Tax policy consistency and regulatory predictability are key. American Chamber of Commerce (Kenya) CEO Paul Muthaura/ HANDOUT American Chamber of Commerce (Kenya) CEO Paul Muthaura/ HANDOUT AS Kenya hosts the fifth American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Business Summit 2026, the country is seeking to convert growing international interest into concrete investment, trade and business partnerships.
The September 9–10 summit in Nairobi will bring together senior government officials, American investors and business leaders, with President William Ruto expected as chief guest. The event builds on more than $2 billion (Sh258.9 billion) in investment commitments and grants associated with previous editions and comes as Kenya seeks to attract capital into agriculture, digital technology, energy and infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, critical minerals and the creative economy.
The Star spoke to Paul Muthaura, chief executive of AmCham Kenya, about his new mandate, investor confidence, Kenya’s competitiveness and opportunities to deepen trade and investment ties with the United States. You have moved from regulation, insurance and carbon markets into business advocacy.
What key issues could unlock greater investment in Kenya? Having worked across regulation, insurance and carbon markets, I have seen Kenya’s investment environment from several vantage points. One thing is consistently clear: before creating new advantages, we must strengthen the fundamentals investors already value.
Predictability tops that list, particularly around tax and regulatory policy. Investors can strategise and work within a challenging environment if they trust that the rules will hold. What frustrates planning and commitment is unpredictability. Kenya also needs to position itself not merely as a market, but as a gateway to the region and a platform for global value chains, particularly in critical minerals, digital technology, manufacturing and agriculture.
That is a real differentiator for US investors thinking about scale.