[PHOTOS] Ruto hosts MSME traders at State House

President William Ruto on Wednesday evening hosted a section of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) traders at State House, Nairobi, for discussions on issues affecting their businesses.

The meeting brought together traders and several leaders and government officials, including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah.

Among the key issues raised was the cost of importing goods, particularly the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) customs valuation benchmark for general containerised consolidated cargo.

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Ruto directed that the minimum customs benchmark for the cargo be reduced from the new cap of Sh3.2 million to the previous cap of Sh2.5 million.

The President said the move was intended to cushion small-scale traders from business shocks arising from the increased customs benchmark.

Ruto further directed that high-value goods be separated from other cargo when determining the applicable customs value, allowing containers without high-value items to continue being assessed under the previous benchmark.

“If there are high-value goods inside this container, they should be removed. Then, for containers that do not have high-value items, we should continue with the old pricing,” Ruto stated.

The directive on the increase had earlier sparked protests by traders, who raised concerns over the higher customs valuation and its impact on the cost of importing goods.

The demonstrations reflected growing frustration among MSMEs over the increased charges and potential pressure on their businesses.

The engagement, therefore provided an avenue for the traders to raise concerns affecting their businesses directly with the President and government officials.

The meeting also focused broadly on the affairs of MSME traders and challenges affecting their operations.