• He said MSMEs will be trained on technology, new and cost-effective machinery especially in the agricultural sector.
• He added that MSMEs must be supported participate in supply and value chains through establishment of processing plants and shared facilities.
Image: STATE HOUSE
President William Ruto has assured the business community that the government will not harass them to pay taxes.
He said the government is committed to making tax payment seamless and convenient as possible.
"We will not engage in the business of harassment of our business people to pay taxes. We want to make paying taxes seamless, convenient and easy for business because that is how we are going to create the necessary partnership that will enable us deliver public goods using taxes and create an environment for the private sector to create wealth and provide the resources for us to grow our economy," he said.
During the Jubilee regime, some business owners were arrested and in some incidents their companies shut down as they battled numerous court cases over alleged tax evasion.
The President was speaking during a micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) roundtable organised by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The event held at St Andrews PCEA in Nairobi was also attended by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Trade CS Moses Kuria, KNCCI president Richard Ngatia and chairman Kiprono Kittony.
Regarding manufacturing, the head of State said MSMEs must be supported participate in supply and value chains through establishment of processing plants and shared facilities.
He also said the cost of production must also be lowered significantly through reducing energy input costs under more supportive tax regimes.
"We are selling 95 per cent of our tea in semi-processed state. We are going to have a common user facility in Mombasa at Dongo Kundu complex so that we can begin the journey to add value to all our teas, create jobs and access better value for our farmers," he said.
The President added that MSMEs will be trained on technology, new and cost-effective machinery especially in the agricultural sector which has capacity to unlock new potential merely by deepening technology penetration.
Gachagua said the country now has a solution to its problems as it has put the right people in leadership positions.
"The problem of Kenya has been one of leadership. And you people know for your companies to succeed it begins with the CEO. What Kenya needed was a CEO who knows what he is doing, who has time, who has the energy, who has passion and who is willing to be a team leader," the DP said.