A year ago 57,000 savers of Kenya, including nearly two thousand Italians, Malindi, Watamu, Mombasa, Diani and Nairobi, were holding their breath to await news of the possible reopening of the Imperial Bank Kenya, whose shutters were down on 14 October.
Twelve months away from the bolt from the blue, that would change in the perception of our compatriots bank deposit in Kenya as an investment and confidence in African lenders, we have some certainties and many doubts unchanged.
Meanwhile, something happened that for example in Italy no one would ever imagine.
In record time, compared to the bureaucracy, lawsuits, arbitrations and other hindrances, they were returned in two installments the money to 40 thousand "small" savers. For some of them it is crumbs (but are still about 30 thousand euro), for many others, especially Kenyans, was a lifetime of savings, or the only insurance for a peaceful future.
The pessimism and despair of the early days has therefore given way to a moderate hope.
Today many of the Italian coast, which once relied on "house bank", the "cute cashier," clerk "who speaks our language well," Wavering willingly from three lenders, Kenya Commercial Bank, Diamond Trust Bank, and the latest addition to Nic Bank, and perhaps to "diversify" (one of the cult words in Malindi last season) have opened an account at Fidelity Bank because it lies at the Nakumatt and the I & M because it is emerging.
Meanwhile, for those who have invested tens of thousands of Euros and more, the story continues and alternate days when the Central Bank of Kenya to raise its voice against the majority shareholders of Imperial Bank (a month ago they have all been reported from the bottom insurance of KDCI State) with others in which the same owners of the institute in liquidation are invented to be victims of something or someone, or cite one or more State leaders as accomplices of the conspiracy hatched by former managers Janmohamed against them, l ' company and the poor depositors.
How it will end is not known, certainly the "case" Imperial has had major repercussions on the domestic market and also in the field of banking regulation in Kenya. President Kenyatta was seen by its Parliament approved a decree to lower all interest rates applied in a too "optimistic" by banks, the semi-annual and annual investment funds and accounts pulpy, to a maximum of 10.5% . Some banks had come to even Offir 18%. The same Imperial, shortly before the fatal infarct super manager with straw heart, had launched a series of bonds to 20% who knew their caramellina in the old pervert pocket outside school.
Today everything is normal and the other poised banks are controlled very closely.
And 'the case of Chase Bank, which closed and reopened for something more than just pre-crash control.
A year after the great fear, Kenya seems to have also aligned to the West in the world savings and investment banking. Less dreams, less fancy and consequently few outbursts of adventure in the financial sea of ​​an African country, but some solid more certainty.