Rita Karau

Email: RKarau@kapstrat.com
Position: Partner
Practice Area: Business Establishment | Forensics and Due Diligence | Real Estate & Property Management

Rita is a Partner in the Corporate/Commercial department. Her work encompasses property acquisition/disposal and development and advising clients on a wide range of matters ranging from business establishment in Kenya, property laws, property financing, company restructuring, stamp duty planning and general regulatory compliance as well as reviewing and drafting an extensive range of commercial contracts.

• Advocate – High court of Kenya
• Commissioner for Oaths

• English
• Swahili

• Advising Alten Energias Renovables in its development of a photovoltaic cell solar power plant in Kenya with an installed capacity of 40MW. The project is one of the largest solar power projects in Kenya and East Africa.
• Acted for one of Africa’s largest beverage company in Central East and West Africa in the disposal of its assets in Kenya valued at approximately USD 11 million which entailed the preparation of transaction structural advice and transactional documents.
• Acted for a private client in its acquisition (as a going concern) of a self-catering beach resort sitting on 50 hectares of beach frontage in Kilifi (one of Kenya’s prime vacation locations) valued at approximately USD. 6.65 million.
• Acting as local counsel to Truestone, a financier, who entered into a joint venture agreement with a local developer and landowner to finance construction of two office blocks in Nairobi, which offices are in the process of being sold and the sale proceeds used to settle the loan in exchange for partial discharges, Deal Value Kes. 630,000,000/-
• Acted for REA Vipingo Plantations Limited in the sale of their properties to Centum Investment Company Limited, following a settlement agreement arising from the contested take-over and de-listing of the company from the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
• Acted for REA Vipingo Plantations Limited in the sale of the entire issued share capital in Vipingo Estate Limited, following a settlement agreement arising from the contested take-over and de-listing of the company from the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
• Acted for Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in the sale of their security to recover the loan proceeds in respect of Financing of Jopa Villas LLC, deal value at US$ 9,600,000.
• Acting for a registered charitable trust with local presence in Kenya in the acquisition of assets in Kenya- preparation of transaction structural advice and transactional documents.
• Acted for a prospective investor in the proposed acquisition of Hashi Energy, involving extensive due diligence and forensics and regulatory and transactional advice; did not proceed to completion.
• Acted for a private client in the share sale of a prime real estate holding company, deal value at US$ 3,645,000.
• Due diligence on regulatory and property law aspects of Barclays Africa Group Limited’s acquisition of majority stake in First Assurance Company Limited.
• Due diligence on regulatory and property law aspects of Pioneer Foods Pty Limited’s (South Africa) investment in Weetabix East Africa Limited.
• Acted for a prospective investor in the proposed acquisition of Java Nairobi Limited, involving extensive due diligence and forensics and regulatory and transactional advice; did not proceed to completion.
• Advising various clients in connection with acquisition of land, land control requirements in respect of agricultural land, amalgamation of land, changes and extensions of user and subdivision including obtaining the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
• Advising various clients in connection with sale or lease of commercial and residential units and setting up property management schemes for commercial and residential developments.
• Preparation and registration of security documents such as charges, mortgages, debentures and chattel mortgages.