A group of hospitality traders in Kisumu County publicly opposed a draft amendment that would raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, describing the measure as impractical.

The opposition was voiced during a public participation exercise on the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill held in Kisumu on Saturday, where traders questioned how the new age limit would be enforced.

The age‑increase proposal originated from a stakeholder forum in Nairobi hosted by the National Assembly Committee on Health earlier in the week, where several participants expressed support for raising the age limit.

Committee Chairperson Dr James Nyikal noted that there was broad concurrence among stakeholders on raising the age of consent for nicotine products to 21, adding that the committee welcomed the proposal as it would reduce future workload.

Dan Ouma, chair of the Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK) in Kisumu, challenged the practicality of the change, asking whether consumers would need to produce new ID cards and how enforcement would be managed.

Other contested provisions in the amendment

Traders also raised objections to a clause that would prohibit the sale of tobacco and nicotine products within 100 metres of locations frequented by children, arguing that existing tobacco laws already require designated smoking zones.

Additionally, the Bill proposes that counties issue separate tobacco‑trading licences, a move traders say would increase operating costs beyond the current single business permit system.

Committee to compile stakeholder submissions

The National Assembly Committee on Health concluded its public participation sessions in Kisumu and Nanyuki on Saturday and will now retreat to draft a report that incorporates the submissions received from stakeholders across the country.