President Ruto welcomes removal of trading barriers as Safaricom launches Ziidi Trader

The President explained that this move will expand access to the capital markets for millions of citizens, particularly low-income earners who were previously excluded.

He noted that this approach aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritises inclusivity for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

He made the remarks at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) in Nairobi during the launch of Safaricom's Ziidi Trader, a service that allows Kenyans to buy and sell NSE shares directly through the Mpesa mobile money platform.

He described the platform as a decisive turning point in how Kenyans engage with the stock exchange and nurture a savings culture.

“It opens the doors of market participation wider than ever before, dismantling long-standing barriers that have locked out many willing investors and bringing opportunity closer to all citizens,” he said.

President Ruto said the innovations are democratising public assets and transforming ownership, allowing ordinary Kenyans to participate confidently in wealth creation through the capital markets.

“I believe in the capital markets, and I believe in the potential of the capital market to work with the public sector to unlock the potential of this great nation,” he said.

The President directed the National Treasury to work with capital market stakeholders to remove any barriers that might hinder traders joining Ziidi Trader.

He added that the Government will continue reforming and strengthening the capital markets.

He noted that over the past two years, driven by deliberate government reforms, the NSE has recorded one of its strongest performances in more than a decade.

He highlighted reforms such as the removal of the minimum amount required to invest in the capital markets, which had previously been fixed at KSh50,000.

As a result, he said that the total market capitalisation expanded by approximately 48 per cent, rising from KSh1.968 trillion to about KSh3 trillion last year alone.

He expressed confidence that Kenya will increase the number of citizens participating in the capital markets from 200,000 to millions very soon.

“We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build markets that are deep, efficient and accessible, markets capable of financing innovation, empowering enterprise and advancing national priorities,” he said.

To this end, President Ruto said the government is leveraging the capital markets as a central pillar for mobilising capital to deliver the KSh5 trillion national transformation plan.

“We intend to achieve this without imposing additional burdens on taxpayers or accumulating unsustainable debt. That is precisely where our capital markets and platforms, such as the NSE, become central to the solution,” he said.

The President explained that the resources channelled through the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund will attract private investment, finance national priorities and protect inter-generational equity.

He said that this was not an untested experiment but a strategic move that has delivered results in countries that did the same.

“Many successful economies have followed this path, deliberately leveraging privatisation, capital markets and institutional reform to transform their stock exchanges into powerful catalysts for investment and growth,” he said.

He explained that by listing strategic state-owned enterprises, these countries strengthened market depth and liquidity, attracted global capital, and elevated their markets from frontier to emerging and ultimately developed status.

The President said the ongoing privatisation of the Kenya Pipeline Company is a deliberate and carefully sequenced policy decision, guided by global best practice and designed to build on reforms already underway.

President Ruto observed that the growth of the capital market reflects the stability of the country's economy.

President Ruto encouraged every Kenyan to buy the Kenya Pipeline IPO once it becomes available on Friday saying ordinary Kenyans will be given first priority.

He said this is an opportunity for Kenyans to own a high-value asset built over many years.

On board management, he said the government is introducing changes to allow private shareholders in public entities to sit on boards in proportion to their shareholding, enabling them to contribute to and influence the company’s direction and growth.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the National Treasury is committed to strengthening the country’s capital market through supportive policies and incentives.

He explained that the capital market will help mobilise investment to catalyse economic growth and enable citizens to share in the benefits of the country's prosperity.

“When you hear people saying the economy is growing but the benefits are in the hands of a few, it is because the capital market is not inclusive enough to accommodate as many people as possible,” he said.

He added that a thriving capital market also boosts investor confidence in the country.

NSE Chairperson Kiprono Kittony said the capital market is leveraging digital innovation to open up opportunities to Kenyans.

He said the goal is to ensure access to investment is not a privilege of a few but a right for all who aspire to participate in the country's economic growth.

“Today we are opening the doors of the Kenyan capital markets to millions of Kenyans, empowering them to engage, invest and grow their wealth through a simple, secure and innovative platform incorporated on the Mpesa platform,” he said.

Safaricom Chief Finance Officer Dilip Pal said with Ziidi Trader, anyone with a mobile phone can now build wealth and contribute to the country's growth.

This, he said, places wealth creation within reach of millions of Kenyans.

“We invite all Kenyans to move from being observers to active participants in our capital markets,” he said.