Author: Martin Mwita

Martin Mwita is a business reporter based in Kenya. He covers equities, capital markets, trade and the East African Cooperation markets.

Base Titanium Kenya's mining sector
  • Last year, the mining sector suffered 6.5% contraction, attributable to a dip in production of titanium and soda ash minerals.
  • Overall, Kenya's total earnings from minerals dropped by 4.3% to $261.7 million in 2023.
  • A further dip could be in the offing as Base Titanium, which accounts for 65% of total mineral exports, is set to cease mining operations December.

The challenges gripping Kenya’s mining sector are set to worsen this December when Base Titanium, arguably the biggest miner in the country closes shop following the depletion of minerals at its focus area, Kwale County. Base Titanium's closure is expected to an abrupt end to the export of rare earth minerals of Ilmenite, Rutile, and Zircon.

According to the miner, which has been undertaking exploration activities in the region, there will be no major investments in the near future since results have shown lack of enough deposits to support commercial…

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East African Breweries
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  • EABL recorded strong topline and operating profit growth in a challenging market.
  • Net sales totaled $958.3 million, up from $846.3 million in the FY ended June 2023, as the brewer defied tough macroeconomic conditions and evolving microeconomic factors.
  • Profit after tax dropped to $84.2 million, down from $94.9 million last year.

East African Breweries PLC (EABL) has reported a 12 per cent drop in net profit for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024, as significant increases in interest rates and currency devaluation ate into the group’s earnings. East Africa’s …

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Kenya's foreign liabilities
  • Growth attributed to increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which increased by 11.6 per cent from $8.2 billion at the end of 2020, to $9.2 billion.
  • The stock of Other Investment (OI) liabilities increased from $4.9 billion in 2020 to $6.2 billion in 2022. Similarly, Portfolio Investment (PI) rose from $253.4 million to $266.4 million in 2022.
  • The OI liabilities accounted for 39.2 per cent of total foreign liabilities in 2022, and were mainly in the form of loans, and currency and deposits.

Kenya’s foreign liabilities

Europe and Africa account for the biggest share of Kenya’s foreign liabilities mainly Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), an official government report shows, as the country continues to retain its East Africa’s economic power status.

This comes on the back of an increase in the stock of Kenya’s foreign liabilities, which went up by 17.9 per cent from $13.4 billion at the end …

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Kenya's import business
  • In the first three months of this year, Asia remained the leading source of Kenya’s imports accounting for goods worth $3.4 billion, as the country’s import bill closed the quarter at $5.4 billion.
  • Kenyan traders and government imported goods worth $990.2 million from China, data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows, making it the biggest import source by country.
  • Unlike his predecessors, President Ruto is seen to lean more towards the West as he seeks financing and trade cooperation.

Kenya’s imports from Asian countries including China

China and India remained the top exporters to Kenya in the first quarter of this year, leading other Far East nations in retaining a firm grip on the East African economic powerhouse’s trade and investment space, which they have dominated for over a decade.

This trend continues despite President William Ruto’s heightened charm offensive to economies from the West, which is …

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Kenya's business
  • Business confidence slips to lowest since February
  • Input prices rise mildly after back-to-back declines
  • Steepest drops in activity and new work for seven months

Kenya’s business activity dips amid tax revolt

Kenya’s business activities fell sharply in June amid reports of widespread economic challenges and a negative impact on sales from protests and policy uncertainty, the Standard Bank’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for June indicates. New business intakes dropped at the fastest rate since November last year, leading to a drop in business confidence and weaker job creation.

Although Kenyan firms also saw a renewed increase in their input costs in June, the rate of inflation was mild and had little impact on selling charges.

The survey by Stanbic Bank Kenya, compiled by S&P Global was conducted between June12 and June 26, with headline figure derived from the survey reading at 47.2 in June. Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement …

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British International Investment
    • The transaction marks the successful outcome of BII and I&M’s equity partnership for over 7 years as AfricInvest takes over.
    • The institution said that the sale to a like-minded investor is one of the most significant transactions in East Africa in recent years and represents a vote of confidence in the region’s financial services sector.
    • It is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, and the Rwandan subsidiary I&M Bank Rwanda PLC is listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange.

    British International Investment (‘BII’)

  • British International Investment (‘BII’), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, has sold its 10.1 per cent stake in I&M Group PLC, the Eastern African banking group, to AfricInvest, a leading Pan-African Asset Management platform.

    The acquisition was made through East Africa Growth Holding, a special-purpose vehicle owned by AfricInvest.

  • I&M Group PLC is a leading banking group in Eastern Africa with a presence in Kenya,
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CBK
    • (CBK) retained its base lending rate at a high of 13 per cent for the second time.
    • This is the highest rate in 12 years, as the apex bank continues implementing monetary policies to manage stubborn inflation.
    • According to CBK data, the country’s borrowers had defaulted on about $4.8 billion as of April, the highest in 18 years, due to the tough credit market.

    Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) retains high interest rates

    Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) retained its base lending rate at a high of 13 per cent for the second time driving the borrowing costs in Kenya to remain high for at least the next two months.This is the highest rate in 12 years, as the apex bank continues to implement monetary policies intended to manage the stubborn inflation, which slightly increased to 5.1 per cent last month from five per cent in April.

  • The base-lending
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private capital
    • Output rises at the sharpest rate in 20 months.
    • New order volumes strengthen.
    • Input costs fall for the second month in a row.

    Kenya recorded an improvement in private sector business conditions during May, as falling cost burdens and rising new business contributed to a solid expansion in activity.

    The Latest Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers’ Index indicates that activity’s upturn was the sharpest in 20 months, as was input buying growth.

    Job creation continued at a mild pace even as reductions in fuel prices and import costs led to a further drop in overall input prices in May, after the first decrease in nearly four years during April.

    Selling prices started to rise again, albeit slowly. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Readings above 50.0 signal improved business conditions in the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show a deterioration.

    The latest headline PMI reading of 51.8 marked the index’s

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Green energy
    • Energy industry experts and policymakers are meeting in Nairobi for the International Energy Agency 9th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, the first time the conference is being hosted in Africa.
    • European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Energy and Petroleum Davis Chirchir launched the Green Resilient Electricity System Program for Kenya.
    • The Green Resilient Electricity System Program will support Kenya’s goal of a complete transition to 100per cent clean power generation by 2030 and it will boost Kenya’s sustainable energy future.

    The green energy economy strategy seeks to build on the country’s current economic strengths to secure a more sustainable future. Kenya’s ambitious plan to fully transition to 100 per cent clean power generation by 2030 has received a major boost, with the European Union backing the initiative.

    This comes as leaders, energy industry experts, and policymakers meet in Nairobi for the International Energy Agency’s

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  • Under a new COMESA programme, farmers in the five East African countries are expected to access quality seeds, and training on how to improve production and distribution.
  • The five-year programme is expected to help the countries cut post-harvest losses in horticulture to 40 per cent or lower, from highs of 60 per cent, for instance in Kenya. 
  • Agriculture is estimated to contribute on average 27% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the EAC and accounts for the highest share of employment not only in the region but across Africa.

Agriculture is the backbone of nearly all East Africa region’s economies and the main economic activity for more than 70 per cent of the population. It is estimated to contribute on average 27 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the EAC and accounts for the highest share of employment not only in the region, but the African.…

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