Why traders selling fake goods risk 10-year jail term, Sh20m fine

Kenya Bureau of Standards. [Courtesy]

Rogue manufacturers and traders in the country face up to a decade behind bars and fines exceeding Sh20 million for dealing in substandard goods. This is according to a tough new government Bill that threatens to wipe out margins for counterfeiters.

The draft Standards Bill, 2025, which aims to repeal and replace the existing Cap 496 law, ramps up the enforcement powers of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and introduces a stringent new penalty regime to safeguard consumers and protect legitimate trade.