Lawrence Ngao

When Lawrence Ngao assumed the role of Managing Director and CEO of Uchumi Supermarkets PLC, the company was navigating the most complex phase of a multi-year recovery. A Court-Approved Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was in place — a legally supervised debt restructuring framework that required rigorous compliance, creditor management, operational rebuilding, and a fundamental restoration of institutional trust.

That is the context in which Lawrence Ngao leads. Not a company at its peak — but a company being rebuilt from its foundations, in full public view, under the scrutiny of regulators, creditors, the courts, and approximately 12,000 Kenyan shareholders whose investment in Uchumi spans decades.

The Capital Markets Authority of Kenya has been unambiguous: Uchumi cannot be allowed to fail. Lawrence Ngao is the man charged with making sure it does not.

Under Lawrence Ngao's leadership, Uchumi is executing a three-pillar strategic framework designed to restore the company to sustainable commercial operation:

Branch Expansion. Uchumi is growing its physical footprint through carefully evaluated, commercially viable new locations. The Kitengela branch — opening 1 July 2026 — is the first expression of this pillar, bringing Uchumi's active branch count to three. Each location is assessed against strict commercial criteria, reflecting the financial discipline that underpins the entire recovery.

Franchise Development. Uchumi is building a franchise recruitment programme that enables qualified partners to operate under the Uchumi brand, standards, and supply chain. This model extends geographic reach without the full capital intensity of wholly-owned branches — and gives Kenyan entrepreneurs access to one of the country's most recognised retail brands.

B2B Business Development. Beyond consumer retail, Uchumi is developing institutional and corporate supply relationships that diversify revenue, reduce dependence on foot traffic, and leverage the company's existing procurement infrastructure and supplier network.

Recovery is not a narrative. It is a set of documented facts. Under Lawrence Ngao's tenure as MD/CEO, Uchumi has achieved the following:

Debts to KCB Bank Group, Co-operative Bank of Kenya, and UBA Kenya are being serviced and managed in accordance with the Revised CVA framework. The company is fully tax compliant. ERP system upgrades are underway. The board was reconstituted at the April 2026 AGM, bringing in experienced independent directors including John Mwara (Chairman, former MD of Faulu Kenya) and Erastus Njoroge (Audit Committee Chair, ICDC). Retail sales across all branches are growing strongly, with consistent month-on-month revenue momentum reflecting renewed customer confidence and improved stock availability. A long-term tenancy with China Square generates KES 5 million per month in rental income.

This is not a company in decline. This is a company in disciplined reconstruction — and the numbers document it.

Uchumi Supermarkets is not simply a retail chain. It is Kenya's oldest supermarket — founded in 1975, listed on the NSE in 1992, and credited with introducing the hypermarket concept, the self-service retail format, and the first direct farm-to-shelf fresh produce supply chain in Kenya. At its peak, Uchumi served over 16 million customers annually across 27 branches, generating sales equivalent to approximately 1% of Kenya's GDP.

The company's recovery is therefore a matter of national commercial significance — which is precisely why the Capital Markets Authority declined to suspend its shares and why the courts continue to supervise its CVA. Lawrence Ngao leads with full awareness of that weight, and full commitment to honouring it.