Author: Korir Issa

Digital lender Tala hits a milestone in Kenya, disbursing KES 300 billion in credit over 10 years. Tala currently serves 3.5 million customers in Kenya, disbursing KES 10 billion to KES 15 billion monthly. Tala’s global reach extends to over 9 million customers with a total of Sh750 billion disbursed across the Philippines, Mexico, and India. Marking a new chapter, Tala Kenya focuses on partnerships and becoming an ecosystem enabler, moving beyond providing credit access. By leveraging data science and understanding the mass market, Tala aims to offer more customer-centric financial solutions. “Moving into the next decade, we will be…

Africa Mega Agriculture Center (AMAC) Limited has proposed acquiring a controlling 84.42% stake in Kenya Orchards Limited (KOL), a publicly traded agricultural company on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The deal, if approved by KOL’s major shareholders, would involve a private transaction for 10,863,537 shares. AMAC says it has no intention of delisting KOL, ensuring the company remains accessible to investors on the NSE. Kenya Orchards manufactures and sells fruit and vegetable bottled and canned products for domestic consumption in Kenya. The company also produces a range of spices and seasonings. Products in its bottled range include fruit jams, tomato…

Fuel prices in Kenya have been revised downwards by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) for the June/July 2024 cycle. “In the period under review, the maximum allowed petroleum pump price for Super Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene decreases by Ksh3.00, Ksh6.08 and Ksh5.71 per litre respectively.” This is the second consecutive month with falling prices. Super Petrol: Down KES 3.00 to KES 189.84 per litre (1.56% decrease from May’s KES 192.84). Diesel: Down KES 6.08 to KES 173.10 per litre (3.39% decrease from May’s KES 179.18). Kerosene: Down KES 5.71 to KES 163.05 per litre (3.38% decrease from May’s…

X has rolled out a site update that makes user likes private. This means other users won’t be able to see who “liked” a particular post, although users themselves can still see their own liked content and who liked their posts. The news became public through a post by Elon Musk on Wednesday morning, coinciding with the update’s release. He quoted an explanation from X’s engineering account posted on Tuesday, stating, “Important change: your likes are now private.” Important change: your likes are now private https://t.co/acUL8HqjUJ — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 12, 2024 Previously, a user profile section displayed liked…

The Kenyan government has declared war on the invasive Indian House Crows (Corvus splendens), aiming to eliminate one million birds by the end of 2024. This initiative addresses the growing problem of these non-native crows, which disrupt local ecosystems and cause issues for tourism and agriculture. Why Eradicate House Crows? The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) considers house crows a major threat. Introduced from Asia, they outcompete native birds like the Pied Crow  (Corvus albus) for food and nesting sites. Their aggressive behaviour and loud calls disrupt residents and tourists, particularly in coastal areas. Impact on Local Birds House crows are…

Ride-hailing platform Uber has refuted claims that it plans to leave the Kenyan market. This comes after a day of parliamentary discussions where Uber and Bolt’s representatives expressed concerns about proposed tax changes in the Finance Bill 2024. A spokesperson who spoke to the Kenyan Wall Street confirmed Uber’s commitment to Kenya and a desire to work with the government on industry-friendly policies. “Our relationship with various government agencies has been built on mutual respect and a shared vision for a better Kenya,” the Uber Spokesperson said. Both Uber and Bolt argue the 6% Significant Economic Presence (SEP) Tax on gross…