Govt responds to concerns after granting Dutch firm tax waivers and immunity
By Lutta Njomo, October 12, 2025The government, through the State Department for Foreign Affairs, has come out to address the concerns raised by a section of Kenyans over granting tax waivers and diplomatic-style immunity to the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), an international non-governmental organisation based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
In a press release on Saturday, October 11, 2025, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei stated that GCA, headed by Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, met all the thresholds before being granted immunity.
The PS explained that on July 27, 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a request for consideration for a grant of Host Country Agreement (HCA) from GCA, to facilitate the establishment and operation of GCA’s Regional Office in Nairobi.
In their pitch, GCA indicated that the office would support the country’s climate diplomacy and green growth agenda.
“The process of review of the GCA’s application crystallised on 20th April, 2025, when the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs signed Legal Notice No. 82 granting privileges and immunities to GCA and its internationally recruited staff. On 30th September 2025. Parliament ratified the decision to grant GCA’s Host Country Status, following submission of the request, stakeholder hearings, and public participation as mandated by section 17 of the Act,” the PS detailed.
No special privileges
To further clear the air, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the concerned citizens that no special privileges were granted to the Dutch firm.
Only privileges granted to the firm include tax exemption on specific goods relevant to the organisation’s functioning. protection from legal suits with respect to good faith actions of the organisation and work permits.
“The privileges conferred to GCA are not special. They are similar to privileges conferred to over 170 other non-state Entities providing technical assistance in Kenya since 1984. These include Oxfam, Save the Children, Union of Radio and Television Africa. Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience organization, World Wide Fund for Nature, International Cooperative Alliance, The Centre for African Family Studies, International Planned Parenthood, the Lutheran World Federation, amongst others,” Korir emphasised.
No external pressure
Moreover, the ministry clarified that the Kenyan government was not pressured to by other external players to grant the Global Center on Adaptation.
The response came after digital creator Lyn Ngugi, among other Kenyans online, raised concern over the style of immunity granted to the firm.
“These are the same people Ruto’s government quietly granted diplomatic-style immunity — the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA),” the digital creator wrote on Instagram.
However, the government has insisted that the process was above board.