Embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has issued a directive that serves as a relief to the youth and persons living with disabilities.
"This letter, therefore, comes to instruct you to procedurally waive all licensing fees for new businesses registered by the youth and persons living with disabilities, for a period of two (2) years, from the date of registration," Sonko wrote to Nairobi County Secretary Leboo Morintat.
He informed that the order would facilitate the establishment and growth of small and medium enterprises in the county, and the country as a result.
However, they must provide proof of adherence to all other professional, occupational, health and safety standards where applicable, before such waivers are granted.
The order will take effect from February 1, 2020, and is in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta's and the National Government's commitment to Access to Government Procurement Procurement Opportunities (AGPO).
The directive will create employment for the youth, thus improve Kenya's Ease of Doing Business Index that currently ranks Kenya at No. 56 up from No. 136 in 2014, according to the World Bank.
Each year many youths and persons living with disabilities seek to establish businesses in an effort to put their passions, knowledge and skills to use, as well as to fend for themselves and their families.
However, one of the greatest impediments to the realisation of their dreams and aspirations is the many licences and permits they must acquire from various levels of government, including the Nairobi City County government, to be operational. A majority of them are unable to meet these requirements, as they struggle to raise capital for their startups.
The Doing business report is a global initiative under the World Bank that measures the qualitative and quantitative aspects of regulations and regulatory processes involved in setting up and operating domestic small and medium-size companies through their life cycle across 190 economies.
Sonko acted on a directive from Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed who called upon the county to ease on levies on startups.
"In order to be globally competitive and support our SMEs, we propose that Nairobi County Government waives the Single Business Permit fees for newly registered businesses in Nairobi for the first twenty-four (24) months with effect from February 1," the letter from CS Mohamed to Sonko read in part.
