FKE Urges Policy Reforms to Boost Investment and Job Creation Amid Economic Challenges
The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has called for urgent policy reforms to address growing concerns over Kenya’s investment climate, employment trends, and regulatory unpredictability.
Speaking during a press briefing following the Federation’s 66th Annual General Meeting in Nairobi, FKE National President Dr. Gilda Odera emphasized the need to support businesses in an increasingly volatile environment.
Under the theme Thriving Businesses in a Shifting Environment, the AGM brought together employers from across the country to assess challenges including high operational costs, wage-related deductions, and an eroding trust in government institutions.
Dr. Odera cited the 2024 World Citizenship Report, which ranked neighboring countries like Rwanda and Uganda ahead of Kenya in attractiveness to high net-worth individuals, calling the trend unprecedented.
“We remain committed to tripartism and industrial harmony as key drivers of national stability and enterprise productivity,” Said Dr. Odera.
New board members elected include Geoffrey Odundo (Nation Media Group), Betty Korir (Credit Bank PLC), Wayne Cook (Del Monte Kenya Ltd), and Crispin Achola (BAT Kenya).
FKE Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo reported a steep decline in formal job creation, with only 75,000 new formal jobs generated in 2024 down from 123,000 in 2023 despite over a million job seekers entering the market annually.
She noted that 84 percent of Kenya’s workforce remains in informal employment.On the Finance Bill 2025, FKE welcomed measures such as higher daily subsistence allowances and tax incentives for investors, but raised alarms over data privacy risks and the potential removal of key incentives for local manufacturers.
FKE reaffirmed its support for the ratification of ILO Conventions C189 and C190, stressing the need for inclusive consultations.
The Federation will lead a delegation to the International Labour Conference in Geneva, advocating for policies that support decent work and enterprise sustainability in the platform economy.
By Sharon Atieno
