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Edition of Friday, 6 November 2026English edition
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The Geopolitician

Country risk, from the local press

Kenya · Country watch

Safaricom Profits Surge, New Ebola Rules Proposed

Safaricom's profits rise significantly, while new Ebola regulations are proposed, impacting repatriation and burial practices.

· · 7 articles read

The picture Mixed How this is judged →

Business conditions in Kenya are mixed. Safaricom reports strong financial growth, benefiting telecom investors, while new Ebola regulations could impact funeral services. High electricity costs remain a concern due to procurement issues.

Flare-up watch: Calm (0.2) · How this is judged → · All Kenya briefings →

In this briefing Aden Duale · Ministry of Health (Kenya) · Safaricom · M-Pesa · World Bank · Kenya Economic Update

Regulation

  • Public sector

New Ebola rules ban body washing and repatriation

woman in white red and black striped crew neck long sleeve shirt with face mask
Mustafa Omar / Unsplash

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has presented new public health regulations to the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation, Nairobi Wire reports. The proposed Public Health (Ebola Disease) Rules, 2026, include a ban on body washing, embalming, and repatriation of Kenyans who die from Ebola abroad. These measures aim to prevent the spread of the disease and require parliamentary approval.

Impact Funeral service providers and families face new restrictions on handling Ebola-related deaths.

Sources: Nairobi Wire ↗

Companies

  • Telecom

Safaricom's net income rises 36% to KSh58.2 billion

Safaricom PLC reported a 35.9% increase in net income to KSh58.2 billion for the first half of the 2026/2027 financial year, driven by growth in its Kenyan and Ethiopian operations, KBC reports. The telecommunications company also saw a 13.1% rise in group service revenue to KSh226.1 billion. This growth is attributed to the expansion of M-Pesa services and improved performance in Ethiopia.

Impact Telecom investors see increased returns as Safaricom's income and service revenue grow.

Sources: KBC ↗, Standard Media ↗

Markets

  • Energy

World Bank links costly power to procurement issues

A World Bank report highlights that Kenyan households and businesses pay higher electricity rates compared to regional and international peers, Nairobi Wire reports. The report attributes these high costs to questionable procurement practices, non-competitive generation deals, and governance failures within the energy sector. These findings are part of the November 2026 Kenya Economic Update.

Impact Energy consumers and businesses face high electricity costs due to procurement and governance issues.

Sources: Nairobi Wire ↗

Nothing significant reported today in Disruption · Internal tension · Safety & health · Trade · Politics.

Also today in the local press

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

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