The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has decried the high tax burden that has affected businesses and forced companies to lay off thousands of workers.
FKE Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo said that in the Coast region several firms closed down due to high operational costs, leading to the loss of about 5,000 jobs.
Speaking during the FKE Coast branch annual general meeting at a Mombasa hotel on Thursday, Mugo proposed a reduction of the housing levy and the Social Health Authority (SHA) levy in the next national budget to ease the financial burden on employers and Kenyans. "About 5,000 jobs were recently lost and many businesses closed down in the Coast region due to the tax burden because of high taxes," she said.
At the same time, FKE urged the government to engage Sudanese authorities to restore market access for tea from the Mombasa tea auction.
