Author: Lorine Otamo

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…

KCB Bank Kenya has appointed Peter Kipkorir Ng’eno as Director of Corporate Banking, effective March 27, 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Ng’eno steps into the role vacated by John Okulo, who left KCB to take up the position of Managing Director and Chief Executive at Sidian Bank. Ng’eno comes to the role from within. He served as Executive Head of Client Coverage and Business Development in the Corporate Banking division from February 2022, building direct oversight of the unit’s revenue and client relationships before his elevation. Earlier in his tenure at KCB, he led the Manufacturing sector desk between 2019…

Sidian Bank’s Board of Directors has named John Okulo as the bank’s next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. His appointment takes effect on 1 May 2026, pending regulatory approval. A Seasoned Hand at the Helm Okulo brings 28 years of banking experience across regional and international institutions, with a career built on corporate banking, trade finance, strategy execution, risk management, and regional business leadership. He joins from KCB Bank Kenya, where he directs Corporate Banking and oversees one of East Africa’s largest corporate banking portfolios — managing strategic client relationships, financial performance, and risk frameworks at scale. Before KCB,…