It will take you a day to register a company

President Uhuru Kenyatta is served at the registration of companies counter during the launch of one day company registration system  at the AG’s Office Friday [PHOTO: TABITHA OTWORI/STANDARD]

Kenyans will now be able to register companies in a record 24 hours, thanks to a new service launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta Friday.

The technology will allow users pay for all registration services from the companies’ registry via mobile money transfer services such as M-Pesa. The president said the system is part of Jubilee government’s flagship reforms to improve service delivery.

“As a government, we have positioned the upgrading of the Companies’ registry as one of the flagship reforms. From name searches to registration, every service can be paid for via mobile payments,” he said.

“Kenyans have demanded that their Government serve them efficiently. It is their constitutional right and there is more to be done. This is just the start,” he added.

Done simultaneously

He said the companies’ registry is the nerve centre of the business process and such reforms will be rolled out in Huduma Centres countrywide. President Kenyatta said cases of corruption will also reduce significantly since revenue collected will directly be reflected at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) portals.

Solicitor General Njee Muturi said the new system will do address challenges such as loss of crucial files and a tiring filing process. “This is a milestone we are undertaking. The old system was not user-friendly and it would take close to four weeks to have a company registered. Files were in a heap and could easily go missing,” Muturi noted.

“With the new system, the public will access services by using *271# at the comfort of their homes or offices.” After dialing, a menu pops up with options to choose from depending on the service required. They include the Companies Registry, Registrar of Marriages and Registrar of Societies. Kenyans, he said, will be expected to download registration forms before they pay for stamp duty. Verification, processing, signing and issue of the certificate is then done simultaneously.

Formal businesses

Attorney General Githu Muigai said the project will be expanded to ensure all key services are available on an online platform. Registrar General at the State Law office, Bernice Gachego said the project is expected to increase the number of formal businesses in the country.

She said the registry receives over 1,000 applications daily generating revenue of Sh15 million each month. This financial year, she said, the companies’ registry received Sh180.5 million in revenue.