Tax review: Over 1,000 Kenyan CEOs make 8 demands to Ruto ahead of 2027

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- More than 1,000 Kenyan CEOs submitted eight demands to President William Ruto through the CBK's July 2026 CEOs Survey

- The business leaders called for lower levies, licensing fees, fuel and energy costs to reduce the cost of doing business in Kenya

- The CEOs also urged the government to improve tax predictability and settle pending bills as part of broader fiscal reforms

More than 1,000 Kenyan chief executives have presented eight specific demands to President William Ruto's administration, urging sweeping reforms to the business environment ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The recommendations were captured in the Central Bank of Kenya's (CBK) CEOs Survey for July 2026, in which respondents outlined the interventions they believe are necessary to stimulate economic activity across the country.

What are the Kenyan CEOs demanding?

- Topping the list is a call to reduce the overall cost of doing business. The executives want the government to lower levies, licensing fees, and compliance costs, as well as bring down fuel, energy, and key input prices.

- The second demand centres on tax and regulatory predictability. Business leaders are pushing for stable, transparent, and equitable policies, expressing frustration with frequent changes that they say introduce uncertainty into long-term investment planning.

- Improved access to affordable financing came in third, with particular emphasis on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The CEOs want the cost of credit reduced and greater financing support made available for business expansion and job creation.

- The fourth demand calls on the government to ease compliance by cutting bureaucratic processes that drive up operational costs and limit productivity.

- The fifth concerns fiscal management, specifically the timely settlement of pending government bills and the release of funds owed to the private sector, while maintaining a balanced approach to public and private financing.

- On macroeconomic stability, the executives urged the government to adopt long-term national development plans that offer continuity beyond political cycles rather than shifting with electoral seasons.

- Infrastructure improvement featured as the seventh demand, with CEOs arguing that better roads, utilities, and logistics networks are essential for attracting investment and sustaining business operations.

- The final demand calls for stronger engagement between the public and private sectors through sustained dialogue and collaboration, so that government policies are both effectively implemented and genuinely responsive to the needs of businesses on the ground.

The survey reflects growing pressure from Kenya's corporate community on the Ruto administration to address longstanding structural concerns in the business environment as the country moves closer to the 2027 election cycle.

What is Ruto's scorecard?

We also highlighted facts about the employment growth in Kenya under President Ruto's administration.

The data revealed that approximately 3.27 million jobs were added from 2022 to 2025, primarily within the informal sector.

With many seeking stable and well-paying jobs, the dominance of informal employment raises critical questions about the quality and sustainability of the workforce entering the economy.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.