Legislation
Business communities across the country will soon enjoy a standard process of acquiring business licenses if a new bill before the Senate and the National Assembly is passed.
The bill (The 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. This bill will also be of more help to businesspeople who have outlets in different counties since the process in each county will be the same.
Speaking to the press after a public participation exercise in Garissa today, Gichugu MP Robert Githinji noted that the bill does not go to the specific businesses for licenses but creates a standard guideline on how the process will be.
Githinji said that even if different counties will enact laws to guide the process in their respective counties, those County Assemblies will be guided by this law.
Among the areas where the county assemblies may enact further legislation on this bill include singular license application framework, categorisation of licenses, forms of license application and fee payment or refund for the applications.
“Among the issues that came up here is the charging of cess for transporters by different county governments, the citizens are in the view that we come up with a single license from the originated county and maybe one for the county where the goods are going instead of have to pay to all counties enroute to the destination,” Githinji said.
“There were also views that women, youth and people living with disabilities be given waivers when applying for licenses especially for small businesses so that they may uplift their livelihoods,” he added.
North Horr MP Wario Guyo urged members of the north and northeastern regions to embrace security measures noting that investors tend to put up business in areas that are safer.
“There is a correlation between business and safety and that is why we need to emphasise on security in all our regions so that business be able to flourish and let people create employment, reduce poverty and also embrace people from all regions,” Guyo said.