This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
Kenya's counties are facing significant challenges in creating a conducive business environment, with excessive bureaucracy and regulations stifling growth.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has called on the Senate to help tackle the issues, citing a good global ranking on the ease of doing business but a poor reflection in the counties.
KEPSA chairman Nick Nesbitt emphasized the need for a conversation on the cost of doing business across the country, highlighting the impact of pending bills, lack of harmony in policies, and multiplicity of taxes on small and medium enterprises.
"So many people, for some reason, have the authority to stop a business from running," Nesbitt said.
KEPSA CEO Carole Kariuki added that the net effect of the many rules and unpredictable policies in the country is the lack of competitiveness, resulting in international investors choosing to set up businesses in other countries.
"While the local is important, the global should be a focus," Kariuki said.
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka acknowledged the problem and emphasized the need to make officials accessible, saying that the world is becoming increasingly competitive and that Kenya must make its business environment competitive to attract investment.
The Senate has enacted four new laws aimed at improving the business environment, including the Assumption to the Office of the County Governor Act, 2018, and the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019.
KEPSA and the Senate are expected to conclude the Speaker's Roundtable with resolutions on measures to improve the business environment in the country.
