Kutwa Tuesday: December 31 2008

1. Yes it’s Wednesday
2. this is the final post for 2008
3. Happy New Year
4. Welcome first time readers searching online for primary school exam (KCPE) results. This is a blog on finance and investment issues in Kenya mainly
5. stories you may have missed in December 2008

- National Oil Corporation NOCK will borrow $65 million from French Bank PNB Paribas
- Triton Petrol (now under receivership) has left several local and international banks exposed to bad loans. They were also partners of Reliance (India) in the second national Operator contract
- From January 2009 Kenyans can buy government bonds and bills for just Kshs. 100,000 (~$1,300) through the Central bank of Kenya. The next bill auctions are on 5th January for bills while bond are on 26th January. one must open a CDS account with the CBK (currently they hold 4,222 accounts that trade in GoK securities) more details here
- The CBK also released a report on commercial banks readiness and compliances with Basel II requirements
- New branches Banks opening new branches in December were National bank of Kenya (Kakamega, Eldoret airport, Embu, Ongata rongai), Bank of Baroda (Nakuru) and CFC Stanbic (Kisumu, Westlands – Westgate)
- Dyer & Blair Investment Bank will arrange a fund raising plan for TransCentury, one of Kenya’s leading Private Equity firms
- Standard Chartered expected to roll out a mobile banking platform in 2009 in Kenya for funds transfer, utility payments etc. (already operational in Uganda)
- Uchumi made a payment to debenture holders in December, can it re-list at the Nairobi stock exchange in 2009?
- Co-Op Bank shares began trading at the NSE – but mini bounce on day one was not sustainable

from the blogs
- Kshs. 2.5 billion worth of Equity shares trade hands in a surprisingtrade yesterday
- NIC Kenya’s leader in asset finance, but more retail and corporate has ventured into Tanzania acquiring 51% of S&F Bank - more here
- Want to buy goods online, but you don’t have a credit card – read up on Afripay - a local company that offers that service in Nairobi
- Why is it so hard for foreign (German) companies to invest in Tanzania?
- While Pirate terrorize the east African Coastline, what should be Kenya’s flagship navy vessel is rotting away in Europe.