Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) has awarded KSh1 million to Embu-based mechanic Francis Muriuki as the first grand prize winner in the Senator Keg “Tuzidi Kuinuana” consumer promotion, with the company saying the campaign is designed to split winnings between individual consumers and farmer-led community projects.

The award was presented in Embu during a draw event held as part of the ongoing promotion, according to a media statement issued by Irene Mugo of Inter Management Group (IMG) Kenya on behalf of the brewer. KBL said it is targeting at least five KSh1 million grand prize winners in Embu.

In remarks to journalists cited in the statement, Muriuki said the win was unexpected and that he intends to use the funds to expand his business and undertake development projects at his homestead. He also named Mwankoma Community Based Organization (CBO) as the beneficiary of KSh500,000, framing the allocation as support for farmers linked to the Senator Keg supply chain.

“I am glad that after three attempts I have been declared the winner. It is also a privilege to share it with other people who need the financial boost – the farmers who play a huge part in the Senator Keg production value chain,” Mr Muriuki said, according to the statement.

KBL described Mwankoma CBO as comprising farmers who grow cowpeas, green grams and sorghum, which they supply to the brewer, while also training farmers on safe farming practices in Embu. Muriuki said he selected the group because it needs capital to continue aggregating sorghum for KBL and to buy farm equipment.

“I have picked Mwankoma because after going through their portfolio, they need the capital to continue playing the role of sorghum aggregators for KBL and also purchase farm equipment that will advance crop production and enhance sustainable agriculture,” he said.

The “Tuzidi Kuinuana” promotion is a three-month consumer campaign that KBL said forms part of its commemoration of 20 years since the Senator brand’s inception in 2004. In the statement, KBL said the initiative also serves as an “educative platform” to increase sensitisation on the fight against illicit brew.

Speaking at the Embu event, KBL Divisional Trade Marketing Manager Martin Wanjohi said the campaign supports community growth alongside business objectives. “The business for the last 20 years has been premised on the core mandate and obligation to support growth of communities in which we operate in a way that serves their immediate needs,” Mr Wanjohi said.

For Kenya’s alcohol and beverage industry, promotions tied to cash prizes and retail participation remain a key tool for driving volume and brand stickiness in a price-sensitive market, especially for mainstream value brands. The added linkage to farmer-led CBOs also highlights the growing prominence of agricultural sourcing narratives in consumer-facing campaigns, as manufacturers seek to demonstrate local supply-chain impact amid rising scrutiny of corporate practices and community benefit.

KBL said the campaign will see at least 823,025 winners in total. Under the structure described in the statement, each of the five grand prize winners of KSh1 million will take home KSh500,000, with the remainder allocated to two farmer-led CBOs of their choice. Other categories include monthly, weekly and daily winners. Monthly winners receive a KSh50,000 home makeover package, weekly winners get shopping vouchers worth KSh2,500, and daily winners receive instant cash prizes from KSh25, KBL said.

To participate, consumers must purchase two 500ml mugs of Senator Lager or Dark Extra and use a scratch card code sent via SMS to a five-digit short code, according to the statement. KBL said the campaign will continue for the next two months.

Rwandan singer Bruce Melodie has released a new single, POM POM, featuring Tanzanian artist Diamond Platnumz and Nigerian artist Joel Brown, according to a press release issued on January 8, 2026. The release, distributed by 1:55 AM Entertainment, is accompanied by an official music video filmed in Kigali, Rwanda, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The three-artist collaboration brings together Afro-pop, Bongo Flava and Afrobeats influences, with lyrics delivered in Kinyarwanda, Swahili and English, the statement said. The track was produced by Ghanaian producer C-Tea Beat.

The release is part of a growing pattern of cross-border collaborations within Africa’s commercial music industry, where streaming distribution and regional fanbases increasingly shape how artists and labels plan releases. For Kenya, where music consumption is increasingly driven by digital platforms and live performance circuits linked to East African tour routes, multi-country projects such as POM POM can influence playlist visibility, licensing demand and event bookings across the region.

Bruce Melodie said the collaboration was intended to highlight cultural and geographic diversity through a shared sound. “This collaboration celebrates Africa in all its colors — three voices, three countries, one anthem. ‘POM POM’ is more than a song; it’s a movement, a reminder that music connects us no matter where we come from,” Bruce Melodie said in the press release.

The music video was directed by Rwanda’s Fayzo Pro for the Kigali scenes and Uganda’s Sasha Vybz for the Dar es Salaam scenes, the statement said. It described the visual approach as combining Rwandan heritage motifs with Tanzanian urban landscapes.

According to the release, POM POM marks the first collaboration between Bruce Melodie, Diamond Platnumz and Joel Brown. The statement attributed the partnership to “mutual respect and admiration” among the artists and said C-Tea Beat was responsible for aligning the artists’ styles in the final production.

For Kenyan music and entertainment businesses—ranging from promoters and venues to digital marketers and licensing agencies—the continued consolidation of regional star power into single releases can intensify competition for audience attention while also creating more opportunities for multi-market activations. Cross-border tracks often enable organisers to structure joint appearances and sponsorship packages across Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali and Dar es Salaam, particularly when releases are supported by music videos and coordinated online campaigns.

Industry stakeholders will also watch how such releases perform on streaming services and social platforms, as metrics increasingly determine booking leverage and brand partnerships in East Africa’s entertainment economy. The press release said the single is available on major streaming platforms and that media inquiries for Africa can be directed to Anyiko PR.

Next steps are expected to include broader promotional activities tied to the single, including potential media appearances and live performance opportunities across the region, as the artists and their representatives seek to extend the release’s reach beyond its launch window.

Energy company Eni has reported two hydrocarbon discoveries in Ivory Coast and Angola in February 2026, with the African Energy Chamber (AEC) saying the finds could reinforce production stability in Angola and accelerate gas-to-power ambitions in Ivory Coast. The details were published in a press release dated February 17, 2026, distributed by APO Group on behalf of the AEC.

In Ivory Coast, Eni said it successfully drilled the Murene South-1X well in Block CI-501, confirming what it described as the Calao South discovery within the Calao channel complex. In Angola, Eni’s joint venture Azule Energy announced the Algaita-01 well in Block 15/06 in the Lower Congo Basin, one of the country’s long-producing oil regions, according to the statement.

The announcement adds to a trend of renewed exploration and appraisal activity across Africa as operators balance near-term cashflow needs with longer-term reserve replacement. For Kenya’s business landscape, the developments matter as regional upstream activity can influence investment flows, service-sector demand and future competition for capital across East Africa’s still-developing petroleum potential. Kenya has previously pursued upstream investment and is also expanding gas and power infrastructure planning, making West and Southern Africa benchmarks relevant for policymakers and investors tracking Africa’s energy transition pathways.

The AEC said the Ivory Coast discovery is the first exploration well in Block CI-501 and carries estimated volumes of 5 trillion cubic feet of gas and 450 million barrels of condensate. The chamber said the Murene South-1X well was drilled in about 5,000 metres of water and encountered Cenomanian sands, with a drill stem test planned to assess production capacity.

In Angola, the AEC said the Algaita-01 well was drilled in 667 metres of water by the Saipem 12000 drillship and encountered oil-bearing sandstones across multiple Upper Miocene intervals. Initial resource estimates were put at 500 million barrels of oil, the statement said, adding that proximity to existing infrastructure — including the Olombendo FPSO — could improve development economics and speed up timelines.

“Eni’s recent discoveries in Ivory Coast and Angola send a powerful signal to the global market that Africa remains open, prospective and competitive,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, in the release. “Oil and gas are not relics of the past for our continent - they are the foundation of industrialization, power generation and economic sovereignty.”

The AEC also linked the Ivory Coast discovery to Eni’s Baleine Field development, saying Baleine is producing “over 62,000 barrels of oil and more than 75 million cubic feet of gas per day” from Phases 1 and 2, with Phase 3 targeting “150,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas per day.” The chamber said this illustrates a model where exploration success is converted into near-term production.

Beyond the two discoveries, the AEC said Eni plans to invest up to €24 billion (about KES 3.4 trillion) across Algeria, Libya and Egypt over the next four years. The statement also said Eni secured Libya’s offshore exploration License O1 in the country’s 2025 open licensing round and referenced an LNG strategy tied to Congo LNG Phase 2, which it said commenced in December 2025, and Coral North, which it said launched in October 2025.

For the wider East African market, the reported scale of discoveries in Ivory Coast and Angola may reinforce investor preference for proven basins with established infrastructure, potentially raising the bar for frontier exploration plays. However, it could also stimulate demand for African oilfield services, subsea engineering and LNG-linked supply chains, areas where Kenyan firms and logistics providers increasingly seek regional opportunities.

The AEC said Eni is progressing appraisal, testing and development planning for the new finds. Next milestones will likely include drill stem test results in Ivory Coast and further appraisal and concept selection work in Angola, alongside capital allocation decisions within Eni’s broader African portfolio.

Gulf Energy E&P BV has reaffirmed plans to invest nearly KES 774 billion (US$6 billion) in Kenya’s South Lokichar oil development in Turkana County and said it is targeting first crude production by December 1, 2026, as Parliament prepares to consider the project’s Field Development Plan (FDP) and production-sharing agreements.

Gulf Energy E&P BV Chairman Francis Njogu made the commitments while appearing before a Joint Parliamentary Committee of Energy meeting held as part of a public participation process ahead of the FDP ratification. The session was jointly chaired by National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy chair David Gikaria and Senate Standing Committee on Energy vice chair Senator William Kisang.

The company is seeking parliamentary ratification in the coming weeks, a step it says is necessary to advance the project toward a Final Investment Decision (FID) and eventual production.

The South Lokichar project, located in Turkana County, is viewed as Kenya’s most advanced onshore oil development following years of exploration and appraisal in the basin. Gulf Energy told lawmakers the FDP and the production-sharing agreements place emphasis on local content, community engagement and alignment of benefits among stakeholders.

Njogu said the company’s plans include what it described as strict adherence to a “ring-fenced Local Content Strategy” and social investments intended to generate longer-term socio-economic benefits for Turkana and the wider economy.

“At Gulf Energy, we are approaching this FDP as Kenyans with a view to creating as many jobs and business opportunities for Kenyans, starting with our Turkana host community, as are committed to positioning Kenya as an oil-producing country. We are very ready, and we have set 1st December, 2026, as a target to produce oil, and we hope to expeditiously secure the FDP ratification,” Njogu said.

He told the committee Gulf Energy E&P BV is indigenously owned and has “strong financial resources” to support capital-intensive developments. Njogu added that the company has “robust financial partnerships and active lines of credit with leading local and international banking and financial institutions,” though he did not name the lenders.

“The South Lokichar project and the FDP we have presented to the Government present a technically mature pathway to unlock Kenya’s largest onshore petroleum development in a shared prosperity model,” Njogu said.

The company also referenced a cost recovery proposal included in the FDP, which it said had been approved by Cabinet Secretary for Petroleum and Energy Opiyo Wandayi in November. Njogu said the fiscal measures proposed in the FDP are required to meet investment and bankability thresholds for the FID.

On government revenues, the press release cited projections by the Government of Kenya of potential earnings ranging between KES 135.45 billion (US$1.05 billion at US$60 per barrel) and KES 374.1 billion (US$2.9 billion at US$70 per barrel) over the project’s life.

Njogu urged lawmakers to move quickly, arguing that the global financing environment for upstream oil is tightening. He said international lenders are increasingly restricting hydrocarbon financing in line with climate commitments and shifting capital toward lower-carbon energy.

“As a result, frontier oil projects such as South Lokichar must demonstrate strong economics, robust fiscal stability, and timely decision-making to remain competitive for capital. Any prolonged uncertainty risks placing Kenya at a disadvantage relative to other emerging oil provinces that are actively adjusting their fiscal terms to secure investment before this window closes,” he said.

Under the production-sharing contract framework, Njogu said the State retains ownership of the resource while the contractor provides technical capability and risk capital to bring it to production.

Parliament is expected to deliberate on the FDP and the production-sharing agreements before deciding on ratification in the coming weeks.

Ruiru Sports Club will host its Lady Captain’s Prize tournament on February 28 at its 18-hole course in Ruiru, Kiambu County, marking the end of Lady Captain Rodah Mukami’s two-year term. The club said the week-long programme running from February 23 to March 1 is expected to attract more than 300 golfers for the main event, one of the largest anticipated turnouts at the club in recent years.

The club’s schedule blends competitive play and social activities, with organisers positioning it as a capstone to Mukami’s tenure and a reflection of efforts to expand participation in ladies’ and junior golf at the club. Ruiru Sports Club is located along the Thika Superhighway and is part of a growing cluster of golf facilities in the Nairobi metropolitan area that are competing to host high-profile events and attract sponsor support.

Festivities will begin on February 23 with a Caddies and Staff Golf Day, which the club said is intended to recognise the role of caddies and staff in day-to-day operations. A Senior Golf Day and Mini Clubnite will follow on February 24. On February 25, the club will stage a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative alongside a Greensomes tournament, before the Lady Captain’s Prize curtain raiser on February 26. A Koroga-themed Chip and Putt event is scheduled for February 27, ahead of the main tournament on February 28. The programme will conclude on March 1 with a Juniors Mug Tournament.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Mukami said the event would highlight progress made during her term. “This tournament is not just about my exit; it is about the incredible journey we have walked together as a club. Over the past two years, we have seen our ladies grow in confidence and competitiveness, and our juniors step up with remarkable promise. That is the true victory,” said Rodah Mukami, Lady Captain, Ruiru Sports Club, in the press release.

Ruiru Sports Club said it has recently hosted a series of Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU)-linked competitions, which have helped raise its profile in women’s golf. According to the club, it hosted the KLGU Ladies 54-Hole Tournament as well as the inaugural KLGU Golfer of the Year (GOTY) event. The club also hosted the Pendant Tournament for the first time in September, which it described as among the long-running medal-format competitions on the KLGU calendar.

For the Kenyan golf ecosystem, tournament hosting remains a key lever for clubs seeking to attract membership, secure sponsorship and build junior pipelines. Increased corporate participation in club events can also signal broader interest in associating with sports properties that offer business networking and community engagement opportunities, particularly in the Nairobi and Central Kenya corridor where corporate and real estate development continues to expand.

The club said it is also seeing progress in competitive depth in women’s golf. Ruiru now has two female golfers in its elite team, according to the press release, and more junior girls are in development pathways, with some moving toward single-handicap status.

The Lady Captain’s Prize has drawn corporate sponsorship led by Family Bank as the key sponsor, the club said. Other sponsors named in the press release include Dhahabu Land Ltd, Croton Motors, Aurora Scents, Lady Captain and Friends, Compnet Advisory Systems, Fantom Estates, Auto Master and Shell.

Attention will now shift to execution of the week’s programme and participation levels across the different categories, particularly juniors, as the club closes out Mukami’s term and signals its next phase of women’s and youth golf development.