An Assessment of the Investment Climate in Kenya

Although Kenya has recorded some improvements in the last four years, including an increase in productivity, Kenyan firms still face an adverse business environment. The central objective of this report is to identify the main impediments to productivity growth faced by Kenyan firms. The top constraints identified by the Kenyan managers were tax rates, access to finance, corruption, security, infrastructure services (electricity and transportation), and business licensing. Kenya has reduced the corporate tax rates in recent years. Nevertheless, objective indicators suggest that the tax burden in Kenya remains higher than in most comparator countries. Although a more detailed analysis of the tax burden in Kenya is recommended, one potential impact of a high tax regime is higher evasion, as well as the presence of a larger informal sector.