Surely if everything is political, is there any value to stating that "fact"... @fellifel put accross this statement as if being political is a characteristic unique to EB...

To start with, it might be fortunate or unfortunate how equity bank might have turned the face of banking in this country, but it leaves questions to be asked. The fact that equity is doing big is because of backing from the topmost authority in the country, with government funding passing through the bank, Youth development fund, women devlopment funds.
The expansion rate for the bank leaves so much to be suspected.If in doubt, ask yourself why banks that have been around for quite a while like the Co-operative Bank have not had such expansion rates despite mainly catering for the low income earners. In short, this is a classic case of a pyramid scheme, only these time, its on a large scale. For the price of a share to shoot to an all time high for a company that has been on the stock exchange for less than a year leaves a lot to be desired. Since there inception till now they may have changed there strategy but with the sort of returns and basing on there asset value, the bank is on a ride that is too good to be true. Now change of regime may not affect it much but it will affect it.

@fellifel

Have you asked yourself why the development funds are passing through Equity? There is no other bank that has been supportive of the SME than Equity. They lend to them. They could have gotten the nod to handle the funds purely on merit. They understand the target better than the other banks who at their best had turned their back against ordinary kenyans.

EB was the first bank to hit 1M plus customers, did those customers open accounts because it is political?

Do i bank with NIC because it is /or not political?

Who buys a product because it is political?

felli-you are about 3 years behind on this debate.
The answer is No. As alluded to by others, Equity was actually saved from demolition when the Sacho-born fella was in power. Apparently he is not a kiuk.

Equity's growth is a question of timing and good strategy. It targetted the fat bottom portion of the population just as the economy was rejuvenating...

WOW!!
I seem to be trading on dangerous waters. Anyway am not disputing that equity have done well, I am a shareholder and they have made me money. I appreciate that. In as much as equity was initiated on the platform of common mwananchi. the money, to be honest, how much revenue is achieved from this group. we put in 10k today and chuck 9k tommorow. Other banks have massive accounts that are maintained some around over 500milli and they dont move down. Now, if the bank has this as majority they can make money from that, This big fat accounts is what equity lacks or if they have, they are few compared to other banks like barclays cfc n the likes; so to help them in that, they have the goverment fat account that cover that loop. but then again its just my pont of view!

Wake up pple-B4 equity the MFIs i.e Faulu, Krep, KWFT were already recording 3digit growth each yr, while the rest of the banks were busy shampooing their carpets n ensuring that no soiled felas get into their halls. The lower mid class moved to saccos. Then came equity-loans against household items, OD for watchmen with colleagues guaranteeing, advance against milk and crop delivery to cooperatives. Contractor Bid bonds without cash cover like ins coys....where do you see politics in all these.
They just did same business as Faulu, saccos and ins coys. NOT to mention, b4 moving from their Jeevanjee HQs, any member could see JM (Bank MD) by just showing up n queueing at his office - Politics indeed!
Ask any of their 4m members. Each one has something equity did 4 them which no bank would have imagined to do 4 their customers - Real politics i guess

wateva way u want to look at it, eb has helped this country grow. Nbk still gets the bulk of govt deposits n yet imelala. Av worked in two other banks(coop n bbk) n eb has changed the mkt alot n its a force to reckon.

Regime change certainly won't affect Equity.
During PEV when ODM was calling for the boycott of Brookside Products (because of links to Uhuru) you never heard them tell their supporters to withdraw their money from Equity.
Even as Ukwala was being razed to the ground, Equity was left unscathed. Why? Kwasababu Equity ni ya kila mtu.
Barclays will NEVER be forgiven by low-income-earning-Kenyans for closing their doors on them when they needed them most. Equity came to the average Kenyan's aid.
I can also tell you for a fact that Raila has an account at Equity.
No one denies that Equity receives some "aid" from the government. Both Helios and BRITAK are linked with Kibaki. The way I see it, instead of complaining, we should seek to also benefit (by getting its stock.)
And JM is clever. During 2007 elections, he donated to both ODM and PNU.