Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan government has suspended all
licences for the manufacture, importation, sale, and promotion of nicotine
products as part of a major crackdown on the rising use of nicotine among young
people.
The directive, announced by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden
Duale during World No Tobacco Day on May 31, gives all vendors 21 days to
reapply for licences under stricter regulatory conditions.
The announcement came as 5.5 tonnes of seized
tobacco-related products — including shisha, gutkha, and flavoured e-cigarettes
— were destroyed at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“This action is not symbolic; it is regulatory. Every player
in this industry must now comply afresh with the law,” said Mr. Duale.
The suspension takes immediate effect and is anchored in the
Tobacco Control Act of 2007, which empowers the Ministry of Health to regulate
tobacco and nicotine products. Vendors who fail to provide complete compliance
documentation risk permanent revocation of their licences.
Mr. Duale, who was accompanied by Public Health Principal
Secretary Mary Muthoni, commended the Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of
Standards, Immigration, Port Health, and other security agencies for
intercepting harmful imports. He also lauded the Moi Teaching and Referral
Hospital for ensuring the safe disposal of the products.
Eight civil society organisations under the Kenya Tobacco
and Nicotine Tax Coalition supported the government’s move, calling on
Parliament to further strengthen the Tobacco Control Act through legislative
amendments.
“This year’s theme, ‘Unmasking the Appeal,’ exposes how
industries manipulate our children using flavours, colourful packaging, and
digital marketing platforms,” the coalition said in a joint statement.
Mr. Duale urged Kenyans to support the government’s renewed
fight against nicotine addiction, describing it as both a legal responsibility
and a moral obligation to protect young people from the harmful effects of
tobacco use.
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