Police teargas protesters for Kenya as traders close shops to protest increase in tax

Traders for Kenya capital, Nairobi close down hundreds of shops and enta street to protest against wetin dem dey call rising taxes and customs charges on imported goods.

Di demonstration bin start for di Central Business District for Nairobi on Friday as traders waka go di Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) offices.

According to local tori pipo and Reuters, police use tear gas to take pursue protesters from di area as di demonstrations start to dey bubble.

Wetin cause all dis kasala be say recently, di KRA bin increase di value wey dem give consolidated 40-foot container to 3.2 million Kenyan shillings ($24,700) from 2.5 million shillings ($19,300).

Wetin dat one come mean be say di new benchmark increase di valuation by 700,000 Kenyan shillings ($5,400) even as di new benchmark bin start for August 20, 2026.

Di measure go affect small scale importers in particular wey consolidate dia goods wit oda traders wey dey share container.

Dis na as many of dem dey import dia products from China.

Traders dey para say dis higher benchmark go increase dia clearing and imports costs.

One of di traders, Muturi Kariuki bin dey among di traders wey bin close dia businesses to protest.

Kariuki tell Reuters say, "we dey tanda for our citizenship and right to di business and di right ti build our future."

Most businesses bin dey closed during di protests as traders bin join am to express dia opposition to di new taxes.

Videos wey dey spread for social media show traders as dem dey do demonstrations for di city centre dey blow whistle and vuvuzelas as dem bin dey match for road.

Di traders tell local tori pipo say dem go dey protest evri Friday till di authorities arrange meeting make dem for negotiate.