Kenya to strengthen its fight against nicotine products

Health Secretary Aden Duale has announced measures to strengthen Kenya's laws to combat nicotine products.[1]. Following a meeting with a delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) at Afya House in Nairobi, attended by Dr. Vinayak Prasad and several senior Kenyan health officials, including Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health, and the Director General of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, indicated that Kenya is working to align its regulations on international best practices.

Kenyan legislation strengthened to include nicotine products

The Kenyan government intends to expedite the adoption of proposed amendments to the Tobacco Control Act. These amendments aim to modernize the legal framework for the production, sale, advertising, and consumption of nicotine products. Duale emphasized the importance of a strategic response to this growing public health threat.

He briefed the WHO delegation and the country's health leaders on Kenya's progress and requested technical support to revise the 2007 Tobacco Control Act and its implementing regulations. The 2007 legislation did not cover products such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.[2]Its most recent amendment dates from 2009.

The currently proposed amendment, tabled by Senator Catherine Mumma, extends the provisions of the law on tobacco control to e-cigarettes, their refills and nicotine pouches.

It also aims to control advertising for electronic nicotine delivery systems and modern oral products.

In addition, the amendment will require manufacturers to obtain approval from the Secretary of State for Health to manufacture, import, distribute, store, or sell nicotine products.

The Secretary of State for Health further highlighted the need to improve enforcement at the county level, by strengthening inspections, cessation services, local training and integrating tobacco control into the Department of Health's digital infrastructure.

WHO support and willingness for international cooperation

WHO, represented by Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, Head of Mission and Representative in Kenya, pledged its support for strengthening the country's capacity, particularly through the development of national laboratories capable of independently verifying tobacco products.

In addition, WHO highlighted a successful initiative that enabled more than 9,000 farmers to convert from tobacco cultivation to iron-rich beans and other crops, contributing to health and economic development goals.

The Minister reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which the country ratified on 25 June 2004, recalling that the government has a constitutional obligation to guarantee its citizens the right to the highest attainable standard of health.

For example, the country had strengthened the implementation of the hookah ban in April 2025, aiming for the total elimination of this tobacco product, which has been banned since 2017 but is still widely used and sold, particularly by young people. Kenya, despite its efforts, remains weakened by the strong lobbying exercised by cigarette manufacturers Philip Morris and British American Tobacco, which are seeking to develop their markets and contesting the public health measures adopted by the public authorities.

Finally, cigarette manufacturers are regularly singled out for their tax evasion and smuggling practices, which weaken the national economy.

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[1]Kanari Jennifer, Kenya moves to strengthen tobacco control measures, The Star, published June 10, 2025, accessed June 11, 2025

[2]Marende Nancy, WHO steps in to help Kenya with tobacco's public health threat, People Daily, published June 10, 2025, accessed June 11, 2025

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