Agriculture remains a key pillar of the economy, supporting livelihoods, creating employment and contributing to food security and economic growth.
However, access to affordable and timely financing continues to be a major challenge for many farmers, limiting their ability to purchase essential farm inputs and maximise production.
Recognising the need for financing solutions tailored to agricultural activities, Equity Bank offers the Farm Inputs Loan, a facility designed to help eligible farmers meet the cost of essential inputs required for their farming operations.
The loan targets farmers who operate monthly remittance accounts with Equity Bank, providing financing to support the purchase of farm inputs.
The Farm Inputs Loan has several requirements and provisions intended to guide access to financing.
Eligible forms of security include proceeds from farm produce that has already been sold. In such cases, borrowers are required to provide a signed commitment and an irrevocable change-of-pay-point particulars form.
Farmers can also provide chattels mortgage over livestock, farm assets and household assets as security for the facility.
Moreover, applicants must provide at least two guarantors who are active account holders with Equity Bank. The loan has a maximum repayment period of two years.
Who qualifies for the loan?
To qualify, applicants must be active Equity Bank account holders or be willing to open and operate an account with the bank.
The facility targets farmers engaged in commercial farming who have completed at least two successful farming seasons or production cycles and demonstrate a sound understanding of their target markets.
Applicants must also have relevant experience in agriculture or agribusiness, with established access to production land, whether owned, leased or provided by family members.
For business enterprises, applicants must possess the applicable business and regulatory licences required for their operations.
How to apply
Farmers interested in the Farm Inputs Loan can begin the application process by visiting their nearest Equity Bank branch and completing the loan application form.
Once the application has been submitted, the bank will assess it to determine whether the applicant meets the facility’s requirements. If the application is approved, the bank will issue an offer letter outlining the terms of the loan.
The applicant must then accept the offer, return the signed offer letter and fulfil the applicable loan sanction conditions before the funds are disbursed.
The event, held in Nairobi on October 16, recognized the lender for its efforts to finance water-related businesses and infrastructure.
Co-op Bank disbursed Sh4.39 billion in loans to support water supply and sanitation projects between March 2023 and August 2026, exceeding its initial Sh3 billion target under a partnership with international non-profit organisation Water.org.
The financing is provided through the bank’s Co-op-A-Maji loan product, which enables individuals, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), institutions and water service providers to invest in water supply and sanitation solutions.
The product supports the acquisition and installation of water tanks, solar-powered pumps, water connections, exhausters, water bowsers and smart meters, among other equipment and infrastructure.
The bank launched its three-year partnership with Water.org in 2023, targeting more than Sh3 billion in financing for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects. The initiative also sought to improve access to these essential services for more than 110,000 people.
Co-op Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Gideon Muriuki said access to financing is critical to expanding reliable water and sanitation services.
“Access to reliable water and sanitation remains one of Kenya’s most pressing development priorities, and innovative financing is essential to turn infrastructure ambitions into delivered services,” Muriuki said.
The Africa WaterCredits Forum brings together financial institutions, water utilities and development partners to discuss funding mechanisms and investment opportunities for water and sanitation projects across the continent.
Financing a range of water and sanitation solutions
Through Co-op-A-Maji, the bank provides financing for a broad range of water and sanitation investments, targeting both households seeking reliable water supplies and businesses operating in the WASH sector.
Individuals, MSMEs and institutions can use the facility to finance water storage tanks, smart meters, solar water pumps and heating systems, water purification equipment, household and office water connections, bio-digesters, boreholes and wastewater treatment systems.
The loan also supports the purchase of water bowsers and exhausters, which are used to transport water and provide sanitation services, respectively.
Businesses operating in the sector can access financing to expand their operations. These include water bottlers and distillers, licensed borehole drilling companies, water service providers, manufacturers and distributors of water-harvesting equipment, as well as contractors offering water and sanitation services.
The bank also targets suppliers of water tanks, pipes, gutters, plumbing equipment and related products, helping businesses meet demand for water infrastructure and related services.
Co-op Bank surpasses water financing target with Sh4.39bn loans
Flexible financing for water infrastructure
The Co-op-A-Maji facility offers different financing terms depending on the equipment or project being financed.
For water tanks, solar water pumps and heating systems, and water connections, the bank provides financing of up to 100 per cent, subject to the applicable product terms and approval requirements.
The facilities feature flexible repayment periods, faster loan processing and dedicated relationship managers. Unsecured financing limits are also available to eligible customers who bank fully with Co-op Bank.
For solar-powered water solutions, the financing covers pumps, heating systems and installation, supporting the adoption of renewable energy technologies in water supply.
Additionally, Co-op Bank provides water connection and water tank loans to help households and businesses meet the cost of obtaining water services and invest in storage capacity to reduce their exposure to unreliable supply.
For customers seeking to acquire exhausters or water bowsers, the bank offers financing of up to 80 per cent, with repayment periods of up to 72 months. Additional working capital financing is available, alongside insurance arrangements and collection solutions.
For smart meters, the facility offers financing of up to 100 per cent, flexible repayment terms and faster processing. Eligible customers who bank fully with the lender may also access unsecured financing limits.
Applicants are required to submit a duly completed application form and a pro forma invoice for the equipment or project to be financed.
Depending on the facility and the applicant’s circumstances, additional documentation may be required.
Business applicants are required to provide valid business permits or licences, a business registration certificate, and the memorandum and articles of association. Limited companies must also submit a resolution authorising the borrowing.
Other requirements include National identification or passport, and a Kenya Revenue Authority personal identification number.
Applicants who are not Co-op Bank customers are required to provide bank statements covering the preceding 12 months.
The bank also requires audited accounts for financing above specified thresholds, including Sh5 million for several facilities and Sh35 million for the exhauster and water bowser product.
Regulatory approvals, such as licences from the National Environment Management Authority, Water Resources Authority, water service providers, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, county governments and public health authorities, are also required depending on the nature of the project.
For water connection projects, applicants are required to provide security and a project quotation from an approved technician.
Raila Junior, the youngest son of the late former Prime Minister and opposition leader Raila Odinga, is stepping into the political spotlight after announcing plans to contest the Kibra parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.
Born into one of Kenya’s most influential political families, Junior who has largely built his career in business is now seeking to carry forward his family’s political legacy.
Junior was born in 1979 in the former Nyanza Province, as the third-born child of Raila Odinga and Ida Odinga. He follows his elder sister, Rosemary Odinga, and his late brother, Fidel Odinga.
Growing up in a family deeply rooted in Kenya’s political history, he has been associated with the Odinga legacy, shaped by his father’s decades-long political career and his grandfather Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s contribution to the country’s struggle for independence and democratic governance.
Junior pursued his higher education in the United Kingdom, where he studied accounting and finance. In 2002, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wales.
He later obtained a Master of Science degree in Finance from the University of Leeds in 2004. His academic training laid the foundation for a career in finance and business.
In a past interview with local media, Junior disclosed that his first job as an accountant paid him Sh10,000 per month, a modest salary he said he took pride in earning through hard work.
The experience marked the beginning of his professional journey, which has since expanded into business management, media production and the energy sector.
Business, career and political ambition
Junior has consistently identified himself as a businessman, with interests spanning several sectors of the economy.
In addition to helping manage the family business, he serves as chief executive officer and executive producer of Creative Hub, a production company specialising in advertisements for mainstream media.
He is also a shareholder in Pan African Petroleum Company and BE Energy, businesses involved in oil and gas distribution and energy logistics in Kenya. In August 2022, Junior took up the position of financial director at EA Spectre Limited.
Although many expected him to enter politics because of his family background, Junior had previously expressed a preference for entrepreneurship over public office.
In a 2019 interview with a local media house, he said politics was not among his immediate plans, explaining that his priority at the time was to grow his business interests.
However, the death of his father in October 2025 brought renewed attention to his role within the Odinga family and the possibility of his eventual entry into elective politics.
He recently announced plans to contest the Kibra parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on October 15, 2026, during the first anniversary commemorations of his father’s death at Migwena Cultural Grounds in Bondo, Siaya County, Junior said he wants to preserve Raila Odinga’s legacy, especially his connection with the people of Kibra.
“As Raila’s son, I want your work and legacy to live on. Baba loved everybody. He loved Kibera. I also love Kibera,” Jr said.
Raila Junior Personal Life and Family
Junior is married to Yvonne Wambui Kibukosya, his childhood friend. The couple have two sons and have largely kept their family life away from the public spotlight.
Beyond his professional and family responsibilities, Junior has also spoken publicly about his personal health challenges.
He previously disclosed that he had battled Bell’s palsy, a neurological condition that temporarily affected one side of his face and altered his speech.
He said the experience tested his resilience but also offered important lessons about faith and perseverance.
Following his father’s death in October 2025, Junior publicly pledged to take care of his mother, Ida Odinga, and his sisters.
He also inherited symbolic items associated with his family’s political history, including his father’s fly whisk and his grandfather Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s hat.
Kenyan farmers have begun placing orders for dairy water buffaloes from India, with about 800 applications already received as the government prepares to introduce the animals into the country’s livestock sector.
Principal Secretary for Livestock Development Jonathan Muekesaid the government has completed veterinary health certification requirements for the proposed imports, with negotiations on purchase prices and transportation arrangements still underway.
Speaking during a television interview on Tuesday, October 13, Mueke said the government will first import Indian Murrah buffaloes for research at public livestock facilities before opening up access to private farmers.
“What we’ve agreed to do is just for research purposes; we will import as a government first for our government farms, especially our genetics organization, KAGRC (the Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Centre), that deals with animal genetics,” Mueke said.
The initial phase will let researchers assess the breed’s feeding needs, behaviour, and management requirements under Kenyan conditions. According to the PS, the first batch of the animals is expected to arrive in the country by the end of 2026.
Mueke clarified that the planned imports involve domesticated water buffaloes, which are different from the wild African buffaloes found in Kenya’s national parks.
The proposed introduction comes as the government explores alternative livestock species to increase the supply of milk and expand opportunities in meat and leather production.
Characteristics of the Indian Murrah Buffaloes
In January 2025, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture gazetted the water buffalo as a food item. The Ministry says the Murrah breed is valued for its milk, which has a high butterfat content, almost three times that of ordinary cow’s milk.
The breed’s resilience is another factor behind the government’s interest, with Mueke saying the animals could withstand challenging conditions better than conventional dairy cattle.
“These buffaloes are a little more hardy than your normal dairy cow. So, it will be able to survive in harsh conditions,” he said.
Beyond dairy production, the government is also assessing the animals’ potential for meat and leather. Mueke acknowledged that buffalo meat could be tougher than the beef commonly consumed in Kenya but described it as lean, with relatively low fat content.
Their larger hides also are also beneficial to the local leather industry, especially to manufacturers dealing with products requiring sizeable pieces of leather, including sofa coverings and carpets.
The government considers India’s climatic conditions, which Mueke said is comparable to Kenya’s, an advantage in determining whether the breed can adapt successfully to local environments.
Although nearly 800 farmers have expressed interest in acquiring the animals, the Ministry did not clarify when private sales will begin or how the applicants will be selected.
The initiative follows President William Ruto’s announcement that Kenya is considering water buffalo farming as part of broader efforts to boost milk production and diversify the country’s livestock industry.
Every harvest season, tonnes of fruits, vegetables, roots and cereals go to waste before reaching consumers, costing farmers income and undermining investments in production.
The losses are mainly attributed to market oversupply, buyers who fail to honour supply contracts, and limited access to affordable storage and preservation technologies.
It is a challenge that Doreen Achieng, co-founder of BioAfriq Energy, understands firsthand. Her family’s experience with a failed pumpkin supply contract inspired the development of solar-powered food dehydrators designed to help farmers preserve their harvests, extend shelf life and earn more through value addition.
A family setback sparks an innovation
The idea took shape in Machakos County in 2017 after Achieng’s family ventured into commercial pumpkin farming. Her mother had secured a contract to supply pumpkins, prompting the family to invest heavily in production.
The harvest was successful, yielding 50 tonnes of pumpkins. However, the buyer failed to show up, leaving the family with a large quantity of produce and no immediate market.
The setback threatened to wipe out the investment made in seeds, fertiliser, irrigation and other production costs.
Faced with no ready market, the family began exploring ways to preserve the pumpkins by converting them into flour.
“The idea was, how do we dry it so that we can make pumpkin flour? And that’s how James Nyamai, my co-founder, came up with the innovation,” she said as quoted by Kilimo News.
Nyamai, an engineer, developed the initial dehydrator inside a 40-foot shipping container. The system helped the family find a way to preserve the pumpkins instead of allowing them to go to waste.
Despite its effectiveness, the first unit remained out of reach for some farmers in the region. Recognising the need for affordable units, Nyamai redesigned the technology into smaller, scalable units to make it more accessible to customers seeking to preserve and add value to their produce.
Turning perishable crops into valuable products
Today, BioAfriq Energy manufactures solar-powered food dehydrators ranging from compact household units to large industrial systems measuring 20 by 30 metres.
The equipment costs between Sh40,000 for smaller solar dryers and Sh1.2 million for the largest custom-built units, depending on size and specifications.
The company says the equipment is suitable for various agricultural products, including cassava, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mangoes, bananas, apples, plantains, millet, sorghum, herbs, ginger and garlic.
Achieng reiterates that through dehydration, farmers can preserve their harvests for longer periods and sell the produce when market conditions are more favourable. The dried products can also be milled into flour or supplied as raw materials to food processors.
“Farmers don’t have a market to take a product because they have either planted at the peak season, the market is flooded, or there’s just a surplus within the marketplace,” she said.
She further highlighted the potential that lies in value addition. Achieng cited cassava as an example, noting that fresh cassava selling for about Sh10 per kilogram could fetch between Sh40 and Sh90 after processing, depending on quality.
“That is the opportunity we are giving farmers, that they can peacefully focus on their core business, which is growing crops and know that there is a system through which they can preserve, value add and get more value for their products,” she said.
The company also works with Taliana Foods, its partner business, to process dehydrated crops into gluten-free flour for consumers with specific dietary needs.
Solar technology designed for changing weather
BioAfriq Energy’s dryers use solar energy and automated temperature control to regulate the drying process.
The company also offers hybrid systems fitted with heat exchangers that use farm waste as fuel. This allows drying to continue during cloudy weather and at night, when solar energy may be insufficient.
“What sets us apart in the market is the fact that our system is temperature-automated using solar, so you can monitor the temperature of your product within the dryer and the moisture within the dryer,” Achieng said.
“The hybrid systems also incorporate a heat exchanger that uses farm waste as fuel, allowing drying to continue during cloudy weather and at night.”
For farmers who may not afford the full purchase price of a dehydrator, BioAfriq Energy offers commercial dehydration services at its processing facility in Machakos County.
Farmers can deliver their harvested produce to the facility, pay a processing fee and collect the dried products for storage, sale or further processing.
Beyond individual farmers, the company serves microprocessors and agricultural off-takers who require dehydrated raw materials for food manufacturing.
Investors placed bids worth Sh68.50 billion for government Treasury bills in the latest Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) auction, more than double the Sh28 billion initially offered, signalling strong demand for short-term government securities.
Three-month bill leads as interest rates ease
Results released on October 15 showed that the 91-day Treasury bill attracted the strongest interest, drawing Sh49.80 billion in bids against an advertised target of Sh8 billion.
The subscription level reached 622.46 per cent, reflecting demand more than six times the amount available.
CBK accepted Sh34.24 billion from the 91-day auction, comprising Sh26.44 billion in competitive bids and Sh7.80 billion in non-competitive bids.
The accepted bids carried a weighted average interest rate of 8.75 per cent, marginally lower than the 8.7615 per cent recorded in the preceding auction.
The results highlight a strong preference for shorter-dated instruments among investors seeking government-backed investment opportunities, with demand declining across longer maturities.
The 182-day Treasury bill attracted bids worth Sh12.06 billion against an offer of Sh10 billion, translating to a subscription rate of 120.58 per cent.
CBK accepted Sh11.48 billion, split almost equally between competitive bids worth Sh5.75 billion and non-competitive bids amounting to Sh5.73 billion.
The weighted average interest rate for the six-month security eased to 8.86 per cent from 8.8744 per cent in the previous auction.
One-year bill falls short of target
In contrast, the 364-day Treasury bill was the only instrument to attract bids below its advertised target, highlighting the uneven appetite for government securities across different investment periods.
The one-year bill received bids worth Sh6.64 billion against an offer of Sh10 billion, representing a subscription rate of 66.43 per cent.
CBK accepted Sh6.59 billion, with the successful bids attracting a weighted average interest rate of 9.0383 per cent, slightly above the previous auction’s 9.0352 per cent.
Total bids more than double the amount offered
Across all three securities, the central bank accepted Sh52.32 billion from the Sh68.50 billion submitted by investors. The accepted amount comprised Sh34.20 billion in competitive bids and Sh18.12 billion in non-competitive bids.
The total accepted bids exceeded the initial auction target by Sh24.32 billion, although the amount ultimately realised will depend on the National Treasury’s immediate cash requirements for the week, according to CBK.
Treasury bills are short-term government debt instruments issued through the central bank to raise funds for the government.
Investors purchase them at a discount to their face value and receive the full face value upon maturity, earning the difference as their return.
The securities are offered in different maturities, allowing investors to choose between shorter and longer investment periods depending on their liquidity needs and return expectations.
In a Treasury bill auction, competitive bidders specify the interest rate they are willing to accept, while non-competitive investors receive the average rate determined by CBK from the accepted bids, subject to applicable limits.
CPR: A man collapses at home. A woman falls unconscious in a market. A young footballer drops to the ground during a match. Someone slumps over in a matatu. For a moment, everyone freezes. “Call an ambulance,” someone says, or someone flags down a good Samaritan to help ferry the patient to the nearest health facility. When the heart stops, waiting is not an option.
Every year on October 16, the world marks World Restart a Heart Day, a global campaign that reminds us of one simple truth: when someone’s heart suddenly stops, the people closest to them are often the first and most important responders.
Not the ambulance, not the doctor, but you.
A heart attack is not cardiac arrest.
The two are often confused, but they are not the same. A cardiac arrest is the sudden stopping of the heart’s pumping action as a result of the heart’s electrical system malfunctioning, where the heartbeat either becomes chaotic or ceases altogether, and blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Within seconds, the person collapses, loses consciousness and a pulse, and stops breathing normally, with gasping respiration or no breathing activity at all witnessed. Without immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and, where needed, an electric shock from a small machine called a defibrillator, death follows within minutes.
A heart attack is a circulation problem – a blocked heart artery starves part of the heart muscle of blood, resulting in chest pain, nausea, sweating and sometimes shortness of breath. The person is usually awake.
The two are nonetheless closely linked because a heart attack is the most common trigger of cardiac arrest in adults – sometimes the cardiac arrest strikes during a heart attack itself; in other cases it arises months or years later from the scar an earlier heart attack left behind. Behind the heart attack lie the familiar culprits: uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and obesity.
The next most common cause of cardiac arrest is a disease of the heart muscle, known as a cardiomyopathy, in which the muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, or abnormally thickened and is then prone to dangerous rhythm disturbances. Thickening can occur whenever the heart’s main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, has to push blood out against increased resistance. Like any muscle made to work harder, it bulks up over time. Long-standing high blood pressure is by far the commonest reason, followed by a narrowed aortic valve, the outlet through which blood leaves the heart.
In young people, the thickening is inherited, sometimes hinted at only by a family history of sudden death at a young age. Another cause of cardiac arrest in this young group is an artery that supplies the heart muscle that is abnormal in origin or course from birth, and cuts off blood supply to the heart muscle at the very moment it is needed most. Many of those affected have no warning symptoms at all, which is why collapse during activity in school or sport is sometimes the first sign. Inflammation of the heart muscle following a viral infection is another recognized cause in this age group.
Not every cardiac arrest begins in the heart. A severe lack of oxygen from drowning, choking or a serious asthma attack can stop it, as can heavy blood loss after a road accident or during childbirth, a large blood clot in the lungs, overwhelming infection or dangerous shifts in the body’s salts, such as potassium, as seen in kidney failure. Drug overdose, certain medicines, electrocution and, rarely, a forceful blow to the chest can do the same.
So, what should you do if someone suddenly collapses?
First, recognise it. If the person does not respond when you speak to or gently shake them and is not breathing normally, treat it as cardiac arrest. Do not waste precious minutes trying to determine exactly what happened.
Second, call for help. Get someone to call emergency medical services. If you are alone, make the call and put the phone on speaker if possible.
Third, push. Start CPR. Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest (over the breast bone), put the other hand on top, interlink the 2 and push hard, deep and fast. Aim for about 100–120 chest compressions a minute and allow the chest to come back up between compressions.
Keep going until help arrives, the person starts showing signs of life, or a defibrillator instructs you to stop.
If you have never been trained in CPR, do not let that stop you. Hands-only CPR is a simple way for an untrained bystander to begin helping an adult who has collapsed and is not breathing normally.
This is particularly important in Kenya, where reaching hospital may take time because of distance, traffic and limitations in pre-hospital emergency services.
It means the first treatment may not come from a hospital. It may come from the person standing beside the person who has collapsed.
This is why CPR should not be thought of as a skill reserved for doctors and nurses. Teachers, security guards, drivers, sports coaches, students, parents and community members can all learn it.
The more people who know what to do, the better our chances of turning a cardiac arrest from a tragedy into a survivable emergency.
The automated external defibrillator (AED) is another link in the chain of survival. This portable device analyses the heart’s rhythm and, when appropriate, delivers an electric shock. It is designed for ordinary people and gives clear instructions when switched on.
AEDs remain unfamiliar to many Kenyans and are rarely seen in markets, matatus, schools, shopping centres or stadiums. Kenya has an opportunity to make them more accessible in public places and train frontline staff to use them as emergency services improve.
But an AED is only part of the solution. A defibrillator cannot help if nobody recognises cardiac arrest and starts CPR. A bystander’s hands remain the first link in the chain.
When the heart restarts
Restoring the heartbeat is a victory, but not the end. Urgent hospital care is needed to identify the cause, protect the brain and other organs, stabilise the heart and reduce the risk of another arrest. The hours after resuscitation are critical.
Survival depends on a chain: rapid recognition, CPR, defibrillation, emergency medical care and appropriate hospital treatment. If one link is missing, the chances of survival fall.
We can all be part of the chain
World Restart a Heart Day is a reminder to everyone, not just healthcare professionals. If someone collapses, is unresponsive and is not breathing normally, do not simply stand and watch.
Recognise. Call. Push. And keep going.
As a country, we should make CPR training more widely available and consider how AEDs can become part of the emergency infrastructure in public spaces. But the first step is one each of us can take: learn CPR, teach someone else and be ready to act.
SOFY Unicharm East Africa Limitedhas now officially begun operations in Kenya as a result of an investment of KSh 2 billion intended for expanding access to affordable menstrual hygiene products, for boosting local manufacturing and for supporting women’s health throughout East Africa.
The joint venture unites Unicharm Corporation from Japan, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and CFAO Kenya Limited, combining international hygiene technology with local market knowledge and existing distribution networks.
The company, which is based in Nairobi, started its operations in September 2026 and intended to enhance the production, sale and distribution of sanitary products and disposable diapers in Kenya and in other neighbouring East African countries.
Takahisa Takahara, president and chief executive officer of Unicharm Corporation, stated that including the SOFY brand in the company’s corporate name showed its dedication to understanding women’s needs and helping them realize their potential.
He also mentioned that the company would draw upon Unicharm’s global experience in personal hygiene products, such as those for babies, while adjusting its technologies to meet the needs of consumers in East Africa.
Daigo Fujiwara, Managing Director of SOFY Unicharm East Africa, stated that the company would concentrate on improving people’s quality of life by tackling hygiene problems, reducing period poverty, and promoting women’s health and dignity.
“As Fujiwara said, our aim is to enable women to live with greater confidence and to take full part in society by offering reliable feminine care products, promoting better hygiene habits, and tackling period poverty.”
The launch follows SOFY’s entry into the Kenyan market in 2023 when it launched its premium Deep Absorb sanitary pads; in January 2025 the company introduced its locally produced SOFY Long Lasting pads, an affordable product which was developed to meet the needs and purchasing power of Kenyan consumers.
The company has also launched single-pad sachets in order to overcome the affordability barriers which stop some women and girls from being able to obtain sanitary products.
At the time of the launch, a government representative welcomed the investment, calling it an opportunity for Kenya to increase its manufacturing capacity as well as to improve access to essential hygiene products.
The representative asked the company to create a practical strategy aimed at increasing local content by obtaining the raw materials, packaging and other inputs from Kenyan suppliers when it was commercially viable.
The government also encouraged the joint venture to collaborate with small and medium-sized enterprises in Kenya, to carry out technical training and to pass on to local workers—especially women and young people—skills relating to production and quality management.
The representative also urged cooperation with the Kenya Bureau of Standards and with other appropriate agencies to guarantee product safety and consistent quality as the business grows.
In addition to manufacturing, SOFY has made investments in menstrual health education within schools and communities by working with organisations such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women Kenya.
The aim of these initiatives is to increase people’s knowledge of menstrual health, promote open talks regarding menstruation, and overcome the stigma and taboos which can stop girls and women from obtaining information and assistance.
The company referred to estimates showing that about 54 per cent of girls in Kenya have had difficulties in obtaining sanitary products, stressing the ongoing need for affordable products, education and supportive environments.
The government representative emphasized that access to sanitary products should be coupled with adequate sanitation facilities and menstrual health education in order that girls may stay in school and take full part in society.
It is also expected to enhance Kenya’s standing as a manufacturing and export centre for the rest of the East African Community and for the markets within the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Sustainability will be included in the company’s strategy for growth, with a focus on local production, supporting Kenya’s manufacturing ecosystem and adopting responsible methods when it comes to the use of products, waste management and the circulation of resources.
SOFY Unicharm East Africa states that its aim is to build a sustainable business and make contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, based on Unicharm’s corporate philosophy of “Love Your Possibilities”.
The launch marks a new phase in cooperation between Japanese innovation and Kenyan expertise, with the partners seeking to expand regional access to quality hygiene products while creating opportunities for local enterprises, workers and communities
Every healthy heart contains its own pacemaker. It is not a machine. It is a small collection of specialised cells in the heart that generates an electrical signal, usually 60 to 100 times every minute at rest. That signal travels through the heart’s electrical wiring system, telling its upper and lower chambers when to contract.
We rarely think about this remarkable system. The heart simply beats, until it doesn’t.
This year’s World Heart Day carries the message “Don’t Miss a Beat.” It is a call to recognise cardiovascular diseases and act before it is too late. But for some patients, the phrase can be taken quite literally. Their heart is missing beats.
What Happens When the Heart’s Electrical System Fails?
Sometimes the heart’s natural pacemaker becomes too slow. In others, the electrical signal is generated normally but fails to travel from the upper chambers to the lower chambers, a condition known as heart block. The consequences can range from fatigue and breathlessness to dizziness, fainting and, in severe cases, death. For these patients, one of medicine’s most extraordinary inventions can take over: the artificial pacemaker.
At its heart, a pacemaker does something surprisingly straightforward. It watches the heartbeat. If the heart produces an appropriate beat by itself, the pacemaker remains silent. If the heart fails to produce a beat when one is needed, the device delivers a tiny electrical impulse that causes the heart muscle to contract.
Modern pacemakers can do considerably more. They can recognise when a person is exercising and increase the heart rate appropriately. They can coordinate signals between different chambers of the heart. They can store information about the rhythm for doctors to examine later, and many can now be monitored remotely. For the patient, however, their greatest achievement remains the simplest one: when the heart fails to produce the next beat, the pacemaker does.
From Large External Machines to Wearable Pacemakers
The first pacemakers would be almost unrecognisable to patients today. In the early 1950s, electrical pacemakers were large external machines. Some contained vacuum tubes, stood on carts and depended on mains electricity. A patient receiving electrical pacing could therefore be attached, quite literally, to a machine plugged into the wall.
In 1957, American engineer Earl Bakken developed one of the first battery-powered wearable pacemakers. Suddenly, the technology could move with the patient.
The First Implanted Pacemaker: A Medical Breakthrough
Then came the breakthrough that transformed the field.
On 8 October 1958, Swedish surgeon Åke Senning implanted a pacemaker designed by engineer Rune Elmqvist into 43-year-old Arne Larsson. The operation required opening the chest and placing electrodes directly onto the heart. The pacemaker itself was implanted in the abdominal wall. The first device lasted only a few hours.
Yet the experiment ultimately succeeded spectacularly. Larsson lived for another four decades, receiving numerous replacement pacemakers as the technology improved. He eventually died at the age of 86 from an illness unrelated to his heart rhythm. A technology that had begun as an experimental rescue treatment had helped give a desperately ill man decades of life.
How Modern Pacemakers Became Smaller and More Reliable
The next great advance was finding a less invasive way of connecting the pacemaker to the heart. Instead of opening the chest and sewing electrodes onto the heart’s surface, doctors learned to pass thin insulated wires called leads through veins and into the chambers of the heart. The modern conventional pacemaker gradually took shape.
A small generator containing the battery and electronics is placed beneath the skin, usually below the collarbone. One or more leads travel through a vein into the heart. A single lead can stimulate one chamber. Two leads can coordinate the upper and lower chambers, allowing the pacemaker to reproduce the natural sequence of the heartbeat much more closely.
Meanwhile, batteries became dramatically better. Early pacemakers could require frequent replacement. Modern devices commonly function for many years before the battery needs changing. The machines became smaller, more reliable and vastly more intelligent.
Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy: Helping the Heart Pump Better
Then doctors discovered something else. Sometimes the heart does not need to beat faster. It needs to beat together. In some patients with heart failure, electrical signals spread abnormally through the heart. Different parts of the main pumping chamber therefore contract at slightly different times.
Imagine ten people trying to push a stalled car. Ten people pushing together can move it. Ten people pushing at different moments waste much of their combined effort. The failing heart can behave in much the same way.
This led to cardiac resynchronisation therapy, or CRT. A specialised pacemaker sends carefully timed electrical impulses to different areas of the heart so that the ventricles contract in a more coordinated fashion. For appropriately selected patients with heart failure, this can improve the efficiency of the heart, reduce symptoms such as breathlessness, reduce hospital admissions and, in suitable patients, improve survival. The pacemaker had evolved from simply preventing dangerously slow heartbeats to helping a weakened heart pump more effectively.
Why Pacemaker Leads Can Cause Complications
For decades, one fundamental feature of the pacemaker hardly changed. There was a box under the skin and a wire connecting that box to the heart.
The wire is remarkably reliable, but it can also be the source of problems. Leads can occasionally fracture, become infected or contribute to obstruction of the veins through which they pass. The pocket beneath the skin can also become infected.
Leadless Pacemakers: A New Generation of Cardiac Technology
Engineers therefore asked an audacious question: What if we removed the box and the wire altogether? The result was the leadless pacemaker.
Instead of making an incision in the upper chest and passing a wire down into the heart, a miniature self-contained pacemaker can be delivered through a vein in the leg using a catheter. The entire pacemaker, including its battery, computer, sensing system and electrode, sits inside the heart.
There is no pacemaker lump beneath the skin of the chest. There is no surgical pocket. And there is no long lead travelling from the shoulder into the heart.
Earlier this year, specialists at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, implanted the country’s first leadless pacemaker, marking another step in the gradual expansion of advanced cardiac technologies available to patients locally.
Early leadless pacemakers were mainly capable of pacing a single chamber of the heart. The technology has since advanced. Some leadless systems can coordinate the timing of the upper and lower chambers, bringing more sophisticated pacing to patients without the traditional chest generator and leads.
From the Operating Theatre to a Device Inside the Heart
The contrast with 1958 is extraordinary. The first implanted pacemaker required opening the chest, placing wires directly onto the heart and implanting a relatively large device in the abdominal wall. Today, a pacemaker small enough to sit entirely inside the heart can be delivered through a vein in the leg.
How Pacemakers Transform Patients’ Lives
Perhaps pacemakers receive less public attention than they deserve because their work is so quiet.
A successful pacemaker does not announce itself. It simply allows somebody who was fainting to stop fainting. It allows someone whose pulse was dangerously slow to walk normally again. It allows a grandparent to climb the stairs or play with the grandchildren without the exhaustion caused by a heart beating at 30 times a minute.
A pacemaker does not cure every form of heart disease, and not every slow pulse requires one. Careful assessment is essential. But when the electrical system of the heart has genuinely failed, medicines frequently cannot provide a reliable substitute for pacing. The solution is electrical.
The Future of Pacemaker Technology
More than seven decades of engineering have transformed that solution from a machine connected to the wall, to a wearable box, to a surgically implanted device, to the sophisticated pacemakers beneath the skin and finally to devices small enough to disappear completely inside the heart. The technology will continue to evolve. But its purpose remains remarkably close to that of the pioneers of the 1950s.
Listen to the heart. Wait. And when the next beat fails to arrive, provide it.
World Heart Day: Why Every Beat Matters
This World Heart Day, “Don’t Miss a Beat” is an important reminder to recognise heart disease early. For millions of people who have benefited from pacemaker technology, it also describes something much more literal. Not missing the next beat is precisely what keeps us alive.
Dr Mohamed Jeilan, Director, Cardiac Services and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct. 15, 2026: Kenya will host an international energy conferencein November aimed at addressing a central challenge for Africa’s clean energy ambitions: securing the financing and partnerships needed to turn renewable resources into operating projects and industrial growth.
The third KenGen Sustainable Energy Conference, scheduled for November 24 – 27 in Olkaria, Naivasha, is expected to attract more than 1,500 participants from over 80 countries. Organizers are targeting more than 200 investors, 40 financing institutions, 100 utilities and power producers, and 100 exhibitors.
Convened by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company, (KenGen), the gathering will bring project developers together with institutions that finance, regulate and buy electricity. Its theme, “Powering Africa’s Green Industrial Revolution,” places the commercial uses of clean energy at the center of the discussion.
For businesses considering where to build or expand, electricity supply is a practical investment decision. Reliability and cost affect production, competitiveness and the ability to plan. The conference will examine how renewable energy development can support those needs while helping companies reduce emissions.
“SEC 2026 is designed to move the green energy investment conversation from opportunity to execution,” said Eng. Kibet Ronoh, KenGen’s Ag. Managing Director and CEO, at the conference’s media launch in Nairobi. “We have invited investors, financiers, utilities, project developers and corporates to join us on this journey, and we are confident the conference will unlock meaningful opportunities that accelerate Africa’s clean energy agenda.”
The agenda will focus on investment mobilization, project development, strategic partnerships and carbon trading. Participants will include government officials, regulators, development finance institutions and companies seeking cleaner sources of power for their operations.
Bringing those groups together is intended to address the gap between identifying an energy opportunity and developing a project that can secure financing. Discussions will connect the requirements of investors and lenders with the needs of utilities, developers and industrial customers.
The location gives that discussion a working setting. Olkaria is the center of Kenya’s geothermal operations, allowing delegates to examine an established world-class renewable energy development alongside opportunities for further investment.
Participants will also learn about the KenGen Green Energy Park, which is intended to attract industries and enterprises seeking access to renewable electricity. The park connects the conference’s investment agenda with a broader economic question: how clean power can support production, enterprise and employment.
“Our guests will experience firsthand how strategic investments have driven growth in Olkaria,” Eng. Ronoh said. “They will also gain insight into how the KenGen Green Energy Park is creating new opportunities for industries and enterprises seeking reliable renewable energy solutions.”
KenGen said the conference would provide a platform for investment discussions and partnerships across Africa’s sustainable energy sector, with an emphasis on translating renewable energy potential into projects and productive economic activity.
