The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) has called on the Mombasa County government to waive a Sh7,000 levy imposed on trucks transporting tea to the region, arguing the charge significantly reduces tea farmers' bonuses and discourages local value addition.

• TBK Chief Executive Willy Mutai stated that farmers lose Sh0.5 of their bonus for every 21,000 kilos of tea ferried to Mombasa, with approximately 400,000 trailers annually affected.
• Mutai also urged all 47 counties to waive advertising and branding charges on locally manufactured teas, citing job losses for youth in the branding sector if such fees persist between inter-counties.
• East Africa Tea Traders Association (EATAA) managing director George Omuga highlighted Kenya produced 598 million kilos of tea last year, with only 5% consumed locally, and emphasized the need for increased local consumption and value addition to reduce reliance on export markets, noting President William Ruto agreed to exempt duties on packaging materials and machines.