New law to streamline licence issuance across all counties

Business communities across the country will soon enjoy a standard process of acquiring business licences if a new bill in the Senate and National assembly is passed.

County licensing – uniform procedures, 2022 seeks to establish standard uniform procedures for licensing by county governments, which is likely to enable business plans around the set policies.

The Bill will also help business people who have outlets in different counties since the process will be the same across all devolved units. 

Speaking to the press after a public participation exercise in Garissa on Saturday , Gichugu MP Robert Githinji, a member of the committee on trade, industry and Investment, said the proposed law does not go to the specific businesses for licences. Instead, the Bill creates a standard guideline on how the process will be.

The legislator said that even if different counties will enact laws to guide the process in their respective regions, the assemblies will be guided by the new law. 

Among the areas where the county assemblies may enact further legislation include singular licence application framework, categorisation of licences, forms of licence application and fees payment or refund for the applications.

“Among the issues that came up is the charging of cess for transporters by different county governments, the citizens are in the view that we come up with a single licence from the origin county and maybe one for the county where the goods are going instead of having to pay for all counties on the road,” Githinji said.

“There were also views that women, youth and people living with disabilities be given waivers when applying for licences, especially for small businesses, so that they may uplift their livelihoods.” 

North Horr MP Wario Guyo urged members of Northeastern region to embrace security measures, noting that investors tend to put up business in safer areas.

“There is a correlation between business and safety and that is why we need to emphasise on security in all our regions so that businesses can flourish. Let people create employment, reduce poverty and also embrace people from all regions,” he said.

The Kenya livestock marketing council chairman Dubat Amey welcomed the development, saying failure to have a standardised process of acquiring business licenses has had a direct impact on the country’s economy.

He said that many potential businessmen have shied away from setting up businesses, fearing exploitation. 

Amey criticised counties for giving licences to traders involved in illegal businesses, giving an example of those involved in second generation liquor that has ended up either killing or destroying people’s lives.