Businesses Urged to Return to Normalcy After Completion of Elections

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The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has asked business operators to resume their normal activities after completion of the general elections.

The institute through its board of directors noted that the business industry cannot take the risk of halting its operations for fear of election violence adding that the business community has just recovered from the Covid 19 pandemic.

In a press briefing with the media, KNCCI Director Hasnain Meghji said that Kenya has suffered from severe drought; rising debt and inflation noting that the country’s stability is critical to the wider region.

“We appeal to the citizens and the business community in Mombasa County to resume their normal daily activities following the conclusion of the August 9, general elections as the county has been peaceful with normalcy resuming slowly contrary to what many expected,” said Meghji.

He added that the institution and other stakeholders made significant efforts to ensure peaceful elections, current political dynamics particularly the shifting political alliances and the country’s post-independence history of election related violence which had many citizens speculate about the prospect of tumultuous elections.

On his part Godfrey Samora said that KNCCI expects the incoming government to put in place policies that will be able to open up the environment for good business to thrive.

Samora added that they expect the ongoing Dongo Kundu project and the special economic zone to work; ensure that the businesses that were suffering as a result of Covid-19 have been restored.

“We basically expect a government that will be involving the business community in the decision that they will be making policy wise. We are part and parcel of the government and the journey as opposed to loading down on us policies that have been made with people who are not in business. We want to be involved in the process of policy making that will spur growth within the region and country at large,” said Samora.

On matters of taxation, Samora said that they expect that the government will reward its electorates by reducing the cost of living, implementing tax regimes that are affordable to the people.

“Currently the business environment has been hurt occasionally by factors like the pandemic, Ukraine-Russian war, the elections; all these factors have made the business environment very difficult. We honestly expect the government will be sensitive and put in place measures that will enable us to do business so that we are able to create employment and generate taxes,” he added.

Director in charge of women at KNCCI Wanjiku Wambugu said she is pleased by the decision by fellow women for being able to fight for competitive spaces in both political and business industries.