Team size: Four

Major legal advisors: ENS (Kenya, Rwanda), ALN (Kenya, Tanzania), AF Mpanga (Uganda), Bowmans (Kenya) 

Jurisdictions your role covers: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Mauritius 

Q&A

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

Over the past year, our legal team has played a central role in the development and financing of one of East Africa’s most significant temperature-controlled logistics platforms. We have led the legal workstreams relating to land acquisition, transaction structuring, negotiation and execution of a multi-country financing programme spanning Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. This has involved engagement with development finance institutions, commercial lenders, international legal counsel, and the negotiation of complex FIDIC-based construction and consultancy contracts across multiple jurisdictions. 

In parallel, we have supported the operationalisation of one of our Rwanda facilities through strategic commercial partnerships and governance structures designed to accelerate market development while maintaining robust risk management and compliance standards. Beyond transactional work, our team has been instrumental in strengthening governance across the group, including the establishment of board and committee structures, development of enterprise-wide policies, enhancement of compliance frameworks, and implementation of lender reporting and oversight mechanisms that support long-term institutional growth and investor confidence. 

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

Cross-border transactions require much more than legal analysis. They require a deep understanding of the regulatory, commercial, tax and cultural dynamics of each jurisdiction. While the East African Community continues to promote regional integration, significant differences remain in land ownership regimes, security structures, insolvency frameworks, tax treatment, and regulatory approvals. 

Our approach is built on early stakeholder engagement, strong local partner and local counsel relationships and proactive coordination across jurisdictions. We focus on identifying areas where legal requirements diverge and developing transaction structures that can accommodate those differences while preserving commercial objectives. Equally important is ensuring alignment among lenders, investors, regulators and operating teams so that legal execution supports business delivery rather than becoming a constraint to it. 

How is the role of the General Counsel evolving in East Africa as organisations place greater emphasis on governance, transparency and ESG considerations? 

The role of the General Counsel in East Africa has evolved significantly, extending well beyond traditional legal advisory to become a strategic business leadership function. Today, General Counsel are increasingly involved in commercial decision-making and are expected to combine legal expertise with a strong understanding of risk management, corporate governance, stakeholder management and board dynamics. This broader mandate enables them to support effective strategy execution, strengthen organisational resilience and provide oversight within an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving regulatory environment. 

In sectors attracting institutional and development finance investment, governance, transparency and ESG considerations have become central to capital allocation and long-term value creation. As a result, General Counsel are playing a more influential role in shaping organisational strategy, strengthening investor and stakeholder confidence, and ensuring that businesses are equipped to operate responsibly and sustainably across diverse regulatory and cultural environments. 

The most effective General Counsel are trusted advisers to boards and executive leadership, capable of balancing commercial objectives with robust governance and risk management while helping organisations navigate growth, transformation and evolving stakeholder expectations.