During a
State House meeting, Ruto directed enforcement starting September 7 to reserve
hawking and small shops for Kenyan citizens, backed by a pending Local Content
Bill and immediate administrative actions.
Traders and the president also agreed on easing import costs, like dropping the cargo benchmark from KSh 2.5 million to KSh 2 million, scrapping advance declarations, and slashing transport fees from KSh 58,000 to KSh 10,000.
These steps include vetting cargo consolidators by mid-October and new de-consolidation centres in Nairobi and Mombasa to foster fairness for local businesses. Some Kenyans see it as vital job protection, while others call it a response to recent trader protests.