Eldoret Traders Raise Alarm Over Tobacco Control Bill; Warn of Surge in Illicit Products

The Eldoret business owners have today expressed deep concern over the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill currently before the Senate, warning that the proposed ban on flavours in products such as vapes and nicotine pouches would severely harm legitimate businesses and accelerate the spread of illicit goods in the Kenyan market.

Speaking in Eldoret today, the traders reaffirmed local business owners’ support for government initiatives aimed at strengthening regulatory enforcement and eliminating untaxed and unapproved goods from the market.

“As responsible businesspeople, we fully support all lawful measures that bring sanity, order, and accountability across every sector of the economy,” Said Holliab Lodenyo, Chairman – Bars, Hotels, and Liquor Traders, Uasin Gishu County. “We stand firmly behind the President’s recent commitment—made in his New Year 2026 address—to intensify the fight against goods that evade taxation or approval by regulatory agencies.”

Recent findings by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) indicate that more than half of products circulating in the Kenyan market are illicit, ranging from beer and cigarettes to cosmetics, perfumes, and soft drinks. These products often bypass taxation and quality standards, posing risks to both consumer safety and legitimate enterprises.

“Here in Eldoret, we have witnessed firsthand the influx of illicit alcohol and cigarettes hurting honest traders,” Holliab noted. “That is why the proposed ban on flavours concerns us. Banning legitimate flavoured nicotine products will immediately create a vacuum that illicit traders will rush to fill.”

The traders argue that outlawing flavoured nicotine products will make compliant products unavailable, forcing consumers toward cheaper black-market versions. This, they warn, will not only undermine tax collection but also endanger consumers and jeopardize thousands of livelihoods.

“If this bill passes, entire businesses—businesses people have spent years building—will collapse. The government stands to lose billions in tax revenue, and communities like ours will suffer the consequences,” added Holliab.

The group is now urging the Senate to reject the proposed flavour ban when parliamentary sittings resume next week and to instead strengthen enforcement of the existing regulatory framework, which they argue sufficiently addresses the concerns raised by the bill’s sponsors.

“We ask the Senate to protect the interests of the government, legitimate businesses, and the common mwananchi by upholding the existing laws and ensuring they are strictly enforced,” said Holliab. “That is the surest way to curb illicit trade, protect revenue, and safeguard Kenyan consumers.”