AFRICA LAW & BUSINESS: LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE CHANGED KENYA LANDSCAPE
Kenya has overhauled its legal system in an attempt to modernise the country’s legal landscape and provide more favourable conditions to locals and foreign investors doing business in East Africa’s business hub.
Kenya has long been the preferred entry point for investors looking for deals in the East African region. The country facilitates access to the common market that includes Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda and also provides easier access to Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. In the past few years, Kenya has seen an increase in investment activity and deal interest from Europe, most notably the United Kingdom and the United States. There has also been an increase in investment activity from India, China and the Middle East. South African firms are also growing more aggressive in their expansion plans into the continent.
In this regard, several recent legislative enactments have changed Kenya’s business landscape. They were introduced with the aim of encouraging further investment and streamlining business processes in the country. They include the Companies Act, the Insolvency Act, the Special Economic Zones Act, the Business Registration Service Act, the Companies and Insolvency Legislation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2015 and Finance Act Amendments 2015.