The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) intercepted a truck in Busia County carrying 1,500 cartons of smuggled Supermatch cigarettes, avoiding an estimated Sh70 million in taxes.

• The forty-foot container was seized following an intelligence-led operation by KRA's Customs and Investigations team.
• The truck had a tampered Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) seal to conceal the illicit cargo.
• Dr. Lilian Nyawanda, Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, emphasized KRA's commitment to combating illicit trade, which denies the government critical tax revenue and exposes consumers to unsafe products.

Kenyan companies, despite investing heavily in advanced technologies like AI and cloud computing, are suffering significant revenue losses due to disorganised and fragmented data, hindering their competitive advantage and expansion capabilities.

• Country Head, Zoho Kenya Veerakumar Natarajan highlights data disorganisation as a "silent revenue killer."
• Companies face an "existential threat" due to fragmented sales, financial, customer service, and operational data across different systems.
• The solution proposed is implementing "unified technology architecture" through integrated cloud platforms for seamless information flow, crucial for expanding into broader African markets.

Kenyan firms modestly increased selling prices in September after August's 12-month low, despite easing cost pressures across various sectors. This shift indicates a cautious recovery, as businesses reported improved activity and output.

• The Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 51.9 in September from 49.4 in August, crossing the neutral 50-point threshold for the first time since April.
• Economist at Standard Bank, Christopher Legilisho, noted that "Business conditions expanded in September."
• Only 8 percent of firms reported raising fees, mainly due to higher taxes and commodity costs, with the rate of inflation remaining modest.