City traders protest against alleged harassment by government agencies

Traders in Nairobi on Tuesday staged demonstrations in the streets for alleged harbadment by government agencies and destruction of their property.

The Nairobi Association of Importers and Traders also stated that its goods were held at the port of Mombasa

They claim to have been harbaded by KRA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Agency and the Bureau of Kenya standards

This follows an increased crackdown on contraband sugar and counterfeit goods by the government

. They petitioned Nairobi governors Mike Sonko and KRA

. ] Traders come from Eastleigh, River Road and Nyaka Kima

Most shops in the city were closed while their owners took part in the protests.

"There was harbadment on the part of gover agencies in stores, warehouses and even at home claiming to inspect goods in the possession of traders," said President Ben Mutahi

. Inspection of the goods must be done at the points of entry, so once the goods are in the possession of the traders, it gives them exclusive ownership.

Mutahi said that KRA and anti-counterfeiting agents have destroyed the goods imported from the traders at the port on behalf of the fight against the import of fake products into the country. "

" Some goods smuggled into a container of consolidated goods should not be guaranteed for the destruction of all the goods contained in the container. "He claimed that the agencies had formed a cartel to extort goods at the port.

They also protested against the influx of goods into the port of foreign traders in the country

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