Kenya tax, payroll and business guides

Plain-English articles on Kenyan taxes, payroll and compliance.

• 18 Oct 2026 Prohibited and restricted imports into Kenya: what you cannot bring in or need a permit forWhich goods are banned, which need approval from an agency, and how to check before you order so your shipment is not seized or held.
• 18 Oct 2026 Land due diligence in Kenya: a checklist before you pay a depositThe searches, documents and site checks to complete before buying land, from the title and official search to land rates, survey and the seller's identity.
• 18 Oct 2026 Employer loans and salary advances: how they are taxed in KenyaThe difference between a salary advance and a staff loan, when a low-interest loan becomes a taxable benefit, and how to record deductions properly.
• 18 Oct 2026 Daily cash-up and stock control for a small shop in KenyaA simple end-of-day routine for counting cash, matching M-Pesa, recording sales and stock, and spotting theft or errors before they grow.
• 18 Oct 2026 Withholding tax on rent is 7.5% for residents: what landlords and tenants should knowThe Income Tax Act sets resident rent withholding at 7.5% of gross rent, not 10%. Who must withhold, when to pay KRA and how landlords claim the credit.
• 17 Oct 2026 Storage charges and demurrage: how to avoid extra costs on importsGoods that sit too long at the port or in a container yard cost money every day. Here is where the extra charges come from and how importers keep them from building up.
• 17 Oct 2026 Minimum wage order 2026: new rates from 1 May and what employers must doThe Regulation of Wages Amendment Order 2026 raised the minimum wage from 1 May 2026. See the new general labourer figure, who is covered and how to update payroll.
• 17 Oct 2026 Kenya tax basics: who pays which tax, and whenKenya has several main taxes, and which ones apply depends on whether you are employed, in business, a landlord or an importer. This guide maps each tax to the people who pay it.
• 17 Oct 2026 Setting up simple accounting in Excel: from cashbook to trial balanceYou do not need expensive software to keep proper books. Here is a simple Excel system, in four steps, that takes a small business from a cashbook to a trial balance and a profit figure.
• 17 Oct 2026 Sick, maternity and paternity leave in Kenya: your rights and payHow much sick leave, maternity leave and paternity leave the Employment Act gives, how it is paid, and what employers should record and budget for.
• 17 Oct 2026 Air freight vs sea freight for Kenyan importers: costs, speed and risksHow air and sea shipping are priced, when each is cheaper, how to calculate chargeable weight and CBM, and how freight choice changes your duty and landed cost.
• 17 Oct 2026 Service charge, sinking funds and owning an apartment in KenyaHow service charges work in apartments, what a sinking fund is for, how management companies are set up and what owners and landlords should check before buying.