Small-scale traders and liquor businesses in Kiambu County are appealing to the county government to review licence fees, saying the cost of doing business is becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary entrepreneurs to bear.
The appeal was made by Kiambu Women Representative Ann Wamuratha during a graduation ceremony where more than 500 residents graduated from various skills programmes supported through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
Addressing the gathering, Wamuratha urged Governor Kimani Wamatangi to consider allowing traders to pay licence fees in small instalments rather than requiring them to settle the charges in a single payment.
She said a flexible payment arrangement would ease the burden on small businesses and enable more traders to operate within the law.
“Even if it has to be paid, if you enable them to pay in small instalments, what is called ‘kidogo kidogo’, so that a person can manage their journey, we will be very grateful,” she said.
Wamuratha also called for a reduction in licence charges, arguing that high fees could undermine the ability of small entrepreneurs to sustain their businesses and livelihoods.
She said traders were appealing to the governor to make county licensing more affordable, particularly for people operating small enterprises whose incomes can fluctuate from one day to another.
The legislator further directed her appeal to the Kiambu County Liquor Licensing Board, asking it to consider reducing liquor licence charges.
Her remarks come amid wider concerns among small businesses over the cost of licences, permits and other regulatory requirements, which can add to the financial pressure facing entrepreneurs.
However, she also acknowledged concerns surrounding the alcohol sector, saying some liquor businesses had been associated with illegal activities.
She nevertheless maintained that the cost of licensing should be addressed while ensuring that businesses comply with the law.
The appeal places the county government at the centre of a delicate balancing act: raising revenue to fund public services while ensuring that charges do not become prohibitive for small enterprises.
For many traders, licensing is not merely a regulatory requirement but a direct business cost that affects the amount of money available for stock, rent, wages and household needs.
Wamuratha’s intervention also comes at a time when governments are increasingly under pressure to create an environment in which small enterprises can survive, grow and create employment.
The graduation ceremony, meanwhile, highlighted the role of skills development in expanding economic opportunities for residents.
More than 500 graduates completed training in different skills through programmes supported by NGAAF, giving them an opportunity to pursue employment or establish their own income generating activities.
Wamuratha said supporting people with skills should go hand in hand with creating an enabling environment in which they can turn those skills into sustainable businesses.
Her call for more affordable licensing therefore extends beyond a question of county fees, touching on the broader challenge of ensuring that newly trained entrepreneurs can enter the market without facing regulatory costs that could discourage them.
The county government is expected to balance the concerns of traders with its responsibility to regulate businesses, collect revenue and enforce standards, particularly in the liquor sector.
For small scale operators, however, the immediate demand is straightforward that the county government to lower charges and payment arrangements that reflect the realities of their businesses.
They argue that a more flexible licensing system could encourage compliance while reducing the risk of traders operating without the required permits.
The debate is likely to remain significant as counties seek to expand their own source revenue while simultaneously responding to demands from residents for lower costs and better services.
