Stella Situma
Stella Situma is a Partner in our Banking, Finance & Projects practice. She has over thirteen years' legal expertise garnered in two top tier firms in Kenya. She provides specialised knowledge on preparation and perfection of bank security documentation and has acted for over ten licensed Kenyan commercial banks. Her experience includes issuing capacity, validity and enforceability opinions to lenders particularly for cross border transactions.
About Stella
About Stella
Stella commenced her career as an associate with the esteemed legal firm of Iseme Kamau & Maema Advocates (DLA Piper). She later joined CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates in 2017 and in 2019 she was promoted to Partner in the Banking and Finance and Real Estate Departments of CMS.
In April 2024, Stella joined Kieti Law LLP CDH as a Partner.
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- Advocate of the High Court of Kenya-admitted to the Roll of Advocates on 18th November 2011
- Postgraduate Diploma, Law-Kenya School of Law
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)- University of Nairobi
Memberships
- East Africa Law Society
- Law Society of Kenya
Languages
Languages
- English
- Swahili
About Stella
Stella commenced her career as an associate with the esteemed legal firm of Iseme Kamau & Maema Advocates (DLA Piper). She later joined CMS Daly Inamdar Advocates in 2017 and in 2019 she was promoted to Partner in the Banking and Finance and Real Estate Departments of CMS.
In April 2024, Stella joined Kieti Law LLP CDH as a Partner.
Credentials
Education
- Advocate of the High Court of Kenya-admitted to the Roll of Advocates on 18th November 2011
- Postgraduate Diploma, Law-Kenya School of Law
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)- University of Nairobi
Memberships
- East Africa Law Society
- Law Society of Kenya
Languages
- English
- Swahili
Experience
Acted for a top tier commercial bank in the preparation and registration of a specific debenture by a leading oil marketer within the East African region to secure a loan facility of One Hundred and Twenty Million United States Dollars.
Acted for a foreign lender specialising in financing renewable energy projects in their first ever solar finance project in Kenya in the preparation and registration of a specific debenture over solar panels and related equipment situate on garden city, one of Kenya's leading retail centres.
Acted for a top tier commercial bank in the preparation and perfection of securities to secure borrowing of Kshs.500 million over immovable property which comprised serviced Apartments.
Advised a foreign lender in connection with the preparation and registration of a specific debenture over the borrower's assets to be acquired in Kenya.
Acted for an investment bank in the preparation of a Shariah compliant Memorandum of Pledge of Shares in respect of facilities to be advanced to a borrower involved in the sale and importation of petroleum products.
Acted on behalf of various Kenyan commercial banks in the preparation of Shariah compliant security documents in the form of specific debentures and charges over immovable property.
Acted on behalf of a top tier bank in the takeover of facilities advanced to a borrower that was in default of its obligations. The transaction also involved the creation of a charge over immovable property which had been listed in the gazette notice on conversion following the digitization initiative that had been introduced by the Ministry of Lands. She ably negotiated undertaking terms with the taking over bank that facilitated payment of the outstanding sums prior to the completion of the conversion formalities and the registration of the debenture in favour of the taking over bank.
Acted on behalf of a leading commercial bank in the preparation of a joint debenture by two associated companies in favour of the bank.
News
Lender’s victory: Essential strategies for effective security enforcement
On 11 November 2024, the High Court in East African Cables PLC v Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited KEHC 14009 (KLR) delivered a ruling that reaffirmed the strong position of secured creditors...
'How to Navigate Digital Transformation in Kenya’s Financial Services Sector
Stella Situma, Partner in the Banking, Finance & Projects practice at CDH Kenya, was recently featured in People Daily, discussing ' How to Navigate Digital Transformation in Kenya’s...
Increase in interest rates: A delicate balance between contractual freedom and consumer protection
That parties have contractual freedom is not in doubt. To this end, courts have upheld the sanctity of contracts entered into by parties, except in cases where the parties contracted...
Worrying trend in exercise of statutory power of sale: A preserve of entities conducting banking or financial business and licensed by CBK?
At the heart of every secured lending transaction is a lender’s comfort in the knowledge that in the event of default by the borrower, it will be able to enforce its security, including...
Jurisdiction of the Environment and Land Court in enforcement of securities over land
” Jurisdiction is everything ” reads part of the decision of the Court of Appeal in the Owners of Motor Vessel Lillian S v Caltex Oil (Kenya) Limited KLR1.
Market recognition
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022-2024 ranked Stella as a key lawyer in Banking and Finance.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022-2024 ranked Stella as a key lawyer in Real Estate and Construction.
Market recognition
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022-2024 ranked Stella as a key lawyer in Banking and Finance.
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2022-2024 ranked Stella as a key lawyer in Real Estate and Construction.