Gideon Muriuki, the long-serving CEO of Co-operative Bank of Kenya, has further cemented his position as the lender’s top individual shareholder after acquiring an additional 12 million shares worth Sh202.8 million in the first five months of 2025.
This strategic purchase has seen his stake increase from 2% at the end of 2024 to 2.19%, reinforcing his belief in the bank’s growth prospects.
The shares, which were bought at an average price of Sh17 each, marked Muriuki’s first major stake increase in two years, with his last significant acquisition coming in early 2023 when he bought 14.6 million shares to reclaim his 2% ownership.
According to regulatory filings from May 2025, his total shareholding has now grown from 117.53 million shares in 2024 to 129.53 million shares, solidifying his status as the bank’s most prominent individual investor.
His latest move comes at a time when Co-op Bank’s stock has shown resilience, currently trading at Sh16.90, reflecting a 3.6% gain since the start of the year and an impressive 31% surge over the past 12 months.
While Muriuki leads among individual investors, the majority shareholder remains Co-op Holdings Co-operative Society Limited, a consortium of Kenyan cooperative societies that commands a dominant over 60% stake with over 3 billion shares.
Other key institutional shareholders include Standard Chartered Nominees and NIC Custodial Services, alongside thousands of individual investors. Muriuki’s investment patterns over the years reveal a shrewd approach to timing the market.
In 2019, he capitalized on a low share price of Sh11.5 to snap up 11.1 million shares worth Sh179 million, while in 2020, he trimmed his stake during a price rally, selling 14.7 million shares valued at Sh160 million to lock in gains.
His latest acquisition suggests renewed confidence in Co-op Bank’s fundamentals, possibly anticipating further growth as the banking sector continues to recover and expand.
For shareholders and market observers, this will serve as a strong vote of confidence in the bank’s leadership and long-term strategy.
