Nairobi, Dec. 10 -- Fatma happily managed a small fresh juice kiosk near the Likoni ferry in Mombasa. She managed her two assistants who blended coconut, mango, and passion for long queues of commuters. She marketed sales during busy evenings while encouraging her team to treat customers with warmth and precision to set the business apart from the others.

Her stand attracted a loyal following. However, she noticed a pattern that really unsettled her whenever she tried to expand into a second location. Her requests for permits lingered in offices while other traders with familiar personal ties to decision makers advanced much faster.

Further, her assistants whispered about how certain competitor businesses gained favourable access to mic...