Kamukunji traders have lauded the Government through the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination for their kind gesture to release their goods which had been impounded in July this year.
This was after Kamukunji chairman, Peter Muturi and Phillip Njuguna Kimani held a fruitful meeting with Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
The business community at Kamukunji and Nyamakima in Nairobi welcomed the intervention of the Interior Ministry saying it is a great move towards promoting small scale businesses in this country.
“We laud the CS for his intervention after our meeting and hope the rest of the goods at (DCI) shall be released,” said Njuguna from Real Image Logistics.
The traders requested to have the rest of the containers released saying their businesses risk collapse over loan obligations to various banks.
“Small scale traders are really suffering and we hope to get the relevant support,” said Kimani.
Matiang’i assured the representatives of a review of government taxation on imported shoes to allow for a fair and competitive advantage.
“Talks with the Chinese Embassy are underway to relax the strict requirement for Kenyans to get Chinese made vaccines prior to visiting the Country,” said the CS.
Through lawyer Wilfred Wachira, the traders urged the court to direct the Director of Public Prosecution and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to release to all the seized goods.
The goods include mosquito coils which were imported from China and impounded at a go-down along Mombasa road by DCI officers mid last month.
The lawyer told the court that Kamukunji suppliers and retailers of the suit goods will be exposed to financial ruins, loss of business and will suffer irreparable but no prejudice will be occasioned to the DPP and DCI of the goods are released.
They alleged that the goods are not properly stored at DCI headquarters along Kiambu road and should be released to them as the goods will be destroyed well before their true expiry date.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Kenneth Cheriuyot granted DPP and DCI a week to file a reply into a case by the traders through Njuguna and Kimani seeking orders to have their goods detained at DCI headquarters released to them.
