New diplomats caution counties over high levies

Mombasa, Kenya: Twenty-five newly appointed ambassadors Wednesday cautioned county governments against introducing many levies or arbitrary increasing already existing ones.

The envoys, who Wednesday started a tour in Mombasa to familiarise themselves with the selling points of each county, warned the introduction of unnecessary charges would scare investors away.

"We want to know the state of affairs in all sectors and where we can help when the ambassadors start working at their various stations," said Foreign Service Institute Director Simon Nabukwesi.

Former Mutitu MP Kiema Kilonzo, now ambassador for Turkey, noted the Mombasa port was already facing competition from the port of Dar Salaam and proposals to slap new levies on imports and exports would make the harbour expensive.