EAC trade policies hurting investors, says Kepsa

By Luke Anami

Kenya’s private sector has protested over the inconsistent application of trade policies and concessions by East African Community (EAC) member states.

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) criticised the manner in which the member states were enforcing the Common External Tariff (CET) saying it was hurting investors. CET is the three-band structure of tariffs that are imposed on goods imported from outside the East African Community Customs Union. ‘‘We take issue with EAC partner states, which have been arbitrarily suspending the CET rate giving importers advantage over local manufacturers,’’ Vimal Shah, a director of Kepsa said when he addressed the 6th Prime Minister’s Round Table discussions on the EAC at a Nairobi Hotel, yesterday. The EAC CET attracts a three-band structure that attracts 25 per cent on finished goods from outside, 10 per cent on semi-finished and zero per cent on raw materials.