Today marked a significant step in advancing the business environment for Kenyan enterprises as a KNCCI team led by Policy, Research and Advocacy – Head of Department, Mr. Stephen Osedo paid a courtesy call to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) head office.
The purpose of the engagement was to present and discuss the key findings of the recently launched KNCCI Annual Business Barometer 2026 with a specific focus on Taxation being one of the most pressing concerns for businesses across Kenya.
The session was officially opened with welcome remarks by Ms. Jane Nyokabi on behalf of KRA, setting a collaborative and constructive tone for the discussions.

KEY FINDINGS PRESENTED FROM THE BAROMETER:
🔹 Taxation remains the top challenge*for businesses at 46%
🔹 Concerns around the process of tax compliancewere highlighted
🔹 VAT, Income Tax & Turnover Tax which is causing confusion among MSMEs

🔹 Threshold uncertainty remains a pain point — particularly around the 5M–25M bracket for Turnover Tax and Minimum Tax
🔹 Limited KRA education outreach, and low readinesson validation of income & expenses were flagged


WAY FORWARD — AGREED ACTION POINTS

➡️ County Engagement: KNCCI to strengthen engagement with County Representatives to cascade tax education and compliance support to grassroots businesses
➡️ Micro & Small Taxpayer Collaboration: Joint efforts to improve how KRA and KNCCI collaborate to reach micro and small taxpayers effectively
➡️ eTIMS & Citizen Relations: Focused work on improving the eTIMS experience and strengthening citizen-taxpayer relations
➡️ Physical Interactions: Increase face-to-face engagements and outreach beyond digital platforms
➡️ Simplification Drive: Leverage platforms such as WhatsApp- Shuru, and multilingual communication to simplify tax messaging for all business segments

➡️ Deeper Sensitization: Roll out more robust education and sensitization programs targeting MSMEs on tax processes and obligations
➡️ Budget Proposals: KNCCI to actively participate in the budget process and submit simplification-focused proposals to KRA and relevant government bodies.
The meeting was highly productive and both parties expressed strong commitment to working together toward a simpler, fairer and more inclusive tax environment*for all Kenyan businesses.
With 73% customer satisfaction as a benchmark, the goal remains to ensure that every taxpayer, big or small is well-supported on their compliance journey.