Nairobi, Sept. 2 -- Nairobi's commercial streets went quiet on August 28, 2026. Along Moi Avenue, Kenyatta Avenue and Tom Mboya Street, traders pulled down their shutters and marched to Times Tower, protesting a Customs change they say could bury small importers.

The dispute is over a single number: Sh3.2 million, the new minimum benchmark for a 40-foot container carrying consolidated goods, up from Sh2.5 million.

KRA says the Sh3.2 million benchmark is provided for under the East African Community Customs Management Act's customs valuation framework and is not a new tax or a law passed by Parliament.

That figure had remained unchanged since the 2022/23 financial year. Since then, the shilling has weakened, freight costs have shifted a...