The county government of Nairobi has issued a notice that it is waiving single business permit fees for all new businesses for two years.
In the announcement posted in the dailies on Monday, the county government says that this is to Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) for the youth, women and persons with disabilities.
“Notice is hereby given to the public that H.E the Governor of Nairobi City County has, pursuant to Executive Order No 1 of January 31, 2020, and Executive Order No 2 of February 28, 2020, waived the requirement to obtain a single business Permit and associated fees for all New Businesses for the first two years (twenty-four months) from the date of business registration,” read the statement.
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The statement signed by the Acting County Secretary Justus M. Kathenge added that the objective of the waiver is to streamline business registration processes.
“…in reducing the number of procedures and cost, especially for starting small and medium scale businesses, and make the city and the county a more attractive and competitive investment destination.”
For those interested, the county statement said that the government would require a valid certificate of registration/incorporation or business name issued by the Business Registration Service.
These “shall serve as a business permit during the first two years of registration for the purposes of enforcing this order.”
The county government has however clarified that the waiver does not override the need to comply with other legal requirements for businesses.
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Sonko Surrenders Nairobi
This announcement comes just days after Governor Mike Sonko surrendered some functions of the county to the national government.
The move was widely questioned with many expressing concern that the law was not followed in giving the national government control of the city county.
Sonko handing over the function was announced in a statement from State House, Nairobi.
“In a landmark agreement signed at State House today, Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa in concurrence with President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed an agreement, handing over functions of the Nairobi County Government to the National Government, pursuant to Article 187 of the Constitution.”
In a meeting with realtors and a host of business leaders last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta was at pains to explain why it is so difficult to get approvals from Nairobi County.
The president told the business leaders that he felt let down and that he would do his best to provide an enabling business environment.
With the announcement on business permits, could his promising be materializing? Only time will tell.
