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Articles by Leonard Wanyama
WANYAMA: How to build commercial trust in the Kenyan business environment
As Nairobi gears up to host the Global Trust Summit in October 2026, there are many consultative meetings on how to build the confidence needed for investment attractiveness, entrenched economic resilience, scaled innovations and sustainable development. This is in response to a growing deficit in conviction over the democratic outcomes that are supposed to strengthen governance institutions and markets in the service of resident populations within their respective countries.
Unlock credit access to unleash African markets
Listening to presentations at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Conference on Transforming International Development Cooperation in Nairobi from 22-23 June 2026, led to various curious questions, comments, or debates from various speakers, panels and audience members. The matter of how aid, or its associated development cooperation, tips over the structure of African markets was put forward in a somewhat clever but polite manner, which is very uncanny in these testy political times.
OPINION: Kenyans desperately need digital media information literacy before 2027
Despite its horrors, war in the digital age is breathtaking to watch. The same applies to watching politicians throwing barbs at each other, in verbally hypocritical jiu jitsu, that can very easily sow seeds of tribal hatred that incites violence. Real-time news coverage and immediate access to live imagery -gory or otherwise- kicks up one’s adrenaline, creating the emotional rush of stress, fear, or excitement, depending on your reception of the news item at hand.
OPINION: Internet challenges are not all fun and games
Right at that moment, when I was just about to upload my photo and succumb to peer pressure by joining an internet challenge to “Go to ChatGPT and use this prompt: Create a Caricature of me and my job based on everything you know about me”, I hesitated.
Could Chinese ‘small and beautiful’ projects realise Kenya’s green dreams?
At last year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Beijing confirmed its commitment to so called “small and beautiful” projects. The model promotes projects to improve livelihoods and sustainable energy in Africa, scaled down for localised impact, such as hydropower of a maximum 50-megawatt (MW) capacity, or setting up EV manufacturing and assembly plants.
Private sector needs a new approach to stakeholder relations, human rights
Some weeks back, I attended a Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) meeting by invitation from its extended partnership networks. The agenda sought to safeguard local industry, improve private sector engagement with policy makers and enhance fiscal predictability for commercial enterprise.
How Ruto can leverage the China - Africa partnership
Recent news coverage on President William Ruto’s forthcoming trip to China leans heavily on the idea that Kenya's foreign policy could be shifting alliances from one major global power to the other. This is primarily a reaction in trying to understand the roughshod style of Trumpian diplomacy that has infused significant uncertainty and “Liberation Day” tariffs that have sparked off a global trade war with China.
Kenyan foreign policy is struggling
Following notification that Sessional Paper No1 of 2025 on the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kenya is scheduled for parliamentary debate, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Foreign Affairs, Dr Korir Sing’oei, addressed members of the International Relations Society of Kenya (IRSK) on the evening of February 19.
How Kenya can understand America foreign policy under a second Trump presidency
Many US aficionados in Kenya have been keenly watching the elections as international relations, diplomacy, and foreign policy students, teachers, practitioners, or experts. This is a continuation of public analysis on US – Kenya relations following President William Ruto’s America trip hosted by President Joe Biden, in which the country was afforded significant agreements on various issues, plus great fanfare and pageantry.
BEYOND PROTESTS: Kenyans can recall all legislators who pass the Finance Bill 2024
As the groundswell of activism picks up, following the ongoing debate over the 2024 Finance Bill, concerned citizens must always have a strategy to prepare for what comes next to remain vigilant in tax matters. Numerous direct calls and texts to Members of Parliament seem to have jolted legislators as to the depth of resentment concerning current revenue-raising measures being proposed, which are viewed as painful by the majority in the country.
Fears of Public Private Partnerships in Development
BY LEONARD WANYAMA Involvement of the business community in service delivery matters is increasingly popular in current development discussions. This is on account of the envisioned opportunity to tap into the sector’s resources in the achievement of prosperity and growth. Using the mechanism of Public Private Partnerships (PPP), the involvement of the private sector promises to reduce costs, provide higher public satisfaction and improve competition in the provision of public goods.
Let’s rethink marginalised areas based on productivity quotient
Kenya’s tough economic situation needs significant creative thinking to take the country back towards prosperity. The existing public finance management (PFM) system simply dwells on revenue cycle in a somewhat traditional way.
Pax Savannah: Adjusting Kenyan Foreign Policy for Prosperity
One of the most confounding aspects of Kenyan foreign policy is the fact that there is generally no official doctrine guiding the conduct of the country’s external relations or its decision making. Kenyan international relations aficionados are left to speculate on the actions of the leadership with regards to questions of economics, peace, migration, climate, and culture.
OPINION: Productive transformation - Should we incentivize manufacturing like we do churches?
By Leonard Wanyama One can’t help being stunned by Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s complex in Kilifi County, Kenya. Based on a Citizen Television report the impressive facility lies on 65 acres of land comprising a 6-acre church, a hotel, a dam, a bank, a school, and staff quarters among other projects.
OPINION: Improving tax language a key aspect of advanced public finance management
A recent press release by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Board Chairman Anthony Ng’ang’a Mwaura is causing a great deal of consternation within the tax community in the country. For one, such as myself, who has had a baptism by fire in tax advocacy, the statement’s use of words interchangeably- as synonyms- without reference to relevant legislation is a mistake. Revenue collection debates are generally a “minds” discussion as opposed to a “hearts” conversation.
OPINION: Treasury's public participation signals policy shift towards citizen involvement
Ongoing public participation consultations by the Ministry of Finance, are very welcome. As part of a team with the Okoa Uchumi Coalition (OUC), I took part in discussions with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) plus National Treasury and Planning officials on 1 February 2023. Though the conversations focused on the development of a new National Tax Policy, they are truly a culmination of various forms of engagement in public finance management (PFM) advocacy.
The Next Emergency: Building Resilience through Fiscal Democracy
Are East African countries ready to face the next crisis or are they simply keen to go back to how things were? What does a new normal mean when speaking about public finance management (PFM)? In continuing the struggle for structural transformation, economic justice efforts must work towards developing a new citizen and preparing for unpredictable or unforeseen events, more so those with extreme socio-economic and political consequences.
Review tax waivers, reporting to plug revenue collection loopholes
Posted On: 2023-01-31 Posted By: LEONARD WANYAMA Business & Finance Real Estate & Construction Business Daily Newspapers Nairobi, Jan. 31 -- One of the more pointed statements in President William Ruto's New Year's interview with media houses was on tax incentives. The President stated: "There will be no waiver for nobody...This is not the animal farm where some are more equal than others. Everyone must pay tax." Indeed, there are some mind-boggling policy positions on the books.
Review tax waivers, reporting to plug revenue collection loopholes
Columnists Review tax waivers, reporting to plug revenue collection loopholes Tuesday January 31 2023 Tax expenditures refer to revenues forgone by the government through granting preferential treatment to certain incomes or groups of people. FILE PHOTO | POOL One of the more pointed statements in President William Ruto’s New Year’s interview with media houses was on tax incentives.
Transparency in election funding lacking
While previous cycles were marred by violence instigated by political rivals, these elections pit former prime minister Raila Odinga against sitting deputy President William Ruto. Uncannily, incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta -whose term is ending- is backing his former arch-rival and opposition leader Odinga against his current deputy president Ruto.
Kenya: Fair Taxation for Economic Justice
Over the few years that I have been working on this subject, one question keeps coming up repeatedly. “What are you really talking about with this tax justice business?” Depending on where one falls on the spectrum of insight in public finances—be it collection, allocation, expenditure, or sanctions in public finance management of revenues—tax justice can generally appear to have many meanings in varied contexts. Is this issue all about just taxing rich people?
Aspirants should talk about development financing
Some time in the mid-2000s a local TV station used to broadcast a show called the West Wing. Being a student of politics, I’d make a point of watching it every Sunday late in the night at my sister’s house to hype myself up for the grueling week ahead.
Intelligentsia misreading Wajackoyah candidature
Why has Prof George Luchiri Wajackoyah caught the imagination of the Kenyan public? What does that say about the Kenyan democracy? How is it likely to affect the August 9 elections? The elderly, more mature voters and the intelligentsia—public intellectual, pundits and the genteel talking heads—appear to dismiss his candidature as a form of spectacle or clownish middle-aged cry for attention. Meanwhile, Wajackoyah is all the rage with the youth, thanks to his marijuana economic emancipation agenda.
OPINION: Money and politics - How handouts are changing trends in political violence and governance
By Guestwriter For Citizen Digital Published on: November 23, 2021 06:47 (EAT) In the forthcoming 2022 elections, all Kenyans plus the relevant authorities should be worried and prepared for imminent electoral violence. This will not come in the form of targeted ethnic clashes per se, that pit one community against the other, but rather in the form of localised conflicts where perpetrators will be settling personal scores against each other.
WANYAMA: Beware tax loopholes in 2019 Finance Bill
In Summary Finance Act 2018 amended the Tax Procedures Act 2015 by including Section 37B (4), which extended the amnesty by one year. But the Finance Bill 2019 is silent on this amendment despite civil society advocacy for its removal, and despite the clause posing a security threat and a risk of economic sabotage.
Mauritius: Kenya-Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Deal, a Deep Hole in Revenue Basket
By Alvin Mosioma, Jason Braganza, Leonard Wanyama Seven years ago, Kenya signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius in the quest to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into the East African nation. The agreement sought to put the competitiveness of Kenyan companies at par with those of other African countries that already had tax treaties with Mauritius and to streamline tax effectiveness.
Kenya-Mauritius double taxation avoidance deal, a deep hole in
By ALVIN MOSIOMA More by this Author By JASON BRAGANZA More by this Author By LEONARD WANYAMA More by this Author Seven years ago, Kenya signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius in the quest to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into the East African nation. The agreement sought to put the competitiveness of Kenyan companies at par with those of other African countries that already had tax treaties with Mauritius and to streamline tax effectiveness.
WANYAMA: Parliament has a chance to bolster tax justice
Parliament has a chance to bolster tax justice Tuesday April 9 2019 President Uhuru Kenyatta delivers his State of the Nation address at Parliament on April 4, 2019. PHOTO | NTV In Summary Tax justice involves efforts to address inequality within the regimes of revenue collection, allocation, expenditure and management of taxes. Proceeds of crime such as tax evasion are laundered in various ways. Of late, Parliament has not performed well in pursuit of tax justice.
WANYAMA: Block money laundering to fight menace
By LEONARD WANYAMA More by this Author Last week’s terrorist attack in Nairobi provides an opportunity to strengthen Kenya’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) frameworks. Then, President Uhuru Kenyatta promised that security agencies “ … will seek out every person that was involved in the funding, planning and execution of this heinous act”. Recall that, on Jamhuri Day, last year, he said his government was keen to prevent illicit financial flows.
WANYAMA: It’s time we talked about civil protection
While disaster management has to rely on early warning signs, civil protection comprehensively envisions the various unimaginable catastrophes, tragedies or problems. While the National Disaster Management Unit has put in place the appropriate policy and guidelines, a great deal of training is still needed.
WANYAMA: It’s time we talked about civil protection
While disaster management has to rely on early warning signs, civil protection comprehensively envisions the various unimaginable catastrophes, tragedies or problems. While the National Disaster Management Unit has put in place the appropriate policy and guidelines, a great deal of training is still needed.
WANYAMA: It's good that Kenya has sober, strategic commitment to tackle terrorism
Reading No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice, at a moment when we all remember the 9/11 attacks for which the recent Mombasa police station incident was supposedly commemorating, has been very enlightening. It is also timely considering the rise of Isis affiliated Jabha East Africa terror organisation just about the time Kenya remembers the Westgate Mall attack. In such times, the public always demands decisive if not outright repressive responses from state officials mainly out of immediate anger.
It's good that Kenya has strategic, sober commitment to tackle terrorism
Reading No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice, at a moment when we all remember the 9/11 attacks for which the recent Mombasa police station incident was supposedly commemorating, has been very enlightening. It is also timely considering the rise of Isis affiliated Jabha East Africa terror organisation just about the time Kenya remembers the Westgate Mall attack. In such times, the public always demands decisive if not outright repressive responses from state officials mainly out of immediate anger.
We lost a chance to show cultural diplomacy in Brazil
At the sidelines of the stellar performance by gallant Kenyan athletes, officials of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya managed to bungle the supervision of logistics at the Rio games.
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