Author: Lorine Otamo

Kenya has its highest ranking official in United Nations history. Monica Juma assumed office on 11 May 2026 as Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, appointed by Secretary-General António Guterres to one of the most consequential roles in the multilateral system. She holds the rank of Under-Secretary-General, the third highest position in the UN hierarchy, and takes charge of an organisation that leads the global response to drug trafficking, organised crime, corruption and terrorism. “I am incredibly proud and honoured to be leading these two offices in Vienna…

Glovo has opened its new corporate headquarters in Nairobi and pledged KSh 10 billion in fresh investment in Kenya by 2030, marking its largest commitment to the country since entering the market in 2019. Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui presided over the inauguration, lending government weight to an occasion that drew senior officials from both Kenyan ministries and the diplomatic community. A Market That Has Earned the Bet The investment pledge does not arrive in a vacuum. Glovo recorded a 40% year-on-year rise in orders by the end of 2025, the highest in its Kenya history.…

The National Treasury has replaced the KSh 50 flat fee charged on eCitizen transactions with a tiered structure that scales with the cost of each service, reaching up to KSh 100 for high-value government transactions. The change, proposed by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi under the Public Finance Management (e-Citizen System Management) Regulations 2026, takes effect across all national and county government services on the platform. “There shall be a convenience fee charged for services offered by national or county government entities onboarded on the system,” Mbadi stated. The flat KSh 50 fee it replaces had been in place since…

For the first time, a boda boda rider, a market trader, or a digital content creator can walk into KCB Bank and apply for a mortgage. Not a promise of one someday, an actual product, live now, designed around how they earn. KCB Bank has launched a mortgage facility targeting Kenya’s informal sector, offering loan amounts between KShs 1 million and KShs 4 million at a single-digit interest rate, with a repayment period of up to 15 years. To qualify, an applicant must have run a business for at least two years. No payslip required. The bank built the product…

SBM Bank Kenya has launched a KES 1 billion Green Finance Facility, giving consumers and businesses a direct credit line to transition into electric and hybrid vehicles. The fund runs for 12 months. It targets the single biggest obstacle to EV adoption in Kenya: the upfront cost. By making financing accessible, the bank positions itself as an active participant in the country’s push to cut carbon emissions by 32% by 2030, rather than a passive observer of it. SBM Bank invested KES 45 million to replace part of its own vehicle fleet, taking delivery of five BYD plug-in hybrid electric…

Five Kenyan manufacturers are seeking a combined Sh5.6 billion ($43 million) to accelerate the shift away from firewood and charcoal in institutional and household kitchens across East Africa. The fundraising targets break down as follows: BURN Manufacturing is pursuing Sh1.3 billion ($10 million), Ignis Innovations and Faith Engineering are each targeting Sh1.95 billion ($15 million), Feion is seeking Sh260 million ($2 million), and Eco Bora is aiming for Sh130 million ($1 million). Each company is at a different stage, from seed capital to late-stage growth financing — and is engaging international backers to fund production capacity and product expansion. Company…