Secret emails, WhatsApp chats and minutes of meetings helped the competition watchdog to crack cartel-like behaviour among top players in the local steel industry, which saw nine firms fined for fixing prices, restricting output, and revising the size of products.
The uncompetitive behaviour was laid bare in a legal battle between the firms and the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) as the steel makers sought to avoid a fine of Sh338.8 million for making illegal arrangements to control prices and interfering with product sizes.
