Author: Muindi

The Ministry of Education released the 2026 academic calendar for all basic education institutions, including pre-primary, primary, junior and senior secondary schools, and Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). The schedule was issued through a circular by the State Department of Basic Education, signed by Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, copied to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogambo, and served to all regional, county, and sub-county directors of education on October 13, 2025. Basic Education Term Dates Term Opening Date Closing Date Duration Midterm Break Holiday Term I Jan 5, 2026 Apr 2, 2026 13 weeks Feb 25 – Mar 1, 2026 Apr 7…

Safaricom PLC on Tuesday listed the first tranche of its Domestic Medium-Term Note (DMTN) Programme at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), marking a milestone in Kenya’s capital markets. Record Oversubscription Applications received: KES 41.4 billion against an initial target of KES 15.0 billion Subscription rate: 275.7% Accepted amount (after exercising KES 5.0 bn greenshoe option): KES 20.0 billion Coupon rate: 10.4% per annum Tenor: 5 years, maturing 11 December 2030 Issue price: Par Minimum denomination: KES 50,000 This makes it Kenya’s largest green bond and the largest corporate bond ever issued by Safaricom. Safaricom described the uptake as a reflection of…

The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a KSh 5 trillion National Infrastructure Fund, a step in Kenya’s long-term plan to accelerate economic growth. National Infrastructure Fund as Central Investment Engine According to a Cabinet Dispatch issued on December 15, the Fund will be incorporated as a limited liability company and serve as the central vehicle for mobilising and deploying capital into priority infrastructure projects. “Approved as a limited liability company, the National Infrastructure Fund will serve as the central engine for aligning the administration’s financial resources with national development priorities,” the dispatch stated. Unlike traditional taxation, the Fund will…

Kenya’s green activism has a new face. Truphena Muthoni, popularly known as Muthoni Baby Top, has officially been recognised by Guinness World Records (GWR) for hugging a tree continuously for 48 hours, a feat that has captured the imagination of Kenyans and the world. Guinness World Records Recognition On December 12, 2025, Guinness World Records publicly confirmed Truphena’s achievement, just days after she attempted an even longer 72‑hour hug in Nyeri. In a private email, GWR wrote: “We are thrilled to inform you that your application for Longest marathon hugging a tree has been successful and you are now a…

Kenya’s sugar industry has suffered a steep decline in 2025, with output dropping 28.4% year-on-year to 440,652 metric tonnes (MT) between January and September. This compares to 615,499 MT in the same period of 2024. September was particularly weak, with production plunging 54.2% YoY to just 33,845 MT, marking one of the lowest monthly totals in recent years. The collapse began in April, erasing strong first-quarter gains and underscoring the return of a boom-bust cycle driven by cane shortages and low factory throughput. KNBS Data Confirms Decline Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show factories produced 406,807…

Kenya’s Q1 FY 2025/26 sector report reveals surging broadband, rising mobile subscriptions, and a decisive shift to data‑driven platforms powering the digital economy. Fixed Broadband Growth Driven by Fibre and Wireless Kenya’s fixed broadband market expanded strongly between July and September 2025, with total subscriptions rising 6.9% to 2.29 million. Broadband Market Overview Segment Subscriptions (Q1 2025/26) Growth Rate Notes Total Fixed Broadband 2.29 million +6.9% Overall market expansion Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) 1.27 million +5.4% 960,000+ users prefer 10–30 Mbps speeds Fixed Wireless 814,782 +10.2% Fastest growth, peri-urban focus Satellite 19,762 Marginal <1% of the market, led by Starlink Market Leaders…