Author: Lorine Otamo

Zenith Bank Plc has completed its acquisition of Paramount Bank Kenya Limited, securing regulatory clearance from authorities in both Kenya and Nigeria. The Central Bank of Kenya confirmed the transaction on April 8, formalising what it described as a deal that would “ensure continued stability, enhance the resilience of the Kenyan banking sector and promote competition.” CBK approved the acquisition on March 9, 2026, under Section 13(4) of the Banking Act, followed by Cabinet Secretary approval from the National Treasury and Economic Planning on March 16, 2026, under Section 9 of the Banking Act. The deal gives Zenith Bank 100…

UNFPA and Britam Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths in vulnerable communities across Kwale and Nairobi counties. The partnership will scale the Lea Salama Programme, an initiative to expand access to care for pregnant women and newborns in underserved rural areas and urban informal settlements where health inequities are most pronounced. The Scale of the Problem Kenya confronts a stark reality: an estimated 15 mothers and 92 newborns die every day from preventable causes. The national maternal mortality ratio stands at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births. In Kwale County, the figure…

Kenya’s developers, engineers, students, and policy minds packed into Safariccom’s Decode 4.0 conference this week, gathering under a theme that doubled as a declaration: Made of Kenya. Now in its fourth edition, the annual technology festival has grown from an internal engineering showcase into something closer to a national conversation about where Kenya’s digital economy is headed and who gets to build it. A 25-Year Platform, Pointed at 2030 James Maitai the Group Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at Safaricom PLC opened the morning by connecting Decode to the company’s 25th anniversary, framing the event not as a celebration…

Kenya’s annual inflation rose to 4.4% in March 2026, up from 4.3% in February, as food costs continued to squeeze household budgets, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday. The Consumer Price Index moved from 149.20 in February to 150.00 in March, translating to a monthly inflation rate of 0.5%, compared with 0.2% the previous month. Prices overall stood 4.4% higher than in March 2025. Food Remains the Biggest Pressure Point Food and non-alcoholic beverages drove the bulk of the increase, rising 7.7% over the year and contributing 2.2 percentage points of the total 4.4%. Transport added 3.8%…

Britam has appointed Mrs. Celestine Munda as Interim Chairperson of its Board with immediate effect, following the passing of Board Chairman Mr. Kuria Muchiru on 19 March 2026. The decision was made at a duly convened Board meeting on Monday, 30 March 2026, and is subject to regulatory approval. Munda, who has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Britam and as Chairperson of the group’s Board Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, will hold the interim role until the Board communicates a substantive appointment in due course. The Board expressed confidence that she will provide steady leadership and clear strategic…

Kenya generates roughly 8 million tonnes of waste every year. More than 95% of it goes unrecycled. Around 73% risks leaking into the environment entirely. For a country committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, this is both a climate liability and, increasingly, an economic one. A new investment prospectus published by Invest Kenya in March 2026 reframes the problem. Titled Waste Management and Circular Economy Investment Opportunity in Kenya, the document argues that Kenya’s waste streams represent a largely untapped resource base and that with coordinated investment, the country could unlock up to $730 million in…