Nairobi, Kenya, 18th February 2026. The Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) and Kagiso Africa Investments (KAI) marked a major milestone in community-owned development finance by completing the formal transfer of shares from KAI to KCDF at a ceremony held in Nairobi.

Since the partnership’s inception in 2012, KCDF and KAI have worked together to demonstrate how African institutions, from both the private and development sectors, can collaborate to build resilient investment assets that impact and transform communities. The handover of shares underscores the commitment of both organisations to locally rooted solutions and sustainable development financing.

The share transfer represents the culmination of a long-standing partnership between KCDF and KAI, a subsidiary of Kagiso Trust based in South Africa. Through this transition, KCDF is set to strengthen its capacity to generate sustainable, long-term financial resources for community development initiatives across Kenya.

“This transfer symbolises a new chapter for KCDF,” said Grace Maingi, Executive Director of KCDF. “It reflects our shared belief that locally owned investment structures are critical to achieving lasting social and economic impact. This milestone strengthens our ability to secure long-term financial independence in support of community-driven development.”

Mr Dean Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, a trustee at Kagiso Trust, said, “This partnership has demonstrated what is possible when African institutions build for the long term, grounded in local ownership and measurable social impact. Kagiso Trust is proud of the contribution this collaboration has made in Kenya, and we believe the lessons learned will continue to guide KCDF as it grows its sustainability and deepens impact for communities.”

Mr Ernest Kgopa, the acting South African High Commissioner to Kenya, congratulated the two organisations, saying that this relationship (between Kagiso Trust and KCDF) reflects the cordial and strategic bilateral relations between Kenya and South Africa.

The event marks a monumental cross-border share transfer from a South African trust to a Kenyan community foundation, a rare and highly positive business-for-development milestone. The ceremony brought together leaders from the philanthropy, investment, business, and development sectors to reflect on the future of community-owned capital in Africa.