Kenya police fire tear gas to disperse traders protesting import duty hike
Police fired tear gas to disperse small-scale traders protesting against an import duty hike, a Reuters witness saw on Friday, while hundreds of businesses closed in central Nairobi
Kenyan police deployed tear gas on Friday to halt a protest by small-scale traders against a proposed import duty hike, according to a Reuters witness. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced the decision, effective from August 20, with the aim of preventing under-declaration and undervaluation of imported goods, which the authority claims disadvantages compliant businesses and local manufacturers.
The KRA contends that the higher duty will increase the cost of clearing goods and negatively impact small businesses that benefit from consolidated shipments to reduce import expenses. Muturi Kariuki, a trader who participated in the demonstrations, stated that the protest is about upholding citizens' rights to conduct business and build their future. Some traders closed their businesses to protest, while others did so for safety reasons.
The duty hike raises the minimum customs benchmark for a consolidated 40-foot container from 2.5 million Kenyan shillings to 3.2 million shillings ($24,700). The authority clarified that this figure represents a minimum reference point and not a fixed value for every container. Importers whose goods exceed the new threshold are required to declare their actual value and pay the corresponding duties.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
