The High Court in Kisumu has ordered the government to disclose the identities of importers benefiting from the duty-free importation of 490,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice within seven days, following a petition by the Ahero Rice Farmers Association.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Justice Alfred Mabeya certified the matter as urgent on Thursday, directing the Cabinet Secretaries for the Treasury and Agriculture, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to file responses before the matter returns to court on July 20.

In the interim, the court granted orders compelling the respondents to provide key information regarding the programme established under Gazette Notice No. 10061 of July 6, 2026, which permits duty-free rice imports until November 30.

"The application is certified urgent, and for reasons set out in the Certificate, the same is heard ex parte in the first instance," reads part of Justice Mabeya's orders.

📌 What You Need to Know

The respondents (the government) have been directed to disclose the complete list of approved importers, licensed and prequalified firms, the quantity of rice allocated to each importer, and the amount already imported and cleared into the country.

At the same time, the court also ordered the government to provide customs entry numbers for every consignment, details of all duty exemptions granted, import permits issued, and the criteria used to approve each importer under the programme.

Additionally, the government must reveal how much of the authorised 490,000-metric-tonne quota remains and produce Cabinet memoranda , policy papers, stakeholder consultation reports, public participation records and economic impact assessments that informed the decision.

The petition was filed by the Ahero Rice Farmers Association, which argues that while the government has the authority to import rice to support food security, the programme should be implemented transparently and in accordance with constitutional requirements.

According to the association, local rice farmers in Ahero, Mwea, Bunyala and other rice-growing regions were not consulted before the duty-free importation programme was approved despite the decision directly affecting their livelihoods.

The farmers argue that failure to disclose the identities of importers, allocation criteria and remaining quota makes it impossible for the public to verify whether the programme is being implemented lawfully and within the authorised limits.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke