Kenyan traders protest against Chinese competitors for pushing them out of local markets

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Hundreds of traders in the Kenyan capital Nairobi took to the streets on Tuesday to protest what they called China’s takeover of their businesses.

The demonstration led to running battles between the traders and police, who tried to disperse them.

The traders who came from various markets in Nairobi, including Dubois Street, Gikomba, and Nyamakima, marched to the office of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while blowing whistles and trumpets and chanting slogans.

"What we want is sanity in the business. The Chinese have flooded the market, selling cheaper products, some of which are very substandard," Purity Njeri, a trader, told Anadolu, adding that “we don't have any business now to do.”

In recent years, the Kenyan government has worked closely with China to boost trade and investment between the two countries.

The influx of Chinese retailers into the Kenyan market, however, has become a point of contention, with many local traders feeling left out and marginalized.

The traders say they will continue to protest until their concerns are addressed and their businesses are protected.

Samuel Mureithi, another trader, lamented that the majority of them are small-scale traders who cannot compete with Chinese companies.

"We are small-scale traders with small shops… they have big shops where they have invested a lot of money. This kind of competition is not fair,” Mureithi said, adding that “it is like comparing a mouse to an elephant."

The traders claim that Chinese retailers have infiltrated the Kenyan market, causing local traders to lose business. They accuse Chinese retailers of selling goods at lower prices, undercutting local traders and making it difficult for them to compete.

The protest brought traffic to a standstill on the busy Harambee Avenue, just outside the deputy president's office building.

The traders demanded an audience with the deputy president to air their grievances and seek protection for their businesses.

The government has promised to address the traders' concerns, and on Wednesday, the deputy president will meet with their representatives.​​​​​​​