Industrialization Chief Administrative Secretary David Osiany [WhoOwnsKenya.com]
The Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) says Kenya loses between Ksh85 billion and Ksh100 billion annually to counterfeiting activities.
The agency says about 80 percent of counterfeit imports into the country are from South East Asia, with China accounting for more than 60 percent of the number of goods seized overall.
ACA acting executive director Fridah Kaberia says the illicit trade denies the Kenya Revenue Authority up to 153.1 billion shillings annually.
A similar study by ACA in 2019 revealed that the value of illicit trade in Kenya is about 726 billion with sectors topping in the list of counterfeit goods including electronics, car accessories, luxury goods and fashion apparels.
According Kaberia if the country gets rid of counterfeit imports, it will create more space for local manufacturing to grow.
This follows a concern by Industrialization Chief Administrative Secretary David Osiany who says counterfeiting is eating into the country’s market share of genuine products.
Locally, alcoholic drinks and tobacco products are among the most counterfeited.
The Ministry of Industrialization has now called on Kenyans to be aware of counterfeit goods.
It notes that they should be on the look out for products sold outside the usual distribution channels, those with of extreme price undercutting and packaging.
This comes as the country enters the festive season which the Anti-Counterfeit Agency warning that it is mostly characterized with a rise in fakes, targeting unsuspecting consumers.