Radio Africa partners with auctioneers to rebrand industry, create positive image

National Association of Kenya Auctioneers national chairman Maurice Osundwa  /MOSES MWANGI

The National Association of Kenya Auctioneers has partnered with Radio Africa Group, enabling the Star newspaper to run weekly content on the industry

This will also help shape a favourable image of the job-creating profession.

Radio Africa Group chief executive officer Martin Khafafa said for decades the media industry has reported negatively about auctioneers but this is about to change.

“I didn’t know that auctioneers are friendly people until today. I have listened to your pleas and the best way to collaborate is that from today, the Star newspaper will be dedicating two full pages for the auctioneers every week,” he said.

“That’s not all, we will also be dedicating all other media platforms to your members to share their stories.”

Khafafa spoke during an interactive session between Naka executive leadership at a Nairobi hotel.

The auctioneering industry globally is a source of employment, but in Kenya, it is not fully tapped for job creation, the CEO said.

 “When you look at developed nations, this industry is a source of employment because they have invested in modern technology and better policies to streamline the sector,” Khafafa said.

“We also need to bring in all stakeholders, both from public and private sectors, to carve a better path of growing the sector and also tapping into technology to boost growth of this sector.”

Naka has 450 registered members, while the Kenya National Society of Professional Auctioneers has 400 registered members.

Naka national chairman Maurice Osundwa said, “The target is to have 1,000 members before the end of the year and this collaboration will help us to reach out to others who have not yet joined Naka.”

A 2025 Central Bank of Kenya report revealed Kenya’s auctioneering industry experienced high growth, driven primarily by a surge in non-performing loans and subsequent distress sales of assets, including real estate and vehicles.

“As auctioneers, sometimes it’s very painful when we have to auction property, but we must understand that we are carrying out an order as per the law of Kenya,” Osundwa said.

“We don’t take action without issuing a warning to those whose properties are to be auctioned; every action taken has to follow the due process of the law.”

Radio Africa Group will also establish an auctioneers’ microsite within the Star Digital platform.

Ronald Ayieta, the Star’s commercial manager, said, “The Auctioneers Microsite within our digital ecosystem will be a centralised online destination where the public can easily find, understand, and participate in auctions conducted by licensed professionals.”

“This moves auction advertising from scattered classified notices to a discoverable, searchable marketplace.”

He said the new pact will also cover quarterly industry features and thought-leadership stories, monthly expert columns from association members, radio and digital interviews on business and public interest issues, coverage of AGMs, conferences, training and CSR activities.