NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 10 – Business owners in Eldoret have raised concerns over the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill currently before the Senate, warning that a proposed ban on flavours in products such as vapes and nicotine pouches could hurt legitimate businesses and fuel the spread of illicit goods.
Speaking in Eldoret, the traders said they support government efforts to strengthen regulation and eliminate untaxed and unapproved products from the market.
“As responsible businesspeople, we fully support lawful measures that bring order and accountability across all sectors of the economy,” said Holliab Lodenyo, Chairman of the Bars, Hotels and Liquor Traders Association in Uasin Gishu County.
He cited President William Ruto’s New Year 2026 address, in which the government pledged to intensify the fight against goods that evade taxation or regulatory approval.
Recent Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) findings show that more than half of products circulating in the Kenyan market are illicit, including beer, cigarettes, cosmetics, perfumes and soft drinks. Such products often bypass taxes and quality standards, posing risks to consumers and legitimate businesses.
“In Eldoret, we have seen an influx of illicit alcohol and cigarettes that has hurt honest traders,” Lodenyo said. “That is why the proposed ban on flavours concerns us. Banning compliant flavoured nicotine products will create a vacuum that illicit traders are quick to exploit.”
The traders argue that removing legal flavoured products from the market will push consumers toward cheaper black-market alternatives, undermining tax revenue, threatening public health and affecting thousands of livelihoods.
“If this bill passes, businesses that have taken years to build will collapse, and the government will lose billions in revenue,” Lodenyo added.
The group is urging senators to reject the proposed flavour ban when parliamentary sittings resume next week and instead focus on enforcing existing laws, which they say already address concerns around regulation and public safety.
“We ask the Senate to protect government revenue, legitimate businesses and the mwananchi by strengthening enforcement of current laws,” Lodenyo said. “That is the most effective way to curb illicit trade and protect consumers.
