Author: Khusoko

Khusoko provides market insights into Africa's business investment as well as global trends that impact East African businesses.

Imagine this: It is 7:00 a.m. The operations team walks in, coffee cups in hand, ready to start the day. But something feels off. The production system is not loading. Orders that were confirmed the night before have disappeared from the dashboard. Emails keep bouncing back, drivers are waiting in the yard because their digital route sheets will not open. In this scenario, all of the chaos begins from one small but familiar mistake—a single employee account compromised because a password had been reused across several platforms. Business leaders often react with concern, noting how quickly operations can collapse. Hospitals…

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In the busy corridors of the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Geneva, a heated exchange occurred. A young delegate, determined and armed with data, confronted a representative of a major global foundation. ‘We appreciate your contributions,’ she said. ‘But Africa’s strategies must reflect our realities, not imposed templates.’ This moment highlighted the tension between philanthropy and sovereignty. Wealthy philanthropists offer solutions for Africa, but governments must remain vigilant to protect their independence. Dr. Amina Kilonzi, a prominent Kenyan public health official, voiced it well: ‘Donor support is invaluable, but…

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When Safaricom was founded in 1997 as a small department within Telkom Kenya, few could have predicted that it would grow into one of Africa’s most influential technology companies. In the 1990s, people had to walk into a telephone booth to make a phone call, send letters through the post office, and send money by long-distance bus. With Safaricom now part of Kenya’s story, all these are stories of the past, with TechCo’s different offerings serving those needs. This origin story begins within the Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation in 1993, when it launched an analogue network. The department’s goal…

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Imagine being 900 kilometres away from Nairobi, in a remote and isolated area that suffers from regular bandit attacks, with no mobile network and having to rely on runners to relay information to a centre almost 100 kilometres away. Until recently, that was the reality for residents of Sabarei, an extremely vast sub‑location in Bole Saru, Dukana sub‑county, Marsabit County. A Colonial Outpost Holding the Line Sabarei hosts a colonial‑era police outpost that has survived for close to seven decades, protected by a handful of policemen. Next to the police station is the office and house of Gufu Habane, the…

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British American Tobacco Kenya (BAT Kenya) has announced leadership changes following the resignation of its Company Secretary, Waeni Ngea. Waeni Ngea Steps Down In a notice dated November 28, BAT Kenya confirmed that Waeni Ngea will resign as company secretary effective December 31, 2025. “The Board of Directors of British American Tobacco Kenya p.l.c. (BAT Kenya, the Company) announces the resignation of Ms. Waeni Ngea as the Company Secretary with effect from 31 December 2025,” read part of the statement. Ngea rejoined BAT in October 2023 as Head of Legal & Compliance for BAT East & Southern Africa markets, where…

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Mantrac celebrated eleven Kenyan winners of the CAT Excavators Campaign with an exclusive experience in Málaga, Spain, marking Caterpillar’s 100th anniversary and reinforcing Mantrac’s commitment to customer development across Africa. The Málaga visit was part of a wider Mantrac Group initiative recognising loyal customers who qualified through the purchase of eligible CAT excavator models. Alongside participants from other Mantrac territories, the Kenyan winners joined a programme designed to deepen technical knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and provide firsthand exposure to Caterpillar technologies. A World-Class Customer Experience Warm welcome at Gran Hotel Miramar, followed by a guided cultural tour of Málaga. Technical agenda…

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