Earlier this week the Central Bank of Kenya announced that it had put Imperial Bank under statutory management for what the CBK described as ‘unsafe business conditions at the bank’. This forced the Nairobi Securities Exchange to suspend it’s listing and locked in Sh58 billion of depositor’s funds. Media reports hinted at ‘massive fraud’. Imperial Bank was said to be one of the top ‘second tier’ banks in the country. As a result the CBK’s action sent ripples of anxiety through the banking fraternity and business community not only because it happened but how it happened: reminding Kenyans of the…

When Willy Mutunga was sworn in as Chief Justice in June 2011, the excitement nationally was palpable. This was especially the case within the ranks of civil society for whom Mutunga had been the esteemed guru for two decades. He brought with him all the right baggage to the most important governance institution in Kenya: a long history of struggle for progressive causes that had at one point seen him detained; a reputation for integrity; and, gravitas that was unprecedented in that crucial position. A master diplomat and nurturer of talent, the network of leading figures in civil society and…