The Government will next month set up an agency to rid the country of cheap imports.
Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya said yesterday this is part of a raft of measures meant to protect Kenyan businesses against competition from established markets.
“The agency will be in place by July to deal with dumping and products that outmatch us in our own markets,” said Munya (pictured) during a media breakfast organised by the Export Promotion Council in Nairobi.
He said the ministry had also drawn a list of products, goods and services that only local players will be allowed to trade in.
It will also bar foreigners from carrying out small-scale businesses, including retail, besides regulating the amount of capital and the size of land they can buy.
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The ministry has at the same time listed the goods that those doing business with the State must purchase locally.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said in the budget speech starting July 1, all government ministries, departments, agencies as well as other public entities will have to give priority to locally assembled motor vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles.
CS Munya said yesterday the list would be expanded.
Local content
“We will have a local list of goods that the Government must buy directly locally like pharmaceuticals, including syringes, medicine and equipment, furniture and vehicles,” he said.
Foreign contractors will also be required to use local materials and sub-contract local firms as the Government tightens local content policies. “Even when goods are from outside, we need to add value to them,” the CS said.
