Close Menu
  • Home
  • Kenya News
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Columnists
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Golf
  • Lifestyle & Travel
    • Travel
  • Gossip
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
News CentralNews Central
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Kenya News
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Columnists
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
    1. Football
    2. Athletics
    3. Rugby
    4. Golf
    5. View All

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025
  • Lifestyle & Travel
    1. Travel
    2. View All

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025

    Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

    September 18, 2025

    Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

    September 18, 2025

    Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

    September 18, 2025

    Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

    September 18, 2025
  • Gossip
News CentralNews Central
Home»Main headlines»Shylock economy: Broke and hungry, many Kenyans left to mercy of backstreet lenders
Main headlines

Shylock economy: Broke and hungry, many Kenyans left to mercy of backstreet lenders

By By Brian Ngugi and Macharia KamauSeptember 18, 2025No Comments3 Mins Read
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Copy Link LinkedIn Tumblr Email VKontakte Telegram Reddit WhatsApp
Shylock economy: Broke and hungry, many Kenyans left to mercy of backstreet lenders
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Copy Link LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit VKontakte Telegram WhatsApp
Many Kenyans are resorting to shylocks to meet quick financial needs, often ending up forfeiting assets. [Courtesy]

Harsh economic times, the high cost of living, and the denial of credit by banks to households and businesses have forced many Kenyans into backstreet borrowing that is now pushing them to the edge.

Many are resorting to shylocks to meet quick financial needs, often ending up forfeiting assets. Victims of these unregulated digital lenders tell of battling depression, with some cases ending in suicide.

/* Container styling */

.fade-out-overlay {
position: absolute;
top: -80px;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 60px;
z-index: 1;
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0), rgba(255, 255, 255, 1));
}

.paywall-container {
position: relative;
max-width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
background-color: #ffffff;
}

.paywall-container h2 {
text-align: center;
display: none;
}

.paywall-container a {
text-decoration: none !important;
}

/* Header styling */
.paywall-header {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: bold;
margin-bottom: 15px;
color: #333333;
text-align: center;
}

/* Price highlight */
.price-highlight {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #d40511;
/* Red color similar to MailOnline */
margin: 15px 0;
text-align: center;
}

.price-highlight .original-price {
text-decoration: line-through;
color: #777777;
margin-right: 0px;
}

/* Divider line */
.divider {
border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
margin: 20px 0;
}

/* Subscribe button */
.subscribe-button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #d40511;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 25px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-bottom: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
text-decoration: none;
}

.subscribe-button-green {
/* display: block; */
width: 70%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #EE193A !important;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 23px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-bottom: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
text-decoration: none;
text-align: center;
}

.subscribe-button:hover {
background-color: #b0030e;
text-decoration: none;
}

/* Features list */
.features-list {
margin: 20px 0;
padding-left: 20px;
list-style: none;
}

.features-list li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
list-style-type: none;
position: relative;
padding-left: 25px;
list-style-type: none !important;
}

.features-list li:before {
content: “✓”;
color: #d40511;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
font-weight: bold;
}

/* Existing subscriber link */
.existing-subscriber {
text-align: center;
color: #555555;
font-size: 14px;
}

.existing-subscriber a {
color: #d40511;
text-decoration: none;
}

.existing-subscriber a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}

@media (max-width: 768px) {

.subscribe-button-green,
.subscribe-button {
width: 100% !important;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
}

Unlock the Full Story — Join Thousands of Informed Kenyans Today

Unlock the Truth Now 》

Unlimited access to all premium content
Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
Mobile-optimized reading experience
Weekly Newsletters
MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted

Login

Already a subscriber? Log in

Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

Harsh economic times, the high cost of living, and the denial of credit by banks to households and businesses have forced many Kenyans into backstreet borrowing that is now pushing them to the edge.

Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

Published Date: 2025-09-18 00:00:00
Author:
By Brian Ngugi and Macharia Kamau
Source: The Standard
By Brian Ngugi and Macharia Kamau

Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

News Just In

Unremitted pensions shoot to Sh14 billion

September 18, 2025

Ruto team beats own drum as opposition goes mute

September 18, 2025

Shylock economy: Broke and hungry Kenyans left at the mercy of backstreet lenders

September 18, 2025

Counties owe suppliers Sh176 billion in pending bills, report reveals

September 18, 2025
Crystalgate Group is digital transformation consultancy and software development company that provides cutting edge engineering solutions, helping companies and enterprise clients untangle complex issues that always emerge during their digital evolution journey. Contact us on https://crystalgate.co.ke/
News Central
News Central
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram WhatsApp RSS
Quick Links
  • Kenya News
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Columnists
  • Entertainment
  • Gossip
  • Lifestyle & Travel
  • Sports
  • About News Central
  • Advertise with US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us
About Us
At NewsCentral, we are committed to delivering in-depth journalism, real-time updates, and thoughtful commentary on the issues that matter to our readers.
© 2025 News Central.
  • Advertise with US
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.