Time flies with great content! Renew in to keep enjoying all our premium content.
Prime
Tobacco Bill reignites county-national row over business licences
A farmer on his tobacco farm in Kavalula village, Kitui County, on April 7, 2026. Tobacco manufacturers and traders are opposing proposals that would require county governments to issue licences to all dealers in tobacco and nicotine products.
The overlapping mandates between county and national governments are back in the spotlight amid a fresh row over proposed tobacco control laws, adding to a growing list of disputes over the cost of doing business.
Overlapping roles in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution have, over the years, triggered conflicts between the national government and devolved units in key areas such as public health management, business licensing and revenue collection, public land, and physical planning.
