Kenya’s residential market booms: opportunities and challenges ahead

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Kenya’s residential market booms: opportunities and challenges ahead

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Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group Holdings Managing Director and CEO with Lord Jonathan Marland, Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (right) and Lord Hugo Swire, Deputy Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (left). Dr. Mwangi was conferred the Freedom of the City of London, a prestigious honor recognizing his exceptional work in promoting inclusivity and creating equitable communities. The award dates back to the 12th century and has been conferred upon only a select couple of hundred individuals like Nelson Mandela, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Lee Kuan Yew and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

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The three-day training is part of AWS’s broader strategy to develop cloud expertise in Africa. AWS Skills Centers, first introduced in South Africa in 2023, aim to provide accessible cloud training to non-technical learners. Through a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, AWS is fostering a new generation of cloud professionals. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the University of Nairobi to bring AWS instructor-led training to Kenyan students,” said Nondumiso Zibi, AWS Director for Support Engineering, EMEA.

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In the bustling Tushauriane area of Kayole, Embakasi, St. Patrick’s hospital is like an oasis in a desert. The level four hospital attends to thousands of patients in the densely populated Eastlands area. For the last 13 years, Ann Maina, the director and founder of the facility, has aspired to provide only the highest quality of care. Although the facility is widely known for its efficient services, it stands out when it comes to maternity care. From the onset, maternity care has always been dear to Mrs. Maina, a nurse. This was cemented into her heart after coming across debilitating and nerve-wracking experiences when she worked as a nurse in one of the local government hospitals. “The experience really left a bad taste in my mouth. I remember one time working in the maternity department, I witnessed nurses beating up an expectant mother in the delivery room. It was a heartbreaking moment for me and I really didn’t want to be part of that,” she recalls. Early in her career, she says she knew there was a way that mothers could deliver babies in a conducive environment, while receiving the best of care. “I felt that mothers should not suffer.” This prompted her to start a maternity home in her rented one-bedroom house, where she could afford mothers the best care she envisaged. For a start, she had a blood pressure monitoring machine, an examination bed and a drug cabinet. Her plan worked. Within a short time, more mothers visited her house, ready to deliver. “At one point, I had three expectant mothers coming to my house seeking assistance as they were ready for delivery. I handled them expertly. As others waited on the couch, I took in the first mother and she had a safe delivery. Within a short time, I ushered the rest into the delivery room and everything went well,” she shares. After making porridge for them, she discharged them after four hours. “Mothers need respect when giving birth. They need to be handled well.” With a vision, she realized that she was meeting a critical need in her society. Having tested the waters, she knew what needed to be done. “My patients needed to sleep on white sheets and pillows and once they have delivered, they need to be wheeled to their beds, be supported together with their babies, with lots of respect,” Naturally, expansion was in her mind, but there was a big problem; she had no money to expand. “I wanted to expand, but banks couldn’t give me money. Luckily, I had a Merry Go Round Chama that gave me some cash to expand.” Even with the cash injection from her Chama, she quickly found out that she couldn’t do more, especially when it comes to equipping a maternity unit. Seeing the potential of her dream, she decided to make a leap of faith and sold her house. With the proceeds, she then bought land and built structures at the current location. “I build the outpatients and the maternity section before the money ran out.” Despite the meager resources, Ann was motivated to keep going. At that point when she was starting out, she says she drew her motivation from the then president, Mwai Kibaki whose rallying call was to create over 500 000 jobs every year. “ I felt like the former president was talking to me directly, asking me to create jobs. With that I just went out and hired my first batch of professionals, including nurses, clinicians and doctors to help me run the show.” She remembers that the government of the day had made the business environment conducive, enabling businesses to make money. “Money became available to businesses through affordable bank loans”. What followed was a growth spurt that saw the business grow exponentially. Since its inception in 2012, St Patrick’s Hospital has become a household name in Kayole and environs. So phenomenal has been the growth that it has spawned a new branch. “As part of our expansion, we were able to buy land in Kenol, Muranga county and build and equip a fully fledged hospital, serving many people in the environs.” Mrs Maina attributes the hospitals' growth to sheer hard-work and determination. She appreciastes the fact that her husband joined and supported her to run the facility. “He could help from day one when I had to rush a patient to another facility in an ambulance. He was also instrumental in designing and building our facility.” Firstly, she says the hospital obtained favor from the locals, who patronized it. Secondly, the partnership with SafeCare, an international quality assurance and standards organization was a game changer. Once they joined SafeCare in 2012, Mrs Maina and her team were signed up for business and quality management training to improve their skills. The first step is assessment, which was an eye-opener for Mrs Maina. SafeCare found out that Ann and her team were not running the facility the right way. “We had no administration office, no systems. SafeCare helped them isolate the gaps and set in motion interventions in a bid to improve themselves. With this, they were able to streamline their record keeping, have audited accounts and a digitalized patient history. Next to identifying gaps, SafeCare provided St. Patrick’s hospital with practical tools, solutions and technical support, including access to finance. After the SafeCare intervention, Mrs Maina says her facility was able to obtain the first loan from Medical Credit Fund under the PharmAccess umbrella. It’s this experience that opened the doors for her to get credit from other institutions. She says that the impact of SafeCare was felt almost instantaneously. Shortly afterward, her facility was able to attract all the big insurers, as well as NHIF, a move that brought in many patients. “When the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) used to visit us for an evaluation, we never knew what they were looking for, and we didn’t know how to improve. After we started SafeCare and the NHIF visited us again, it was a whole new story’’. St. Patrick became NHIF accredited, ensuring a bigger client and income flow. Patient visits have risen from almost 600 to more than 2000 a month, especially now that they have also managed to contract corporate clients and private medical insurance companies. There’s no doubt that SafeCare has helped Ann to reposition her facility and increase its market value. Safecare also helped Ann and her team to mitigate risks in the workplace, especially by embracing handwashing and separating waste in color-coded bins. For Ann, running the hospital is not just a passionate endeavor, but one that should impact society. This explains why her facility hosts health campaigns to educate the community about hygiene. Safecare has certified the facility as a Level 4 but Mrs Maina is eager to go for the highest certification as well as be ISO-certified. “We have come a long way, and we are going far. Our aim now is to continue offering the highest quality of care to all patients, with dignity and respect.”

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The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) (https://AfricaBusinessHeroes.org/) Prize Competition, a philanthropic initiative of Alibaba Philanthropy, today revealed the Top 20 entrepreneurs selected to advance to the 2025 Semi-Finals, taking place in Dakar, Senegal on 10 – 11 September 2025. The selection of the Top 20 reflects a rigorous and highly competitive process. Starting from nearly 32,000 applications spanning the African continent, candidates advanced through multiple rounds, including the Top 50 Round 2 interviews and a thorough due diligence process. From this pool, 20 exceptional entrepreneurs were chosen, representing diverse sectors and embodying the spirit of African innovation and resilience. They now stand just one step away from the Grand Finale, where they will compete for a place among the Top 10 Heroes. Those who advance will not only share in grant funding ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 USD but also gain access to mentorship opportunities, international networks, and unparalleled global visibility. “Year after year, we are inspired by the caliber of entrepreneurs we see at ABH. The 2025 Top 20 span 9 countries and 10 sectors from healthtech and fintech to agritech and sustainability, reflecting Africa’s dynamic innovation landscape. We continue to see strong momentum in digital transformation, scalable B2B and subscription models, and impact-driven businesses tackling challenges from financial inclusion to food security and environmental sustainability. These trends not only highlight the resilience of African founders but also underscore the continent’s potential to deliver both profitability and social impact,” said Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Africa MD of ABH. This year’s Semi-Final marks the first time ABH is hosting in a francophone country and a first in Senegal, underscoring the country’s growing influence as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. Senegal’s strong 8.6% GDP growth and its upcoming role as host of th*2026 Youth Olympic Games—the first ever on African soil—further cement its position as a dynamic center for talent, business, and global events. The event will feature high-stakes pitch sessions, networking opportunities, and mentorship programs for the finalists. The Top 20 finalists will present their businesses before a distinguished panel of judges, each bringing deep expertise and perspective from across the entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem. The panel includes: Hasan Haidar, Managing Director of PlusVC and a long-standing ABH judge, recognized for his extensive experience in venture capital and commitment to supporting early-stage startups across the Middle East and Africa. Moulaye Taboure, CEO and Founder of ANKA, a pioneering e-commerce and fintech platform empowering African artisans and merchants to access global markets. A former ABH Top 10 Hero, Moulaye’s participation marks a milestone for the program as the first time an alumnus has returned to serve as a judge. Jason Pau, Vice President of Alibaba Group and Executive Director (International) of the Jack Ma Foundation, who has spearheaded global philanthropic initiatives including Africa’s Business Heroes. Together, this panel will evaluate the finalists based on innovation, impact, scalability, and leadership, ultimately determining which entrepreneurs will advance to the Top 10 stage of the competition. This landmark event is made possible through the support of Alibaba Philanthropy, together with leading Senegalese sponsors Wave, Sonatel and InTouch Group. Their partnership underscores a shared commitment to fostering innovation, empowering entrepreneurs, and positioning Senegal as a driving force in Africa’s economic transformation. “Wave is honored to partner with Africa’s Business Heroes in bringing this landmark event to Dakar. For us, this is more than sponsorship, it is a commitment to empowering entrepreneurs, accelerating innovation, and positioning Senegal as a hub of Africa’s economic transformation. Hosting the Semi-Finals here reflects our belief in the power of young African talent to shape a more inclusive and prosperous future for the continent” emphasized Coura Tine Sene, Regional Director and Head of Public Affairs at Wave, said.” Now in its 7th edition, the ABH Prize Competition continues to spotlight and support African entrepreneurs who are making a positive impact in their communities. This year’s Semi-Final is further strengthened by the collaboration of key ecosystem partners, including Ignite.E, Impact Hub Dakar, SenStartup, and African Leadership University (ALU), who are helping to expand outreach and foster deeper engagement within Senegal’s vibrant entrepreneurial landscape. Meet the 2025 Top 20 Heroes: Adriaan Kruger – nuvoteQ (South Africa) – HealthTech / Digital Solutions Baraka Chijenga – Kilimo Fresh Foods Africa Limited (Tanzania) – AgriTech / Food Security Blandine Umuziranenge – Kosmotive (Rwanda) – HealthTech / Women Empowerment Bundi Mbuthia – Uzapoint Technologies Limited (Kenya) – SME Tech / Digital Tools Diana Gerald – NovFeed (Tanzania) – AgriTech / Biotech Gohar Said– Suplyd (Egypt) – FoodTech / Supply Chain Janet Kuteli – Fortune Credit Limited (Kenya) – FinTech / Microfinance Jean Lobe Lobe – Waspito (Cameroon) – HealthTech / Telemedicine Jessica Roussos – BluLever Education Pty Ltd (South Africa) – EdTech / Skills Training Khadija Churchill – Kwanza Tukule Foods Limited (Kenya) – FoodTech / Distribution Louisa Olafuyi – Kunda Kids Ltd (Uganda) – EdTech / Children’s Media Mofehintolu Funso – CredPal (Nigeria) – FinTech / Credit Access Moka Lantum – CheckUps Medical Center (Kenya) – Healthcare / FinTech Mukashahaha Diane – DIKAM Ltd (Rwanda) – Textiles / Women & Youth Empowerment Neamat Eltazi – Poultry Sync (Egypt) – AgriTech / Sustainability Racine Sarr – SAWA by Shop Me Away (Senegal) – Logistics / Digital Platforms Samwel Ezikiel – Mwamba Mining Limited (Tanzania) – Mining / Sustainability Siny Samba – Le Lionceau (Senegal) – FoodTech / Infant Nutrition Thomas Patrick – Franc Group (South Africa) – FinTech / Wealth Management Wycliffe Onyango – BuuPass (Kenya) – Transport / Digital Ticketing For more information on the Top 20 Heroes, visit: https://AfricaBusinessHeroes.org/

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Staff Writer

Kenya’s residential market booms: opportunities and challenges ahead

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St Patrick’s hospital: An oasis of quality care

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Africa’s Business Heroes Announces Top 20 Entrepreneurs Advancing to the Semi-Finals...

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