The issue of tobacco and its impact on health is now a debate worldwide,” were the words from Supreme Court Justice Njoki Ndungu last week while delivering her ruling dismissing a petition by British American Tobacco challenging the 2014 Tobacco Control regulations which proposed to charge the tobacco industry a two percent fee to compensate people affected by smoking and also contribute to tobacco research.
Kenya’s tobacco manufacturing and distribution market is dominated by British American Tobacco (BAT) and Mastermind Tobacco Kenya controlling 78 percent and 20 percent respectively. About 31,000 tobacco farmers grow tobacco on an estimated area of 20,000 hectares under strict contractual agreement with the tobacco companies.
