Category: Business Daily

Every year, at Pwani Oil, we participate in a coastal clean-up along the Indian Ocean shoreline in Kilifi. In just about three kilometres of beach, we routinely collect more than a tonne of non-biodegradable waste.

But what is perhaps most striking is the sheer variety of what we find. Flip flops, water bottles, cigarette butts, food wrappers, toys, phone chargers, fishing lines, broken household items and even discarded electronics all wash ashore. Unfortunately, the reality is that it just won’t stop; we clean this year and next year we return to find another tonne waiting for us.

It is difficult not to feel frustrated during these exercises. Every item we pick up tells the story of someone who purchased a product, used it briefly and then abandoned it without thought for where it would eventually end up. This makes the ocean effectively a dumping ground for habits we refuse to confront on land.

This personal frustration soon gives way to a much larger reality. What we often see on the beach is only a fragment of a far deeper ecological and economic crisis unfolding in plain sight. Scientists estimate that around eight million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans every year, while studies suggest that nearly 90 percent of seabirds have ingested plastic in some form.

Marine life across the food chain is paying the price for human convenience as sea turtles mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish and fish consume microplastics that ultimately make their way back into human diets.

Coral reefs, already under pressure from warming oceans, are increasingly also suffocated by pollution. For Kenya, a country whose coastline supports tourism and fishing livelihoods, this challenge carries serious national implications.

The problem, however, is not unique to the coast. One only needs to look at the state of urban drainage systems after heavy rains in Nairobi to see how deeply embedded poor waste disposal habits have become.

Plastic bottles clog waterways, food packaging blocks drainage channels and illegal dumping sites emerge almost overnight. Flooding in many urban areas, initially viewed purely as a consequence of weather patterns, is now increasingly linked to human negligence.

Seen in this urban context, the same patterns that choke coastal ecosystems are clearly echoed inland, pointing to a wider behavioural and systemic issue. It is within this broader reality that Kenya has, to its credit, previously shown leadership in environmental policy.

The country’s 2017 ban on single-use plastic carrier bags remains one of the boldest such decisions globally.

Initially, many predicted public resistance, but, instead, citizens adapted remarkably quickly. Today, it is difficult to imagine our supermarkets and retail spaces reverting to the era of thin plastic carrier bags.

That success demonstrates that behavioural change is possible when policy and public education align around a common goal.

At the same time, the next phase of the waste challenge is far more complex because today’s pollution crisis involves a wide ecosystem of consumption habits and waste management gaps, which no single policy or clean-up exercise will solve. I say this from my perspective as a leader in a company that relies significantly on plastic packaging.

Businesses cannot continue to manufacture products while leaving the burden of waste management solely to consumers or government.

The scale of the problem demands honesty about the role citizens play. Building a cleaner country will remain impossible if public spaces continue to be treated as dumping grounds. The habit of throwing waste from car windows, leaving litter after public gatherings or dumping refuse into rivers reflects a culture problem. We all must now agree that environmental stewardship cannot be outsourced.

Importantly, we must all strive at reducing the amount of waste that requires collecting. That means investing more seriously in waste segregation at household level, improving recycling infrastructure, enforcing anti-dumping regulations consistently and encouraging innovation around circular economies.

Thankfully, across Kenya, encouraging examples are now emerging, including community-based recycling initiatives in places like Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu that are demonstrating how waste can become an economic resource. Informal waste collectors, often overlooked in public discourse, are helping recover thousands of tonnes of recyclable material every year while creating livelihoods for themselves and others.

Elsewhere, Start-ups converting plastic waste into construction materials and paving blocks are proving that environmental sustainability and economic opportunity can coexist. Counties are also strengthening their waste collection systems, but citizens are equally called upon to support those systems by using them responsibly.

Meanwhile, schools, community organisations and even faith institutions have a role to play in shaping attitudes from an early age. Children who grow up understanding the connection between waste and environmental protection are far more likely to become responsible citizens and consumers.

Ultimately, the conversation around waste management is about the kind of society Kenya hopes to become in the decades ahead. The progress already being made across communities shows that solutions are within reach but sustaining that progress will require a shared understanding that waste is not someone else’s problem.

The choices made in homes, schools, markets, roads, offices and beaches every day will determine whether Kenya becomes cleaner and all-round resilient.

The High Court has ordered an Indian welding products manufacturer to deposit Sh30.9 million before a high-stakes trademark dispute against its former Kenyan business partner can proceed, intensifying a commercial battle centred on allegations of brand infringement and passing off.

The court directed Superon Schweisstechnik India Limited (SIL) to provide the security within 45 days and suspended further proceedings of the case until the money is deposited in a joint interest-earning account operated by lawyers for both parties.

The ruling marks the latest development in a dispute between Superon and a local company named Oxychem Africa Limited. The two companies previously maintained a commercial relationship before falling out over the use of the Superon brand in Kenya.

In the infringement suit filed November 2023, Superon accuses Oxychem of infringing its trademark and copyright and passing off products as those of the Indian manufacturer.

The company is seeking damages totalling Sh900 million, comprising Sh600 million in general damages and Sh300 million in exemplary damages, alongside other remedies.

Oxychem, however, denies the allegations and has maintained that it has a valid defence to the claims.

In allowing the application for security for costs, the court said Oxychem faced a real risk of being unable to recover its legal costs if it successfully defended the case.

“It is not in dispute that SIL is a company incorporated and resident in India,” the judge said in the ruling.

The court noted that no treaty, convention or statutory framework had been presented to demonstrate reciprocal enforcement of Kenyan judgments in India.

“If this suit were to be decided in Oxychem’s favour and costs were awarded against SIL, Oxychem would face the considerable and potentially prohibitive burden of enforcing that costs order in a foreign jurisdiction through separate proceedings,” the court said.

It added that Superon had no known assets within Kenya and that Oxychem therefore faced “a real and not merely theoretical risk” that any cost award would be unenforceable within the country.

Superon opposed the application, arguing that Oxychem had long known its address and business contacts because of their previous commercial dealings.

The Indian company also said it was the aggrieved party in the dispute and was suffering losses from the alleged infringement.

The company further argued that Oxychem had produced no evidence showing it was incapable of paying costs if ordered to do so.

The court agreed that Oxychem had not produced financial records or other documents specifically addressing Superon’s financial position.

However, it held that the central issue was not whether the company was financially weak but whether a costs order could realistically be enforced against a foreign litigant with no known assets in Kenya.

“The two inquiries are conceptually distinct,” the judge said. The court also rejected any suggestion that the order would deny Superon access to justice, noting that the company had not produced evidence showing it lacked the financial capacity to furnish the security.

The dispute concerns the protection of international brands in Kenya and the risks faced by businesses involved in cross-border distribution arrangements.

Parliament has summoned the owners of troubled Uchumi Supermarkets over the non-payment of salary arrears, gratuity, and other terminal benefits owed to former staff.

The National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee said the supermarket’s owners will be required to explain why they are proceeding to open new branches while failing to settle former employees’ dues.

Committee chairperson and Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba made the remarks after meeting former Uchumi Supermarkets staff who have petitioned Parliament to intervene and secure payment of their terminal benefits.

‘We have heard you, and I assure you we will get the job done. We will invite the owners of Uchumi to explain all the issues you have raised in this petition,’ Mr Karemba said.

‘We will ask them the amount owed, why they have not settled the dues, and why they are opening new branches as you have alleged before they settle your debts.’

The committee is currently scrutinising a petition filed by Philomena Oburenyi and Alois Mukoma, chairperson and secretary of the former Uchumi Staff Welfare Association, who complained of prolonged delays in payment of salary arrears and terminal dues owed to former employees.

The petitioners said that despite engagements with administrators, courts, and processes under the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), their claims remain unresolved.

They added that commitments made under the CVA to settle staff claims have not been honoured, despite repeated reminders and protests by former employees.

They further alleged that lease proceeds from tenants occupying company premises, including payments reportedly made by China Square, have been diverted to other uses instead of settling staff claims.

‘That lack of transparency and accountability in decision-making is affecting staff welfare. Certain directives issued during the last Annual General Meeting by the CVA monitor have not been implemented, and affected employees have not been adequately consulted,’ Mr Oburenyi said in the petition.

He added that delays in settlement have left many former employees unable to provide for their families, meet medical expenses, or support their children’s education.

The petitioners also told lawmakers that some former Uchumi employees have died before receiving their dues.

They urged the National Assembly to intervene, ensure transparency in the management of lease proceeds and company assets, and establish a clear timeline and mechanism for settling all outstanding CVA obligations.

Appearing before the committee on June 23, 2026, the petitioners accused Uchumi management of forcing them to sign terminal agreements without being shown how their final dues were calculated.

They argued that the computation was inaccurate as it excluded statutory deductions such as pensions and Sacco contributions.

East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has asked Chief Justice Martha Koome to intervene in the growing number of court battles surrounding the planned Sh340 billion sale of British multinational Diageo’s entire 65 percent stake in the regional brewer, as well as its holding in spirits maker UDV Kenya, to Japanese beverage firm Asahi Group Holdings.

EABL warned that parallel cases and conflicting court orders risk creating uncertainty over one of the largest corporate transactions in the region.

It added that the situation could undermine investor confidence and damage perceptions of Kenya’s judicial and regulatory predictability.

In a letter dated June 23, 2026, EABL’s lawyers, Iseme, Kamau and Maema Advocates, urged the Chief Justice to take administrative measures to coordinate multiple court cases challenging the transaction.

The brewer said a series of proceedings filed in different High Court stations had created a risk of conflicting decisions by courts of concurrent jurisdiction over the same deal.

The dispute centres on the proposed sale of 65 percent of shares held by the United Kingdom’s Diageo PLC in EABL to Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings, a transaction valued at about $2.3 billion (Sh340 billion). Under the deal, Asahi would take full control of Diageo Kenya Limited, the investment vehicle through which the British firm holds its EABL stake.

The Japanese company would also acquire Diageo’s 53.68 percent stake in UDV Kenya. EABL holds the remaining shares in UDV Kenya and also retains management control of the unit.

EABL told the Chief Justice that several attempts to stop the transaction had already been rejected by the High Court in Nairobi.

The company cited a ruling delivered on April 9 in a case filed by beer distributor Bia Tosha Distributors Limited, in which the court declined to issue orders stopping completion of the transaction.

It also referred to a June 18 decision in which the High Court dismissed an application by JILK Construction Company and others seeking to halt the sale.

According to EABL, another Nairobi court on June 22 declined to grant interim orders in a separate application, instead holding that public interest favoured allowing the transaction to proceed.

However, the company noted that on June 18-the same day the JILK application was dismissed in Nairobi-a fresh petition filed in Machakos resulted in conservatory orders stopping implementation of the deal.

In that case, petitioner Christine Irungu obtained interim orders restraining Diageo, EABL and Asahi from completing or giving effect to the transaction pending further directions from the court.

EABL said it was not challenging the jurisdiction of the Machakos court or the merits of the petition before it. Instead, it raised concern over what it termed forum shopping and fragmented judicial handling of the matter.

‘They added that such filings ‘amount to a clear abuse of the court process and offend the principle of judicial comity between courts of concurrent jurisdiction.’

The company further argued that the conservatory orders were issued ex-parte and had the effect of halting a transaction expected to generate Sh42 billion in capital gains tax revenue for the government.

They warned that continued uncertainty could affect shareholders, employees, suppliers, distributors and investors, while also raising concerns about the predictability of Kenya’s legal and regulatory framework.

Kenya’s boda boda industry has evolved into one of the most important economic engines, providing livelihoods for millions of youths and delivering affordable, efficient last-mile transportation to communities across the nation.

The industry, according to a report released in 2025 by Viffa, contributes to close to four percent of Kenya’s gross domestic product, generating more than $5 billion annually. From bustling urban centres to remote rural villages, motorcycles have become an indispensable part of Kenya’s mobility landscape.

However, the sector’s rapid growth has also exposed significant challenges. Rising road accidents, safety concerns, criminal misuse, and a lack of operational standards have placed the industry under public scrutiny. The National Transport and Safety Authority data shows that by early December 2025, 4,400 Kenyans lost their lives on the roads, of these 1,148 riders and 432 pillion passengers died.

In response, the government has proposed far-reaching reforms through the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill 2023.

The question facing policymakers, riders, and the public is no longer whether regulation is necessary. Still, the question is whether these reforms can achieve their intended goals without undermining the livelihoods they seek to protect.

At its core, the proposed legislation seeks to transform the boda boda sector from a largely informal industry into a structured, professional, and accountable transport system.

The Bill introduces mandatory rider registration at the county level, establishes County Motorcycle Transport and Safety Boards, enhances rider training requirements, tightens licensing procedures, and improves safety standards.

It also proposes measures such as regular motorcycle inspections, passenger and cargo restrictions, and the use of tracking technologies to improve accountability and security.

The objectives behind these reforms are both reasonable and necessary. Kenya experiences a high number of motorcycle-related accidents, many resulting in serious injuries or fatalities. In addition, criminals exploit motorcycles because it is difficult to trace riders and vehicles.

By improving oversight, strengthening safety standards, and enhancing rider accountability, the proposed regulations have the potential to save lives, improve public confidence, and elevate the sector’s reputation.

Where similar measures have been implemented effectively, the results have been encouraging. Increased helmet usage, proper rider training, and licensing requirements have consistently been shown to reduce accident rates and improve road safety.

Registration systems create traceability, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to identify offenders while protecting the vast majority of law-abiding operators. Professional training programmes can also improve customer service, vehicle maintenance, and business management skills, helping riders build sustainable careers rather than merely surviving day to day.

Beyond safety, the formalisation of the sector presents significant economic opportunities.

A regulated industry is more attractive to investors, financial institutions, and technology providers. It can facilitate better access to insurance, financing, and emerging innovations such as electric motorcycles and battery-swapping infrastructure. It also enables State agencies to collect reliable data, improve transport planning, and support long-term mobility solutions that benefit both riders and commuters.

Yet despite these potential benefits, the proposed regulations have generated considerable resistance within the boda boda community. Many operators perceive the reforms as costly, punitive, and disconnected from the realities they face daily.

For riders struggling with fuel costs, loan repayments, and unpredictable earnings, additional compliance requirements can appear less like support and more like an added burden. Motorcycle regulation in Kenya is not a non-starter.

In fact, meaningful reform is both necessary and overdue. However, for these reforms to succeed, they must strike the right balance between safety, accountability, and economic reality. If implemented thoughtfully, the regulations could transform the boda boda sector into a safer, more professional, and more sustainable industry. If implemented poorly, they risk becoming another missed opportunity.

The future of Kenya’s boda boda sector will not be determined by regulation alone, but by the government’s ability to create a framework that protects lives while preserving livelihoods. Achieving that balance is not only possible-it is essential for the sector’s long-term success and for Kenya’s broader vision of modern, inclusive, and sustainable mobility.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the creation of new county-level regulatory bodies. Critics argue that these structures may duplicate the existing mandate of the National Transport and Safety Authority, creating unnecessary bureaucracy and increasing opportunities for inefficiency or corruption.

Others question whether some provisions, including mandatory tracking systems and strict operational requirements, can realistically be enforced across Kenya’s diverse urban and rural environments.

Perhaps the greatest challenge, however, is not the absence of regulations but the inconsistency of enforcement. Kenya already possesses laws governing motorcycle operations, yet compliance remains uneven due to weak implementation and limited enforcement capacity.

Without addressing this fundamental issue, new regulations risk becoming another well-intentioned framework that exists largely on paper while producing little meaningful change on the ground.

The debate surrounding motorcycle regulation ultimately reflects a broader national challenge: balancing public safety with economic opportunity. Few would dispute the urgent need to reduce accidents, improve discipline, and curb criminal misuse of motorcycles.

Equally, few can ignore the critical role the boda boda industry plays in supporting millions of Kenyan families and driving economic activity.

The success of these reforms will therefore depend not on the severity of the rules, but on the wisdom of their implementation. Sustainable change cannot be achieved through a purely punitive approach.

Instead, policymakers must work collaboratively with riders, associations, financiers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to develop practical, affordable, and enforceable solutions. Regulations that are designed with industry participation are far more likely to gain acceptance and achieve lasting results.

Motorcycle regulation in Kenya is not a non-starter. In fact, meaningful reform is both necessary and overdue. However, for these reforms to succeed, they must strike the right balance between safety, accountability, and economic reality.

If implemented thoughtfully, the regulations could transform the boda boda sector into a safer, more professional, and more sustainable industry. If implemented poorly, they risk becoming another missed opportunity.

The future of Kenya’s boda boda sector will not be determined by regulation alone, but by the government’s ability to create a framework that protects lives while preserving livelihoods.

Achieving that balance is not only possible-it is essential for the sector’s long-term success and for Kenya’s broader vision of modern, inclusive, and sustainable mobility.

Each year, World Environment Day serves as a reminder that environmental stewardship is no longer the responsibility of governments and conservationists alone. It is increasingly a shared obligation that cuts across sectors, industries, and communities.

For business leaders, it presents an opportunity to reflect on how economic growth can be achieved without compromising the natural systems upon which that growth ultimately depends.

This year’s observance came at a pivotal moment for Kenya.

As countries around the world intensify efforts to tackle plastic pollution, improve resource efficiency, and transition toward more sustainable production models, Kenya continues to distinguish itself as one of Africa’s leading advocates for environmental sustainability.

From the landmark ban on plastic carrier bags to the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, and the Sustainable Waste Management Act, the country’s policy trajectory signals a clear commitment to building a circular economy.

The significance of this transition cannot be overstated.

For decades, economic growth has largely been driven by a linear model of production and consumption. Raw materials are extracted, products are manufactured, consumed, and ultimately discarded.

While this model has delivered economic gains, it has also contributed to mounting environmental pressures, growing waste streams, and the depletion of finite resources.

Read: Kenya’s transition to a circular economy must be all-inclusive

In a world increasingly constrained by environmental limits, this approach is becoming economically and environmentally unsustainable.

The circular economy offers a fundamentally different proposition. It seeks to design waste out of the system by keeping materials in productive use for as long as possible through reuse, recycling, recovery, and innovation.

Rather than viewing waste as an inevitable outcome of economic activity, circularity treats it as a resource capable of generating new value.

For Kenya, the opportunity extends beyond environmental protection.

A well-functioning circular economy has the potential to create jobs, stimulate investment, strengthen local industries, support entrepreneurship, and reduce dependence on imported raw materials.

According to global estimates, circular economy models could unlock trillions of dollars in economic value while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. For developing economies such as Kenya, the potential benefits are particularly compelling.

Yet achieving this transition requires more than ambition. It requires policy certainty, regulatory clarity, and disciplined execution.

Institutions such as the National Environment Management Authority, together with evolving regulatory frameworks including the EPR Regulations, are helping establish the foundation upon which a circular economy can thrive.

These frameworks are encouraging producers to assume greater responsibility for the environmental impact of their products throughout the product lifecycle, particularly after consumer use.

The introduction of EPR marks one of the most consequential policy shifts in Kenya’s environmental governance landscape. By requiring producers to participate in collection, recovery, and recycling systems, the regulations create incentives for better product design, improved packaging choices, and greater investment in waste management infrastructure.

For manufacturers, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The challenge lies in adapting business models, investing in compliance systems, and developing partnerships that support circularity objectives. The opportunity lies in recognising that sustainability is increasingly becoming a source of competitive advantage.

Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, investors are placing greater emphasis on ESG performance, and regulators are demanding higher levels of accountability. Businesses that proactively embrace circularity will be better positioned to succeed in this evolving landscape.

This requires a shift in mindset.

Compliance can no longer be viewed as a standalone regulatory function operating on the periphery of business operations. Instead, it must become an integral part of strategic decision-making. Product development teams must consider recyclability from the design stage.

Procurement functions must prioritise sustainable sourcing. Manufacturing operations must seek opportunities to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.

Sustainability must become embedded throughout the value chain.

At the same time, the effectiveness of Kenya’s circular economy agenda will depend heavily on enforcement and collective participation.

One of the greatest risks facing any regulatory framework is uneven implementation. When some organisations invest significantly in compliance while others do not, market distortions emerge.

Responsible businesses absorb additional costs while non-compliant actors continue to benefit from lower operating expenses. Such disparities undermine both environmental objectives and fair competition.

Read: Circular economy offers Kenya scalable path to sustainability

This is why strong enforcement, transparent reporting mechanisms, and continued engagement between regulators and industry remain essential. A successful circular economy requires a level playing field where accountability applies consistently across all sectors.

Encouragingly, momentum is building.

Across Kenya, businesses are beginning to rethink packaging systems, invest in recycling partnerships, explore alternative materials, and develop innovative approaches to resource recovery. What was once viewed primarily as a waste management issue is increasingly being recognised as a business opportunity capable of unlocking efficiency, innovation, and new revenue streams

Kenya has already demonstrated bold leadership in environmental policy. The next chapter will be defined by how effectively we implement these frameworks, scale innovation, and build systems that transform waste into value.

The direction is clear. The opportunity is significant. The responsibility belongs to all of us.

Chepkorio Dairy in Elgeyo Marakwet County is widely held aloft as a standout farmer organisation in Kenya’s dairy sector.

From its relatively modest beginnings as a cooperative helping members market raw milk in the neighbourhood in 2009, it has since scaled to a robust agribusiness enterprise dealing in milk aggregation and livestock feed production.

Much of that growth has happened in the past five years after the cooperative tapped asset grants under a catalytic financing project backed by Heifer International Kenya, a non-profit organisation that works with smallholder farmers.

Catalytic financing is an investment approach where cheaper capital from public or philanthropic sources is deployed to absorb initial risks, attracting financial institutions to advance loans to enterprises that would otherwise remain excluded.

Chepkorio Dairy used the grants from the Heifer International Kenya’s Dairy Sector Catalytic Growth Project to purchase refrigerated vans and modern pasteurizers, which has enabled it to cut losses from milk spoilage.

But the impact of the funding was felt beyond the transport and storage equipment: it gave formal financiers such as banks and savings and credit cooperative societies (saccos) the confidence to lend to the cooperative, unlocking affordable credit for its members.

‘Catalytic capital comes in to absorb that early-stage risk and support enterprises to demonstrate performance. And once that happens, you begin to see commercial lenders come in with much more confidence. At Chepkorio Dairy, catalytic financing enabled access to loans at around 10 percent, compared to 14-18 percent from commercial sources,’ says Wairimu Munyinyi-Wahome, country director for Heifer International Kenya.

Economic contribution

Agriculture remains a key economic sector in Kenya, accounting for about 20 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), employing at least 40 percent of the workforce, and serving as a source of livelihood to between 60 and 70 percent of the rural population.

Under the ambitious Kenya Vision 2030 blueprint, which sought to transform Kenya into a newly industrialising, middle-income country, agriculture was identified as one of the key sectors to deliver a 10 percent annual economic growth rate.

But its contribution to the economy has stagnated, partly because of chronic underfunding.

The proportion of Kenya’s national budget allocated to agriculture has for years swung between 1.3 percent and 3.0 percent, with social services such as education and health taking the lion’s share of the government’s spending plan.

This falls far short of the 10 percent target set for African Union (AU) member countries under the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

Commercial bank lending to agriculture is, meanwhile, stuck at 3.0 percent of private sector credit because banks perceive smallholder farmers, who account for 80 percent of Kenya’s total food production, as high-risk borrowers.

The ‘missing middle’

Agricultural small and medium enterprises (agri-SMEs) and farmer organisations such as Chepkorio Dairy face the problem of the ‘missing middle’, an industry term used to describe a unique credit gap created by being deemed too big for microfinanciers and too small and risky by traditional commercial banks.

A market analysis by Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Kenya showed that commercial banks mainly shunned lending to agriculture because of a lack of good underwriting data and skills, high operational costs associated with serving smallholder farmers or enterprises in remote areas through brick-and-mortar financing models and risks posed by the sector informality, commodity price swings, rain-fed farming and changing weather patterns.

Innovative financing models

But development sector players in agriculture believe the traditional finance system is fundamentally broken and are pushing for adoption of innovative funding models such as catalytic and blended finance to bridge the agricultural credit gap.

‘The issue is not the absence of capital; it’s that financial architecture doesn’t fit rural realities. Agriculture is seasonal, it’s exposed to risk, and often operates without formal data. But most financial products are designed for predictable, year-round businesses. So, there’s a clear mismatch,’ says Ms Munyinyi-Wahome.

‘We’re seeing that when financing is structured well, it performs. Even with digital and structured financing models, repayment rates are strong.’

The push for a sustainable financial architecture for Africa’s agriculture is expected to take centre stage at this year’s Financing Agri-Foods Systems Sustainably (FINAS) summit next week in Nairobi.

More than 1,000 participants, including senior government officials, bank chief executive officers, private investors and development NGO executives, are expected at the forum organised to discuss innovative ways to close a $100 billion financing gap for the continent’s food systems.

The turning point

Prof Hamadi Boga, vice-president in charge of programme delivery at AGRA and the chairman of the FINAS secretariat, says the summit represents a turning point for the agricultural finance agenda in Africa.

‘FINAS 2026 is about moving beyond commitments to coordinated delivery. By bringing together policymakers, financiers, and practitioners, the summit provides a platform to unlock capital at scale and translate policy ambitions into bankable investments that reach farmers and agri-enterprises,’ Prof Boga says.

This year’s summit comes against the backdrop of external economic shocks related to the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted fertiliser and food supply chains due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway, since March.

And amid the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, major donors such as the US, the UK, Germany and France have significantly cut internal aid, prioritising defence, regional security and domestic economic interests in their budgets.

Opportunity in geopolitical shocks

Jared Ochieng’, agriculture and processing finance lead at FSD Kenya, says the geopolitical shocks should reawaken Africa to the need to design a sustainable financial architecture.

‘We have seen the cost of capital rise, significant disruptions in trade flows and a growing mistrust in international cooperation. There is a chance to rethink and chart a way forward by designing systems that allow us to not only cushion ourselves [against external shocks] but also work for us,’ says Mr Ochieng’.

Many people misunderstand what mentoring really is. They assume it is the transfer of knowledge, industry secrets, or technical advice. They picture a senior professional sitting across from a younger employee explaining how to negotiate a salary, run a meeting, or build a five-year career plan.

Facts certainly have their place. But in today’s world, facts are easier to access than ever before. A quick GPT search can explain how to structure a CV, prepare for an interview, or price a proposal.

What people often cannot Google is confidence.

That is where mentoring becomes powerful. At its best, mentoring is rarely about the facts of the deal. It is about the transfer of emotion, belief, and courage from one person to another. It is someone saying, through words and presence, ‘You can do this too.’

Many talented people do not fail because they lack information. They stall because they doubt themselves. They second-guess their readiness, underestimate their value, or assume everyone else has something they do not. A mentor helps close that gap. Sometimes the greatest gift a mentor offers is not advice, but reassurance.

This is especially true early in a career. A young graduate may know the theory of business but still feel intimidated walking into a boardroom. A first-time manager may understand performance management frameworks but feel unsure about leading older, more experienced staff.

A founder may know the numbers yet hesitate to pitch boldly. In these moments, people do not need another article or textbook. They need someone who has walked the road before and can steady their nerves.

Good mentors also transfer perspective. They remind people that setbacks are normal, rejection is survivable, and careers are rarely linear. They help younger professionals realise that even successful people once felt lost, uncertain, or unqualified. That honesty can be life-changing.

In many workplaces, mentoring is treated too formally. Programmes are launched, names are matched, calendars are filled, and templates are shared. Yet real mentoring often happens in smaller, human moments.

A senior colleague who says, ‘Speak up in that meeting, your view matters.’ A manager who encourages someone to apply for a role they think is beyond them. A former boss who takes a call and says, ‘Don’t panic, I’ve been there.’

Those moments build identity. They help people start seeing themselves differently.

This matters now more than ever. The modern workplace moves quickly. Expectations are high, competition is intense, and many professionals are navigating uncertainty in silence. Skills training is important, but confidence-building may be even more valuable.

For leaders, this is worth remembering. You do not need to have all the answers to mentor someone. You do not need to be perfect, wealthy, or at the top of the ladder. Often, what people need most is your honesty, encouragement, and belief in their potential.

Facts can inform people. Confidence can transform them.

That is why mentoring remains one of the most powerful tools in leadership and talent development. It is not just about helping someone know more. It is about helping them believe more-about themselves, their future, and what is possible.

Kenya is seeking to lower its cost of borrowing by committing to reduce its forest cover losses and lift electricity connections as key performance indicators in a bid to unlock at least $500 million (Sh64.7 billion) from a sustainability-linked bond (SLB) and similar debt instruments.

The coupon or interest rate paid by the government will remain unchanged if the targets are simply matched, but the finance cost will fall if they are exceeded.

Underperformance will, however, result in higher debt service costs.

SLBs give borrowers flexibility on the use of the funds but tie the cost of the debt to whether or not the key performance indicators (KPIs) are achieved.

Kenya will, for instance, see the interest rate on the debt unchanged if it can limit the loss of accumulated natural forest cover to less than 44,000 hectares by 2030.

The debt will be cheaper to service if the target is outperformed by a loss of forest cover of less than 38,000 hectares over the same period.

At the same time, the country must also increase access to electricity for the rural population to 81.8 percent by 2030 from a 2023 baseline of 67.9 percent and will have outperformed this KPI if rural electrification levels surpass 94.4 percent over the same period.

Kenya will be slapped with a penalty, which will be passed in the form of a higher coupon/interest rate on sustainability-linked facilities if it fails to meet targets, which will be assessed every two years.

The recently published framework will allow Kenya to issue sustainability-linked loans and bonds, increasing the diversification of borrowing instruments in a list that now includes Shariah products, Samurai bonds from Japan and debt for nature/food swaps.

The National Treasury had sought to raise Sh64.7 billion ($500 million) from a sustainability bond by June 30 but was unable to have the lending framework in place within the window.

The policy published this week by the National Treasury is also a prerequisite to the disbursement of Sh97 billion ($750 million) from the World Bank development policy operations (DPO), a facility now expected at the end of this week.

The National Treasury expects a two-pronged gain from the issuance of sustainability-linked instruments, including the unlocking of flexible funding for the exchequer and a means to meet climate goals.

‘As a country highly vulnerable to climate change, yet rich in natural resources and human capital, Kenya recognizes the need for financing mechanisms that promote environmental resilience, social progress, and economic stability,’ the National Treasury said.

‘Unlike traditional green, social, or sustainability bonds and loans, which restrict the use of proceeds to specific projects, sustainability-linked instruments provide Kenya with greater flexibility, while ensuring accountability through robust key performance indicators (KPIs) and sustainability performance targets (SPTs).’

SLBs are sold to a wide range of financiers including pension funds, asset managers, insurance companies and development finance institutions.

The choice of accumulated natural forest loss in hectares as a KPI for the framework is anchored on Kenya’s forests’ key role in climate change mitigation, preserving water resources, conserving biodiversity and maintaining soil quality.

The year 2024 will serve as the baseline for the KPI, where Kenya’s tree cover stock was estimated at 10.24 hectares while the forest stock was established at 3.84 million hectares.

The choice for rural electrification as the second KPI is anchored on electricity being viewed as crucial for human and economic development by playing a key role in basic and daily activities such as lighting, refrigeration and the running of basic appliances.

The year 2023 has been selected as the baseline for the KPI, when the rural electrification rate was set at 67.9 percent.

The National Treasury is expected to publish a report every year on the performance of each KPI.

Every two years, the cost of borrowing for Kenya under the sustainability facilities will be adjusted, falling if the country has outperformed on the KPIs or rising if Kenya misses targets. The cost of borrowing or the coupon will remain the same if Kenya meets targets as outlined in the framework.

The government has developed the framework through the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) in the National Treasury with collaboration from international donors including the World Bank, Germany’s development bank KfW, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the French Development Agency (AFD).

The National Treasury has been pushing to diversify its funding sources away from just traditional instruments like Eurobonds and bilateral loans.

Kenya tapped Sh21.9 billion ($169.42 million) in Samurai financing from Japan in August last year, and earmarked proceeds for local motor vehicle assembly and energy sectors.

Samurai financing refers to debt denominated in Japanese currency- the Yen- and subject to Japanese regulations.

Kenya has also previously considered issuing Shariah and Panda bonds, the former being a Shariah-compliant bond issued on global markets, and the latter a yuan-denominated instrument.

The National Treasury is also eyeing a Sh129.42 billion ($1 billion) debt-for-food security swap to make early repayments on Kenya’s outstanding Eurobonds, with maturities in 2031 being on the card.

The swap, which has a guarantee from the US-DFC (United States International Development Finance Corporation), was expected by the end of June 2026, and the National Treasury has been seeking transactional advisors to guide the issuance.

Under a debt-for-food swap, the guarantor would help Kenya raise a cheaper instrument from the international capital markets to refinance a costlier facility, while the country would apply realized savings on projects boosting food security.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi underlined diversification as a debt sustainability approach.

‘The government is evaluating opportunities to access new and diversified international capital markets. This includes the potential issuance of Samurai bonds in the Japanese market and Panda bonds in the Chinese domestic market,’ he said.

‘By tapping into these markets, the government stands to benefit from deep and diversified pools of capital, secure potentially competitive financing terms, and promote currency diversification within the debt portfolio, thereby reducing reliance on traditional funding sources.’

More than 500 cancer patients were locked out of treatment at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) due to staff shortages in the financial year ended June 2025, government disclosures show.

The hospital’s CyberKnife machine, the only one in Kenya’s public health system, conducted just 250 radiation therapy sessions against a target of 800, leaving 550 patients without treatment.

The CyberKnife is a robotic system that delivers precise, high-dose radiation to tumours in sensitive areas such as the brain and spine, where conventional surgery may be too risky.

Patients require five sessions to complete a course of treatment and, for those with inoperable tumours, it is often the only treatment option available within the public health system. Those unable to access the service must either seek private treatment, often abroad, or rely on palliative care.

A Ministry of Health report attributed the shortfall to human resource challenges, which it said have since been addressed.

‘Targets were not achieved due to challenges with human resources. Staff have been trained, and the service is now fully operational,’ the report said.

Treatment gap

Over the three financial years to June 2025, the hospital targeted 1,450 CyberKnife sessions but managed only 599, resulting in a 59 percent shortfall.

The machine was launched by President William Ruto in 2023, with government records showing that its acquisition, at a cost of Sh685 million, was completed.

While the government says staff have since been trained and the machine is operational, the figures point to broader staffing constraints at the facility.

The budget allocated for specialised contract professionals, including radiation oncologists and medical physicists who operate the CyberKnife system, stood at Sh203 million in the 2024/25 financial year. However, hospital records show the allocation was insufficient to meet the actual cost of staffing those positions.

KUTRRH required Sh3.998 billion to cover staff salaries and benefits during the period but received Sh3.017 billion, leaving a funding gap of nearly Sh1 billion.

The government has also left an additional Sh1.39 billion in staff retirement benefits and related obligations unfunded.

In the financial year beginning July 2025, the National Treasury allocated Sh177.2 billion to the health sector, including Sh50 million earmarked for the expansion of KUTRRH’s comprehensive cancer centre.

The investment is intended to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide specialised cancer care.