Administrator of the East African Cables PLC (EAC), a key player in the region’s electrical cable manufacturing industry, is looking for potential investors to help revive its operations after being placed under administration due to financial distress, the Kenyan Times reported. In a notice issued on Friday, July 25, by its joint administrators, the administrator has invited expressions of interest (EOIs) from strategic or financial investors willing to participate in its rescue or acquisition process.

The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) has addressed reports that the university has been shut down days after it was declared financially insolvent by the National Assembly, the Kenya Times reported. The Parliamentary Committee on Education on Wednesday, April 16, declared TUK insolvent amid a deepening financial crisis marked by billions of debts and persistent salary delays for staff. This came after current and former administrators faced tough questions before the committee about how the institution accrued debts exceeding Ksh12 billion.

Kenya's central bank cut its main interest rate for the fourth meeting in a row on Wednesday, saying it wanted to do more to support lending and boost economic growth, Reuters reported. The Central Bank Rate was lowered by 50 basis points to 10.75%. The bank's Monetary Policy Committee also decided to cut the Cash Reserve Ratio - by 100 basis points, to 3.25% - and said it had started on-site inspections of banks to check they were passing on the benefits of lower funding costs to customers.

Entrepreneur Joseph Kairo Wambui, also known as Khalif Kairo, has addressed allegations of bankruptcy related to his company, Kairo and Karo, which specializes in car sales and importation, The Kenya Times reported. This comes after images circulating on social media showed his car yard nearly empty. In a video shared on Wednesday, Kairo dismissed claims that his company is facing bankruptcy, stating that these accusations are part of a smear campaign aimed at damaging his reputation.

Kenya’s economy is on the mend and the country is unlikely to need further assistance from the International Monetary Fund, according to the head of President William Ruto’s economic council, Bloomberg News reported. Kenya signed a four-year, $3.6 billion financing deal with the IMF amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. That program expires in April and both Kenya’s Treasury and an IMF head of mission in the country have confirmed that talks about a new one have begun.

Kenya’s local borrowing costs are stuck near the highest in almost a decade as uncertainty over funding options mounts, Bloomberg News reported. Protests over tax hikes sought by the International Monetary Fund turned deadly in June and ultimately forced the government to backtrack. With the latest IMF aid tranche on hold for now, officials are opting instead to boost sales of shilling-denominated bonds, keeping yields on the local debt elevated. While a surprise interest-rate cut last month has lowered yields across the curve, borrowing costs remain close to the highest since December 2015.

Kenya’s central bank surprised financial markets by cutting its benchmark interest rate for the first time since early 2020, providing some respite to consumers who have become increasingly frustrated by the high cost of living, Bloomberg News reported. The monetary policy committee lowered the key rate to 12.75% from 13%, Governor Kamau Thugge said in an emailed statement Tuesday. Only one of nine economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted the move. Yields on government bonds due 2031 eased 4 basis points to 11.55% by 6:51 pm in Nairobi, the first drop after three consecutive days of gains.

The World Bank is poised to approve $1.2 billion of budget financing to Kenya before the end of April, unlocking key financing for the East African nation that wants to cut its reliance on commercial debt, Bloomberg News reported. The amount is slightly less than the $1.5 billion that Kenyan authorities had anticipated receiving from the Washington-based lender and follows other disbursements by the International Monetary Fund as well as Trade and Development Bank, a pan-African lender. Kenya had earmarked the World Bank funds to finance its budget in the fiscal year that ends June 30.