The recent review of licensing fees by the Nakuru county government has sparked a debate among a section of youthful entrepreneurs, with a majority feeling that the new levies will lock them out of business.
They said the constant fee hikes for licences was discouraging them, with a majority now resorting to crime after failing to make it in the entrepreneurship.
Molyne Muthoni's efforts of openning a cake centre within Nakuru's central business district were thwarted after being told to part with Sh12,000 for the operating licence.
"The amount was too high for me because it was a startup business. There was no way I could take almost all my savings to acquire a licence not sure if the business will pick or flop," she said.
As for Antony Nyaga, young entrepreneurs in Nakuru are suffering in silence because they have no powers to revoke the new law.
"Starting a business in Nakuru is proving to be a tricky affair because of the operational costs, what we don't understand is how the licensing levies have been rising over the subsequent years," he said.
"If you compare with other counties, Nakuru is the highest; more expensive than even Nairobi and Mombasa counties," he added.
According to a new law effected on January 1, 2016 that was passed by the County Assembly last year, traders are now supposed to pay Sh12,000 up from Sh9,000 to acquire business licences in Nakuru.