Pressure pact

Kenya’s free-trade deal with the UK stumbles towards finish line

By Morris Kiruga

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Posted on March 5, 2021 11:47

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration is facing pushback from legislators and farmers over secrecy in its trade deal with the UK, which was signed last December and should be ratified before the end of the month.

In late February, legislators on both sides of the deal delayed ratifying the treaty, but for different reasons.

  • In the UK parliament, among the major issues for the delay were concerns about how the deal will affect the UK’s trade with Kenya’s neighbours in the East African Community, which are not included in the current treaty.
  • In Nairobi, members of parliament accused the government of submitting incomplete documents to Parliament.

They are also accusing the government of secrecy in the deal’s finer details and including a clause that bars parliament from amending it, local business newspaper Business Daily reported on Wednesday.

  • Leader of the majority Amos Kimunya tried to fix the first problem on 25 February, submitting the treaty’s annexes and protocols. The second issue emerged at a meeting between trade officials and parliamentarians on 3 March and is likely to be one of the

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