Nairobi, Aug. 16 -- The public discourse in the run-up to the passing of the Finance Bill, 2026 raised a familiar concern about unpredictable tax changes. Kenyan businesses face a recurring nightmare: implementing new tax rules before they fully understand them.

Even before the ink on the Finance Act, 2026 had barely dried, uncertainty was already rippling through the business landscape.

A recent example appeared in media reports of furniture makers warning of price hikes and job cuts after the introduction of a 30 percent excise duty on imported inputs such as MDF, particle board, blockboard and plywood, a measure that was not contained in the Bill.

Businesses are right to worry. But there is an often-overlooked victim of tax instabil...