Author: David Indeje

Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration services has scaled down passport applications due to the upsurge of COVID-19 infections in the country. However, only emergency applications will be handled. As a result, it has canceled current appointments for passport application submission as well as biometrics enrolment.  “All passport applicants are required to book new dates for submission. This is effective Monday, November 9th, 2020,” it announced. Applicants with emergency travel needs such as medical, scholarships, or government assignments are advised to contact the Directorate through their hotline 0110 922 065 during official working hours for help. “This is in line with Government…

Bank of Africa (BOA) Kenya has been exempted from a 25 percent shareholding legal provision that caps the ownership of a bank. “Bank of Africa Kenya has received approval from Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Planning to recognize KSh1.5 billion as Tier 1 capital, thereby bringing the shareholding of the bank’s parent company, BOA Group SA, above the statutory threshold of 25 percent for a non-regulated entity,” BOA Kenya said in a statement on Friday. The funds have been held by the bank as a customer deposit since March 2020, as BOA Group sought the exemption of the…

Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech Monday said its experimental Covid-19 vaccine has been found to be 90% effective. They are the first drugmakers to show successful data from a large-scale clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine with no serious safety concerns being found. The Phase 3 clinical trial of BNT162b2 began on July 27 and has enrolled 43,538 participants to date, 38,955 of whom have received a second dose of the vaccine candidate as of November 8, 2020. “We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice president of clinical…

Nigeria’s biggest lender Access Bank Plc Monday launched its operations in Kenya with the rebrand of Transnational Bank following its 100 percent acquisition. David Aluko, a Nigerian citizen was named Country Managing Director, Access Bank Kenya. Access bank currently has 28 branches throughout Kenya and plans to open new branches in Kiambu, Nyeri, Machakos, Kisumu, Nyandarua, Kakamega, Bungoma and Kisii. “Access Bank’s entry into the Kenyan market holds great significance for the growth and improvement of the banking sector and for the Kenyan economy. It is a welcome development that all stakeholders are happy with, “Access Bank Kenya Country Managing…

Kenya has been voted ‘Africa’s Leading Destination’ at the 27th World Travel Awards.   Nairobi was named ‘Africa’s Leading Business Travel Destination’, and Kenyatta International Convention Centre collecting ‘Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre’). “This is a big encouragement to everybody in the tourism sector and shows that even as we go through this difficult time, Kenya still remains the top destination in Africa. We shall continue to improve our tourism products and to showcase our diverse offerings globally so that we remain ready for take-off once travel resumes fully,” said Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chairman Jimi Kariuki. World Travel Awards…

Kenyan High Court has extended the liquidation of defunct Nakumatt Holdings Limited (NHL to February 10, 2021. The resolution of creditors’ debt in the defunct Nakumatt Holdings Limited (NHL) is set to wait longer following High Court’s extension of the liquidation last week. The extension request was made by the Parker Randall administrator who cited a lengthy wind-up process that has also been delayed by COVID-19 disruptions. January, 92 percent of Nakumatt creditors voted to wind down what was once  East Africa’s largest supermarket chain after failed attempts to turnaround its business. The liquidation plan was presented by Peter Kahi,…