The business community in Mombasa County is calling on the national government to review what it terms as punitive tax laws that are stifling economic activity.
Salim Karama of the Fast Action Business Community said the harsh tax regime has led to the closure of many businesses in the region.
“We have no business left in Mombasa County. All operations have been shut down due to the heavy taxes imposed by the government,” he lamented.
Karama urged the government to review all policies and laws that undermine the ease of doing business, warning that continued inaction would only worsen the situation.
At the same time, Old Town Member of County Assembly Abdirahman Hussein raised concerns over persistent delays in cargo offloading, saying the inefficiency is crippling local trade.
“We cannot stomach this anymore. Business is on the verge of collapsing; this is unacceptable,” said the MCA.
He noted that what was once a swift process now takes unnecessarily long, worsening the economic strain on traders.
“We’re experiencing delays that make no sense. This is completely wrong,” he added.