James Anyanzwa

Africa

Business Writer at The East African

Articles

Kenyan banks report 30pc rise in fishy deals

1 week ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

Kenyan banks have flagged a 30.55 percent surge in suspicious transactions related to terrorism financing, underscoring a need to strengthen anti-money laundering/counter-terrorism financing regulations.
EAC’s invisible walls: Why intra-trade remains stubbornly at 15pc?

1 week ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

The East African Community (EAC) Council of Ministers has received a report on a fresh surge in non-tariff barriers to trade in the regional bloc, largely fuelled by contradictory domestic taxes. The EAC Sectoral Council of the Ministers of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) says the number of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) within the bloc increased from 10 in November 2024 to 48 in May 2025, reflecting the challenges member states are facing trading with one another.
Bad loans force Kenyan banks to review credit risk appraisal

2 weeks ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

Top Kenyan banks with regional operations, have posted flat, slowed or declined profits in the first quarter of this year, reversing the growth momentum seen recently. Loan quality — measured by gross non-performing loans (NPLs) to gross loans ratio — weakened to 17.4 percent, from 15.7 percent, in the same period last year, reflecting a surge in bad loans, which prompted banks to adopt tight credit risk appraisal.
EAC ministers order probe on products requiring special tax treatment

2 weeks ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

East African Community (EAC) ministers have directed the Secretariat to institute measures aimed at abolishing special tax treatment for certain goods in the region in the next 12 months. The EAC Sectoral Council of the Ministers of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) wants an investigation to ascertain the availability of these products in the region and the justification for the special treatment.
Treasury to spend Sh1 trillion on debt interest payments

2 weeks ago | businessdailyafrica.com | James Anyanzwa

The National Treasury will spend Sh1.09 trillion in interest payments on public debt in the next financial year (2025-26), reflecting the impact of mounting debt on Kenyans who are reeling from the high cost of living and multiple taxation. This will mark a Sh94.2 billion rise compared to the Sh995.76 estimated to be spent on debt service in the current fiscal year ending this month.
Kenya’s coffee output seen rebounding 13pc on better prices, reforms

2 weeks ago | nation.africa | James Anyanzwa

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects a 13.3 per cent growth in Kenya’s coffee production to 850,000 bags in the next marketing period (2025/2026) that begins in October, up from 750,000 bags in the current 2024/2025 period.
EAC ministers suspend new levies on high-risk products pending review

2 weeks ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

East African Community finance ministers have suspended the implementation of new levies on lubricating oils, aluminium bars and active yeast, which are considered high-risk products, and referred the taxation proposal to the regional sectoral committee on customs for further analysis.
Kenya’s new ceramics tax irks partners

2 weeks ago | zawya.com | James Anyanzwa

Kenya has imposed excise duty on ceramic tiles originating from Uganda and Tanzania, setting off fears of a potential trade dispute with Kampala and Dodoma terming the tax as ‘discriminatory.’Uganda brough this up before the EAC Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) during a meeting in Arusha last month (May 26-30), saying it has affected Uganda originating ceramic tiles, in contravention of the principle of National Treatment as enshrined in Article 15 of the...
Ex-officials of troubled Metropolitan Sacco fail to block probe

3 weeks ago | nation.africa | James Anyanzwa

The High Court has dismissed a petition by former officials of the troubled Metropolitan National Sacco challenging the investigations that unearthed financial irregularities at the entity about three years ago. Lady Justice Aburili Roselyne Ekirapa dismissed the petition by the former Sacco officials on May 21,025, and directed them to pursue their grievances through the appellate mechanisms provided under Section 74 of the Cooperative Societies Act.
Locals complete exit from stockbroker AIB-AXYS Africa in Sh120m deal

4 weeks ago | businessdailyafrica.com | James Anyanzwa

Mauritian financial services provider AXYS Group has taken full ownership of the stockbroker AIB-AXYS Africa, after buying the 45 percent stake held by local shareholders for Sh120 million. The deal, according to sources familiar with the matter, was concluded in September 2024.