The Shipping Cartel

The Antitrust regulator in Kenya has opened an investigation into the global shipping behemoths that dominate Mombasa Port. The inquiry was sparked by mounting complaints that these multinational firms, through exclusive contracts, and uniform pricing have reduced local logistics firms to mere spectators in the game.

I am Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street and these are our day's business stories:

Leading Stories 

⛴️ The Shipping Cartel at Mombasa docks

By Harry Njuguna

In a sweeping investigation that could reshape the freight economy at East Africa’s busiest port, Kenya's antitrust watchdog has launched a probe into multinational shipping firms accused of throttling local logistics companies through collusion and vertical monopolies. Despite Kenyan firms owning nearly all the trucks, global giants like Maersk and CMA CGM continue to dominate shipping contracts, locking out local businesses with exclusive deals and uniform pricing.

The Competition Authority’s scrutiny stretches from Mombasa’s container yards to corporate boardrooms, following industry cries of cartel-like behavior including suspiciously identical charges and closed-door consortia. At stake is the very structure of East Africa’s trade lifeline, with regulators racing to deliver a report before the September 30 deadline. Read more…

📉 Falling Interest Rates : Fast Enough?

By Fred Obura

Kenyan commercial banks have continued shaving lending and deposit rates, following the Central Bank’s steady rate-cutting campaign, which now places the CBR at 9.75%. Still, the spread between the cheapest lender (Citibank at 10.36%) and the most expensive (CIB Kenya at 20%) tells a tale of wildly different appetites and anxieties in boardrooms across Nairobi.

Deposit rates too have dipped, from 10.45% in December to 8.70% in May, even as some banks like Family Bank scramble to lure savers with sharp spikes. Inflation, meanwhile, is the tamest it's been in over a year, at 3.8%, giving Governor Thugge more elbow room to press the monetary easing pedal. Read more…

Your Opinion 

📡 Telkom Kenya : A Fading Signal

By Chelsy Maina

Once a pioneer in Kenya’s telecom revolution, Telkom Kenya now trails as a faint echo in a sector dominated by Safaricom and Airtel’s roaring competition. Its shrinking market share, outdated infrastructure, and failure to crack the mobile money gold mine have left it limping in a high-speed race.

Years of investor uncertainty, bureaucratic delays, and underwhelming leadership have hollowed out its strategic edge; leaving even its own employees disillusioned and stuck. As 5G dreams take flight and digital wallets become mainstream, Telkom’s silence on the frontier is both deafening and damning. Read more…

👋🏽 Final Bow : Old Mutual Exits Juba 

By Fred Obura

After nearly two decades in South Sudan, Old Mutual’s UAP Insurance has begun a subdued withdrawal, ceasing new business and renewals as of July 3, 2025. The move follows a strategic review, though whispers of long-standing underperformance and shifting corporate priorities stretch far beyond the press release.

It comes less than a year after Old Mutual shed its stake in the Tanzanian unit, citing disappointing returns, and amid growing shareholder unrest back home. As Old Mutual tiptoes out of turbulent markets, questions now loom over its East African ambitions and the integrity of its boardroom compass. Read more…

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