Showing posts with label Charterhouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charterhouse. Show all posts

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Political Moment: MP Salaries Perfomance & Debates

On Tuesday, after a day of street protests
@iGaddo cartoon in the Nation
and online petitions by Kenyans, upset over yet another initiative by members of Kenya's parliamentarians (MP's or MPigs - as they were called in the street) to raise their salaries, President Mwai Kibaki announced that he would not sign a bill into law and thus appearing to halt their greedy March.

@Mzalendowatch has the hansard (transcript) of the debate on the fateful night that the salary increase was discussed, and while there was a lively debate with lots of MP's contributing on matters like hides & skins, capital gains tax on land & shares, reopening Charterhouse Bank mining rights,  and capping bank interest rates -  on the subject of their salaries, no questions were asked on the complex motion which seems to imply that it had been agreed on to pass without much fanfare.
Kenyan leaders are overpaid

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Turnover: These are interesting times in politics, and with Kenya’s 10th parliament  in its’ last few months, there appears to be in a grab & go mentality, given that many won't be back in parliament. In the last election in 2007, about 70% of MP’s lost their seats, and with next year having  the first election under a new constitution, many current MP’s are gunning for other newly created seats such as senators and governors.

Despite their high salaries, many MP's have a track record of not managing their salaries well hence the push for a bonus send-off.

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Performance Review: How can we judge how MP's have performed over the last few years? There's Mzalendo who have tracked key issues in parliament (publishing bills & hansards) and also rate all the current MP’s as either  bad, average, or good for their online constituents to judge. 

Also the Data Science blog came up with a performance with a scorecard using recently available constituency data to determine how much value some MP's who led the controversial have actually performed for their constituents.


Debate Season : The BBC are in Nairobi shooting a month long series of shows in Kenya including Hardtalk with leading Kenyan politicians and pieces on mobile communications and Lamu.

BBC Hardtalk anchor gets grilled in Nairobi
And yesterday, Kenya’s media owners announced that they would jointly produce and broadcast a series of U.S style presidential debates  in the coming months.

 So how will the presidential candidates perform in a debate? The APSEA blog analyzed the communication styles  of three of the likely contenders  - Musalia Mudavadi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo Musyoka (who's the current Vice President) and who are all likely to be on the debate stage in from November  with some interesting findings..

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Bank Enforcement CYA

The Finance Act 2010 is now available at kenyalaw.org.

It covers a lot of grey area generated by the Central Banks of Kenya’s (CBK) handling of the Grand Regency sale and the Charterhouse Bank closure, and gives powers and direction that provide some legal safe cover (but not retroactively).

It requires funds recovered by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to go to the Government's Consolidated Fund (78) and gives CBK powers to (peek and) take action at a bank based on (a banks' own) auditor report (66) and specifies harsher actions that may be taken against banks who violate share capital limits (67).

Other provisions:
- Banks can lend up to 40% of balance sheet to real estate (up from 25%)
- Beer prices up 20%
- Copyright inspectors can summon police officers to arrest piracy offenders (77)
- Abandoned vehicle number plates should be submitted to Government for cancelation (40)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Week on Twitter: September 22

Another re-cap of a week full of Twitter - @bankelele posts which included issues like Olympia prepares for shareholders then postpone AGM, a skunkworks forum and a fibre summit are coming to Nairobi this week, but how is the fibre being used in government? There’s a new newspaper from the government of Kenya and a new magazine from EAM. Charterhouse bank may re-open while PTA bank has a silent bond, Kenya airways flies to ndola while Emirates air starts selling world cup 2010 packages, and finally twitter matures by enabling medical advice for Kahenya, drawing in the US ambassador to Kenya and also by helping Stanbic Bank improve customer service

- East Africa Fibre Summit - in Kenya next week http://www.aitecafrica.com/...
Emirates Air starts selling 2010 World Cup South Africa Packages http://tinyurl.com/pbj7e3 (where's SAA, @kenyaairways, Ethiopian?)
New GoK newspaper title Kenya Today; first issue has bullet trains, brigadier Ali, SMEs, IdiAmin, MJ, and rants about parliamentary dictatorship & NYTimes writers – all at a cost of Kshs 30/=
- @SupremeGREAM I'd be very surprised if Charterhouse Bank reopens. It will be like re-licensing Triton; @kachwanya is correct, something is smoking at Charterhouse http://bit.ly/3lk8d2
- R/T @kaboro Skunkworks Tech & Entrepreneur Forum, 29Sep Speakers: Liko Agosta, Verviant, Joshua Wanyama, Pamoja, Alex Gakuru.
- Help @kahenya with medical advice http://bit.ly/1YDJ3F #rhabdomyolysis
- @RookieKE CFA one very tough exam, it has driven some very bright professionals up the wall. CFA pass rates Level I: 46% Level II: 41% Level III: 49% @kainvestor http://tinyurl.com/mwegha i salute those who have tried it
- Tiomin say they have made progress with Canadian and Chinese investors on #kwale. Wait till they get to environment minister #michuki
- Kenya government has asked all ministries/agencies to email copies of procurement tenders - to be complied at a portal http://www.tenders.go.ke/ ; also http://www.tandaa.co.ke/ which is "all about Kenyan content" has NO KENYAN CONTENT! Just Anheuser Busch, French news, love in Warsaw...
- @kenyaairways 44th destination launch flight lands in Ndola #Zambia http://bit.ly/hMFk5
- Barclays waives joining fee for gold (6K) & classic (3k) cards http://www.barclays.com/afr... #youllpaysomehow @coldtusker i have no credit card, i can usually tap family or friends #TIA
- R/t @joosi @davos World Economic Forum (WEF) to be in Tanzania May '10. Nairobi star said kofi annan steered it away from Kenya’s bad leadership
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#Newshot and #bullseye are not too funny: seems marende may have banned use of parliamentary clips for satire. Did njoki spell stakeholder as steakholder in her protest letter? #NTV
- Sunday nation writes about US ambassador on twitter @usamb4reform, but twitter yet to be taken up keenly in Kenya unlike facebook
- Nairobi water company appoints 4 debt collection agencies
- PTA Bank has a $21 million 14% bond in Uganda closing Oct 2. Pity they stopped updating their website http://www.ptabank.org
- New women's magazine called Move out this week from EAM, costs just Kshs. 80 ($1) http://www.drum.co.ke/node/... was true love too pricey for the ladies?
- Twitter improves bank service R/T @coldtusker Thanks to @StandardBankGrp I got a call from CFCStanbic Kenya re: my problems at the bank
- R/t @kainvestor Kenya Ministry of Water office connected to fibre cable! But nobody knows what do with it...just watching movies online.

Olympia CEO comments South Africa has been a real challenge, but we still believe in the market M Matu http://tinyurl.com/klheg7 ; later Olympiacapital muddle continues, now AGM postponed to 2nd-oct cause delayed fin statement dispatch

Friday, September 21, 2007

Wikileaks: Charterhouse

Charterhouse revealed
Fresh off the kroll reports, Wikileaks moves on to another Kenyan financial saga - uncovering secrets of charterhouse bank .

The bank was placed under statutory management in 2006 after a long battle with the central bank governor, finance minister, amid allegations of money laundering and tax evasion that almost brought down Nakumatt supermarket who banked with them and hosted several Charterhouse branches.

Euro needs more marketing
The US Dollar keeps dipping lower, not just against the shilling, but is all over recording lows against the Euro and now achieveing parity with the Canadian dollar (no more cheap buys from Canada).

I feel bad when I travel to another country with my Dollars and they don't go as far as tehy used to, or as if I had carried Euros instead.

While the dollar is laid low, there is no other currency stepping up to grab its space. The pound is a colonial relic and the yen is too far & exotic.

The Euro needs to step up and lobby to become the currency of choice for hotels, shops, forex bureaus, Kenya airways, Somali & Sudanese businessmen, companies and most important the Kenya government

Family Bank gets cheques
After applying for a waiver (and getting it), Family Bank finally is now fully fledged with cheque books for customers and access to the Central Bank clearing house. This meshes will with their growth plans – as a recent report found they had the highest new account growth among all banks last year.

IPO savings loan
From Transnational Bank, comes the Fanikisha enabling people to save money and buy IPO shares on the NSE – which TNBL will finance up to 2 ½ times what you have saved. The account is aimed at Kenyans abroad – but my question is with the fractional IPO applications yielded (1/4 or 1/3 of shares paid for) what gain is there in taking a loan for an IPO?

Story con or cover up?
KTN had a story this week about the Tesco supermarkets (local chain – not UK-related) who just ended their Uchumi franchise partnership. KTN said they had seen documents showing that Tesco was insolvent with negative share capital, numerous bounced cheques, rent arrears of many months at its stores, and suppliers reclaiming their merchandise. The story ended there with not follow up in the Standard (KTN sister paper) or any other newspaper. So was it hushed up, or was it a case of more mud slinging in the supermarket wars?

Thursday, December 28, 2006

2006 Kenya banking review


still Barclays country


based on reported figures for September 2006

1. Barclays Bank of Kenya [assets worth 117.17 billion shillings ($1.67 billion)] In 2006 Barclays made a major policy about turn and announced expansion plans including reopening branches they had closed a few years ago. They also venture into Shariah compliant banking as did KCB, I&M, Dubai and K-Rep banks.

Compared to September 2005, assets were up 10%, deposits 12%, loans 14% but income was up only 6%. They also increased their investment in government securities to about 40% of the loan book. Still despite being Kenya’s largest bank, it also has the 2nd highest return on assets at 4.16% (second only to Equity Bank at 4.74%)Barclays shareholders had a very happy year, which saw them earn a bonus share and a share split in addition to their usual top dividend.

2. Kenya Commercial Bank [84.92 billion] KCB nudged passed Stanchart in assets while its share price zoomed passed though Stanchart still has a higher market cap and better returns. KCB’s expansive rural branch network was the envy of other banks such as Barclays and it also expanded into Sudan in 2006. KCB’s assets were up 18%, deposits 17%, loan 13% while income was up 26% from a year ago

3. Standard Chartered [84.09 billion] The bank launched several new products including accounts aimed as women (Diva) and children and adult savings (Safari) accounts. Stanchart also appointed a new MD – Mr. Etemesi. Assets up 18% deposits 16% loan s22% and income 10% while it also increased its investment in government securities

4. Cooperative Bank [55.17 billion] Co-op’s strong recovery continued and it remains a strong candidate for a listing in the next two years. One of their unique traditional products - kids’ savings accounts – was invaded by other banks this year. Compared to last September, assets were up 12%, deposits up 18%, income up 19%, but loans down by 16%. Also their total non performing assets (NPA’s) doubled to 17 billion while the bank also tripled its in investment in government securities during the year.

5. National Bank of Kenya [39.37 billion] NBK is yet to have its capital and debt restructuring done even though it is promised every year by the Government and despite reporting profits each quarter, it was not able to pay any dividends. The Bank launched a low fee (Taifa) account to counter the crowds flocking to Equity and Co-op banks. Assets and loan were up 10%, deposits and income up 16% and it tripled investment in government securities but NPA have also doubled to from a year ago.

6. Citibank Kenya [35.43 billion] Assets up 12% loans up 42% and income up 33%. Was a late entrant to the share craze providing advisory services to the Mumias rights issue in November.

7. Commercial Bank of Africa [35.12 billion] CBA opened a new headquarters and is expected to venture into stockbroking. Assets, deposits, loans, and income were all up 21% but NPA also up 45% from a year ago.

8. CFC [25.04 billion] Had a successful rights issue to raise capital and also continued to roll out new insurance products. Its stockbroking unit is the largest in the country and was reported to have processed Eveready applications amounts that exceeded the shares being offered. CFC doubled its investment in government securities, assets were up 35%, deposits and loans up 20%, income up 61% but NPA were also up by 74% from the year before.

9. NIC [23.55] Still the leader in asset finance while their flat fee (MOVE) was imitated by other banks. Assets and deposits were up 18%, loans 15%, and income 33%, but NPA’s doubled from a year ago also. Shareholders finally enjoyed some significant price appreciation after being stuck at 50 /= forever.

10. Standard Bank (Stanbic) [23.29 billion] Many Kenyans bought shares in their Ugandan subsidiary while the Bank has expressed an interest in investing in NBK once it is restructured. Stanbic which has the lowest NPA (followed by Citibank and D-Trust) had assets up 54% deposits and loans up 44% and income was up 49%.

11 Investment & Mortgages [21.79 billion] I&M had assets up 25% deposits 27% loans 36% and income up 33% as the bank made a push into the credit card sector.

12 Diamond Trust [19.14 billion] Raised capital in an over-subscribed rights issue in December and is rumored to consolidate with a sister bank next year. Assets were up 27% deposits 29% loans 25% while income was up 33% from a year ago.

13 Equity [16.33 billion] Kenya’s s fastest growing bank had assets up 63% deposits 81% loans 105% and income 90% however expenses in Q3 grew faster than income and NPA’s are up 165%. It has the highest returns (assets 5% and equity 46%) and successfully listed all their shares on the NSE in 2006

14 Bank of Baroda [11.43 billion] Assets and deposits up 29%, loans up 27%, income up 22% and profit could double this year.

15 Housing Finance [9.8 billion] Has a new MD while its share price appreciated beyond expectation leaving it with the highest P/E on the NSE. Assets, deposits, loans, income, and expenses remained basically unchanged from a year ago while the bank has converted cash into government securities. The lack of new loan growth resulted in NPA’s forming a greater portion (72%) of loan book.

16 Prime Bank [9.26 billion] Assets and income up 40%, deposits 43% loan 29% and profits are up 69% from a year ago.

17 EABS Bank [8.55 billion] Teething pains continue as assets shrunk by 4% but with a positive outlook as income increased twice as fast as operating expenses this year, but still NPA’s are at 72%.

18 Imperial [8.47 billion] Assets up 5% loan 146% and securities up 60% as the bank had redeployed about 1 billion in placements. Income is up 13% and Imperial has among the top 5 returns (even better than Citibank)

19 Bank of India [8.15 billion] Assets and deposits up 20%, loans up 56%, income up 46% but NPA up 43% - still the bank is on track for a huge profit this year.

20 Bank of Africa [6.23 billion] Expects to open another Nairobi branch and but into a bank in Uganda to go with the one it invested into in Tanzania. Assets up 17% deposits 35% loans 16% and income up 31% and despite increase expansion costs remains on track to achieve a profit this year.

21 Fina [6.15 billion] One of the banks that has championed SME financing and also has an extensive operation in Rwanda. Assets unchanged from a year ago while loans up 17% profits will be 41% higher, but NPA also up 59%.

22 Habib AG Zurich [5.07 billion] Asset up 9%, loans 16% and income up 11% at this bank which invests primarily in government securities.

23 ABC [4.95 billion] Assets up 7% with loans up 4%, and income up 20% from a year ago however NPA’s also up 46%.

24 Giro [4.93 billion] Nothing much heard from partnership with SBI (India) and
Assets were up 3%, income up 9%, but loans down 13% and profit will be less than 2005.

25 Guardian [4.66 billion] Assets up 2%, and bank has upped its investment in government securities by 61% compared to 2% growth in loans – however NPA up 216% .

26 K-Rep [4.52 billion] One of the banks that pioneered the micro-finance sector now finds itself being crowded out by new entrants advertising all manner of SME packages. It will administer an ADB guaranteed line of credit for women entrepreneurs (along with CFC and CBA). Assets up 31,% deposits 59& and income up 50% proving that micro finance is low risk niche with only 4% NPA’s even as loans by K-Rep increased by 40%.

28 Southern Credit [4.27 billion] Assets up 1% deposits up 6% and loans 9% but with NPA’s up 52% from a year ago at the bank with a major credit card arm.

29 Victoria [4.19 billion] Assets and deposits up 8% and the bank has reduced its NPA’s by 49% and now has the lowest NPA in the country at 1% with 1 billion shilling in the bank.

30 Charterhouse [3.94 billion] The bank was placed under statutory management following money laundering and tax evasion allegations and has fought back through the courts and the press (& with some questionable tactics). Even as depositors are locked out, assets up 19% but profits down 33% and the CBK manager increased investments in government securities - up by 332% (as directed by the law)

31 Equatorial [3.67 billion] A Sameer bank had assets up 1% but reduced government securities by 72% to increase loans by 22% but NPA also up 75%.

32 Middle East [3.45 billion] Assets up 1%, loans up 45%, but deposits down 10% yet bank may increase its profit as a result of an improved NPA positions.

33 Consolidated [3.45 billion] Assets up 29%, deposits & loans up 33% and despite high NPA it may achieve a profit in 2006. The Deposit protection fund is expected to sell its 50% stake in the bank, but without a profitable track record it will remain private.

34 Chase [3.29 billion] Assets up 33%, deposit 53%, loans & income up 43% but NPA also up 42%.

35 Development Bank of Kenya [3.05 billion] Assets up 20%, deposits & loans are up 50% but NPA up 52%.

36 Habib Bank [3.02 billion] Assets, deposit, and loans, all up 4% this year at Habib which is rumored to consolidate with sister bank in 2007. Has the highest ratio of investment in government securities.

37 Credit [2.77 billion] Assets down 6% and NPA up 125% as the bank drops 3 places in rankings.

38 Transnational [2.44 billion] Assets up 12%, while deposits & loans up 20% from a year ago but NPA also up 73%.

39 Fidelity [2.11 billion] Income up 50% while deposits & loans both up 35% from a year ago.

40 Paramount Universal [2.05 billion] Assets up 55%, deposits up 72% but income is flat and NPA's are significantly up.

41 Oriental (formerly Delphis) [1.37 billion] Losses continue to eat into assets. Growth in income finally faster than growth in expenses but not enough to reverse wipe out of gains in the 1st half of the year as the bank moves further away from profitability and drops behind Paramount in size.

42 Dubai [1.22 billion] One of the first banks to recognize the potential of having a branch in the Eastleigh area now finds itself fighting with new entrants (giants Barclays and KCB) invading the area. Assets up 5%, loans up 12%, deposits up 15%, but NPA up 130% from a year ago.

43 City Finance [0.53 billion] Smallest bank with deposits up 34% (to 130 million), but income down 31% and NPA up 40% from a year ago.

Other institutions
Would be ranked 27 - Family Finance [4.47 billion in assets] Almost as fast growing as Equity with a similarly ambitious expansion plan, but was not able to become a bank since their planned conversion was put on hold by Central Bank. A share capital share of 390 million is more than other existing banks, but new banks are expected to be stronger and so the society went for a controversial private placement which was under-subscribed in November 2006. Assets and profits are up 40% from a year ago while deposits are up 50%.

new bank - Gulf African Will be the first 100% Shariah bank in Kenya

Monday, December 04, 2006

Diamond Trust EGM

Diamond Trust Bank will have an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on December 21. The company has not amended its articles of association since 1982 and want to update them to reflect new capital structures, governance, CDS and the electronic age, among others.

Jubilee Insurance will have an EGM on December 18

The various proposed amendments will have outcomes including:

- New capital: Creation of preference shares and also clears way for a share split
- Shareholders who don’t approve of company actions can have their shares forfeited. E.g. minority Serena shareholders who did not approve the conversion to TPSEA
- Modern technology: Allows notices and other documents to be e-mailed to shareholders. (This can save costs; i.e. the company has 10,000 shareholders and budgeted Kshs. 7 million for printing and postage of the ongoing rights document). . Also allows board meetings to be held by teleconference or video conference, allows dividends to be paid by electronic means (e.g. bank transfer, direct debit) not just by cheque and notices can be sent to shareholders outside Kenya
- Super shareholders? New articles recognize that 10 members constitute a meeting and allows any director or any 2 members to convene an EGM. The company’s top 10 shareholders own 48% of the company while the next 50 own another 10%
- Governance: recognizes that directors not disallowed from doing business with company provided they disclose this to fellow directors and also don’t vote on such issues. Also fellow directors may remove a director who misses 3 meetings.
- Cap on underwriting commissions at 10%. (Another cost saving measure since the on-going rights issue has budgeted placing commissions estimated at 28%.) . Also stockbrokers may be paid in the form of shares.
- Makes provisions that stem from the 2006 budget speech where the Finance Minister proposed that any dividends unclaimed after 7 years be returned to the CMA’s investor compensation fund from where individuals can claim when they resurface.
- Bankrupt person may vote by proxy

Charterhouse depositors cry foul
Charterhouse Bank and depositors are asking (in a full page newspaper notice last week) why was their bank, with no liquidity problems, shut down without sufficient explanation and why they are still denied access to their funds almost six months later even after a court had lifted the order? The accounts of the bank remain intact and they are still earning interest on the almost Kshs. 3.1 billion in deposits there as the statutory manager has invested surplus funds in government securities. Only staff costs have shot up reflecting the additional managers deployed from the central bank.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Just another Monday meeting

Go for a policy meeting with the head of the group at his office. The meeting is supposed to start at 9 a.m. but it’s always good to expect a slight delay and I carry a book to read. Good idea because the meeting is not going to start on time as the group director (GD) is running late.

So we introduce ourselves to each other sit and while the time away. At least I have a book to read, others flip though newspapers they have wisely carried. The agenda for the meeting dubbed project green is also circulated.

A half hour later, the GD's assistant commences the meeting as we wait for his boss to arrive.

When it’s time for one divisional director to speak, his comments are almost a full five minutes speech - as is typical of one who is never told when he has said too much. Fortunately I have sat facing the window and I look outside and allow my mind to wander. Hmm, Yaya Center is a straight line from town, yet looking at valley road, it shoots off 60 degrees to the far to hurlingam, and then one must cut back anotehr 60 degrees to the right on Argwins Kodhek road - making a perfect triangle to get to Yaya which is a straight line from town. I wonder why they the road is not a straight line from town. Oh, yeah, they probably had to go round DOD where they used to have great nyama choma long before buffet opened.

Back to the present. The meeting is going on, but has also taken a sharp, new turn. We have been brought here to endorse the green strategy, but the mood in the room is for a slightly yellow one. Then one director, take his turn and says “the strategy should be red, in fact, an angry red as green is a misplaced perception only useful for PR purposes. He goes on to argue that angry red is what we should be our collective position. He has valid points and other participants in the room, slowly warm to his idea. Red red, red. . . "

The assistant to the group director is in obvious discomfort at the unexpected revolt. He reaches out to what are expected to be friendly allies in the room, but except for one, they are also endorsing red. Red is the future, red is the right thing to do.

Red, aka the divisional director, knows to quit when he’s ahead. The meeting has started late and he has another function to attend. He goes over to whisper his apologies to the assistant, for his early departure, and perhaps for leaving the asssistant with a time bomb for his boss. He then proceeds to exit.

But as he opens the door, he is bumped by a tea cart. It’s tea time. Tea was supposed to be served at the meeting. And tea can only be served when the group director is present! Sure enough, behind the tea ladies is another beaming assistant announcing that the group director's (GD) arrival is imminent. The assistant in charge asks Red to sit in for a few more minutes, which Red does.

Sure enough a minute later, the GD enters an hour and a half after the meeting was supposed to start. He sits down and apologises for his previous meeting which over-extended.

He grabs his copy of the agenda and proceeds to review the green strategy. He assigns divisional directors responsibilities and asks them to do "A B C" by dates "D E F," which they willingly line up to do. He is charming and confident, sorting out problems in scheduling and financing of Green with directives to different people as his assistant beams at his side at the salvation which has now arrived.

Red has his head down. He cannot believe that we have all abandoned him, and no one will speak up to update the GD that the room had unanimously voted RED while he was caught in traffic. But the room now sings and echoes to the green green green tune. Red remains mum except when he is assigned a key part of the green project which he meekly accepts. If he had left a minute sooner he would have secured his victory.

Surprisingly he does not choke on his tea and biscuit, but he’ll be probably too full to eat lunch. Just another Monday meeting...

BoA expands
Bank of Africa (BoA) Kenya and its partners have acquired a controlling stake in Allied bank of Uganda. BoA has also applied to expand its banking operations into Tanzania.

Charterhouse update
The Standard unearths tales of insider lending at Charterhouse, which are however still in the mid-range of many banks in the 40 – 60% (of share capita) range and well below NBK at 600%.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Charterhouse still closed

Branches of Charterhouse Bank remain closed today to customers despite a vague order given by an Eldoret Court was followed by jubilant employees of the Bank (dancing on TV) promising that it was only a matter of time before the bank resumed operations.

CBK's argument that money laundering was the reason for placing Charterhouse under statutory management was never strong and whether any laws were broken remains in doubt. Charterhouse was not a bank in danger of collapse and has fought the order from day one. The bank had 3.1 billion shillings in deposits, loans of 2.7b and even reported a 76 million profit in the half year to June before it got embroiled in the Nakumatt tax evasion furore.

Money laundering is closely linked to tax evasion and KRA has been pressing banks to scrutinise customer transactions for suspicious activity while international authorities have also been urging banks to monitor for terrorist related funding/transactions.

Smaller banks seem to be the preferred choice for many business people as they allow greater flexibility and accommodations including late deposits, high interest rates on deposits, and unauthorized temporary overdrafts.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Mid-week Business

International takeover
The Linde Group, (Germany) has applied to takeover the BOC Group (UK) which owns 65% of BOC Kenya - and who are in the process of acquiring Carbacid Kenya. Both local company shares remain suspended on the NSE and BOC Kenya managers’ don’t expect this new deal to affect the Carbacid takeover which is yet to be approved by the CMA.

Nosy bankers
- The Judge at the corruption trial of former Central Bank Governor, Andrew Mullei has refused to allow Charterhouse Bank lawyers to cross-examine witnesses.

- Kenya Commercial Bank has thwarted efforts by the City Council to set up a public toilet on Aga Khan walk, opposite Kencom House.

Sometimes, Government is a good shareholder
Kenya has blocked Ethiopian Airlines from operating daily flights on the Entebbe-Nairobi route. The move could however trigger a backlash since it’s only a matter of time before other African counties, envious of KQ, and desiring to revive/support their airlines, retaliate with their own trade blockades.

Madaraka
The high court has indefinitely extended the period for Madaraka residents to obtain financing to purchase their houses.

Equity No. 1
Equity, is the first bank to report quarterly results as at 30 June 2006 and they have come out just in time for their shares to list on the NSE on August 7. On Monday, the Bank announced some amazing numbers. From a year ago (June 2005) assets are up 55%, pre tax profit is up 115%, deposits are up 67% while loans are up 130%. Good Buy, on August 7? Maybe!

All VoIP
All the three major phone companies in Kenya are now offering VoIP for international calls.
A comparison of call costs to the USA;
- Telkom 888 15/= per minute ($0.2)
- Celtel 123 29/= ($0.39)
- Safaricom 888 30/= ($0.4)

Restricted News
The Daily Nation has joined the East African Standard and now restricted the magazine section articles on their website to premium subscribers only (One month costs $10 while annual cost is $ 60)

Kuku Cars
Cool true story on converting a Volkswagen Jetta to run on cooking oil and achieve 600 miles a gallon! Wouldn’t it be cool if someone started converting our local Toyota’s so that a taxi driver could buy chips, from Kenchic and then squeeze out the oil to put in his fuel tank?

Oil & Gold
Gold: encouraging results from Migori
Oil: High potential deposits in Lamu.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Closure of Charterhouse Bank

It was the 26th largest bank in Kenya at the end of 2005 with assets of 4.2 billion and made a profit of 122 million shillings. It was the financial arm of the Kingsway Group which includes Creative Innovations, Kingsway Tyres, Digital World and the landmark Village Market in Gigiri.

While it is rare for a financially sound bank to be shut down, the Finance Minister made a good point that he wanted to prevent a run on the Bank. Rumours & stories about a takeover/restructuring/ownership change at a bank can truly cause panic in the banking sector since Kenyans have over the years lost billions of shilling in collapsed banks. At a recent bank meeting a Chairman was very candid that some depositors had withdrawn huge amounts from his bank following some inaccurate reports appearing in the media.

Likely Outcome
Despite this, the legal grounds for the closure are not very strong although the Bank has weathered several money laundering storms over the years.

Charterhouse which was formerly Middle East Bank Kenya and at one time 10% owned by Nakumatt who also hosted several branches should re-open in a few months with the help of some smart lawyers and an aggressive market campaign.

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Anothder Saturday Post

Deidcated to AfroM who says I don't work on weekends

Banking

The Nation gives a peek at a damning report on the over-staffed and under-performing employees at the Central Bank of Kenya.

Charterhouse Bank management denied that they were involved in money laundering and claimed that accusations were meant to distract from the problems at the Central Bank.

Auditors of the collapsed Trust Bank will be sued for fraud by the former depositors.

An IFC report on the Ugandan banking sector.

Ex-Im Trade
The Ministry of Trade & Industry has published handbook on importing and exporting in Kenya.

Kenya Airways
- The airline is offering Mombasa residents cheap ticketsto fill seats, likely to be empty over the Easter weekend. There are so many coast holiday packages between the airline and Mombasa hotels resulting in full flights, and probably requiring extra & larger aircraft, to Mombasa before Easter and from Mombasa after Easter. So the airline is selling seats for 2,500 shillings (about ½ price) to Nairobi before Easter and to Mombasa after Easter
- The airline also offers automatic 10% discount for tickets booked thought is website (by passing travel agents & their commissions)
- KQ will codeshare with Korean Air on the Seoul - Bangkok - Nairobi route effective April 20. (From African Flyer)

E-govt
Parliament will unveil a new website next Thursday, minus 7 MP bio’s.

Sports
ABM AMRO economists make predictions about the World Cup showing Brazil are likely to win, but an Italian win would be best for the world economy.

Mining
Tiomin will buy a 20% Net Profit Interest Royalty ("NPI Royalty") that Pangea Goldfields holds on the mineral sands exploration licences of Kwale, Kilifi, Vipingo, and Mambrui in Kenya.

Communications
The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) will simplify the license process by combining three different licenses: VSAT, internet backbone & gateway, and public data network operator (PDNO) & international data gateway into one data carrier network operator (DCNO).

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

To Quote

“the individual and collective sacrifices made by the family members, the strength on which these successes were built, will be easily diluted if the business is floated to the public on the stock exchange,” -- comments Manoj Shah, MD Kingsway Group [(Village market, Charterhouse Bank, Kingsway Tyres, Digital World (Samsung)] on why many family run businesses do now want to go public by selling shares through the Nairobi Stock Exchange.

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