The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), under the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry (MITI), hosted a high-level roundtable aimed at fostering a more enabling business environment in Kenya. The event, held in Nairobi, brought together key stakeholders from the government and private sector to deliberate on priority reforms needed to drive sustainable economic growth and improve Kenya’s investment climate.
Principal Secretary for the National Treasury, Dr. Chris Kiptoo, served as the chief guest and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a predictable and investor-friendly regulatory framework. He emphasized the need for fiscal policy to align closely with national industrialization goals, underscoring the importance of coherence across public policy to attract and retain investment.
Echoing these sentiments, Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar stressed the ministry’s resolve to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder investment facilitation. He called for reforms in regulatory processes and licensing procedures to enhance the ease of doing business in Kenya.
KenInvest CEO John Mwendwa described the roundtable as a “catalyst for progressive change,” highlighting its alignment with KenInvest’s mission to streamline investment processes and foster constructive public-private dialogue. “Creating a predictable, enabling environment is essential for Kenya to become a competitive destination for global investors,” he said.
KEPSA CEO Carole Kariuki emphasized the need to build institutional trust, improve regulatory efficiency, and reduce the costs of tax compliance. She urged the government to simplify licensing procedures and enhance transparency in public–private engagements, stating, “Our collective goal is to craft an enabling business environment that fuels innovation and positions Kenya as a beacon of competitiveness in Africa.”
Key proposals from the roundtable included establishing a Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Ombudsman Office, launching a global SEZ branding campaign, and introducing customs valuation manuals to standardize trade processes. Stakeholders also called for enhanced agility in key sectors such as green manufacturing, ICT & BPO, agriculture, and energy.
These proposed reforms are expected to significantly enhance Kenya’s attractiveness to both domestic and foreign investors, aligning with the nation’s long-term development goals and economic transformation agenda.
