NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 11 – The Retail Trade Association of Kenya (RETRAK) is calling for coordinated action to dismantle the supply networks behind smuggled, counterfeit and untaxed goods, warning that targeting retailers alone will do little to stop the growing illicit trade.
The association wants the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and National Police Service to adopt a joint enforcement plan, designate a lead agency and publish clear timelines for reporting progress.
RETRAK Chief Executive Officer Wambui Mbarire said enforcement agencies must look beyond seizures at retail outlets and pursue the suppliers, transporters, financiers and storage facilities involved in distributing illicit products.
“Seizing illicit products from a shop is only the beginning. Investigators must establish who supplied the goods, where they were stored, who transported them and who financed the consignment. Following that trail is how we disrupt the networks and prevent the next delivery,” Mbarire said.
The association cited figures showing the scale of illicit trade and its impact on government revenue, legitimate businesses and consumers.
A recent Kantar study estimates that illicit cigarettes accounted for 45.1 per cent of Kenya’s cigarette market in 2025, up from 34.1 per cent in 2021. The trade is estimated to have cost the government KSh10.2 billion in excise duty and VAT in 2025, and KSh47…
