Category: Business Daily

In conversations about climate change and the urgent need to build climate-resilient economies, banks, investors, and governments often take centre stage. Yet there is one sector, which is just as critical to enabling this transition: insurance.

Green investments cannot scale without insurance. Every wind farm, geothermal plant, solar park, or electric vehicle depends on the assurance that risk can be managed.

Insurance forms the invisible backbone of the green economy and is one of the most powerful enablers of green growth. By taking on risks that would otherwise deter financiers, insurers help mitigate the risks associated with green investments, giving banks and investors the confidence to channel capital into clean energy projects and climate-resilient infrastructure.

However, their role extends beyond protection. Insurance, at its core, is about people. It is about safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and progress.

As climate-related shocks such as floods, droughts, and extreme storms intensify, the strain on communities, businesses, and national economies across Africa is unprecedented. For families and enterprises in East Africa, access to insurance cushions these shocks and provides a pathway to recovery and resilience.

Beyond protection, insurance also serves as a compass for the flow of capital. Through underwriting decisions and risk pricing, insurers can guide capital allocation toward low-carbon, climate-resilient ventures, ensuring that markets reward sustainability rather than perpetuating high-carbon risks.

This catalytic role is increasingly recognised at the global level. The United Nations Environment Programme’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance emphasise that insurance is not only about transferring risk, but also about preventing and transforming it.

Similarly, the OECD highlights climate risk insurance as a critical tool in strengthening adaptation, particularly in vulnerable regions in Africa.

Across the continent, insurers are already putting this into practice-from providing cover for hydroelectric power plants, dams, and solar energy installations to underwriting geothermal and wind energy projects.

By taking on these complex and capital-intensive risks, the insurance sector is helping catalyse Africa’s green transition, building the confidence that enables investors, governments, and communities to commit to clean and resilient energy systems.

In underwriting these projects, insurers transfer risk and actively catalyse East Africa’s green transition, building the confidence that enables investors, governments, and communities to commit to clean and resilient energy systems.

To sustain this momentum, insurers must also evolve how to understand and manage climate risk. Increasingly, companies are adopting internal climate risk assessment tools that evaluate the exposure of corporate and small and medium enterprise policyholders to both physical and transition risks.

These tools integrate indicators such as sectoral vulnerability, geographic exposure to extreme weather events, and transition factors like regulatory shifts, carbon intensity, and market changes.

The green transition is not just an environmental imperative; it is an economic one. Insurance will determine which investments thrive and which falter in the face of climate uncertainty. For insurers, the mission is clear: to build confidence in a future that is cleaner, fairer, and more resilient.

By mapping climate risk across portfolios, insurers enhance their underwriting, protect SMEs, ensure that capital flows to climate-resilient activities and consequently empower clients to self-assess and be more resilient.

Globally, the opportunity before the insurance industry is enormous. If countries deliver on their current renewable energy targets, the related investments would generate additional premiums from the energy sector of $237 billion by 2035, a tenfold increase compared to $22 billion in premiums from oil, gas, and coal insurance paid in 2022.

Even with slow progress, the potential for insurers to unlock green growth remains vast.

Public universities in Kenya will benefit from a Sh9.5 billion ($73.31 million) loan from the African Development Fund-the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), aimed at strengthening science and technology education.

Implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education, this financing marks the second phase of the Support for Higher Education, Science and Technology (HEST) Project.

The initiative will modernise 19 public universities by equipping them with advanced laboratories, updated teaching tools, and improved digital learning infrastructure.

Three engineering centres of excellence and a science and technology park will also be established, providing spaces where students and researchers can transform innovative ideas into practical business and industrial solutions.

‘For many, education remains the surest path to a better life,’ said Hendrina Doroba, Division Manager for Education and Skills Development at AfDB.

‘We’re helping Kenya’s young people gain the skills that employers need today-and the confidence to create their own jobs tomorrow.’

Similarly, the HEST II will fund scholarships for 103 university lecturers, provide retraining for academic staff in line with emerging technological needs, and implement a competency-based education system.

The initiative will also promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship by offering training, mentorship, and incubation support to more than 100 start-ups, providing young innovators with the necessary space and resources to grow their enterprises.

The first phase of the project, HEST I, launched in 2012, laid the groundwork by upgrading eight public universities, modernising laboratories, and enhancing engineering and applied science programmes. It also supported staff training, curriculum review, and stronger links between academia and industry.

The second phase involves rolling out the initiative nationwide to ensure that all regions benefit from a more equitable, innovative and well-connected higher education system that supports Kenya’s Vision 2030 goals.

It is expected that the project will benefit over 20,000 students by 2030, including 8,000 young women, and generate approximately 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Passengers and motorists involved in accidents where the drivers had expired licences will qualify for insurance compensation under proposed rules that also allow customers with unpaid premiums to enjoy coverage, as the regulator seeks to curb arbitrary rejection of claims.

The draft Insurance (Claims Management) Guidelines, 2025 introduces strict timelines for claim processing, bans unreasonable grounds for rejecting claims, and imposes stronger customer service obligations on insurers.

If adopted, the guidelines by the Treasury will require insurers to compensate drivers whose licences may have expired at the time of an accident, provided they were not disqualified from holding one.

Policyholders often face arbitrary rejection of claims, with insurance firms offering divergent reasons for their decisions.

The Treasury has spelled out in the proposed rules a list of ‘unreasonable or unfair grounds’ that insurance companies can no longer cite when rejecting claims.

Insurers will not be allowed to decline claims from incidents that have been reported late without considering and documenting the reasons for the delay.

Claims will also not be rejected due to non-payment of premiums where the insurers had not cancelled the policy or where cancellation was done by brokers and agents without notifying the policyholder.

The guidelines also bar insurers from rejecting claims on non-disclosure of facts customers could not reasonably be expected to know or innocent misrepresentation that is neither fraudulent nor negligent.

Undiagnosed pre-existing medical conditions will not be used to reject claims, notably life covers.

Insurers will also lose the right to reject claims based on breach of conditions if the terms of the policy were not provided to the customer.

The rules are aimed at protecting policyholders while improving the image of an industry that has long faced criticism over delayed or rejected claims.

Many insurers have been relying on technical grounds to reject legitimate claims.

‘The objective of these guidelines is to ensure prompt payment of claims and promote consumer confidence in the insurance industry,’ the draft guidelines say.

Insurers see the proposed guidelines as a mixed bag and are currently deliberating before taking a position through their umbrella body, the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI).

‘Currently, insurers make their own assessments, usually based on the uniqueness of each case at hand. Having the grounds for not rejecting claims spelled out is a mixed bag for the industry,’ said William Kiama, the AKI manager for general insurance business.

‘For instance, reporting a claim late may, in some circumstances, mean the insurer cannot collect any evidence to determine whether they are dealing with a genuine claim.’

Mr Kiama said while many insurers may not have a problem with settling a claim for drivers with expired licences, doing so for those whose premiums they have not received would be impractical.

‘We understand the spirit of the guidelines is for consumer protection, but it should also strike a balance with the industry’s ability to fairly assess and manage risks. Our members are still going through the draft up to November 5, after which we will state our position,’ he said.

IRA data shows complaints against insurers rose for the fourth straight year to 1,962 in 2023, surpassing the 1,878 in the previous year.

Delayed settlement of claims accounted for 1,045 or 53.3 percent of the complaints, followed by 370 cases of denied claims (18.9 percent) and 227 cases of unsatisfactory compensation (11.6 percent).

In the half year ended June 2025, insurers rejected claims worth Sh1.51 billion compared with those worth Sh879.85 million that were declined in a similar period last year.

Kenya’s insurance penetration rate – the ratio of premiums to gross domestic product – remains below three percent compared to the world’s average of seven percent, despite the country’s relatively mature financial sector.

The new guidelines also aim to rein in the delays in claims settlement, which has seen many Kenyans view insurance as a last resort product rather than a financial safety net.

If adopted, insurers will be required to acknowledge receipt of claim notifications within two working days and to provide clear instructions on the documents needed for processing.

Once all required documents are received, insurers will be required to acknowledge this within another two days and settle the claim immediately if the liability is clear.

If further assessment or investigation is required, the insurer will be required to appoint an insurance service provider, such as a loss adjuster or investigator and communicate this to the claimant.

Once the assessment or investigation report is received, the insurer will have seven days to make an offer or communicate the rejection, complete with reasons.

The proposed guidelines also seek to standardise how motor vehicle valuations are done.

All vehicles must be valued at policy inception and upon renewal, with the valuation forming the basis for determining compensation.

This proposal aims to eliminate disputes arising from undervaluation or inflated depreciation during claims.

The provisions effectively strengthen consumer rights and limit insurers’ discretion to reject claims without clear justification. They will also speed up the claims settlement process.

Insurers will be required to develop detailed claims handling procedure manuals-covering every step from notification to settlement for all classes of business. The manuals will include expected timelines for each stage and define internal controls and reporting systems.

Insurers will also be expected to update customers regularly on the progress of their claims and to establish a well-resourced customer service function to handle queries and complaints.

The High Court has ordered real estate and property management firm Lloyd Masika Limited to disclose its financial records to Stanbic Bank Kenya, escalating a debt dispute triggered by alleged inflated asset valuations.

The court granted Stanbic Bank’s application compelling Lloyd Masika to produce its books of account, audited financial statements, bank statements, title documents, and such other records relevant to the recovery of the contested debt.

The unprecedented decision comes after a public auction of the firm’s assets, which recovered less than two percent of the outstanding debt.

The legal battle traces back to February 2018, when Lloyd Masika valued three Machakos County properties (Machakos/Ndalani Phase II/461, 462, and 465) at Sh87 million open market value and Sh56.5 million forced sale value.

Relying on this valuation, Stanbic Bank advanced a Sh40 million loan to an unnamed borrower.

Trouble began when the borrower defaulted, prompting Stanbic to commission a revaluation that pegged the same properties at Sh17 million open market value and Sh13.1 million forced sale value-a huge drop from Lloyd Masika’s initial assessment.

Stanbic was aggrieved with the occasioned loss because it advanced a loan facility on the footing of Loyd Masika’s report.

The dispute was referred to arbitration, and in December 2021, the arbitrator found Lloyd Masika ‘wholly negligent in submitting false valuation reports,’ holding the firm liable for the Sh40 million loss Stanbic incurred.

The arbitrator noted the valuations fell ‘outside permissible margins of error’ and ordered Lloyd Masika, a prominent real estate firm, to pay Sh44 million, including costs.

Despite the company’s attempts to set aside the award, the High Court upheld it as binding in April 2023.

However, Stanbic’s recovery efforts hit roadblocks after Lloyd Masika defaulted on repayment, leading to a public auction that raised only Sh1.1 million, of which Sh706,335 was remitted to the bank. The lender said the debt balance remains unpaid.

It accused the company of concealing assets and sought court orders to compel directors to submit to oral examination as to the debts owing and means of satisfying the decree.

The bank hinted at plans to lift the corporate veil should evidence emerge that directors fraudulently transferred company assets to evade creditors.

Lloyd Masika’s directors opposed the application, arguing they had initiated a separate case at the High Court to enforce a Sh500 million professional indemnity insurance policy from UAP.

They insisted that this insurance policy constitutes a “chose in action” (a legal right to sue) capable of satisfying the decree and that the bank’s application for disclosure of financial books was therefore premature. The company argued that the bank’s application was intended to embarrass and blackmail the directors.

“The bank knowingly contracted us under an agreement requiring this insurance. Their application is premature and violates our constitutional property rights,” the directors stated in court filings.

However, the court dismissed Lloyd Masika’s objections, noting that the existence of an insurance claim did not exempt the firm from disclosing other financial affairs.

The court held that the insurance claim does not preclude the decree-holder from invoking Order 22, Rule 35 of the Civil Procedure, which allows decree holders to apply for the disclosures.

‘The purpose of this provision is to enable the decree-holder to obtain information on the company’s assets and financial affairs. Whether or not the insurance claim ultimately satisfies the decree is a separate question that does not foreclose discovery of other potential assets,’ ruled the court.

The ruling shows that upon furnishing the bank with the stated documents, the lender will be at liberty to apply for the cross-examination of the company directors in court, potentially leading to piercing the corporate veil-a rare move that would expose directors’ personal wealth to recovery efforts.

The preferred contractor for the Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit Highway is heading into talks with the government seeking a raft of tax reliefs-including a 30-year corporate income tax exemption on toll revenues.

The consortium says the goal is to keep tolls affordable for motorists while making the project bankable for investors over the life of the concession.

A summary of the evaluation report published by the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha), the contracting authority, shows that the consortium of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Trust has requested 18 tax exemptions. The government has since settled on the privately-initiated-proposal (P-i-P) for the CRBC-NSSF consortium.

Some of the tax sweeteners the bidders are looking for include relief from county cess and other levies that they argue raise the cost of delivering Sh170 billion toll road from Nairobi to Mau Summit in the Rift Valley.

However, the government has insisted that the CRBC-NSSF consortium should enter negotiations having designed the project under the existing legal tax regime.

The requested adjustments may only be considered for discussion at a later stage, and cannot be treated as pre-conditions for moving the project forward.

‘The Proponent is to proceed to the next stage subject to unequivocal and unconditional confirmation that it shall.apply the existing legal tax regime to the project,’ reads a summary brief of the project development phase documents for CRBC and NSSF. This sets a firm baseline for talks.

The CRBC-NSSF consortium has sought exemptions on virtually every tax applicable to the project, including value-added tax (VAT), corporate income tax, withholding tax and import duty-cost items they say feed into the eventual tolls that users pay.

The bidders argue that targeted reliefs would ease cash flow pressures and support faster delivery.

The group is seeking a corporate income tax holiday on toll revenues collected from motorists using the upgraded road over the 28-year concession period. They also propose that toll fees should not be subjected to the 16 percent VAT. Their view is that trimming these charges will reduce operating costs and help keep the price per kilometre in check for users.

The CRBC-led consortium has proposed a base toll of Sh8 per kilometre, adjustable to reflect inflation and exchange rate movements.

Under this approach, the toll would start at a set level and then rise modestly each year to account for the cost of money and imported inputs needed to maintain the road.

The proponent also wants VAT zero-rating for goods and services procured locally and imported for use on the project. This covers the construction of the road from Nairobi via Nakuru to Mau Summit, and the Nairobi-Maai Mahiu-Naivasha link. They further seek excise duty exemptions for imported or locally purchased vehicles above 1,500cc used on the project.

Additional requests include exemptions from import duty and the Export and Investment Promotion Levy on equipment and materials used on the road.

The consortium also proposes withholding tax exemptions on payments to non-resident expatriates during construction and operation, covering income, dividends, insurance premiums and interest on loans. They want similar relief for payments to resident contractors and agents working on the scheme.

Beyond operating taxes, the bidders want changes to the Income Tax Act to improve cash flow over the concession. They seek permission to carry forward tax losses from the project throughout the period by amending Section 15. They also want relaxation of interest deduction limits so all project-related interest can be deducted during the concession.

In addition, they propose a Capital Gains Tax exemption when the project special-purpose vehicle’s shares are transferred during the concession and again when the road is handed back to the government. This would require changes to the Eighth Schedule of the Income Tax Act.

The consortium also seeks relief on stamp duty. It wants renewal of a discontinued legal notice that granted exemptions for secured loan agreements used to fund strategic infrastructure. It further asks for renewal of Legal Notice 60 of 2016 to exempt stamp duty on the initial nominal share capital of the project company.

At the county level, the bidders want local levies and cess to be waivable under existing law. They point to the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and county Finance Acts, which allow County Executive Committee Members for Finance to waive or vary county taxes, fees and charges under set criteria and proper documentation.

Taken together, the bidders say these measures would lower financing and transaction costs, ultimately helping to keep toll fees affordable for motorists.

The government, however, faces tight fiscal constraints and is likely to be cautious about granting extensive concessions when public finances are strained.

A massive nine out of every 10 of the Sh65 billion unclaimed assets, including cash shares and dividends, are worth below Sh1,000, piling pressure on the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) to lower the cost of reunifying the properties with their owners.

Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that 17.7 million of the 20 million idle assets in the books of UFAA, or 88.5 percent as of the financial year ended June 2024, are worth sums below Sh1,000.

Cash sums below Sh100 formed the bulk of the idle asset records forwarded to the UFAA, with 61.5 percent or 12,318,000 falling under this category.

The Auditor-General said that holders of small amounts were forced to incur high costs, such as travel expenses and certification fees, when claiming the money from the agency. This resulted in most of them forgoing the money.

All claimants are required to present claim forms duly commissioned along with certified copies of the national identity card and the Kenya Revenue Authority PIN certificate. The cost of certifying the documents is an average of Sh500.

Claimants are also required to physically visit the office of the unclaimed asset holder to obtain an official letter, increasing the time and cost involved in lodging the claims.

‘Due to the non-differentiated nature of the claim process, apparent owners of unclaimed financial assets that were relatively low in value incurred the same cost as high-value claimants. Consequently, fewer claims were lodged, leading to a low reunification rate,’ reads the report by the Auditor-General.

The National Treasury was cited for failing to implement proposals by UFAA to simplify the claims process. The agency had proposed the use of a single standardised form to be signed by the claimant without certification by a judicial officer or legal practitioner. The small amounts accumulated to form a huge sum, with the authority previously disclosing that assets worth less than Sh5,000 totalled Sh43 billion.

These small amounts have been attributed to people forgetting their bank accounts, ignorance, relocation, and death.

Mobile money has also been cited for the small records, as dormant accounts are passed on to new users.

On the upper side, 2,000 records worth between Sh500,000 and Sh750,000 were submitted to the authority. Records worth more than Sh100,000 but below Sh500,000 were 22,000.

The auditor general urged UFAA to make use of Huduma Centres to decentralise its services and increase the rate of reunification with rightful owners of assets.

‘The audit established that the authority intended to deploy their staff in the Huduma Centres, although they had yet to recruit the required staff. This contributed to the low number of claims lodged and ultimately the low reunification rate,’ said Ms Gathungu.

As of August 2024, the authority had received Sh65 billion from holders of unclaimed assets, with four percent of the assets reunified with their rightful owners.

Assets are considered unclaimed if they are dormant for a long period. The period differs between asset classes; for example, dormant bank accounts become unclaimed after five years, while utility deposits such as water and electricity are marked unclaimed two years from the date service is terminated.

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) faces pressure ahead of the peak activity at the Mombasa port, coinciding with the December festivities.

Traders and shippers are cautioning of potential delays and congestion if the port agency fails to streamline operations to manage the anticipated high volume of cargo.

The number of vessels scheduled to dock in Mombasa is much higher compared to previous years.’

The port is braced for record vessel traffic in the next few weeks as traders rush to stock up ahead of the December festivities.

More than 50 vessels are expected to dock at the Mombasa port in the coming 14 days, including 34 container ships, 11 conventional cargo carriers, four car carriers, and two oil tankers.

The port traditionally records peak traffic in November, following a buildup in activity from late July into October as traders stepped up shipment of stocks in readiness for the Christmas period.

A latest Central Bank of Kenya survey of more than 1,000 private sector CEOs confirmed projections of heightened business activity ahead of December.

The survey shows private sector firms plan to raise the number of full-time employees in the final quarter of the year to support heightened activity anticipated during the festive period.

The CEOs expect improved business activity in the fourth quarter, relative to the third, with higher demand orders, sales, production volumes, and employment levels projected as consumer spending rises.

The Mombasa port handled 32.86 million tonnes of cargo throughput between January and September 2025, compared to 29.97 million during the same period last year, marking a 9.6 percent growth.

In the latest data, the port registered 1.55 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) between January and September 2025 compared to 1.46 million TEUs in 2024.

The increase represents a growth of 91,000 Teus, equivalent to 6.2 percent.

KPA Managing Director, William Ruto, said the agency has invested in equipment and technology to boost efficiency at the port.

‘Over the past year, the port has invested heavily in modern handling equipment and technology to boost throughput. Last month, we brought ten Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) to improve efficiency and are part of the authority’s equipment modernisation programme, with the new cranes expected to ease rising cargo pressure at the port,’ he said.

KPA two weeks ago offered a significant amnesty on port storage charges for long-stay containers at the Mombasa port ahead of the peak season.

The agency offered an 80 percent waiver on the accrued storage fees as one of the strategies to ease pressure on the port. The amnesty runs until November 6, 2025. Any cargo not cleared by the deadline would be transferred to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (ICD).

‘This measure is expected to improve port efficiency by clearing up space currently occupied by aged cargo. We intend to expedite the clearance of cargo by offering 80 percent amnesty on accrued storage fees,’ Mr Ruto said in an October 15, 2025, notice.

KPA said the waiver applies to long-stay containers that have been at the port of Mombasa for more than 21 days from the date of the notice, and those affected cargo owners must lodge a waiver application to be considered for the reduction.

While offering the amnesty, the KPA issued a firm warning regarding uncleared transit containers, saying that all long-stay transit containers that are not cleared within the notice period will be transferred to the Naivasha ICD.

‘This transfer will be at the owner’s cost. Furthermore, these containers shall attract normal storage charges from the date the container landed in Mombasa,’ Mr Ruto said.

Kenya stands on the cusp of a remarkable opportunity in its economic partnership with China. For years, Beijing has been one of Nairobi’s most significant trading partners, a key financier of infrastructure projects, and an enabler of industrial transformation.

While the trade balance has long tilted in China’s favour, largely due to Kenya’s heavy importation of machinery, construction materials, and manufactured goods, the story is not one of inequality but of potential.

Now, with China having announced preferential tariff treatment for African countries, including Kenya, there is a genuine chance to turn this long-standing relationship into a more balanced and mutually beneficial partnership.

Recent figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that China’s trade surplus with Kenya rose to about Sh295 billion in the first half of 2025. Imports from China reached over Sh304 billion, while exports from Kenya fell to just under Sh9 billion.

On the surface, these numbers appear worrying. Yet they also reflect Kenya’s continued reliance on Chinese technology, which has powered much of the country’s modernisation, from the standard gauge railway to digital connectivity and industrial development.

The challenge now is not to limit imports but to expand exports, turning the relationship from one of dependency into reciprocity.

China’s recent announcement of preferential tariff treatment for African countries, which includes a wide range of Kenyan products, offers a timely and transformative solution.

Under this initiative, key agricultural exports such as tea, coffee, avocados, and cut flowers will enjoy duty-free access to the Chinese market. For a nation whose economy still draws strength from agriculture, this development is more than a diplomatic gesture-it is an open invitation to scale up production, improve quality, and tap into one of the largest consumer markets in the world.

The Chinese market is not only vast but increasingly sophisticated. A growing middle class is demanding premium, organic, and ethically sourced products. Kenyan goods enjoy a strong reputation globally for their purity and quality, making this a natural match. With tariff barriers lifted, Kenyan exporters now have a direct path to reach consumers who value authenticity and sustainability.

To fully benefit, however, Kenya must prepare for this new phase. Tariff removal alone will not guarantee export growth. The country must enhance production capacity, maintain strict quality standards, and ensure compliance with China’s import requirements.

This means investing in agricultural technology, farmer training, and product certification. It also requires efficient logistics-from cold storage to transport-to meet international standards.

Kenyan exporters should see China not just as a distant market but as a partner in improving standards and competitiveness.

Equally vital is the need to move beyond raw exports. For decades, Kenya’s export basket has been dominated by unprocessed goods that fetch lower global prices. The time has come to shift toward value-added products-blended teas, roasted coffee, processed avocado oil, and branded macadamia snacks.

Exporting finished products would allow Kenya to capture more value domestically, create jobs, and strengthen rural industries. China’s own journey from a raw material exporter to a manufacturing powerhouse offers valuable lessons Kenya can adapt to its local context.

There is also immense potential for deeper industrial cooperation. Rather than viewing Chinese imports as competition, Kenya can see them as catalysts for growth.

Joint ventures between Chinese and Kenyan enterprises could facilitate technology transfer, enhance skills, and boost productivity.

Collaboration in agro-processing, light manufacturing, and e-commerce could open new markets. Digital platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com already provide avenues for African goods to reach Chinese consumers directly. Kenya should leverage these to promote its agricultural and craft products to a fast-growing, quality-conscious audience.

Infrastructure remains central to export success. Thanks to China’s partnership through the Belt and Road Initiative, Kenya now enjoys modern ports, railways, and highways that can support expanded trade.

The next step is to refine logistics by improving customs efficiency, expanding cold-chain capacity, and streamlining cargo handling at ports and airports. These upgrades will make exports more competitive and reliable.

Policy alignment is equally crucial. Kenya must accelerate its Integrated National Export Development and Promotion Strategy, emphasizing diversification and product quality.

Establishing permanent trade offices in Chinese cities such as Guangzhou, Hunan, and Fujian could help exporters understand market trends and build lasting partnerships. These efforts would convert diplomatic goodwill into measurable economic progress.

It is important to recognise that China’s preferential tariff treatment reflects a spirit of partnership, not charity. It embodies Beijing’s vision of shared growth with Africa-an understanding that mutual prosperity benefits both sides. A stronger Kenyan export sector complements China’s interest in stable, growing African economies.

This gesture of openness underscores China’s long-term commitment to cooperation and balanced development.

Kenya must seize this moment. The widening trade deficit should not be seen as a weakness but as a call to action-to produce more, innovate more, and trade smarter.

By embracing value addition, fostering industrial collaboration, and aligning policy with opportunity, Kenya can bridge the trade gap not through confrontation but through cooperation.

China has extended a hand of partnership; it is now up to Kenya to grasp it firmly. With strategic investment, discipline, and creativity, this preferential tariff treatment could mark the beginning of a new era-one where trade between Kenya and China reflects not imbalance, but shared progress, mutual respect, and lasting prosperity.

In Kenya today, media isn’t just entertainment-it’s the heartbeat of youth culture. It’s the Gengetone beat pulsing through TikTok dances, the graffiti on matatus turning public transport into a gallery, the viral YouTube skits that echo our humour, and the Showmax series that finally reflect our lives on screen.

For a generation raised online, content is currency. It’s how we express ourselves, connect, and dream.

But behind this cultural boom, a quiet theft is unfolding. Piracy is bleeding our creative economy dry. And the most painful truth? It’s not faceless hackers or shadowy syndicates doing the damage. It’s us.

Every time we stream a pirated link, repost a TikTok without credit, or download a movie from a sketchy site, we’re not just breaking the law-we’re breaking the backs of the very creators we claim to support. It feels harmless. Convenient. Even justified. After all, who wants to pay for something they can get for free?

But here’s what that ‘free’ costs: a filmmaker in Kisumu goes unpaid. A dancer in Mombasa loses recognition. A podcaster in Nairobi misses out on sponsorship.

Every stolen view is a stolen opportunity. And when those opportunities vanish, so do the stories, the beats, the voices that make Kenyan culture so electric.

Globally, digital piracy costs the media and entertainment industry over $75 billion annually, with projections pushing that number to $125 billion by 2028. More than 229 billion visits to piracy websites were recorded in 2023 alone, with Gen Z and millennials contributing to over 70percent of those visits. This isn’t just a global problem-it’s a generational one.

And Kenya is not immune. Our creative economy, though still emerging, is already a vital part of our national identity and economic potential.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the creative sector employs over 1.5 million youth, accounting for approximately 10 percent of total youth employment. Yet despite this promise, the sector remains heavily informal, fragmented, and vulnerable to exploitation.

In 2023, Kenya’s creative economy contributed 0.2percent to GDP and 0.25percent of total wage employment. Those numbers may seem small, but they represent a foundation that could grow exponentially-if protected. With 75percent of Kenya’s population now under the age of 35, the creative industry is not just a niche-it’s a national opportunity.

Platforms like Showmax have given Kenyan stories a stage. But piracy threatens all of this. Every illegal download chips away at the foundation of our creative economy. It tells our artists their work isn’t worth paying for. It tells our youth that shortcuts are acceptable. It tells our culture that it’s disposable.

This isn’t just a legal issue. It’s a moral one. If you love Kenyan content-if you share that TikTok skit, stream that Gengetone anthem, binge that Showmax drama-then you have a responsibility. Protect what you love.

Stream from legitimate platforms. Pay for subscriptions. Refuse to share pirated links. Report illegal uploads. Support campaigns like Partners Against Piracy (PAP) that fight for creators’ rights.

Because every time you choose legit content over a pirated version, you’re investing in Kenyan talent. You’re saying yes to a future where our stories are told, our voices are heard, and our culture thrives.

And the stakes are high. Piracy doesn’t just hurt creators-it hurts the economy. In Kenya, where 43percent of youth are unemployed, protecting creative jobs isn’t optional-it’s urgent.

In Kenya today, media isn’t just entertainment-it’s the heartbeat of youth culture. It’s the Gengetone beat pulsing through TikTok dances, the graffiti on matatus turning public transport into a gallery, the viral YouTube skits that echo our humour, and the Showmax series that finally reflect our lives on screen.

For a generation raised online, content is currency. It’s how we express ourselves, connect, and dream.

But behind this cultural boom, a quiet theft is unfolding. Piracy is bleeding our creative economy dry. And the most painful truth? It’s not faceless hackers or shadowy syndicates doing the damage. It’s us.

Every time we stream a pirated link, repost a TikTok without credit, or download a movie from a sketchy site, we’re not just breaking the law-we’re breaking the backs of the very creators we claim to support. It feels harmless. Convenient. Even justified. After all, who wants to pay for something they can get for free?

But here’s what that ‘free’ costs: a filmmaker in Kisumu goes unpaid. A dancer in Mombasa loses recognition. A podcaster in Nairobi misses out on sponsorship.

Every stolen view is a stolen opportunity. And when those opportunities vanish, so do the stories, the beats, the voices that make Kenyan culture so electric.

Globally, digital piracy costs the media and entertainment industry over $75 billion annually, with projections pushing that number to $125 billion by 2028. More than 229 billion visits to piracy websites were recorded in 2023 alone, with Gen Z and millennials contributing to over 70percent of those visits. This isn’t just a global problem-it’s a generational one.

And Kenya is not immune. Our creative economy, though still emerging, is already a vital part of our national identity and economic potential.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the creative sector employs over 1.5 million youth, accounting for approximately 10 percent of total youth employment. Yet despite this promise, the sector remains heavily informal, fragmented, and vulnerable to exploitation.

In 2023, Kenya’s creative economy contributed 0.2percent to GDP and 0.25percent of total wage employment. Those numbers may seem small, but they represent a foundation that could grow exponentially-if protected. With 75percent of Kenya’s population now under the age of 35, the creative industry is not just a niche-it’s a national opportunity.

Platforms like Showmax have given Kenyan stories a stage. But piracy threatens all of this. Every illegal download chips away at the foundation of our creative economy. It tells our artists their work isn’t worth paying for. It tells our youth that shortcuts are acceptable. It tells our culture that it’s disposable.

This isn’t just a legal issue. It’s a moral one. If you love Kenyan content-if you share that TikTok skit, stream that Gengetone anthem, binge that Showmax drama-then you have a responsibility. Protect what you love.

Stream from legitimate platforms. Pay for subscriptions. Refuse to share pirated links. Report illegal uploads. Support campaigns like Partners Against Piracy (PAP) that fight for creators’ rights.

Because every time you choose legit content over a pirated version, you’re investing in Kenyan talent. You’re saying yes to a future where our stories are told, our voices are heard, and our culture thrives.

And the stakes are high. Piracy doesn’t just hurt creators-it hurts the economy. In Kenya, where 43percent of youth are unemployed, protecting creative jobs isn’t optional-it’s urgent.