By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, 2 July 2026 - Kenyan households are likely to pay more for baby diapers, second-hand clothing (mitumba) and a range of imported consumer goods after the East African Community (EAC) gazetted a new round of import duty changes aimed at protecting regional manufacturers and boosting local industries.
The revised tariffs, which took effect on July 1, introduce higher import duties on selected finished products while extending preferential treatment for manufacturers importing raw materials and industrial inputs across EAC member states. The measures were approved by the EAC Council of Ministers under the Common External Tariff (CET) framework.
Among the biggest changes affecting consumers is the increase in import duty on baby diapers, which rises from 25% to 35%. The EAC says the measure is intended to encourage domestic manufacturing, create jobs and reduce dependence on imported finished products across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
The new tariff regime is also expected to affect the cost of mitumba, although Kenya has retained one of the region's lowest import duty structures on second-hand clothing. Under the latest framework, Kenya continues to apply an import duty of 35% or US$0.20 (about KSh26) per kilogram, whichever is higher, a rate that remains lower than those imposed by several other EAC partner states.
Beyond clothing and diapers, consumers could also see higher prices for selected imported household goods as businesses pass on the additional tax burden through retail prices. Importers say the higher duties are likely to increase the cost of bringing finished goods into the country, particularly products that have locally available alternatives.
However, the latest gazette also contains relief measures for manufacturers. The EAC has approved duty remissions on a wide range of raw materials and industrial inputs used in sectors such as food processing, mobile phone assembly, transformer manufacturing, roofing materials, textiles, animal feeds and paper production.
Most of these inputs will attract either zero percent or reduced import duty for a specified period to encourage local value addition.
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The policy reflects the EAC's broader industrialisation strategy, which seeks to discourage imports of finished products while promoting manufacturing within the region.
Under the Common External Tariff, finished goods generally attract higher duties than raw materials and capital equipment, creating an incentive for companies to manufacture locally rather than rely on imports.
For Kenyan consumers, the immediate impact is expected to be felt in everyday products, particularly by families with young children and shoppers who depend on affordable second-hand clothing.
While the government argues that the changes will strengthen local industries and create employment, consumer groups have warned that the higher duties could add to the cost of living at a time when households are already grappling with rising prices.
Economists note that the extent of the price increases will depend on how much of the additional import costs businesses absorb and how much they pass on to consumers over the coming months.