KEPSA led by Ms. Wambui Mbarire – Vice Chair Trade, Industry and Investment Sector Board participated in the Public Participation of The County Licensing (Uniform Procedures) Bill, 2022. The meeting was convened by the Committee Departmental Committee of Trade Industry and Cooperatives at the parliament chambers on 14^th March 2024.

The primary object of the bill is to establish standard uniform procedures for licensing by county governments. The bill is a welcome one by the private sector since it aims to create the certainty that businesses need to ensure they can plan around the set government policies.  

Some of the major reservations that formed part of the KEPSA’s submissions include;

• The need to specify the exact Cabinet Secretary (CS) who will be mandated to issue the specific regulations referenced in the Bill. While each CS oversees a specific ministry, their roles intersect in various areas, including licensing. Therefore, clarity regarding the responsible CS ensures efficient coordination and avoids ambiguity.
• The need to introduce alternative dispute mechanisms in cases of dispute. By widening the scope of decision review beyond the County Executive Committee Member (CECs) responsible for specific licenses, we ensure impartiality, accountability, and transparency.
• The deletion of the introduction of an annual license fee for administering and monitoring a license. The licensing fee charged by the authority shall be comprehensive, encompassing monitoring and evaluation costs. No separate fee must be imposed for the discharge of the authority’s mandate.

To read more about our submissions on the County Licensing (Uniform Procedures) Bill, 2022, please click the following link 17107614512.pdf (kepsa.or.ke)