Kenyan President William Ruto (pictured) signed a bill to amend laws on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The information comes from a press release from the Kenyan presidency, published on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. This legislation aims to strengthen Kenya's legal framework to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and financial proliferation.

By adopting the amended Anti-Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Proliferation Act, the government is closing long-standing legal loopholes. These shortcomings had facilitated the use of shell companies and real estate transactions as vehicles for illicit financial flows.

Ten acts of Parliament have been revised to respond to technical comments from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and its regional equivalent, the ESAAMLG. Among the amended texts are in particular the law on the proceeds of crime, the law on pensions, the law on pensions, the law on mining, betting, cooperative companies (SACCO), or the professions of accountants, real estate agents and public secretaries

This broad range of targeted sectors reflects the extent of money laundering risks in Kenya. The government thus hopes to strengthen the traceability of financial transactions, improve inter-institutional cooperation and reassure investors. The law should also broaden the tax base by promoting the formalization of entire sectors of the economy

Initially adopted on 16 April 2025, the reform was referred by President Ruto to Parliament, with reservations. The latter approved the new version, amended and voted again on 3 June by the National Assembly