The “Third-Party” Economic Ripple
When a town like Eldoret speaks, the North Rift listens. On February 10, Holliab Lodenyo, Chairman of the Bars, Hotels, and Liquor Traders Association in Uasin Gishu, pointed out that the nicotine market is deeply integrated into the local hospitality sector.
Inventory Devaluation: Local shops and lounges have built up significant stock of nicotine pouches and vapes. A sudden ban on “characterising flavours” would turn millions of shillings of legal inventory into illegal contraband overnight.
The Revenue Gap: Traders argue that flavoured products make up nearly 70% of the sales in the reduced-risk nicotine category. Losing these sales doesn’t just hurt the retailer; it reduces the VAT and excise duty collected by the KRA at the local level.
2. The Illicit Trade “Ghost”
Eldoret has long struggled with being a transit point for cross-border contraband. Traders are now using this history to warn the Senate.
The Porous Borders: Business leaders argue that with a flavour ban, the same networks currently smuggling uncustomed cigarettes from neighboring regions will pivot to “flavoured” products, which will be sold under the counter without any age verification.
Safety at Stake: In a legal market, products like Velo or Lyft (now strictly regulated) have known ingredients. In a black market created by prohibition, traders warn of “bathtub vapes” and unregulated pouches entering the Eldoret market.
3. Calls for a “Mid-Way” Solution
Rather than a total ban on flavours, Eldoret traders are proposing a “Regulation 2.0” model:
Strict Licensing: Only specialized, adult-only outlets should be allowed to sell flavoured nicotine products.
Increased Penalties: Instead of banning the product, the Senate should increase fines for any retailer found selling to minors—currently a major pillar of the Tobacco Control Act (2007).
Graphic Warning Enforcement: Traders expressed a willingness to implement stricter pictorial warnings on all flavoured packaging rather than seeing the products removed entirely.
