Three books have been shortlisted for the 2026 Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature (JKPLA) English Adult Category, with the winner and runners-up set to be announced during the closing ceremony of the 27th Nairobi International Book Fair on September 26. The shortlisted works are *Nandi Bear* by Imali Abenea Ndago, published by Nsemia Inc; *Clan of Warriors* by Ken N. Kamoche, published by East African Educational Publishers (E.A.E.P); and *Old Money* by Charles Chanchori, published by Oxford University Press East Africa. The three authors will compete for this year’s English Adult literary award. The shortlist leaves the English Adult Category…
Author: Davin Muthoni
Monica Waithera Chege, the entrepreneur behind the popular Wakalucy Fish Palace restaurant chain, has died at the age of 46 after a long battle with cervical cancer. Her death was confirmed by friends, customers and fellow Kenyans on September 16, 2026. “Monica Waithera Chege, the entrepreneur behind Wakalucy Fish Palace, has died after a long battle with cancer,” said Lilian Millen, one of those who shared the news of her passing. Monica, widely known as Wakalucy across Nairobi and beyond, was a single mother who is survived by three children, two daughters and a son, all of whom had been…
The Nairobi Securities Exchange has shed Sh158 billion in investor wealth over the past week, as investors moved to lock in profits from blue-chip stocks that had driven the market’s rally through August, compounded by rising global jitters over the Middle East conflict. Market capitalisation, the standard measure of total investor wealth on the exchange, fell to Sh4.126 trillion at the close of trading on Tuesday, down from the all-time high of Sh4.285 trillion recorded on September 3. Four large counters, Safaricom, Equity Group, KCB Group and Co-operative Bank of Kenya, led the correction, together accounting for Sh113.6 billion of…
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has kept petrol, diesel and kerosene prices unchanged for the September 15 to October 14 pricing cycle, sparing Kenyan motorists an increase even as the cost of importing some fuels rose sharply and global crude prices surged amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict. In a statement issued on Monday, September 14, EPRA said the maximum retail prices for the three products would remain in force for the coming month. “In accordance with Section 101(y) of the Petroleum Act 2019 and Legal Notice No.192 of 2022, the Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has calculated…
The Registrar of Companies has struck off 176 firms from Kenya’s official company register, with a further 155 companies earmarked for dissolution beginning in December 2026, in the latest round of a compliance exercise that has raised renewed concerns over unemployment amid the country’s already high cost of living. The dissolutions were confirmed by Deputy Registrar of Companies Hiram Gachugi, though the exact number of workers affected by the latest round has not yet been established. The affected companies span a wide cross-section of the economy, including transport and automotive, restaurants, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, energy and petroleum, construction, beauty and…
Kenya’s competition regulator has approved the sale of Diageo’s 65 per cent stake in East African Breweries Plc (EABL) to Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings, clearing a major hurdle in the $2.3 billion transaction (approximately Sh297.9 billion). The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has, however, attached conditions to the approval, including requiring EABL to set aside sufficient funds from the transaction proceeds to meet any outstanding liabilities. The regulator has also directed the brewer to reserve 20 per cent of cooler space in retail outlets for competing beverage brands, a measure aimed at maintaining competition in the market following the change…
The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has admitted it lacks the capacity to effectively police the growing spread of counterfeit alcoholic drinks in Kenya, even as new evidence shows some of the country’s best-known drinks brands are also among the most heavily targeted by counterfeiters. Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology on Thursday, September 10, ACA Chief Executive Dr Robi King’a said drinks from East African Breweries Limited (EABL), Kenya Wines Agency Limited (KWAL), Zheng Hong Kenya Limited and Partiala Distiller (K) Ltd, including vodka and cane spirit products, were among those most susceptible to counterfeiting in…
Kenya Airways says it is counting losses of over Sh900 million following the three-day aviation workers’ strike that crippled operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and other major Kenyan airports between August 30 and September 2. The airline’s management confirmed the scale of the financial hit even as it announced a full return to normal operations, with all backlogs from the disruption now cleared. Beyond the direct cost to the airline itself, KQ acknowledged that passengers bore a significant share of the disruption’s real-world impact, facing altered travel schedules, additional expenses, and missed personal, business, and commercial engagements. “While…
Kenya Airways’ Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Captain George Kamal, has resigned from the national carrier, citing personal reasons, the airline announced on Tuesday, September 1. According to the airline, Kamal will remain at Kenya Airways for a 30-day transition period before his formal exit on September 30, 2026. Chairman Kiprono Kittony confirmed the departure in a memo to staff dated September 1, thanking Kamal for four years of service to the airline. Kamal joined Kenya Airways as Chief Operating Officer in March 2023, a role he held for roughly three years before being elevated to acting…
Kenya has overtaken Nigeria to become Africa’s leading market for mergers and acquisitions by value, after deal value in the country surged 670.5 per cent year-on-year to $1.44 billion in the first half of 2026, according to a new report by DealMakers Africa. The jump lifted Kenya from sixth position in the first half of last year to the top spot this year, marking a sharp reversal for Nigeria, which had held the number one ranking by value in four of the past six years. Nigeria’s M&A value, by contrast, collapsed 88.9 per cent to just $105.8 million in the…
