Introduction
Through a Legal Notice dated 18th February, 2020, the Attorney General has published the Companies (Beneficial Ownership Information) Regulations, 2020 (the “Regulations”). The Regulations seek to operationalize the provisions of the Companies Act on keeping of records regarding a company’s beneficial ownership. The enactment of the Regulations is geared towards aligning Kenya’s laws with international standards which recommend minimum levels of transparency concerning the beneficial owners of companies, trusts and other legal arrangements in order to promote implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, and terrorism financing.
As Kenya is not immune to these vices, the country first introduced a law requiring companies to keep a register of beneficial owners in 2017. The regulations contemplated under the said law are what forms the subject of this article, which highlights the salient provisions by answering a few questions.
Who is A beneficial owner?
The Regulations define a beneficial owner to be a natural person who holds at least 10% of the issued shares in the company either directly or indirectly, exercises at least 10% of the voting rights in the company either directly or indirectly, holds a right, directly or indirectly, to appoint or remove a director of the company exercises significant influence or control, directly or indirectly, over the company.
Is the Company required to keep the beneficial owner’s details in the Register of Members?
Yes. The regulations provide that a company shall, where applicable, enter in its register of members details in respect of its beneficial owner including full name, national identity card number/passport number, KRA PIN, nationality, date of birth, postal, residential, telephone and email address, occupation, date on which any person became a beneficial owner, date on which any person ceased to be a beneficial owner and nature of ownership or control. The register of beneficial owners’ particulars is required to be lodged with the companies’ registry. The Regulations also require companies to notify the registry of changes in the particulars of the beneficial owner or of the cessation of the person from beneficial ownership.
Who is Responsible for finding out the Beneficial Owners’ details?
The company has a duty to take reasonable steps to find out and identify its beneficial owners. Where the necessary particulars are not within the company’s knowledge, the company is required to give notice to anyone whom it knows or has reasonable cause to believe to be a beneficial owner. The notice will require the addressee to state whether or not the addressee is a beneficial owner of the company and if so, to confirm or correct any particulars of the addressee that are included in the notice.
What if the Suspected Beneficial Owner fails to comply with the Notice?
The addressee is required to comply with the notice within 21 days from the date of the notice failing which the company may issue a warning notice informing that person that it is proposing to issue the person with a restriction notice with respect to any interest they hold in the company. A copy of the warning notice is also to be kept in its register of beneficial owners. Upon the lapse of 14 days from the warning notice, the company may note a restriction with respect to the particular interest and lodge a copy of the restriction with the registrar and notify that person. Under the Regulations, a restriction notice renders void any transfer of the interest in respect of which the notices were given. It also has the effect of stopping the exercise of any rights in respect of the particular interest. The company may also withdraw the restriction once the person complies with a request for information.
Are there restrictions on sharing of the Disclosed Information?
The company is barred from disclosing the beneficial owner’s particulars except when communicating with the beneficial owner concerned or when complying with any requirement of the Regulations or with a court order. In a rather controversial provision, the Registrar may, upon a written request, disclose protected information to a competent authority which includes the A.G, DCI, law enforcement agencies and authorities that supervise and monitor the financial sector. The Regulations outlaw the disclosure of beneficial ownership information the in any manner other than for the purpose for which such information is obtained.
These regulations are aimed at requiring companies to obtain and hold adequate, accurate and current information on their beneficial ownership. It is also noteworthy that provisions allowing a search to be carried out on the beneficial ownership of the company were dropped in the final draft. It is hoped that with the blanket access given to the authorities, the Regulations will help the government to fight money laundering and tax evasion.
Article By : CG Mbugua and Enock Mulongo
Disclaimer
This article is intended for general knowledge only. It does not create an advocate-client relationship between any reader and Mboya Wangong’u & Waiyaki Advocates. For particular expert advice on any matter dealt with above, please contact us through
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