHC shareholding was set at 70 percent for Kuscco and 30 percent for individual and corporate members, with a requirement that Kuscco retains at least 51 percent of ownership and board representation in all subsidiaries. This arrangement saw Kuscco nominate six of its directors, including the then managing director, George Ototo, to serve on the KHC board.

Mr Munene told Mr Obonyo that KHC has over the years ‘relied extensively’ on the financial, operational, and infrastructural support of Kuscco, including the Sh113.57 million disbursed between 2020 and July 2024 to cover staff salaries and office consumables for the unit. In 2020 alone, Kuscco absorbed Sh6.03 million in administrative costs of KHC.

Individuals joining KHC pay a registration fee of Sh3,000 with minimum shares of Sh20,000 and are sustained with at least Sh3,000 monthly contributions. Corporations joining KHC pay Sh10,000 with minimum shares of Sh50,000 and minimum monthly contributions of Sh10,000.

KHF and KHC continued to operate even after the restructuring, complicating the web of financial transactions. Kuscco is currently auctioning houses in the hands of 684 individuals who have defaulted on a Sh1.7 billion loan issued under KHF.

Kuscco is keen to maintain control over all its units as it seeks to recover the billions of shillings lost over the years through a web of financial improprieties.

Kuscco targets to recover at least 70 percent of the Sh8.8 billion principal amount that Saccos had invested in the umbrella entity within the next three years. This is through loan recoveries, auctions of houses and land for those who defaulted on mortgages, and the sale of a stake in the insurance arm.

Visitor arrivals through the country’s two main airports and other borders grew by 48.1 percent to 1.8 million during the first nine months of this year, coinciding with a visa-free policy that took effect at the start of 2025.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that in the nine months to September, visitors entering the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the Moi International Airport, excluding Kenyans, rose from 1.27 million in a similar period last year.

The rise came in the wake of a decision by Kenya to impose a visa-free policy for all visitors, which, from the start of this year, was in a bid to grow tourism and boost earnings to the economy.

It also coincided with an increase in flight frequencies by several international airlines into the country, allowing for more travelers into Kenya.

Kenya introduced an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) system in 2024 as part of its visa-free policy on the expectation that the high number of visitors would lead to increased spending, thus boosting the economy.

The eTA has, however, sparked off complaints, especially for frequent visitors from non-African countries, given that, besides the charges, there is the short validity period of the permit. The eTA was later scrapped.

In the period under review, several airlines added new routes, including Kenya Airways and Etihad, while Air France expanded its passenger capacity with a larger aircraft from Paris to Nairobi.

Increased visitor numbers are set to further drive the country’s earnings from tourism, from the record high of Sh352.54 billion recorded last year, even though executives remained jittery about US President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies and the non-renewal of preferential terms under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).

Last year, some 2.08 million tourists visited the country, up from 1.54 million who came a year earlier.

But the visitor numbers from June this year are likely to have been impacted by the anti-government protests that rocked Kenya.

A Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) survey published last month showed that Chief Executive Officers in the tourism and manufacturing sectors expect to suffer the biggest hit from Trump’s protectionist trade policies and the non-renewal of the Agoa terms.

The survey showed that overall, about two-thirds (64 percent) of the respondents expect to be negatively impacted by the recently raised US trade tariff on Kenyan goods and the expiry of the Agoa, which provides duty-free access to the US for thousands of products from 32 eligible African countries.

‘Most respondents anticipate being affected by the recent US trade tariffs and policy changes through higher import costs for inputs and finished goods and reduced exports to the US after the expiry of Agoa,’ the CBK survey said.

‘They also expect lower consumer demand due to reduced disposable incomes from declining profits and job losses, as well as secondary effects on local businesses reliant on affected clients. For instance, the hotel industry reported reduced business, with fewer conference bookings from NGOs and other donor-funded programmes’ it added.

President Trump, on April 2, 2025, imposed a 10 percent tariff on imports from some African nations, including Kenya.

Mr Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose a baseline tariff on all US trading partners in a bid to address what he termed as ‘absence of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships’.

Kenya is also among African countries set to be hardest hit by non-renewal of the Agoa deal with projections by the UN Conference on Trade and Development indicating that the country’s average weighted trade tariff with the US will nearly triple to 28 percent on expiry of the preferential trade deal, signaling a major blow to jobs and investments in the country’s textile and apparel sector.

The High Court in Nairobi has resolved how the estate of the late Chief Justice Johnson Evan Gicheru will be shared out amongst his heirs following a two-year succession process.

In the ruling, the court confirmed a grant issued earlier and outlined how the former Judiciary head’s extensive properties, company shares and vehicle would be allocated among beneficiaries.

Gicheru, who passed away on December 25, 2020, was survived by his widow, Margaret Wangechi Gicheru-who has since also died-and seven children.

He served as Chief Justice from 2003 to 2011 under the late President Mwai Kibaki.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a Senior State Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General and as an administrative officer in the Office of the President, before ascending to the High Court and Court of Appeal benches and ultimately becoming Chief Justice.

The estate comprised land parcels in Kirinyaga and Kajiado, shares in Kenya’s state power producer KenGen, shares in Kirinyaga Traders Company Limited, and a Volkswagen Touareg.

Since he died intestate-without a will-his family was compelled to undergo succession proceedings.

Court records indicate that disputes arose shortly after the widow obtained letters of administration in 2023, with beneficiaries disagreeing over the estate’s division.

This led the court to refer the parties to mediation, which yielded a partial settlement in August 2024, resolving some asset allocations but leaving seven jointly owned land parcels unresolved.

These remaining properties became the primary contention point. Some children advocated for equal distribution among all eight beneficiaries, including their mother.

However, the widow opposed this, arguing the subdivisions would shrink the land parcels into uneconomical bits while driving subdivision costs too high.

Instead, she proposed consolidating the seven adjacent parcels, retaining her legally entitled half-share as a tenant in common with her late husband, and dividing his remaining half equally among their seven children.

She also sought to uphold an earlier mediation agreement granting her three acres of the Kajiado Kaputie-North property, where she had built a permanent home, and disclosed that the seven parcels had outstanding land rates totaling Sh589,850.

Three daughters-Rosalind, Lilian, and Florence-countered this arrangement, arguing that while the widow was entitled to a life interest, the court should prioritise equitable distribution among all beneficiaries rather than granting her consolidated ownership.

The protesters argued that the court should consider the interests of the other beneficiaries.

After evaluating both proposals, the court ruled in favour of the widow’s approach, deeming it both fair and pragmatic.

The judge noted that Kenyan law permits courts to avoid physical land subdivision when it would create impractical units.

The court acknowledged that the widow had relinquished her life interest and was only claiming her lawful share.

Consolidating the parcels and splitting them into two equal portions-one retained by her estate and the other divided among the children-was deemed the most equitable solution.

In its ruling, the court stated: ‘Having regard to the circumstances, I favour the first proposal of the administrator. She has waived her life interest. She is entitled by operation of law to a half-share of each parcel. It is fair, therefore, that she be allowed to consolidate the parcels, divide the merged land into halves, retain her portion, and distribute the other half equally among the seven children.’

The judge directed that the widow’s half of the consolidated land remain with her estate, while the other half be equally apportioned to the children.

Additional assets, including the Volkswagen Touareg and KenGen shares, were confirmed as hers, while Kirinyaga Traders shares were allocated to their son, Evan Njue.

The court granted the administrator nine months to finalise property transfers, scheduling a compliance review for October 5, 2026.

Most of us think career growth is all about effort, that is doing more, learning more, pushing harder. We talk a lot about professional growth – new skills, leadership programmes, mentorship, and promotions. But what if your biggest career blocker isn’t your boss or your opportunities, but your body?

Across workplaces today, professionals are quietly burning out while trying to keep up with the pace of modern work. Skipping breakfast for early meetings, surviving on caffeine, and sleeping less than six hours a night has become normal. But what’s often dismissed as dedication is slowly turning into depletion.

The truth is, work performance doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s tied to what we eat, how we rest, and the spaces we work in. Physical health has become an invisible performance barrier.

When employees are constantly fatigued, battling headaches, or falling asleep in meetings, the problem isn’t laziness – it’s exhaustion.

Poor diet, lack of rest, and sedentary routines are quietly robbing people of focus and creativity. Many are also fighting lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, conditions that don’t just impact their personal lives but their professional capacity too.

Ironically, some workplaces make this worse. A growing number of employees report feeling guilty or even victimised for taking sick leave. In some offices, requesting time off to recover is treated like a lack of commitment. The unspoken message is clear – show up, no matter how you feel.

This culture of presenteeism doesn’t build resilience; it breeds resentment and chronic illness. It’s a short-term gain for long-term loss.

Forward-thinking companies are starting to notice this connection. Beyond traditional wellness programmes, they’re reimagining how the workplace itself can support physical and mental health.

Some now offer meal benefits to encourage proper nutrition or gyms for physical workouts, while others provide break rooms or quiet zones where staff can decompress between tasks.

Employers who truly care about performance must see wellness as a shared responsibility, not a personal burden. Encouraging short walking breaks, flexible working hours, or even offering gym partnerships can do more for productivity than yet another meeting about productivity. People who move, eat well, and rest enough perform at a higher level, collaborate better, and stay longer.

Still, the responsibility doesn’t rest on organisations alone. Professionals must take ownership of their own well-being. Making time for medical check-ups, eating better, walking more, and sleeping properly aren’t acts of luxury; they’re acts of longevity.

Equally key is learning to set boundaries. Saying ‘no’ to endless late nights or unrealistic workloads isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s an act of self-preservation.

Sustainable careers are built by people who know when to pause, recharge, and protect their mental and physical limits. The discipline to rest is just as valuable as the drive to perform.

Success at work demands more than skills and ambition. It demands stamina , the ability to stay sharp, creative, and grounded in the face of constant change. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you can’t grow from an exhausted shell.

The real career strategy is not just working hard or smart. It’s staying well and healthy enough to sustain the pace, thrive in the moment, and enjoy the rewards.

The value of building constructions in Nairobi dwarfed all 44 counties combined, underlining the concentration of real estate development in the capital city.

New Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data values work done on construction of buildings in Nairobi last year at Sh384.9 billion, which was 40.6 percent of all the constructions across the country.

Overall, work on setting up of buildings across the country was valued at Sh947.6 billion, inching closer to a trillion shillings after rising from Sh925 billion in 2023, and by a third over five years.

The KNBS data says during the year, the 44 counties had work valued at Sh361.7 billion on building constructions, translating to 38.2 percent of all constructions in the country.

Nairobi led with the highest value, followed by neighbouring Kiambu County, which implemented works valued at Sh120 billion, and Mombasa with works valued at Sh80.9 billion.

Nakuru County had building construction works valued at Sh35.4 billion, Machakos (Sh34.9 billion), and Kisumu (Sh23.9 billion).

The report provides context on construction across the country, at a time when the government continues to roll out projects under the affordable housing programme (AHP).

During the state of the nation address last month, President William Ruto said the government had launched the construction of 230,000 houses across the country.

‘The programme has created over 428,000 jobs, including architects, engineers, fundis, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, masons, transporters, and thousands of MSMEs in fittings and interior works. At peak next year, it will employ up to 1 million Kenyans,’ President Ruto said.

At least 13 counties had works valued more than Sh10 billion on the construction of buildings happening in 2024, including Machakos (Sh34.9 billion), Kisumu (Sh23.8 billion), Kajiado (Sh18.9 billion), Embu (Sh17 billion), Marsabit (Sh16 billion), and Murang’a (Sh15.9 billion).

Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, West Pokot, Tana River, and Lamu had the lowest value of construction works happening during the year, each valued below Sh1 billion.

The KNBS statistics show that 84,743 Kenyans were employed in construction of buildings last year, which was a slight drop from some 85,685 who were employed in 2023.

The industry, however, spent Sh236.2 billion paying the workers, which was a marginal increase from a wage bill of Sh235.1 billion the previous year.

Overall, output of the construction of buildings sub-sector was estimated at Sh849 billion, marking a 33.7 percent growth since 2020.

The statistics agency had earlier this year reported that the private sector completed construction of residential and commercial buildings valued at Sh149 billion in Nairobi last year, but the new report provides a wider picture of the total value of buildings that were completed, those that closed the year under construction, and those constructed by the government.

‘The total value of completed buildings in Nairobi City County declined by 2.3 percent to Sh149.9 billion in 2024. The number of reported completed private buildings declined from 22,093 in 2023 to 21,807 in 2024,’ KNBS said in the 2025 Economic Survey.

In the latest report on the value of building plans approved for construction in the capital, Nairobi City County data shows that buildings valued at Sh129.4 billion were approved over nine months to September 2025.

Wealthy families, celebrity athletes, investment delegations and ultra-private business executives are now driving the highest occupancy rates in Kenya’s presidential suites, setting a new standard for Kenya’s hospitality market.

Once dominated by heads of state and diplomatic entourages, the Sh1 million plus per night suites are increasingly being booked by a new class of high-spending travellers prioritising privacy, exclusivity and spaces that can double as both sanctuary and boardroom.

Mohammed Hersi, former Kenya Tourism Federation chairman, says presidential suites have evolved into some of the most strategic assets in Kenya’s luxury hospitality industry, driven by rising security expectations, changing traveller behavior, and a growing appetite for ultra-private experiences.

‘Wealthy families, celebrity athletes, investment delegations, and ultra-private business executives are driving the highest occupancy rates. The growth is unmistakable,’ Mr Hersi tells the Business Daily.

The new standard

Any hotel classified as five-star in Kenya, Mr Hersi says, now qualifies-or in some cases, is required-to have a presidential suite, a shift from earlier years when such suites were primarily reserved for hosting heads of state.

Over time, he says, the requirement has expanded to include all five-star establishments, reflecting the rising expectations of luxury travellers and the increasingly competitive nature of the hospitality sector.

‘The modern presidential suite goes far beyond size and aesthetics,’ says the hotelier, noting that since Covid-19 five years ago, guests are increasingly willing to pay $1,000 or more per night for the full experience.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ (KNBS) Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Report, Kenya’s hospitality sector recorded 4.1 percent growth in the first quarter of 2025, a sharp slowdown from the 38.1 percent surge during the same period last year, signalling a return to normal growth after the post-pandemic rebound of 2024.

‘We’re seeing a shift in expectations. High-end travellers are no longer satisfied with just luxury finishes; they want a space they can fully control, and many are willing to pay top dollar for that,’ says Mr Hersi.

What level of space control is satisfactory to these high-spending travellers?

‘They are highly engineered spaces built to international security standards, with separate entry and exit points, adjoining rooms for security, and pantries where meals can be inspected or prepared,’ explains Mr Hersi.

Despite the slower tourism growth pace, KNBs notes that international tourist arrivals rose 3.5 percent in the first four months of the year, reaching 751,692 visitors, while Kenya was named Africa’s fourth-best tourism destination and the top recipient of tourism FDI (foreign direct investment) in 2024 by UN Tourism, cementing its global reputation.

The requirement of presidential suite in all five star hotels underpins the competitive landscape of Nairobi’s luxury hospitality sector, where global and local brands want to attract top-tier clients and international events.

‘Nairobi hotels have them because they’re big with MICE (Meeting, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). You can host 10 to 15 presidents at one go,’ Mr Hersi says.

What is luxury?

Javier Sanchez, the General Manager of Glee Nairobi, says that luxury today is defined by personalisation, privacy, and creating spaces where international clients feel completely at ease.

Mr Sanchez notes that focus is now on meeting the nuanced needs of privacy-driven international guests.

‘They come here to escape, to enjoy quiet and privacy. The true mark of luxury is the ability to be unseen, unheard, and entirely themselves. Our international clientele is no longer after extravagance; they want sanctuaries: spaces where every detail is tailored just for them,’ he explains.

Glee’s suite is divided into three distinct units, each with its own bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Guests share a heated pool, dining area, and office space, all carefully insulated from the rest of the hotel.

‘What sets us apart is the way we personalise every experience for our guests. We charge $15,000, (Sh1.9 million) per night for the entire suite and $5,000 (Sh646,750) per night if you take the individual unit. A private chef prepares meals inside the suite so guests remain completely unseen by others in the hotel. We also gather details in advance; what temperature you want in your room, the type of linen on your bed, your preferred beverages, every element is tailor-made to suit the client,’ Mr Sanchez says.

‘It’s a sanctuary’

Acharya Javvaji, the General Manager of Muthu Sovereign Suites and Spa in Limuru, says their presidential suite attracts families on vacation as well as dignitaries seeking privacy and exclusive comfort.

‘We’ve seen a consistent rise in bookings for the presidential suite, especially among families looking for an intimate retreat and high-profile guests who require top-level discretion. Its exclusivity and tranquillity make it one of our most sought-after spaces. What guests love most is the experience. It’s not just a room, it’s a sanctuary. From private dining to the steam room and panoramic views, we designed it to feel like a home away from home for our most discerning visitors,’ he says.

Refined elegance

Anthony Chege, Nairobi Serena Hotel General Manager notes that the property has long been the address of choice for presidents and power brokers. Its two presidential suites, Chale and Lamu, stand as a cultural tribute to East African identity.

‘Our presidential suites are inspired by the coastal architectural traditions of Lamu and Zanzibar. They embrace a Pan-African approach with handcrafted details, warm textures and refined elegance,’ says Mr Chege.

Additionally, he notes that the demand for the suites has grown, attracting a diverse clientele, reflecting a broader shift in Kenya’s luxury hospitality market. Each client, Mr Chege observes, comes with different expectations, but all are seeking privacy, exclusivity, and highly personalised experiences.

‘We have seen increased bookings from statesmen, dignitaries, international celebrities, and high-profile corporate leaders, as well as local guests seeking elevated experiences for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and honeymoons. Booking one of the rooms comes with a price tag of Sh1million per night,’ he says.

Seamless integration

Over the years, Villa Rosa Kempinski and the Fairview Hotel have long maintained presidential-level accommodation designed to offer privacy, controlled access and the capacity to host official or sensitive meetings.

Kempinski’s suite, for instance, is known for its restricted floors and formal reception areas suitable for state guests. The Fairview, while more understated, caters to diplomatic travellers who prefer quiet, compound-style security and residential layouts.

Other Nairobi properties including Serena, Sankara and the Sarova Stanley also operate their own top-tier suites, reflecting sustained demand from government delegations, multinational executives and visiting dignitaries.

Safari Park Sales and Marketing Manager Mercy Wanjala says the value of the presidential suite lies in its seamless integration with high-level business and diplomatic needs. She notes that the hotel is occupied just 1-2 nights per month, translating to an annual rate of 7-10 percent.

She notes that bookings cluster around major conferences, national holidays, and key tourism seasons, with peak demand aligned to large summits, government and diplomatic events, cultural or sports occasions, and festive periods such as Christmas and New Year.

‘Corporate clients lead in frequency of bookings, followed closely by diplomatic delegations, international religious leaders, and government representatives. Heads of state and celebrities are accommodated selectively, while local high-net-worth clients occasionally reserve the suite for private events. All VIP bookings are managed under strict privacy and security protocols,’ says Ms Wanjala.

Bespoke services

She adds that most reservations for conferences, diplomatic visits, and corporate travel are made weeks or even months in advance to allow coordination of security and bespoke services.

However, last-minute bookings also occur, often for celebrity appearances, urgent corporate visits, or overflow from other events.

‘The standard nightly rate for Safari Park Hotel’s Presidential Suite is $2,500 plus government taxes, with custom pricing available for longer stays or bookings that include meeting rooms and catering. Pricing remains consistent regardless of season, event, or guest profile, though certain diplomatic or corporate contracts may involve confidential negotiated rates,’ she said.

Kenyan households are confronting yet another season of rising prices. The cost-of-living crisis experienced in recent months continues to burden families whose budgets were already stretched thin.

Indeed, even when headline inflation softens slightly, at its current 4.6 percent, the everyday reality in supermarkets and kiosks tells a different story. A modest fall in the price of maize flour, for instance, is rarely enough to counter sharp rises in vegetables, electricity and transport.

What many Kenyans feel most acutely is not the movement of national averages but the weekly pressure of meeting basic needs with incomes that do not keep pace.

In this environment, the kadogo economy emerges as a central mechanism through which households manage uncertainty. The idea that small becomes smart is now shaping how consumers buy and how companies produce.

While the model has existed for decades, its relevance has reached a new peak as disposable incomes tighten and formal credit remains inaccessible for most households.

The smallest unit becomes a budgeting tool that allows families to match cash flow to daily requirements without committing to large expenditures.

Local manufacturers have taken note and are rapidly shifting to small, affordable packs.

Many other companies have had to reconfigure their production lines, adjust distribution networks and cultivate retail partnerships that can handle high volumes of low unit value products.

This is a strategic motivation as much as it is empathetic, with firms that do not adapt risking losing their customer base to competitors that understand the new spending logic. The approach reduces barriers at the point of sale and ensures that brands remain within reach for lower and middle income buyers. It also cushions manufacturers against erratic demand.

Smaller packs move steadily regardless of economic cycles since they align with daily rather than monthly budgets.

This adaptation is visible across sectors, with cooking oil producers now selling quantities that are small enough to cook a single meal.

Detergent brands offer measured sachets that guarantee predictable spending, as beverage companies adopt similar strategies in response to shifting consumption habits in both urban and peri urban areas.

Even premium focused brands have begun experimenting with downmarket extensions that allow them to stay present in the consumer’s consideration set during periods of financial constraint.

Critics argue that small packages have a higher cost per unit than bulk purchases, which is numerically true. But the comparison misses reality on the ground. For many households, the choice is not between a large bottle and several small ones, it is between purchasing a small pack or going without the product entirely.

Small units, therefore, remain not just a practical solution but an economic necessity for millions. As the cost of living continues to evolve, the brands that thrive will be those that design with reality-not assumptions-in mind.

A record 122 persons were electrocuted in the year that ended June 2025 amid increased illegal connections and encroachment on power lines, turning the spotlight on the level of public safety awareness and adherence to the law.

National electricity distributor Kenya Power revealed that the number includes 115 members of the public, five employees and two contractors as the number rose from 118 a year earlier.

The increased fatalities shine the light on illegal connections, encroachment on areas where the transmission lines pass and also faulty wirings, which have left Kenya Power racing to scale up public awareness in a bid to address the risks. Kenya Power can only compensate victims when fatalities are caused by negligence from its side, meaning that families of most of the 122 people killed are not likely to be paid.

‘Unfortunately, there were 122 fatalities attributed to electrocutions and operational-related accidents, comprising 115 members of the public, five employees and two contractors,’ Kenya Power says in its latest annual report.

The utility has for years grappled with the headache of illegal connections and people encroaching on power lines, especially in informal settlements, in breach of the Energy Act 2019.

Kenya Power data shows that out of the deaths in the review period, 21.7 percent were caused by faulty wirings, 12.2 percent due to encroachment on power lines and 11.2 percent were caused by illegal power connections.

Collapsed Kenya Power lines caused 10.5 percent while vandalism led to seven percent and third-party interference (4.3 percent). Illegal electric fences, acts of ignorance and protection gaps are the other causes of the fatalities.

However, scores of other victims especially those who have breached the law and encroached on wayleaves of high-voltage lines, those who have illegally tapped electricity and others with faulty connections are exposed in case of electrocutions.

Illegal connections lack safety installation standards and besides exposing the public to the risk of electrocution, they also lead to overloads on transformers, thus exacerbating the risk of an unstable grid.

An unstable grid has a higher risk of power surges or outages, which in turn creates a risky environment for Kenya Power engineers working to maintain the system.

Besides the risk of electrocution, power theft in the illegal areas continues to deny Kenya Power millions of shillings in electricity sales.

Vandalism is one of Kenya Power’s biggest headaches and a booming demand for copper and scrap materials in the region has been cited as a major driver of the crime.

Encroachment, especially in urban areas has continued unabated despite the heavy penalty contained in the Energy Act, 2019.

Infringing on wayleaves or vandalising power lines are categorised as economic crimes with a fine of not less than Sh5 million or to a term of imprisonment of ten years or to both.

Kenya Power has in recent years faced mounting lawsuits as families of persons electrocuted seek justice on grounds that the deaths were caused by negligence from Kenya Power.

For example, the High Court in Mombasa ordered Kenya Power to pay Sh3.2 million to the family of a woman who was electrocuted by a fallen power line in Mombasa.

The State-owned electricity distributor had early last year been ordered to pay another victim Sh14.2 million for electrocution. Some of the lawsuits have hit the utility due to the heavy compensation package that the courts have awarded victims.

The firm was in 2021 ordered to pay Sh22 million to the family of a girl whose both hands were amputated after she touched live electric wires. Kenya Power lost an appeal to lower the compensation package.

The cases highlight the financial hit that Kenya Power takes whenever negligence from its staff leads to fatal electrocutions.

Families pushing for compensation for their kin who have been electrocuted must demonstrate the culpability of Kenya Power in those fatalities.

Vandalism, encroachment and flawed connections are rampant problems in the informal settlements even as Kenya Power continues to spend millions of shillings in sensitizing Kenyans on the deadly consequences.

Kenya Power routinely conducts public safety campaigns and undertook 648 such meetings in the year ended June 2025, a rise of 36 percent from 476 a year earlier.

The take-home pay by domestic workers in Kenya almost doubled over the past decade, growing 75.7 percent from Sh51.3 billion in 2015 to Sh90.2 billion last year, new data shows.

Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) represent households directly paying wages and allowances to domestic staff and other support workers, highlighting enhanced shifts in social and economic patterns.

KNBS equates the Sh90.2 billion to 0.6 percent of the value of Kenya’s economy as at the close of 2024.

Household-paid labour includes roles carried out by nannies, cooks, cleaners, personal care assistants, and other staff hired directly by families for daily tasks.

Elderly care is a growing category, as families engage caregivers to assist ageing household members with daily activities, health monitoring, and companionship.

Temporary and casual work also forms part of household-paid labour, with families employing staff for short-term maintenance, errands, or event-related services.

Most of these arrangements remain informal, with payments made in cash and without formal contracts or statutory contributions.

KNBS data shows that the growth in the value has been steady, with household employment consistently rising each year between 2015 and 2024.

Household employment has become a measurable contributor to economic activity, representing demand for services that are not captured in formal enterprises or traditional employment data.

Growth in household employment is partly linked to increased participation of women in the formal workforce, creating demand for paid domestic support.

Technological platforms and online marketplaces have further facilitated household hiring by connecting families with available workers for flexible, short-term, or recurring tasks.

Despite its growth, however, household-paid labour largely escapes formal regulation, leaving workers without social protection and statutory benefits such as leave or health coverage. Its informal nature also creates tax gaps, as paid wages are seldom captured in conventional tax monitoring, limiting the government’s view of the sector’s economic footprint.

While KNBS captures the financial value of wages paid by households, an earlier report by the national statistician had pegged the value of unpaid domestic work done by Kenyans at Sh2.423 trillion, with women putting in Sh1.9 trillion worth of labour, as men contributed Sh353.9 billion.

According to the study, each Kenyan woman performs unpaid work valued at Sh118,845 per year, while each man’s worth of this work is valued at Sh22,676 per year.

This means women’s unpaid labour amounts to more than five times the collective Sh2.423 trillion annual unpaid domestic and care work, underlining the disproportionate burden of care and domestic responsibilities borne by women.

The report identifies food and meals management and preparation as the single most valuable category of unpaid work for women in Kenya at Sh1.073 trillion from 14.7 billion hours compared to men’s Sh157 billion courtesy of 2.1 billion hours.

The second most valuable form of unpaid work was caring and maintenance of textiles and footwear, where women’s unpaid work was valued at Sh295.98 billion compared with men’s Sh55.33 billion.

Cleaning and maintaining the home and its surroundings was the third highest unpaid work for women at Sh192.92 billion, while that of men was Sh48.17 billion.

Caring for children, including feeding, cleaning, and physical care, came fourth with women at Sh176.83 billion and men at Sh7.12 billion.

Rounding out the top five categories was shopping for household and family members, where women devoted hours valued at Sh65.58 billion compared with men’s Sh27.64 billion.