The State Department for Trade under the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry has invited Kenyans to provide input on the Draft National Trade Development Bill, 2025.
The bill aims to strengthen both domestic and export markets while ensuring better coordination among national and county governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
This integrated approach seeks to address long-standing gaps in Kenya's trade ecosystem and create more efficient pathways for economic growth.
"The Bill seeks to modernise Kenya's trade laws to create a more robust, inclusive, and globally competitive trade environment, supporting the nation's economic vision," the ministry stated in a statement.
Building on the foundation laid by the National Trade Policy of 2017, the draft bill seeks to modernise Kenya's trade laws and create a more inclusive and competitive trade environment.
The ministry emphasised that the legislation is designed to align trade policies with the country's broader economic goals under Vision 2030.
The legislation focuses on several core areas, including promoting trade, expanding markets, improving regulatory structures, and supporting economic development across all regions of the country.
According to the ministry, these elements are essential for creating a robust and globally competitive trade environment that supports Kenya's economic vision.
Kenya's Constitution requires public participation in national governance, and the Ministry of Trade has scheduled a series of consultative forums in response to this mandate. These sessions provide a crucial opportunity for citizens to engage directly with the proposed legislation before it is finalised.
The forums are open to all members of the public and stakeholders, allowing participants to review the draft bill and submit comments. The consultative sessions will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at designated venues across the country, ensuring accessibility for participants from different regions.
The draft bill is expected to have direct impacts on everyday Kenyans through provisions that prioritise local employment and support small-scale traders and farmers. These measures reflect the government's commitment to ensuring that trade policies benefit citizens at all economic levels.
Consumer protections receive significant attention in the proposed legislation. Updated legal provisions guarantee the right to safe and quality products while empowering courts to address unfair contracts and fees, strengthening the legal recourse available to Kenyan consumers.
The bill introduces strict enforcement measures to ensure compliance with its provisions. Companies that fail to meet local content requirements face corporate fines of at least KES 100 million, demonstrating the government's commitment to protecting domestic interests.
Individual accountability is also addressed through provisions that impose minimum prison sentences of one year on CEOs of companies that fail to comply with local content requirements.
Draft documents and ongoing updates are available on the official State Department for Trade website, providing easy access to information for those who wish to review the proposed bill before attending consultations or submitting written feedback.
