Economy is doing poorly.People don't have the disposable income to sustain the current number of outlets

FYI, He asked of any "SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS"

I am not a subject expert, however, from where i am perched, i know that some Kenyans have become more frugal. They are buying stuff at wholesale stores instead of supermarkets. I know of other Kenyans who used to consume large volumes of beer but now prefer taking Chrome vodka @200 bob or mzinga of Gilbeys gin @1100(2 to 3 drinking buddies). I know of others who now eat mogoka(jaba) instead of the more pricely "Giza fupi" or "asili".....etc. People are still buying cloths at downtown stalls as well as from wathii. This is probably due to high cost of living but also because more people are more driven towards saving and buying a plot to build or saving to invest....etc but i suspect it is more of saving to build

Petrol stations particularly Shell and Total are expanding like crazy. Many new (ex jap) cars are appearing on our roads everyday. You go to Carrefour or Naivas and queues are very long full of shoppers. You attend a school meeting and nowadays there's no parking coz of too many cars, even the playing field is full. So all is not gloom. A few retailers may be suffering but that could be due to their internal problems. FYI some years back uchumi was still struggling even when every other company was making billions.

Which ones are stuggling apart from Nakumatt?

Am no expert in the matter but think the issue is poor management- Insider theft, spending massively on expansion b4 paying suppliers. And of late, banks are more cautious due to rates cap hence getting overdrafts to plug short term holes is uphill task. Etc etc

Quoted from the article ........

Editors and media proprietors have the ability to change the narrative from doom and gloom to celebrating national heroes and Mrs Njuguna was one.

It's so amusing how KQ pops up in any thread.