18th Dec 2023

The President is also expected to chair the National Security Council meeting to assess the country’s security situation during the period of festivities, and as a primer for 2024.

Similarly, the President will chair the last Cabinet meeting of the year as the government plans and makes priorities for the year 2024.

President Ruto is expected to have a number of engagements before the Christmas break. In the coming period, the President will meet a delegation from the German business community to discuss among other things, opportunities for trade and commerce.

Both Houses of Parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate, are currently in recess till 13th February 2023.

However, the National Assembly is likely to have a special sitting in the course of the recess. Part of the agenda for this special session is likely to be on the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023, as the Government races to align with the strict pronouncements of the High Court in the Finance Act ruling delivered in November.

In a notice dated 24th October 2023, the High Court Principal Judge indicated that the High Court and courts of similar status will commence the Christmas recess on 21st December, 2023 and terminate on 14th January, 2024, both days inclusive.

That notwithstanding, offices of the aforesaid courts, including Registries, shall remain open to the public from 8.00a.m. to 5.00p.m. on all weekdays other than the public holidays. Duty Judges will be on to handle emerging pressing concerns.

With the release of the first two International Sustainability Disclosure Standards (IFRS SDS or the Standards) on 26 June 2023 by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), entities are anticipated to begin complying with these standards as they become effective for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2024.

With the European Union passing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, the clamor for regulation of artificial intelligence is likely to heat up in 2024. Backed up by the increased embrace of artificial intelligence in almost all, if not all, facets of human life, striking a balance for ethical appropriation of AI is fundamental. Kenyan legislators have been on the push to regulate AI in the country and drawing inference as to how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was tailored for the Kenyan context, it is one of the key legal and policy conversations to watch out for in 2024

Having held the position in an acting capacity since June 2023, Hilda Njeru has been formally appointed as the Director of Legal and Group Company Secretary of Britam Holdings Plc. Ms. Njeru has previously worked at the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), ABSA Bank and the Arusha-based EAC Capital Markets, Insurance and Pensions Committee (CMIPC).