2. We started the week with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers [@KAM_Kenya] saying that there were persistent dollar shortages that gave rise to a parallel exchange rate market.
On Tuesday, the CBK governor @njorogep responded by rubbishing these claims.
5. At least there was good news at the Cooperative Bank [@Coopbankenya] AGM where the CEO indicated that the bank will be paying a higher dividend for this financial year. Yay!
8. This week, KRA [@KRACare] announced it has extended the operating hours of its offices and contact centers ahead of the June 30 deadline for the filing of 2021 income tax returns:
10. This week, the Daily Nation had details of the sad story of how Farah Bashir who lost KES 2.6M to fraudsters in a matter of hours via his Safaricom sim card and Absa Bank App. Stay safe.
12. Traders at the Mombasa Auction were noted to be sidelining the expensive Kenyan tea while opting for cheaper ones from Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi:
The tea is expensive because of the the reserve price of $2.43 (Sh283) per kg set by the government.
16. KCB [@KCBGroup] is keen on recovering its debts.
This week, the bank seized Mombasaโs luxury property English Point Marina & placed Pearl Beach Hotels, the real estate firm that owns it, under statutory management over a KES 5.2B debt.
1. Kenyan Workers will pay up to KES 2,160 more to the NSSF from Feb 2026, pushing maximum monthly contributions to KES 4,320 in the fourth straight year of higher mandatory deductions:
#MwangoMemes
@mmnjug @nipashebiz @MugambiNandi @OchiengJasper @RNamsia @DollyOgutu @janetmachuka_ @bankelele @MihrThakar @BrianGeorgeKE 2. Diageo is set to pocket a KES 47.2B profit after agreeing to sell its 65% stake in EABL to Japanโs Asahi Holdings, turning a March 2023 premium buy-in into a 3X return in under 3 years.
Diageo enjoying the hefty profit it made from the sale of its EABL stake:
#MwangoMemes
3. Immediately after the announcement of the deal, EABL shares jumped nearly 19%, closing at KES 299, as investors priced in the AsahiโDiageo transaction that will see Asahi acquire Diageoโs 65% stake in the brewer.
Minority shareholders were seen celebrating the deal:
1. Kenya has signed a nuclear cooperation deal with South Korea to develop the Kenya Nuclear Research Reactor, aimed at applications in health, agriculture, industry, and clean energy.
@MaudhuiHouse @PeterMutegi @karambu @NSE_PLC @NSE_Investors @ArvoCap @Wanjiku_Njuguna @majiwater @bonnieoyunge_ @mwaniki_joseph 2. Parliament has directed East African Portland Cement to buy back Holcimโs 29.2% stake instead of selling to Tanzanian tycoon Edhah Abdallah Munif. MPs flagged the deal for undervaluing shares. businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/cโฆ
3. Kenyan markets yesterday:
๐ข Top Gainer: Car and General up 6.95% to 39.25
Starting 5th May 2025, NEMA will begin implementing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations under the Sustainable Waste Management Act (L.N. 176 of 2024).
1/ A KES 150 levy will be introduced per item of packaging. ๐งต
2/ Whatโs Affected?
The levy applies to nearly everything: plastic, glass, aluminium, paper, cardboard, rubber, leather, textiles, and composite packaging.
Think food wrappers, medicine boxes, cosmetic bottles, even sanitary pad packaging all fall under this.
3/ NEMA says the KES 150 will apply to "standard packaging" but that term isnโt clearly defined.
For example, if Panadol tablets are packed in strips, which come in boxes, the boxes packed into cartons, and the cartons stacked onto pallets - what exactly is considered the chargeable item?
Is it the strips, the box, the carton, or the pallet?
โThe Transmission Master Plan (TMP) projects the need for an additional 9,600 km of transmission lines and a $5.2B investment by 2042 to support industrial growth and electrification.
โKETRACO is exploring Public-Private Partnerships to bridge the funding gap
2. Why PPPs?
โKETRACO projects have historically been financed through loans from development partners like the World Bank, AfDB, JICA, and Exim banks.
โThe next set of funding from these partners is estimated to be available after the financial year 2028/2029.