Insight type: Legal Alert

President Uhuru Kenyatta on 25 March 2020 delivered a number of measures designed at cushioning Kenyans from the impact of COVID-19.

 

With the introduction of the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (the Bill), businesses stand to win big as the Kenyan government moves to amend certain statutes with the aim of improving the ease of doing business in the country. The Bill, which was introduced in the National Assembly in November 2019 and is currently in its First Reading stage, proposes several changes which, if adopted, could reduce costs and time spent on certain transactions in Kenya.

 

 

The Industrial Training (Training Levy) (Amendment) Order, 2020 (the Amendment Order) was gazetted on 21 February 2020, introducing changes to the Industrial Training (Training Levy) Order, 2007 (the Order). The amendments have been made effective as of 23 December 2019.

 

The Breastfeeding Mothers Bill, 2019 (the Bill) was introduced to the National Assembly on 18 October 2019. It requires employers to provide breastfeeding mothers with the time and space to freely express breastmilk, prescribes minimum standards for lactation stations and introduces penalties for non-compliant employers.

 

Kenya is stepping up its efforts to join global tax transparent jurisdictions in connection with the exchange of information on foreign accounts for tax purposes. On 5 December 2019, Kenya ratified the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (the Convention) which had been signed on 8 February 2016. By 27 November 2019, 135 countries had signed the Convention, including most of the offshore jurisdictions.

 

Law Society of Kenya v. the Attorney General and Central Organisation of Trade Unions, Supreme Court of Kenya, Petition No. 4 of 2019. The Work Injury Benefits Act, 2007 (the Act) provides compensation to employees for workplace injuries and illnesses.

 

One of the most significant statutes to impact the taking of security has recently come into force in Kenya. The Movable Property Security Rights Act, 2017 (the Act) came into force on 16 May 2017 and the Movable Property Security Rights (General) Regulations, 2017 (the Regulations) came into force on 2 June 2017.