BREAKING: Parliament may have just made sugar more expensive for millions of Kenyans.
Parliament has approved an amendment in the Finance Bill 2026, increasing the tax on imported sugar from KSh 7.50 per kg to KSh 40 per kg.
The explanation?
"Protect local farmers."
Sounds patriotic.
Sounds reasonable.
Sounds like something everyone should support.
But here is what they are not telling you:
Kenya consumes about 1.2 million tonnes of sugar every year.
In 2025, we produced only about 613,000 tonnes.
That means nearly half of the sugar we need has to come from somewhere else.
Imports.
So if we still depend on imported sugar, who exactly will pay this extra tax?
The importer?
The wholesaler?
Or the ordinary Kenyan buying sugar for tea?
I have seen this script before.
A tax is introduced in the name of helping Kenyans.
Months later, prices quietly go up.
Then we are told the increase was caused by "market forces."
Maybe I am wrong.
But if sugar prices start rising in the coming months, remember this post.