Traders in Nairobi on Tuesday staged protests in the streets over alleged harassment by government agencies and destruction of their goods.
The Nairobi Importers and traders association also claimed their goods have been held at the port of Mombasa by Kenya Revenue Authority.
They claim harassment by KRA, anti-counterfeit agency and the Kenya Bureau of standards.
This comes in the wake of an intensified crackdown on contraband sugar and counterfeit products by the government.
The traders marched in the city streets, carrying placards and chanting anti-KRA slogans.
They petitioned Nairobi Governors Mike Sonko and KRA.
Their attempts to petition parliament were thwarted after they were tear-gassed by anti-riot police officers.
The traders are from Eastleigh, River Road and Nyaka Kima.
Most shops in the city were closed as their owners took part in the protests.
“There has been harassment by government agencies on shops, warehouse and even at home purporting to inspect goods in possession of the traders,” chairman Ben Mutahi said.
“Inspection of goods should be done at the entry points hence once the goods are in the traders’ possession, it gives them sole ownership.
Mutahi said that KRA and anti-counterfeit officers have destroyed the traders’ imported goods at the port in the name of fighting importation of fake products into the country.”
“A few items of contraband goods in a container of consolidated goods should not be warrant destruction of all goods within the container,” he said.
Mutahi said their goods take long to be cleared at the port thus taking a toll on their businesses.
He claimed that the agencies have formed a cartel who are extorting traders to clear goods at the port.
They also protested the influx of foreign traders in the country.