The government has moved to fast-track measures aimed at easing the cost of importing goods for small businesses after President William Ruto directed officials to address concerns raised by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Industrialisation and Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui, in a statement on September 8, 2026, said he met representatives of the MSMEs Alliance of Kenya, led by chairperson Ben Mutahi, to discuss the implementation of the President’s directive.
A key resolution from the meeting was the establishment of a multi-stakeholder committee to oversee the implementation of the agreed measures.
Among the measures is the reduction of the benchmark value for general consolidated cargo from Ksh2.5 million to Ksh2 million.
“During our discussions, we agreed to establish a multi-stakeholder committee to oversee the implementation of the agreed measures, including the reduction of the benchmark value for general consolidated cargo from Ksh2.5 million to Ksh2 million.”
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Kinyanjui said the directive would be implemented urgently in collaboration with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to prevent imported goods from piling up at ports and other clearance points.
The government is concerned that delays in implementing the new threshold could expose traders to rising demurrage charges, increasing the cost of doing business for MSMEs.
“We also agreed on the need to implement this directive urgently, in collaboration with KRA, to prevent cargo pile-up and the accumulation of demurrage charges,” Kinyanjui said.
The committee will also collect views from MSMEs for consideration in the Investment and Export Promotion Authority Bill, 2026, which is currently before Parliament.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a clearer framework for classifying and facilitating investments in Kenya.
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Under the proposed framework, job creation for Kenyans will be among the criteria used in determining strategic investments.
The latest move comes as the government faces growing pressure to create a more favourable environment for small businesses, particularly traders who rely on imported goods and have raised concerns over taxation, clearance costs and delays.
The committee is expected to bring together government agencies and representatives of the MSME sector to ensure that the agreed measures are implemented while also feeding traders’ concerns into the ongoing legislative process.
