Despite tough talk, Gov’t yet to deliver on planned austerity measures

By Kepha Muiruri,

Despite talking tough on implementing far reaching budget cuts, the government has found it tough going to sustain the austerity walk as doubts on fis...

austerity , fiscal consolidation , National Treasury

CBK warns banks against ignoring sector reforms

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has cautioned banks against ignoring the implementation of recent sector reforms terming the downplay as a risk to the...

CBK , CRBs , Credit Information Sharing (CIS)

Standard Chartered recommends further CBR cuts to spur growth

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Standard Chartered bank has recommended further cuts to the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to sustain momentum in Kenya’s economic recovery path in 202...

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) , Central Bank Rate (CBR) , Standard Chartered

Banks cut bad loans to 12 per cent in crackdown on defaulters

By Kepha Muiruri,

Commercial banks have aggressively gone after loan defaulters trimming their gross performing loans exposure to 12 per cent at the end of December. ...

Banking Sector , CBK , non performing loans (NPLs)

‘We don’t need the IMF telling us what to do,’ says CBK boss

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has downplayed the recent assessment of Kenya’s fiscal management by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) insisting...

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) , Dr. Patrick Njoroge , IMF

CBK projects double digit growth in loans to private sector

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) expects bank loans to the private sector to eclipse the double digit confidence ceiling in 2020 buoyed by a progressiv...

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) , Interest Rates , private sector credit

Central Bank lowers base lending rate from 8.50% to 8.25%

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has once again lowered the benchmark lending rate in a move it says is aimed at  supporting economic activity. In ...

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) , Central Bank Rate (CBR)

Commercial bank loans expected to shape economy in 2020 – Report

By Kepha Muiruri,

The filtering in of new loans into the economy is expected to shape growth prospects across the year following the freeing up of credit terms under th...

2020 economic outlook , Cytonn Investment , Kenya's GDP growth rate

2019 review: Interest caps fall at second attempt

By Kepha Muiruri,

In a seemingly last ditch attempt to salvage the economy off interest cap hurdles, the National Treasury through the then Cabinet Secretary Henry Roti...

CBK , interest rate caps , National Treasury

CBK: Shilling has largely been undervalued

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has reignited its tiff with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by disapproving the institution’s stance of the sh...

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) , IMF , Kenyan shiiling

CBK revises 2019 growth expectations down from 6%

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has revised its economic growth expectations for 2019 to 5.9 percent from an original 6 percent anchoring the trim on ...

CBK , economic growth , Kenya's GDP growth rate

CBK assures affordable loans but won’t shepherd banks on rates

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has assured Kenyans to the retention of affordable loans in the post rate cap environment in its attempt to demystify ...

CBK , Interest Rates , Kenya Bankers Association (KBA)

All eyes on CBK on review of Kenya economy base lending rate

By Kepha Muiruri,

All eyes will be on the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) as it offers guidance on the direction of interest rates in the market. The CBK has been relati...

CBK , CBR

CBK boss warns banks against taking advantage of Kenyans

By Kepha Muiruri,

Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge has cautioned banks against side-lining borrowers in the aftermath of the interest rate caps repe...

CBK , KBA

‘Greedy’ lenders to blame for feared hike on bank loan rates

By Kepha Muiruri,

The interest rate charged on your new loan is inevitably set to rise in the aftermath of the interest rate cap repeal in spite of assurances from the ...

CBK , Finance Act , interest rate caps , KBA , Treasury

Safaricom showcases Kenya at Singapore Fintech festival

By Duncan Mutwiri,

Safaricom has urged innovators at the Singapore Fintech festival to exploit opportunities in the Kenyan industry. The company's Chief Financial Off...

Safaricom , Singapore Fintech festival

MPs leave Kenyans at the mercy of banks as rate caps fall

By Kepha Muiruri,

Members of Parliament (MPs) have left Kenyans at the mercy of banks on the rate charged on new loans as the interest rate caps fall. In a chaotic v...

IMF anxious to see jump in Kenya’s tax base

By Kepha Muiruri,

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has pinned taxes as the central pillar to the attainment of a satisfactory fiscal consolidation program as the c...

CBK , IMF , National Treasury

Uhuru sides with banks, calls for removal of interest rate caps

By Kepha Muiruri,

President Uhuru Kenyatta has declined to sign the Finance Bill, 2019 following the move by Members of Parliament to retain interest rate caps. In a...

CBK , interest rate caps , KBA , Uhuru kenyatta

Unaccounted for mattress money that never returned into circulation

By Kepha Muiruri,

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) managed to put to waste sums greater than the reported Ksh.7.4 billion worth of the demonetized Ksh.1000 notes, financ...

CBK , demonetization , old notes , patrick njoroge