Kenya tax, payroll and business guides

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

10 Oct 2026 The costs of buying property in Kenya: a full checklistEvery cost beyond the price when you buy land or a house, from stamp duty and legal fees to valuation, rates clearance and financing.
10 Oct 2026 Business licences and permits in Kenya: what you need and whereThe single business permit, sector licences and certificates most businesses need, who issues them and how to keep them up to date.
10 Oct 2026 Dividends and paying yourself from a company: salary, dividends or bothHow a company owner can take money out as salary or dividends, how each is taxed, and how to compare the two for your situation.
10 Oct 2026 Budgeting for a small business: a simple method that worksHow to set a monthly budget for sales and costs, include tax and staff costs, and compare actual results with the plan each month.
10 Oct 2026 Borrowing for your business: loan types, cost and tax treatmentHow bank loans, SACCO loans, mobile loans and chama loans compare, how to work out the real cost, and how loan interest is treated for tax.
10 Oct 2026 Betting tax changes: excise on stakes and tax on winningsExcise duty on betting was cut to 5 percent of the amount wagered, and a 20 percent withholding tax on winnings was reintroduced. See what changed.
10 Oct 2026 Customs valuation explained: what KRA taxes on an importHow the customs value of imported goods is set, why it can differ from the invoice price, what is added to it and how vehicles are valued.
10 Oct 2026 Monthly rental income tax or annual tax: which route is better for a landlord?Compare the 7.5% Monthly Rental Income tax with normal income tax, and see when electing out of MRI saves money.
10 Oct 2026 NSSF contributions explained: tiers, limits and what you payHow NSSF Tier I and Tier II work, what changed in February 2026, and how much employees and employers pay.
10 Oct 2026 Gross pay versus net pay: how to negotiate a salary in KenyaWhy a raise is worth less than it looks, how to work out the gross you need for a target take-home and what else to ask for.
10 Oct 2026 How to run payroll for a small business in KenyaA practical monthly payroll routine: set up employees, calculate deductions, pay staff and remit PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the Housing Levy on time.
10 Oct 2026 How to keep business records for KRA: what to save and for how longThe documents a Kenyan business should keep, a simple monthly filing routine and how long to retain everything.