Nairobi, April 20 -- Coffee brokers have moved to court over alleged regulatory failures and opaque operations at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE), accusing authorities of allowing unlawful practices in the country's coffee trading system.

In a petition filed at the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi, the Coffee Brokerage Association of Kenya (CBAK) claims that the NCE is operating without lawful licensing, transparent governance or a valid statutory framework. They allege that the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), which is listed as an interested party in the suit, has failed to enforce compliance and regulate the NCE's activities.

The brokers want the court to declare the exchange's operations unconstitutional and illegal, compel the CMA...