On May 29th, I had the privilege of standing with fellow champions of Kenya’s digital economy—including Busha and other leading Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs)—in a landmark show of unity before the National Planning & Finance Departmental Committee of the National Assembly. At the heart of our message: the proposed 1.5% Digital Asset Tax under Section 12F of the Income Tax Act would significantly harm an ecosystem brimming with potential.

I played a central role in coordinating this collective response—rallying diverse stakeholders, including competitors, to speak with one voice. Together, we engaged PwC Kenya as our technical tax consultants to craft and present a robust case backed by both international best practices and local realities.

Kenya’s digital asset ecosystem is young but rapidly growing, driven primarily by youth aged 18–40 who use crypto for investment, remittances, and online payments. Popular platforms such as Binance, Aza Finance, and Coinbase are already shaping usage trends. Yet, the current tax framework threatens to treat digital assets more harshly than traditional forms of property, disregards the volatility and capital losses common in this market, and risks double taxation—especially in digital asset swaps.

With PwC’s expertise, we proposed the repeal of Section 12F, inclusion of digital assets under the Eighth Schedule as “property”, and recognition of VASPs as financial institutions under VAT and Excise Duty laws. These changes would ensure Kenya’s tax laws align with the realities of Web3, promote fairness, and avoid discouraging innovation in one of Africa’s most promising sectors.

This initiative proved that progress doesn’t happen in silos—it takes collaboration, clarity of vision, and the courage to act. I am proud of the role I played in building consensus, amplifying expert voices, and defending Kenya’s potential as a global digital innovation hub.