KENYA: PUBLIC NOTICE – BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP E-REGISTER PROGRESS UPDATE 

The Business Registration Service (BRS) in its mandate to oversee operations of the Companies Registry and the overall implementation of the Companies Act, 2015 operationalized the Beneficial Ownership E-Register on 30th October 2020. On 31st January 2021, the public were informed that the deadline for filing Beneficial Ownership register documents was 31st July 2021 for private companies registered under the Companies Act, 2015 and the Companies Act, Cap. 486 Laws of Kenya (now repealed) in compliance with Section 93A of the Companies Act, 2015. 

In a public notice issued on 30th July, 2021, the BRS noted that it had made all considerable effort to process applications lodged at the Registry of Companies, but there are still some delays in processing pending applications due to the very large number of applications received on the BRS portal. There have also been numerous requests from stakeholders for an extension of the 31st July deadline to enable compliance to be achieved. 

In this regard, the BRS emphasized that it is largely focused on enabling compliance with the Companies Act, 2015 and to that end, wish to communicate as follows: 

1. Private companies registered under the Companies Act, 2015 and the Companies Act, Cap. 486 Laws of Kenya (now repealed) that have not done so, should comply with Section 93A of the Companies Act, 2015 and submit a copy of the Beneficial Ownership registers to the Registrar of Companies; 
2. Any application by an unverified company for linking a business (as a means to enabling the updating of Beneficial Ownership information) or any application for updating of Beneficial Ownership details already lodged on the BRS portal and is in the queue in the system, shall for the time being serve as a stay of the deadline for compliance for that company pending the processing of the application. Further communication on this will be issued in due course. 
3. For further enquiries and assistance, send enquiries to registrar@brs.go.ke and changes@brs.go.ke

UGANDA: NATIONAL PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION DIRECTOR APPOINTED

NITA (Uganda’s regulator) has appointed Ms. Stella Alibateese as the National Personal Data Protection Director. Her vast experience will be vital as regulations and guidelines are issued in Uganda.