By Gitahi Ngunyi
A private sector lobby group bringing together businesses involved in the food production value chain has urged NGO alliance, Scaling-Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance (SUN CSA) to engage the Kenyan government on the high taxes levied on food commodities in the country.
Scaling-Up Nutrition Business Network (SBM) which has a membership of 146 Kenyan businesses operating in the food value chain in a presentation made at a regional workshop organized by civil society organisations working on nutrition issues.
“A key area that SBM will need to collaborate with SUN CSA is on bringing down or harmonizing the CESS charges which contribute immensely to the rising cost of food in Kenya,” said SBM’s senior associate Maureen Muketha in her presentation at the Scaling-Up Nutrition East and Southern Africa Regional Group workshop held in Machakos. .
CESS is a form of tax levied by county government on goods as they move across county borders. SBM Senior Partnership Associate Ruth Munyinyi said CESS charges were a major factor hindering access and affordability of food. In an interview on the sidelines of the workshop, she noted that her lobby group had observed silent in country factors that affect the prices of food in Kenya besides the global factors such as the war in Ukraine and the high prices of oil,
“One of the in country factors in Kenya in taxation. The main factor affecting affordability is the price of food where the driver of high prices is taxation. We have seen a marked increase in food prices over the recent past,” said Munyinyi.
As food commodities move from counties to their different destinations, they are taxed at every stop by county governments.
Munyinyi said SUN CSA has access to a lot of knowledge resources and could play a pivotal role in leading the conversation that will lead to either reduction or harmonization of CESS across the counties.
“The SUN CSA is pivotal in engagement and creating linkages with government officials and have good relations with private sector and non-profit sector. As they push for scaling up nutrition, it is within their reach to influence taxation because it is a critical factor affecting the state of nutrition in the country,” she said.
SUN CSA National Coordinator Edgar Onyango said the alliance welcomed the call SBM and would be glad to lead the discussions that would contribute to reduction in food prices.
“As an alliance, we will support all efforts that seek to improve nutrition in the country,” said Onyango.
SUN CSA is an alliance bringing together civil society organisations working to improve nutrition in the country and is part of the global Scaling-Up Nutrition Movement known simply as the SUN Movement.
