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Unit Trusts Unit Trusts

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Unit Trusts

Our unit trust scheme offers four funds for as little as KES 2,500 and USD 2,500. These four funds allow a choice of investment products to suit your investment needs.

Fund Offering

View our Unit Trust Funds.

How it Works

How Unit Trusts Work.

View FAQ

View the Frequently Asked Questions.

Forms

What you’ll need to provide.

How Unit Trust Investments Work

Unit trusts pool contributions of many investors into one large fund (pooled fund), which can then be invested in a variety of financial products, including money market, treasury and corporate bonds, shares and property. These funds provide a good investment option due to the nature of “collective investments", which benefits from the expertise of fund management that diversifies your money and lowers the risk of losing your money.

There is no limit to the amount you can invest within the fund. Unit trusts are protected by the Capital Markets (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations 2001, and an independent trustee who is the registered holder of the scheme’s underlying assets. This is typically a bank.

Unit trusts offer you:

  • Quick access to funds (liquidity)
  • Diversification of investments
  • Excellent returns
  • Expert decision making
  • Flexible and affordable investment
  • Cash withdrawal facility
  • Professional investment input in the creation of investment value
  • Lower/minimal investment costs

Download the 2022 Unit Trusts Annual Report

Download the Summary of 2022 Unit Trust Financials

Download the Notice of the Sanlam Unit Trust Annual General Meeting

Download the Sanlam Unit Trust – AGM Minutes 26 May 2022

Download the Sanlam Unit Trust AGM 2020 – Q&A Session

Download the Sanlam Unit Trust Proxy Form

Download the Sanlam Unit Trust Deed - Amended

Download the Information Memorandum

Download the Sanlam Product Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

A unit trust is a way to accumulate wealth in which investors’ contributions are pooled together to purchase a portfolio of financial securities, such as equities (shares), bonds, cash, bank deposits etc., managed by professional fund managers.

Sanlam Money Market Fund

The Sanlam Money Market fund is a conservative fund that aims to provide investors with capital preservation while offering high levels of income. The funds are invested in quality short-term securities (Treasury bills, bonds, bank deposits and high-quality corporate debt) thus ensuring capital preservation remains the key priority for the investor.

Sanlam USD Fixed Income Fund

The Sanlam USD Fixed Income Fund is a fund that aims to provide investors with capital preservation. The fund offers a competitive and consistent attractive level of regular income in US Dollars. The key investments in the fund are fixed income securities such as government debt - Kenya Eurobonds, bank and call deposits with local commercial banks denominated in US Dollars.

Sanlam Fixed Income Fund

It is a medium risk fund that seeks to provide unit holders long-term capital appreciation and high level of income by investing primarily in long term government securities, high quality corporate bonds, and money market securities.

Sanlam Balanced Fund

This fund seeks to provide investors long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in medium to long term government bonds, high quality corporate bonds, equities, and money market securities.

You can invest at any time. However, it is very difficult for you to predict market conditions i.e. to buy units at the lowest price and sell them at the highest price. Our knowledge and insight into the workings of the financial markets enable us to provide you with expertise which takes into account market fluctuations. One of the most common mistakes made by investors is to switch in and out of unit trusts too quickly. Switching between funds too quickly can lead to an increase in the cost of transactions, which can reduce the return on your investment.

It is important to note that portfolio managers do not manage funds on a short-term basis. Most portfolios are managed to generate consistently good returns over a period of six months and above.

A good strategy is to buy unit trusts on a regular basis, topping up regularly.

Yes, your money and the assets purchased are safely secured in a bank custody account, and won’t be affected by failure of any service provider.

Unit trusts invest in several asset classes and investment instruments, and the total value of shares in a unit trust investment portfolio form a small part of the portfolio.

More

One can redeem your funds at least once a month for free, or if the withdrawal is frequent (more than once), you will be charged a frequency withdrawal fee of KSh500. The minimum that can be redeemed from your account is KSh1 000 to any maximum.

A single applicant, or a person mandated to sign, is able to issue the instruction from the email address given in the original application form or in which correspondence is received from us. In this case, the email address acts as the client’s signature. If the email isn’t operational, a client will need to issue a signed instruction in which case the client’s signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants (where both have to sign) or a corporate, all relevant signatories are required to sign the instruction to redeem.

It takes three working days from the date of request. This is a requirement of the regulation governing unit trusts.

Yes, you can top up your account as many times as you wish.

Currently, the minimum investment amount for all funds is KSh2 500.

The minimum top up amount for all funds is KSh1 000.

Requirements to invest include:

  • A duly filled application form
  • Copy of ID/ passport of investor and beneficiary
  • Copy of PIN (TAX) certificate
  • Copy of tax exemption certificate (where applicable)
  • Passport size photo of investor and beneficiary (applies to single and joint applicants only)
  • Completed Risk Assessment form
  • Copy of bank statement or original cancelled cheque, or certified letter confirming bank account details or copy of ATM card. (Proof of bank details)
  • Copy of utility bill or a residential address form
  • Cheque, bank transfer confirmation, direct deposit slip or any other applicable proof of payment

The selling price (higher price) is the price at which the client buys units from Sanlam in Kenya and is usually loaded with the initial fee the client will pay.

The buying price (lower price) is the price at which the client will sell their units to Sanlam in Kenya and is also the price used to determine a client’s unit value going forward.

You will have to pay withholding taxes on the interest you earn on your income and dividends. However, if you are exempt from taxation you will not pay this. Capital gains tax doesn’t apply on unit trusts.

There are no hidden charges.

This can be done by completing, in full, the client investment transfer form.

No, you will be notified through SMS and email every time there is a transaction in your unit investment account. All money recovered is always sent to the bank account of the owner of the unit investment account. This is a safety measure to ensure the security of your funds.

There are none – front loads only apply to Sanlam Balanced Fund and Sanlam Fixed Income Fund.

To calculate your daily unit balance you’ll need to know the number of units held. This is then multiplied by the buying price (lower price). It is important to note that prices published in the newspaper and on the website are the previous day’s closing price.

If you are a single applicant or mandated to sign, you are able to issue the instruction from the email address given in the original application form or in the correspondence you’ve received from us. In this case the email acts as your signature. If the email is not operational, you’ll need to issue a signed instruction in which case your signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants (where all have to sign) or a corporate, all relevant signatories are required to sign the instruction to switch. You must also specify the fund you are switching from and the fund you are switching to. NOTE: The account number must be quoted in ALL communication to us.

If switching from a dividend fund and balanced fund to a money market fund, no charges are levied, as money market funds have no initial fees. If switching from a money market fund to a dividend fund and balanced fund, the initial fee applicable in the these funds will be charged on the whole amount. If switching from a balanced fund and dividend fund to a money market fund and then back to balanced fund, the charge will only be on the interest earned while the money was in the money market fund, as the client was already charged while in the fund. Therefore, the charge is ONLY levied on what the client gained while in the money market fund.

If you are a single applicant, you are able to issue the instruction from the email address given in the original application form and in the correspondence received from us. In this case the email address acts as your signature. You should attach proof of the change of bank details (certified copy of original statement or certified copy of ATM card). If the email is not operational, you’ll will need to issue a signed instruction in which case your signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants or corporates, all signatories are required to sign the instruction to change the bank details.

NOTE: Your unit trust account number must be quoted in ALL communication to us. Instructions can be faxed, emailed or delivered to our client service staff at Sanlam in Kenya. (A certified copy of original statement or certified copy of ATM card must be provided as proof of change of details).

If you are a single applicant, you are able to issue the instruction from the email address given in the original application form and in the correspondence received from us. In this case the email acts as your signature. If the email is not operational, you will need to issue a signed instruction in which case your signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants (where both must sign) or a corporate, ALL signatories are required to sign the instruction to change an email address. NOTE: Your unit trust account number must be quoted in ALL communication to us. Instructions can be faxed, emailed or delivered to our client service staff at our Sanlam offices in Kenya.

A client will need to issue a signed instruction in which case the client’s signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants or a corporate, all relevant signatories are required to sign the instruction to add a new signatory. Additional requirements will be a signature specimen for the new signatory(s) and a copy of your ID card. A signed mandate must also be provided by the signatories to the account. A Board resolution appointing the new signatory must also be provided. NOTE: Your unit trust account number must be quoted in ALL communication to us. Instructions can be faxed, emailed or delivered to our client service staff at our Sanlam offices in Kenya.

If you are a single applicant, you are able to issue the instruction from the email address given in the original application form and in the correspondence received from us. In this case the email acts as your signature. If the email is not operational, you will need to issue a signed instruction in which case your signature will be used to verify the instruction. In the case of joint applicants or a corporate, ALL signatories are required to sign the instruction. NOTE: Your unit trust account number must be quoted in ALL communication to us. Instructions can be faxed, emailed or delivered to our client service staff at our Sanlam offices in Kenya.

Sanlam in Kenya sends regular communication to clients via email or post. Sometimes clients won’t receive mail if their system sends the mail to junk, if they’ve changed email addresses/postal addresses and haven’t informed Sanlam in Kenya, or if information (email or post) hasn’t been captured correctly by Sanlam in Kenya or the client has not been linked properly on the system.

There is none. Unit trusts are open-ended investment vehicles.

Our Fund Offering

Our unit trust scheme offers four funds for as little as KES 2,500 and USD 2,500. These four funds allow a choice of investment products to suit your investment needs.

The Sanlam Money Market fund is a conservative fund that aims to provide investors with capital preservation while offering high levels of income. The funds are invested in quality short-term securities (Treasury bills, bonds, bank deposits and high-quality corporate debt) thus ensuring capital preservation remains the key priority for the investor.

Features

  • Minimum investment is KES 2,500
  • Interest: Interest is calculated daily and compounded monthly
  • Flexibility: The period to invest is not fixed or contractual
  • Top ups: Investors can top up anytime, with as little as KES 1,000
  • Accessibility: Funds are availed within three working days of issuing a withdrawal request
  • Withdrawals: We allow one free withdrawal per month. Subsequent withdrawals within the same month will incur a fee of KES 500 per transaction.
  • Management: Managed by experienced and professional asset managers. The money is held by a trusted company separate from the managing company.
  • Performance: Historically the money market has performed better than the banks

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The Sanlam USD Fixed Income Fund is a fund that aims to provide investors with capital preservation. The fund offers a competitive and consistent attractive level of regular income in US Dollars. The key investments in the fund are fixed income securities such as government debt - Kenya Eurobonds, bank and call deposits with local commercial banks denominated in US Dollars.

Features

  • Minimum investment is USD 2,500
  • Interest: Interest is calculated daily and compounded monthly
  • Flexibility: The period to invest is not fixed or contractual
  • Top ups: Investor can top up anytime – minimum top up is USD 500
  • Accessibility: Funds are availed within three working days of issuing a withdrawal request
  • Withdrawals: We allow one free withdrawal per month. Subsequent withdrawals within the same month attract a fee of USD 5 per transaction.

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It is a medium risk fund that seeks to provide unit holders long-term capital appreciation and high level of income by investing primarily in long term government securities, high quality corporate bonds, and money market securities.

Features

  • This fund is suitable for the moderate risk investor, who is seeking long term growth through capital gains and income growth from underlying investments
  • The recommended investment period is three to five years, and the market value will be determined by the current price for the day
  • Returns consist of an interest credited quarterly and moderate capital gains. It is recommended that the income be re-invested into the fund to maximize investments returns through compounded growth.

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This fund seeks to provide investors long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in medium to long term government bonds, high quality corporate bonds, equities, and money market securities.

  • This fund is suitable for the medium risk investor, who is seeking long-term growth and capital gains from the investments
  • It is aimed at investors looking for a mixture of capital growth and income generation
  • The recommended investment period is three to five years
  • Returns consist of a re-invested interest and a dividend income as well as capital gains resulting from appreciation in the value of the underlying securities

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Segregated Portfolios

Sanlam Investments East Africa offers tailor made portfolios to institutional clients. This service is suitable for medium to large retirement funds, insurance companies and other institutional clients looking for a bespoke investment approach.

Forms and Requirements

View, print and complete the relevant forms and attach the documents listed below:

Investments Application Form - Individual Download
Investments Application Form - Joint Download
Investments Application Form - Corporate Download
Additional Buying Units App Form Download
Change of Details Form Download
Switching Form Download
Investments Redemption Application Form Download

Individual and Joint Applicants

Fill in the forms and attach:

  • Copy of National ID or Passport
  • Passport size photo
  • Copy of PIN certificate
  • Copy of tax exemption certificate [If applicable]
  • Copy of ATM card with the account number or Copy of Bank Statement or Original Cancelled Cheque
  • Proof of investment ** i.e., M-Pesa confirmation message, Cheques or RTGS. Cheques should be written in the name of Sanlam Unit Trust for KES and Sanlam USD Fixed Income for USD.

Corporate Applicants

Fill in the forms and attach:

  • Copy of National ID or Passport for all signatories
  • Passport size photo for all signatories
  • PIN Certificate for all signatories
  • List of all directors’ names, ID numbers and KRA pin numbers
  • PIN Certificate for the firm / organization
  • Copy of Tax Exemption Certificate [If applicable]
  • Copy of Certificate of Incorporation
  • Copy of Memorandum and articles of association or updated CR 12
  • Proof of resolution (Minutes) to act on behalf of the company signing mandate and authorized signatories.
  • Copy of Bank Statement or Original Cancelled Cheque
  • Proof of investment ** i.e., M-Pesa confirmation message, Cheques or RTGS. Cheques should be written in the name of Sanlam Unit Trust for KES and Sanlam USD Fixed Income for USD.

Deposit your investment through pay bill 888111 or make cash deposits at Stanbic bank and then submit your forms and documents via our email address: clientservice@sanlameastafrica.com or on our Whatsapp Number +254 793 377373.

Our bank details are as follows:

Account Name SANLAM UNIT TRUST
Bank STANBIC BANK
Branch KENYATTA AVENUE
Account No. 0100003738118
Swift Address SBICKENX
Currency KES

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