As a Kenyan entrepreneur, I find myself increasingly reflecting on the widening gap between political promises and the actual business environment on the ground. At a time when SMEs were promised support, lower taxes, and an improved ease of doing business, many of us are instead navigating high taxes, sudden policy shifts, bureaucratic delays, and growing uncertainty. This unpredictability makes it difficult to plan, invest, or scale sustainably. Rather than operating in a growth-driven ecosystem, small businesses are being pushed into survival mode — where resilience replaces innovation, and short-term stability outweighs long-term expansion. For many entrepreneurs, the core issue is no longer just market competition, but governance uncertainty, reduced consumer spending, and a system where connections often seem to outweigh competence.