Kenyan business leaders, led by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), have intensified calls for the Government to urgently settle outstanding pending bills, warning that the delays are severely impacting businesses and trust in public procurement.

• Industry estimates indicate that national and county governments collectively owe suppliers over Sh600 billion in verified and disputed pending bills.
• The KNCCI President Dr. Erick Rutto emphasized that pending bills threaten enterprise sustainability, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
• The National Treasury recently released Sh255 billion towards settling arrears, with Sh80 billion allocated to the roads sector, acknowledging the burden on MSMEs.
• The AGM also saw calls for reforms to lower the cost of doing business, including harmonizing and consolidating licenses under a “One Business, One Licence” principle, and proposals to ring-fence government contracts of up to Sh5 billion for local firms.