Stakeholders from the North Rift region on Thursday submitted their views on the proposed National Trade Development Bill, 2025 during a public participation forum held in Uasin Gishu County.
Addressing the forum on behalf of Principal Secretary Regina Ombam, State Department for Trade, the Secretary for Trade, Michael Mandu, said the Bill seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the development, facilitation, promotion and regulation of both domestic and international trade.
He noted that the public engagement exercise, being conducted across the country, is in line with constitutional requirements on public participation.
Mandu said the Bill has been developed to address persistent challenges in the trade sector, including fragmented regulations between national and county governments, duplication of licences and fees, barriers to the movement of goods and services across counties, and limited support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly women and youth traders
“The bill proposes harmonization of business licensing and trade-related charges to eliminate duplication and unnecessary regulatory burdens, while promoting ease of doing business and inter-county trade,” Mandu said.
He added that the legislation also introduces provisions on digital trade, e-commerce and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to modernise trade governance and enhance competitiveness.
He noted that county governments are recognised as key partners in trade development and that the Bill provides mechanisms to strengthen coordination between the two levels of government, the private sector and other non-state actors
On his part, Kipchumba Barno, Director of Trade in Uasin Gishu County, said the county was privileged to host the public participation exercise, noting that Uasin Gishu is a key trading hub for the wider North Rift region.
“Neighbouring counties benefit from our strategic position as a centre of trade. Once enacted, we shall domesticate the bill to ensure traders and residents fully benefit from improved regulation and opportunities,” Barno said.
Limakina Joel, Chief Officer for Trade, Industrialisation and Energy in West Pokot County, said the Bill would help strengthen trade in historically marginalised regions by providing a clearer legal framework to support service delivery, resource mobilization and economic growth under devolution.
According to a public notice issued by the State Department for Trade, the public participation forums are being conducted between 3rd and 11th February, 2026 across various regions of the country.
Members of the public and stakeholders who are unable to attend the physical forums have also been invited to submit their views through written memoranda using the Draft National Trade Development Bill, 2025 Memorandum Submission Template, which is available for download on the State Department for Trade website at www.trade.go.ke/downloads.
Written submissions may be sent via email to psfortrade@gmail.com or delivered through P.O. Box 30430–00100, Nairobi, on or before Thursday, 12th February, 2026.
Views collected from all regions will be consolidated and considered before the bill is finalised and forwarded to the next stage of the legislative process.
By Fredrick Maritim
