Team size: Twelve

Major legal advisors:  Anjarwalla and Khanna Advocates LLP, Bowmans Coulson Harney Advocates LLP, MMC Asafo, Ahmednasir Abdullahi Advocates LLP, EMSI and Associates and RONN Law Advocates LLP

Jurisdictions your role covers: Kenya and DRC

Career Biography

I am the Head of Legal at Tatu City Limited, Rendeavour’s flagship development in Kenya. Rendeavour is Africa’s new city builder, developing seven city-scale projects across Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its developments are designed to address infrastructure constraints, attract investment, create employment and support sustainable urban growth.

At Tatu City, I lead the legal function for a 5,000-acre mixed-use Special Economic Zone in Kiambu County. Tatu City is a Special Planning Area and a project of strategic national importance. It is home to more than 25,000 residents, employees and construction workers, and has attracted investment valued at approximately KES385bn.

I joined Tatu City in 2021 as Legal Counsel, became Lead Counsel in 2022 and was appointed Head of Legal in January 2024. My role covers property and development transactions, customer and commercial contracts, corporate governance, land use and planning, regulatory engagement, leases, dispute management and special economic zone matters. I work closely with business teams, external advisers, regulators, customers and investors to manage risk, resolve issues and enable the efficient delivery of projects and transactions.

In addition to my responsibilities in Kenya, I support Rendeavour’s work on its Kiswishi City project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kiswishi is a 4,400-hectare development and the DRC’s first private Special Economic Zone. My contribution draws on the experience developed at Tatu City, particularly in relation to development structuring, governance, regulatory considerations and the legal frameworks required for long-term, master-planned urban projects.

Before joining Tatu City, I practised at MMC Asafo, formerly MMC Africa Law, where I served as a Senior Associate and Assistant Head of the Banking, Finance and Fintech Department. My private-practice experience included advising banks, corporates, developers and investors on project and corporate finance, secured lending, real estate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, legal due diligence and anti-money laundering compliance.

My career has been shaped by an interest in the intersection of law, business and development. I believe that an effective legal function should be commercially minded, accessible and solutions-oriented, while maintaining the governance and risk discipline needed to support sustainable growth.

Q&A

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in? 

Negotiation for the purchase of 5 acres of land by Nxtra Africa, a subsidiary of Airtel, to set up a 44 MW Data Centre. The transaction involved guaranteeing future proof and dedicated power to the data centre.

Negotiation of a construction contract with China Road and Bridge Company for the construction of Jabali Towers. Jabali Towers, whose 25- and 36-storey towers soar over Tatu City, includes exclusive amenities for residents and 35 restaurants and shops open to the public.

Negotiation for a joint venture with Mabani Aljazeera Holding Group, a leading private Saudi Arabian construction and investment company, investing in Jabali Towers. This is Mabani’s first investment in Africa outside Saudi Arabia and signals trust and confidence in Africa, Kenya and Tatu City. Mabani will acquire 50% minus one share with Tatu City Limited acquiring 50% plus 1 share.

How do you navigate the legal complexities of cross-border transactions within the East African Community (EAC) and beyond? 

Understanding local regulations as well as the larger regional environment is necessary for cross-border transactions. Although the East African Community (EAC) has made progress in unifying laws, each state continues to enforce its own market practices, approval procedures and regulatory requirements.

To guarantee a uniform and effective transaction structure, my strategy is to identify important legal and regulatory issues early on, consult local counsel where necessary and coordinate advice across jurisdictions. It has been advantageous to work with Anjarwalla and Khanna Advocates LLP and Bowmans Coulson Harney Advocates LLP who have a presence in most if not all, countries within the EAC. In order to match the legal framework with the business objectives and strategy, I collaborate closely with the finance and business development departments as well as executive management.

Early stakeholder participation and clear communication are essential, particularly when several counterparties or regulatory permissions are involved. The majority of cross-border risks can be controlled without postponing the transaction by foreseeing problems early and keeping a coordinated strategy.

What strategies has your legal team adopted to mitigate legal and regulatory risks in a rapidly evolving business and political environment?

As changes in the regulatory and commercial environment are ongoing, our approach is to focus on being forward looking and pro-active rather than being reactive. We coordinate with the various teams right from the beginning of transactions so that any legal risks are dealt with early on and not at the time of execution or implementation.

We monitor legislative and regulatory changes, have good relations with our external counsel and regulatory bodies and periodically review our internal systems. In cases where uncertainties exist, we create some flexibility in our structure and agreements so as to adapt to future changes. At the end of the day, it is not possible to mitigate all the risks, but we can manage those and make sure the business makes good decisions based on its understanding of the risks.