Kenya’s Registrar of Companies has struck more than 100 firms off the national companies register, while hundreds of others have been issued notices of intended dissolution, raising concerns about potential job losses amid a fragile labour market.
In notices published in the Kenya Gazette on January 30, Registrar of Companies Damaris Lukwo said over 120 companies had been dissolved under Section 897(4) of the Companies Act, with immediate effect.
The move follows applications by the affected firms or administrative review processes, effectively terminating their legal existence as corporate entities from the date of publication, the notices said.
Companies struck off the register cease to exist in law and are barred from trading, owning property or entering into contracts unless restored through a court order or administrative process.
The dissolved firms span multiple sectors, including construction, apparel manufacturing, financial services, logistics, hospitality, healthcare, and non-profit organisations, according to the Gazette notices.
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“Pursuant to section 897(4) of the Companies Act, it is notified for the information of the general public that the following companies are dissolved and their names have been struck off the Register of Companies with effect from the date of publication of this notice,” one notice read.
Separately, the Registrar also published several notices under Gazette Notice Numbers 1159, 1161 and 1163, listing a large number of firms earmarked for possible dissolution under Section 897(3) of the Companies Act.
Under the provision, the listed companies have been given three months from the date of publication to show cause why they should not be struck off the register. Firms that fail to respond within the stipulated period will be dissolved without further notice.
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The companies facing intended dissolution operate across a wide range of industries, including construction, energy, real estate, manufacturing, logistics, technology, agriculture, healthcare, and entertainment. Several export processing zone (EPZ) firms and investment companies are also among those named.
“Pursuant to section 897(3) of the Companies Act, the Registrar of Companies gives notice that the names of the companies specified hereunder shall be struck off from the Register of Companies at the expiry of three months from the date of publication of this notice, and invites any person to show cause why the companies should not be struck off,” another notice said.
The Registrar said the action forms part of an ongoing statutory clean-up of the companies register aimed at removing dormant, non-compliant or defunct entities that have failed to meet legal obligations, including the filing of annual returns and maintenance of proper corporate records.
Business owners were urged to review the Gazette notices carefully and take immediate corrective action where necessary to avoid deregistration.
The latest move follows a similar exercise announced several months ago, when the Registrar closed more than 700 companies under Section 894(2) of the Companies Act, citing prolonged non-compliance.
Under Kenyan law, the Registrar may initiate the dissolution of a company for several reasons, including persistent failure to file statutory returns, operating without valid documentation, or prolonged inactivity.
Companies that have been struck off may apply for restoration either through the High Court or directly through the Registrar, provided certain conditions are met. Applicants must demonstrate that the company was operational at the time of dissolution and that no more than six years have elapsed since it was struck off.
Labour analysts warn that the dissolution of firms, particularly in labour-intensive sectors such as construction, manufacturing and services, could translate into further job losses at a time when unemployment remains elevated.
Kenya has faced mounting pressure on the labour market amid rising business costs, tighter credit conditions and subdued consumer demand, prompting renewed scrutiny of corporate closures and their broader economic impact.
The Registrar said the clean-up exercise would continue as part of efforts to improve corporate transparency, regulatory compliance and the integrity of Kenya’s business registry.
