Former Airtel Money Kenya Managing Director Anne Kinuthia Otieno has been appointed as Visa's new Vice President and Head of East Africa, effective August 4, 2026.

• Anne Kinuthia Otieno will lead Visa's operations across seven East African markets.
• Key organizations involved: Visa and Airtel Money Kenya.
• Kinuthia Otieno brings over two decades of experience in banking and digital financial services to her new role.

Former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Njuguna Ndung’u revealed that M-Pesa faced significant internal resistance from the regulator upon its inception in 2007, with some officials fearing it could be used for illicit activities.

• M-Pesa, launched in March 2007, faced opposition from within the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), viewed by some as a money-laundering tool or a pyramid scheme.
• Njuguna Ndung’u, then CBK Governor and later Treasury Cabinet Secretary, championed the mobile money platform for its potential in advancing financial inclusion.
• M-Pesa now serves approximately 40 million active customers in Kenya and processed Sh41.68 trillion in transactions in the 12 months ending March 2026.

Kenyan entrepreneurs and businesses are increasingly turning to alternative finance options beyond traditional banks to secure capital for growth, addressing a significant financing gap.

• The estimated MSME financing gap in Kenya is Sh2.5 trillion.
• Key alternative financiers include Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs), fintech lenders, venture capital firms, and development finance institutions (DFIs).
• These alternatives prioritize factors like savings history, cash flow, and community guarantees over traditional collateral, making financing more accessible.