Kenya Roundup: Court halts US health pact, green finance, Danish Queen visits

High Court suspends Kenya–US health data pact

Kenya’s High Court on December 11 issued temporary orders halting the implementation of the $1.6 billion Kenya–US Health Cooperation Framework. The ruling came after the Consumers Federation of Kenya filed a petition warning that the agreement could permit the transfer of confidential medical and epidemiological data belonging to citizens. The orders suspend any steps to operationalise the pact “insofar as it provides for or facilitates the transfer, sharing or dissemination of medical, epidemiological or sensitive personal health data.” The legal challenge, filed under HCCHRPET/E809/2025, marks the first major attempt to scrutinise the deal signed on December 4. 

AfDB and KCB sign $150m green financing package

The African Development Bank Group and KCB Bank Kenya have entered a $150 million partnership to expand climate-smart investments and green lending in Kenya. The deal includes a $100 million subordinated debt facility to strengthen KCB’s Tier II capital and a $50 million transaction guarantee to cover non-payment risks on letters of credit. The collaboration supports KCB’s commitment to allocate 25% of its portfolio to green initiatives by 2031, targeting renewable energy, infrastructure and agriculture. AfDB East Africa Director General Alex Mubiru praised the partnership as a boost for Africa’s green transition. KCB Managing Director Annastacia Kimtai said the bank aims to deepen its role in financing energy transition, e-mobility and climate adaptation. Last year, KCB issued $402 million in green loans, increasing its green portfolio to 21.32%.

Danish Queen begins three-day state visit to Kenya

Denmark’s Queen Mary arrived in Nairobi on the night of December 9 for a three-day official visit, her second trip to Africa in two months. She was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi, alongside Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano. During her visit, the Queen will tour conservation projects for endangered species at the coast, inspect waste-management and circular-economy initiatives, and attend meetings at the United Nations Office in Nairobi. The trip aims to strengthen cooperation between Kenya and Denmark in renewable energy, climate action and environmental protection.

Study reveals most homicide victims in Kenya killed by people they knew

A National Crime Research Centre study has found that Kenya recorded more than 1,000 homicides over the past year, with most victims killed by people they knew. Of the 1,011 cases analysed, eight in ten victims had a prior relationship with their attackers. Men were often killed in disputes involving land, cattle rustling, mob justice and alcohol, while women were mostly victims of domestic conflicts and intimate-partner violence. Nairobi recorded the highest number at 80 cases, concentrated in informal settlements such as Starehe, Mathare, Kayole, Embakasi and Kariobangi. Rural counties, including Kilifi, Homa Bay, Narok and Trans-Nzoia, also reported high levels of fatal violence linked to land and inter-communal disputes. The report warns that economic pressures, substance abuse and weakened community support systems are fuelling preventable confrontations.

Kenya launches National Plastics Action Partnership

Kenya has formally joined the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), establishing the Kenya National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP Kenya) in a deal presided over by Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei on December 10. The collaboration positions Kenya within a 25-country network advancing solutions to plastic pollution affecting more than 1.5 billion people. The partnership aims to accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular plastics economy, building on the country’s environmental milestones, including the 2017 ban on plastic bags—which eliminated an estimated 6.2 billion bags—and the 2020 prohibition on single-use plastics in protected areas. Kenya has also championed the EAC Single-Use Plastics Bill, which seeks to harmonise environmental regulations across the region to curb cross-border plastic leakage.