Evening: Kenya cuts diesel, IBM and OpenAI join forces

EPRA has cut the maximum retail price of diesel by Sh5 per litre for the 15 August to 14 September pricing period. In Nairobi, diesel will cost Sh217.86 per litre, while super petrol and kerosene remain at their previous prices. The reduction should modestly lower operating costs for matatus, freight operators, generators and businesses that rely on diesel equipment. Motorists should still compare pump prices because the published figure is a maximum, not a mandatory retail price.

The Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission has begun recovery action over the Sh1.5 billion compensation paid for land occupied by Ruaraka High School and Drive In Primary School. EACC says the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier finding that the compulsory acquisition and resulting payment were unlawful. The commission has written to 22 individuals and three firms seeking restitution, with interest reported to bring the wider claim to about Sh2.7 billion. The case matters to public finances, land transactions and future compensation claims.

Kenya Power has listed planned electricity interruptions for Friday maintenance across five counties, with outages affecting residential areas and businesses for parts of the day. The utility says the work is intended to improve supply reliability, but operators should still protect sensitive equipment and plan around lost connectivity, refrigeration and payment systems. Nairobi businesses should check the utility’s latest area schedule rather than rely on generic outage reports, because the timing and affected estates can change with field conditions.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange plans to create East Africa’s first exchange traded fund focused on artificial intelligence, according to Reuters. An ETF would let investors buy a basket of related assets through one listed product instead of selecting individual companies. The proposal is significant for Kenya’s capital market because it links local investment infrastructure to a fast growing global theme. Investors should wait for the formal structure, eligible holdings, fees and regulatory approvals before treating the plan as an available product.

KCB Group reported a 20.8 per cent increase in first half profit before tax to Sh49.3 billion, according to coverage of the lender’s results. The performance gives businesses and investors a useful read on credit demand, regional banking activity and financial sector resilience. KCB has also set an interim dividend, although shareholders should consult the company’s official disclosures for the record date and payment timetable. Stronger earnings do not remove pressure from bad loans, funding costs or household affordability.

IBM and OpenAI have announced a partnership to deploy OpenAI models and tools across enterprise workflows, application modernisation, software development and cyber security. IBM says the work will embed models including GPT 5.6, Codex and ChatGPT Work into IBM Consulting Advantage. For Kenyan banks, telecoms, retailers and public agencies, the practical implication is more vendor led AI integration rather than isolated chatbot experiments. Buyers should still demand clear data residency, audit, access control and human approval arrangements before deployment.

OpenAI has appointed Dali Rajic as chief revenue officer, giving him responsibility for the company’s global revenue organisation. The move comes as AI companies compete less on demonstrations alone and more on enterprise contracts, deployment support and repeat usage. Kenyan organisations evaluating large model vendors should watch the commercial terms as this market matures, including usage limits, data handling, service levels and exit options. A stronger sales organisation may widen access, but it does not replace independent procurement or security review.