Africa trade,Trade Stories

Report questions AGOA’s effectiveness as deadline nears, extension talks continue
Alfred Onyango  |  Jun 21, 2025

While countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Lesotho have benefited from preferential access under the scheme, Afreximbank notes that the recent i...

(Hold) Scars of protest: Sunbeam traders still await justice following 2024 fire tragedy during anti-tax demos
Barack Oduor  |  Jun 19, 2025

The Sunbeam Shopping Complex was razed during the anti-tax protests on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, along Mfangano Street in Nairobi’s Central Business Dis...

From humble beginnings: Sadiq Gabow carves niche as Eastleigh's sole full-time Marikiti trader
Abdirahman Khalif  |  Jun 13, 2025

After losing his job, Sadiq made the decision to stay at Marikiti market and start his own business.

Wheat traders to enjoy continued tax relief after EAC deal
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 13, 2025

Mbadi said the EAC Council of Ministers granted Kenya’s request for the duty remission last month, allowing millers to continue importing wheat at a r...

From stalls to screens: Eastleigh traders power quiet digital revolution through social media
Mary Wambui  |  Jun 15, 2025

From modest corner shops to multi-million-shilling wholesalers, businesses here are increasingly turning to social media to attract a broader and more...

Uganda suspends new automated traffic fine system amid public outcry
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Jun 12, 2025

Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport, General Katumba Wamala, made the announcement in a statement on X on Tuesday, noting that the suspension has...

Kenya's loan defaults hit 20-year high as economic woes deepen
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 12, 2025

According to the CBK, the ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs), those unpaid for over 90 days, rose to 17.6 per cent by June 2025, up from 17.4 per ce...

Kenya doubles down on One-China Policy to woo Beijing
Mwangi Maina  |  Jun 10, 2025

In a move that leaves no room for ambiguity, Mudavadi underscored that Nairobi “does not, and will not”, recognise Taiwan as an independent state.

Regional watchdogs unite to curb cartels, tighten cross-border competition enforcement
Alfred Onyango  |  Jun 12, 2025

The agreement commits both agencies to harmonise competition enforcement across the regions and curb unfair trade practices that undermine fair market...

Mediheal Organ trafficking probe: Witnesses demand private hearings, cite intimidation fears
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 11, 2025

Some witnesses, speaking anonymously, said they had been pressured by hospitals to withdraw evidence and insisted on giving their testimony privately.

Government raises alarm over persistent use of banned plastic bags in Garissa
Abdirahman Khalif  |  Jun 09, 2025

Acting County Commissioner Sabastian Okiring said the plastic bags are still widely used across the town and are causing serious harm to the environme...

Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – Why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border
The Conversation  |  Jun 08, 2025

Economic factors, particularly household income and limited financial means, strongly influenced wild meat consumption, particularly in communities wi...

Public inquiry begins into Mediheal organ trafficking allegations
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Jun 05, 2025

The investigation comes amid alarming allegations that Mediheal has been removing kidneys from vulnerable Kenyans for Sh294,000 and selling them abroa...

Kenya's flower exports to hit Sh110 billion in 2025 amid growing demand
XINHUA  |  Jun 05, 2025

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the flower sector is one of the country's leading sources of foreign exchange earnings, alongsid...

Denmark commits Sh41 billion to boost East Africa’s resilience amid global trade turmoil
Bashir Mbuthia  |  Jun 04, 2025

The trade wars, characterised by escalating tariffs and trade barriers among major economies, have disrupted international markets and supply chains,...

Presidents Abdirahman, Ruto meet at State House for trade, security and youth empowerment talks
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  May 30, 2025

The visit by President Abdirahman was marked by a renewed push for stronger ties between the two sides, despite diplomatic complications over the stat...

Over 380 files handed to DCI in Mediheal organ trafficking probe
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  May 29, 2025

On Wednesday, the hospital’s lawyers, Katwa Kigen and Conrad Maloba, submitted the documents to the DCI’s Transnational Organised Crime Unit after bei...

Kampala tops list of most corrupt districts in Uganda – IGG report
Bashir Mbuthia  |  May 28, 2025

According to Kamya, Kampala recorded the highest number of corruption cases, totalling 253, between July and December 2024, leading among the 134 dist...

Urgent food system reform needed for resilience as Africa faces chronic hunger crisis
The New Times  |  May 28, 2025

The conflict adds another destabilising layer. Violence and insecurity across the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Great Lakes regions have disrupted planti...

Eastleigh booms as East Africa’s borderless marketplace, drawing diverse traders and entrepreneurs
Mary Wambui  |  May 27, 2025

Around this time last year, the Property Developers Welfare Society of Nairobi confirmed that the area was experiencing a real estate boom, with over...

Government clears Sh118.3bn pending bills in Q1 2025 as Treasury pushes to cut arrears
Lucy Mumbi  |  May 26, 2025

According to Treasury data, the reduction is partly attributed to the ongoing settlements in the infrastructure docket.

Senate threatens censure motions against CSs Mbadi, Wahome, Kinyanjui over snubbed summons
Lucy Mumbi  |  May 26, 2025

Recently, Mbadi failed to appear before the Senate Finance and Budget Committee, choosing instead to attend a political rally in Migori County alongsi...

Kenya reasserts sovereignty amid US scrutiny over China ties
Mwangi Maina  |  May 21, 2025

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said Kenya's diplomacy is guided by national interest, not external pressure.

Eastleigh local traders raise alarm over influx of Chinese retailers
Abdirahman Khalif  |  May 20, 2025

The traders argue that the methods employed by the Chinese to attract customers are unethical and illegal.

New iPhones could cost more in Kenya as Apple faces global headwinds
Margaret Wanjiru  |  May 19, 2025

However, unlike the popular belief that the increase may be linked to the ongoing US-China trade war, Apple is reportedly seeking alternative reasons...

COMESA eyes a united response to US trade tariffs impacting member states
Bashir Mbuthia  |  May 18, 2025

COMESA's announcement comes ahead of planned meetings later this month by SADC and the East African Community, where trade ministers will discuss how...

Chinese imports to Kenya hit Sh576 billion amid surge in smartphone shipments
Lucy Mumbi  |  May 18, 2025

Kenya imported over 2.3 million smartphones from China in 2024 alone, a 71.5 per cent increase from the 2023 tally of 1.3 million units, according to...

Mitumba trade no threat to local textile industry, supports 2 million jobs, report says
Alfred Onyango  |  May 16, 2025

Institute of Economic Affairs CEO Kwame Owino stated that the presence of second-hand clothes is not to blame for the struggles of local manufacturing...

Nairobi hawkers speak out on sexual harassment, assault in hands of City askaris
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  May 14, 2025

She displayed injuries on her back, which later required a spinal belt and medical treatment. Wanjiru said the situation deteriorated further after sh...

How Sixth Street has transformed to become Eastleigh's leading vegetable market
Abdirahman Khalif  |  May 14, 2025

While vegetable stalls exist in other parts of Eastleigh, Sixth Street has become the largest and most reliable source for a wide selection of fresh p...

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