Author: Muindi

Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo has been awarded the 2025 Best of Caine Prize for African Writing for her short story Hitting Budapest, originally published in the Boston Review in 2010 and first awarded the Caine Prize in 2011. The new accolade, created to mark the Prize’s 25th anniversary, celebrates the most enduring and impactful story among its past winners. Announced at the inaugural Words Across Waters Afro Lit Festival on September 27, the award was presented by Ellah Wakatama OBE, Chair of the Caine Prize. The judging panel, led by Nobel Laureate Prof. Abdulrazak Gurnah and joined by Jennifer Nansubuga…

Family Bank shareholders will convene virtually on October 27, 2025, for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to vote on a proposal to list the bank’s ordinary shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) through listing by introduction. What Listing by Introduction Means This method allows existing shares to begin trading on the NSE without raising new capital, improving liquidity for shareholders currently trading over-the-counter. It also enhances transparency through NSE’s reporting and disclosure requirements. The board has left the door open for a future Initial Public Offering (IPO), should market conditions become favourable.  https://khusoko.com/2025/06/25/family-bank-to-list-on-nairobi-securities-exchange-in-2026/ 📲 For real-time updates and analysis,…

Bilateral trade between China and Africa surged to $222.05 billion in the first eight months of 2025, marking a 15.4% year-on-year increase, according to China’s General Administration of Customs. The growth was driven primarily by a sharp rise in Chinese exports to Africa, which jumped 24.7% to $140.79 billion. In contrast, Chinese imports from Africa rose just 2.3% to $81.25 billion, widening the continent’s trade deficit with China to $59.55 billion; nearly matching the $61.93 billion recorded for all of 2024. “China has recently announced a significant expansion of market access for 53 African nations, eliminating tariffs on all imports,”…

Kenya’s energy landscape is undergoing a dynamic transformation, with the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) reporting a record electricity peak demand of 2,316.2 MW in the financial year 2024/2025—a 6.38% increase from the previous year’s 2,177 MW. The surge reflects broad-based economic growth and increased uptake across all consumer categories. Domestic consumption rose by 13.03% to 3,640.32 GWh, while small commercial users grew 11.5% to 1,913.26 GWh. Street lighting experienced a 43.89% increase, and electric mobility tripled its energy consumption to 5.04 GWh. “The report reveals a positive trajectory in the subsectors,” said EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria.…

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has clarified its maize purchasing price, stating it is buying Grade I and Grade II maize at Ksh 1,944 per 50kg bag—equivalent to Ksh 3,500 per 90kg bag—not Ksh 4,050 as previously reported. This correction comes amid Kenya’s preparations for a record-breaking maize harvest, projected at 70 million 90kg bags for the 2025 season. The NCPB emphasised that it is not purchasing maize at Ksh 4,000 per 90kg bag, contrary to our earlier report. “NCPB is buying grade I and grade II maize from farmers at Ksh. 1944 per 50kg which is equivalent…

Access Bank Kenya and the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) have merged operations, with a unified branch network that allows customers of either bank to access full in-branch services across more than 100 locations nationwide. This integration simplifys the customer experience and expanding financial access. Customers can now perform everyday transactions — including deposits, withdrawals, account inquiries, and fund transfers — at any branch, regardless of where they originally opened their account. “By opening our networks to each other’s customers, we are making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible,” said Ralph Opara, Managing Director of Access Bank Kenya. “This integration…