Restoring the AGOA Lifeline

Hello 👋🏽 It's Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street.

In today's newsletter, the US House of Representatives wants to extend the AGOA trade pact, much to the delight of Kenyan exporters. But will it persist in the era of President Trump's bilateralism and tariffs?

This and more in today's newsletter edition…

Restoring the AGOA Lifeline 

By Fred Obura

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to extend AGOA, reviving a trade lifeline that underpins Kenya’s export economy and tens of thousands of factory jobs. For manufacturers, the vote is less about Washington politics and more about survival in a brutally competitive global apparel market. Without duty-free access, Kenya would struggle to compete with low-cost rivals in Asia and North Africa. The extension, however, still faces a Senate test and sits uneasily alongside Washington’s recent turn toward tariffs and bilateral deals.

Read the article here >>>>>

Cutting off Private Law Firms

By Brian Nzomo

The Kenyan legal profession is in open rebellion after a High Court order temporarily barred public entities from hiring private law firms, igniting a high-stakes battle over money, power, and public accountability. Lawyers warn the move could paralyze government operations and wipe out a key pillar of professional services, while petitioners argue it will finally stem rampant abuse of public funds disguised as legal fees. At the centre of the dispute is a simple but explosive question: why outsource legal work when the state already employs lawyers on the public payroll? Audits showing billions of shillings paid to private firms, often with thin documentation, have given reformers fresh ammunition. Now, with livelihoods on the line and devolution in the crosshairs, the courts are being asked to decide whether this is long-overdue cleanup.

Read the full article here >>>>>

The Final Bailout for the Creamery 

By Fred Obura

After three years and six billion shillings, New KCC still can’t balance its books, prompting the government to consider leasing the milk processor to private operators. President Ruto warns this will be the last bailout unless reforms finally bear fruit; a thinly veiled acknowledgement that public money alone cannot fix systemic rot. An Auditor-General’s report reads like a thriller of missing titles and debts stretching into the billions. The proposed leasing mirrors the sugar sector’s strategy, where private hands have long been called to rescue public failures.

Read the full article here >>>>>

OPINION : How the Kenyan Private Sector Can Stay Risk-Proof in 2026 

By Dr. Isaac Nzyoka

Kenyan businesses stride into 2026 under a fragile optimism: steady GDP growth flirts with opportunity, while inflation, political uncertainty, and climate shocks lurk in the shadows. Resilience can no longer be a defensive checkbox; it must be a strategy baked into balance sheets, digital systems, and supply chains alike. Leadership, culture, and talent will decide which firms survive the coming turbulence; and which merely cling to the past. Those who anticipate risk, embrace technology, and obsess over customers won’t just endure, they’ll turn uncertainty into leverage.

Read the opinion article here »»»»»

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