A proposed 25% excise duty on mobile phones in Kenya's Finance Bill, 2026 could make smartphones unaffordable for low-income households, potentially widening the digital divide.

• A Sh10,000 smartphone could increase to over Sh12,500.
• The Kenyan Treasury aims to raise an additional Sh120 billion in new tax measures.
• Critics argue this contradicts the government's digital transformation agenda and its support for the "hustler economy."