Kenya Bitter Truth

By Ndindi Nyoro Results today recording a Ksh 32.3Bn PAT. Equity Group released the same earlier in the week recording a Net Profit of Ksh 33Bn. Growth is being fueled by regional Subsidiaries like DRC etc. Interestingly, KCB's shareholders Funds are now over Ksh 300Bn while the market Capitalisation is at Ksh 158.5Bn by the close of the market today. The bank is therefore trading at around 0.52 Price to Book value. Equity Bank's Shareholders Funds are at Ksh 274Bn and Market Capitalisation of 205Bn. The share is therefore trading at 0.75 to Book value. Several things. 1. The current trend of the Stock market is dividend driven. Shareholders are not necessarily interested in growth strategy but by the bottom line that end in the pocket.  2. Both banks are trading at around discount. Below 1 to Book value. 3. Both companies are now singularly almost as Profitable as Safaricom PLC. They are peers on profitability. However with a market cap of Ksh 1Trillion, Safaricom is valued 5 ...

By Martha Karua Growing up in rural Kirinyaga, I learned early that courage is not the absence of fear, it is the decision to act despite it. In my youth, I faced opposition, just as today’s young Kenyans face intimidation, and in some cases, abductions and killings by the regime. But just as I stood my ground then, I believe that your voices, amplified by today’s powerful digital platforms, can fight injustice, expose truth, and drive innovation. When I ran for MP, as a young advocate, with no money, and up against powerful, political systems and people, I was often told there were roles “not meant for women.” The same voices said I couldn’t win. Even today they still say that as a woman Presidential Candidate, the odds are against me, but I learned something powerful: when you prepare, persist, and believe in your cause, doors that seemed locked will open. On this International Youth Day, I encourage every young Kenyan, especially young women, to know: the future is not s...

Mulolongo is not just a place. It's a whole syllabus. And deep within its curriculum is a tiny street called Zambarau where meat is sold both day and night. By day, Zambarau is a heaven of nyama. Smoke rises like prayers as meat sizzles on grills. You can find it in stew, dry fry, grilled or even boiled for the toothless. But when darkness announces its arrival, the meat form changes. It’s still meat, yes, but this one is served somewhat raw. Colourful, tender and priced depending on texture, origin, and freshness. The most popular evening meat here is called pig Porko. Everyone in Zambarau street and its tributaries knows pig meat, Porko. It is well supplied, comes in different packages and is available all night till morning. On a certain Friday evening, Katomo walked into Mulolongo feeling like a tycoon. After working for three solid weeks smoothing walls in Kalangaita, the foreman finally remembered him. He was paid a full Ksh 790. Not a coin less. That evening, Kat...

By Hon.Justin B. Muturi 1. The Poverty Olympics  Instead of tackling the structural unemployment crisis, the UDA government’s “solution” is to hand out boda bodas and call it empowerment. That’s not job creation that’s locking youth into a poverty cycle and asking them to clap for it. It’s like giving someone a spoon to dig a dam. 2. Tokenism Masquerading as Policy Serious economies invest in innovation hubs, manufacturing skills, tech funding, and green energy jobs. Kenya’s “youth policy” is basically: Here’s a wheelbarrow, now go make us proud. It’s policy cosplay, not policy substance. 3. The Hidden Message When the head of state pushes boda bodas and car washes as a “vision” for the youth, the underlying message is:  We don’t expect you to dream big. It’s an insult wrapped in a smile. It says, “Your ceiling is casual labour, not boardrooms.” 4. Economic Myopia A country that produces more boda bodas than engineers is planning for economic stagnation. Small hust...

By paul bundi karau When Sir Winston Churchill wrote 'The Gathering Storm' in the eve of the Second World War, he cautioned about ominous clouds that were slowly enveloping Europe, and predicted that there would be a mighty storm. In Kenya, a storm has been gathering over the last 1 year. The clouds are darkening. Every step seems to suck the country into the vortex of the storm. The demonstrations appear ominous. Police action appears ominous. The political leadership appears out of sorts. The relationship between the leaders and the led appears strained. The big question is where we go from here. Do we continue hurtling down the road to violence and destruction? Kenyans are lucky- the worst displacement we have seen is 2007. There are nations which unravelled and people had to run to unknown destinations. Even their wealth counted for little at that time. We must safeguard our freedom. We must safeguard our peace. We need as a country to calm down- cool off temperatures for a...