Kenya is the natural entry point to the Africa region, a resource-rich continent. The economy of Africa consists of the trade, industry, agriculture, and human resources of the continent. As of 2012, approximately 1.07 billion people were living in 54 different countries in Africa. One of Africa’s exporting countries is Kenya. However, Kenyan Government has pointed out a need to catch up globally in terms of Kenya’s competitiveness in international trade. As Kenya seeks to regain its position as an economic giant in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Kenyan Government has introduced a number of policies aimed at supporting the vision for a dynamic export-led economy. These initiatives include the publication of a National Export Strategy to consolidate export promotion and development efforts and an increasingly visible presence in international discussions on trade facilitation. Trade facilitation, which is about expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods including those in transit, plays a critical role in international trade. The Kenyan Government points on the lack of transparency that exporters and importers encounter as they attempt to navigate various trade procedures, as one of the administrative barriers to trade in Kenya. Procedures were described as “usually unclear and inconsistently applied, with officers often having significant discretionary powers, which create uncertainty and unpredictability in the trading environment.” However, after coming up with a business guide on importing to and exporting from Kenya, this addressed the constraint in a very practical way by providing small and medium sized entrepreneurs, and in particular first time traders, with all the information they require on international trade.
Here are the 25 Laws of Kenya that impact on Kenyan trade. The list is not exhaustive and some of the laws will only affect the traders if they are trading in a particular sector. However, it is worth knowing these laws for familiarization and acquaintance with Kenya’s trade facilitation procedures.
- Agricultural Act Cap 318
- Agricultural Produce (Export) Act Cap 319
- Banking Act Cap 488
- Dangerous Drugs Act Cap 245
- East African Customs Management Act 2004
- Export Processing Zones Act Cap 517
- Finance Acts
- Fisheries Act Cap 378
- Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act Cap 254
- Foreign Investment Protection Act Cap 518
- Hotels and Restaurants Act Cap 494
- Imports, Exports and Essential Supplies Act Cap 502
- Industrial Property Act Cap 509
- Insurance Act Cap 487
- Kenya Communications Act 1998
- Mining Act Cap 306
- Pharmacy and Poisons Act Cap 244
- Plant Protection Act Cap 324
- Public Health Act Cap 242
- Standards Act Cap 496
- Suppression of Noxious Weeds Act Cap 325
- Tourism Industry Licensing Act Cap 381
- Trade Licensing Act Cap 497
- Trading in Unwrought Precious Metals Act Cap 309
- Value Added Tax Act Cap 476
Kenya is the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa. It is also the natural entry point to the region. The country has a market-based economy with a liberalized foreign trade policy. It is important that traders understand the country’s trade policy. This information will assist traders to align import and export plans and/or operations with the opportunities that are created by the trade policy. Trade policies will normally spell out areas of emphasis and what the Kenyan government is doing to promote trade.
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