The implications for refugees in Garissa’s evolving cost-of-business landscape are mixed. On one hand, higher licensing fees for retail trade and the removal of preferential rates in rural markets have increased the financial hurdles for refugee entrepreneurs, potentially constraining their access to formal marketplaces and squeezing their already thin profit margins. These changes risk marginalising refugees who cannot afford compliance, thereby pushing them into the informal sector or out of business, which would undermine efforts to include refugees in the county’s economic growth.
On the other hand, the county’s efforts to standardise and simplify fees, as well as its decision to keep certain critical fees low (like for boda-bodas and single-outlet businesses), reflect a recognition of the need for inclusive policies. Uniform fees mean refugee businesses are treated equally to others, and stable or minimal charges in key sectors help protect the smallest operators. The challenge moving forward is ensuring that revenue-raising measures do not inadvertently exclude refugees from participating in the local economy.
For more information, you can access the Policy Brief here
