Café Barbera, the Italian coffee brand founded in 1870, has opened its first Kenyan café on the first floor of Altura Building in Upper Hill, Nairobi. Kenya is the brand’s 23rd market. The café sits at the junction of Ralph Bunche Road and Argwings Kodhek Road, opposite The Nairobi Hospital complex. It opens daily from 7am to 11pm. A Brand Built Over Five Generations Domenico Barbera founded the company in Southern Italy in 1870. It began as one coffee house and now runs franchises in 23 countries. The Barbera family still owns it, across five generations. The brand says every…
Author: Lynet Awino
Lynet Awino
Lynet Okumu, a Masinde Muliro University graduate, is a digital journalist passionate about impactful storytelling. She writes on health, business, relationships, and daily life, blending accuracy and creativity to craft engaging, informative content.
The Embassy of Italy in Nairobi used a gin evening and a classic car show last weekend to promote music, design and trade links with Kenya. GinItaly ran on Friday 25 September at Shamba Events. Two days later, the 54th Africa Concours d’Elegance took place at Ngong Racecourse. The embassy supported both events, and the first set the terms for the second. GinItaly pairs gin with live jazz The Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Nairobi hosted GinItaly. Italian saxophonist Lorenzo Simoni performed with Kenyan musician Mackinlay and his band. Mixologist Riccardo Marinelli served his signature gin…
The Standard Chartered Foundation has awarded KES 9 million in grants to seven startups founded by women. The funds come through the Women in Tech Kenya Accelerator. The Foundation announced the winners on 29 September 2026 in Nairobi. Each startup receives KES 1.29 million, about USD 10,000, for product development, business growth and expansion. Judges scored the applicants on business model, market opportunity, innovation, growth potential and social or economic impact. The Foundation named the winners at the Cohort 9 Award Ceremony and Graduation at Standard Chartered in Nairobi. The event also marked the graduation of 15 founders from a…
Kenyan fashion house KikoRomeo will present its runway collection on the official calendar of Moscow Fashion Week on October 1, 2026. Organisers describe the booking as a milestone for Kenya’s creative economy. The show will take place at the Central Exhibition Hall “Manege” in Moscow. Nairobi Fashion Week facilitated the placement. Organisers say it gives Kenyan designers access to new international buyers, puts Kenyan textile skills in front of a global audience and strengthens the country’s position in the fashion industry. A Kenyan house with 30 years on the runway Ann McCreath founded KikoRomeo in Nairobi in 1996. The name…
Kenya is one of three African countries preparing to make a once monthly HIV prevention pill. The pill could replace daily oral PrEP for some users if trials succeed and regulators approve it. Universal Corporation Limited (UCL), a manufacturer based in Kikuyu, is one of seven generic drugmakers Merck has picked to prepare to produce alimatravir. The drug is an investigational oral pre exposure prophylaxis pill, also known as MK-8527. Regulators have not approved it for public use. What the licence covers Merck announced the agreements on July 24. The licences are nonexclusive and royalty free, and they cover 129 low…
Kenya has cleared another hurdle on its path to first crude oil. A drilling rig for the South Lokichar project in Turkana arrived at the Port of Mombasa, bringing the country closer to producing crude for the first time in December 2026. Gulf Energy E&P BV SEZ confirmed that a cargo ship carrying an integrated onshore drilling rig docked at Kilindini Port today after sailing from Duqm Port in Oman. The firm leased the rig for the project, and its arrival marks a significant step in Kenya’s journey toward first oil. The Rig and Its Journey The GW70 rig traveled…