Small-scale traders demonstrated in Nairobi on Friday, August 28, 2026, against new taxes they said were negatively affecting their businesses.
According to reports, the traders marched through parts of the Nairobi CBD towards the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) offices at Times Tower to present their grievances.
However, the protest was disrupted after police officers moved in and lobbed tear gas to disperse the demonstrators along Parliament Road and Kenyatta Avenue
.The confrontation briefly disrupted movement along the two roads as traders scattered while police heightened security in the area.
The protest follows KRA’s decision to raise the minimum yield for containers carrying general consolidated cargo from Ksh2.5 million to Ksh3.2 million, effective August 21, 2026.
KRA clarified the new requirement on Thursday, August 27, following concerns raised by small-scale traders.
According to the authority, cargo consolidation remains an important option for traders, as it allows them to pool shipments, access more affordable logistics and simplify the customs clearance process.
Under the new requirement, Customs will continue using a minimum yield test as a reference when clearing containers carrying commonly imported general goods.
Additionally, KRA said the customs duty is assessed based on the transaction value of goods, in line with the East African Community Customs Management Act and international customs valuation rules.
