The East African Community has approved new import duty rates for Kenya covering mobile phones, rice, baby diapers and other goods.
Kenya will apply a 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones for one year, replacing the previous zero per cent Common External Tariff rate. The change appears in the EAC Gazette published on June 30, 2026.
The country will also raise the duty on baby diapers from 25 per cent to 35 per cent for one year, matching decisions by Uganda and Tanzania. Rice imports will face a reduced rate of 35 per cent or USD200 per metric tonne.
Kenya retained its existing duty on second-hand clothes at 35 per cent or USD0.20 per kilogram. It secured zero per cent duty on lithium batteries and on raw materials for animal feeds, both for one year.
The measures allow temporary departures from standard regional rates under the EAC Common External Tariff framework.
