The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has issued a circular removing excise duty on bottled water. Consumers battling the high cost of living may welcome the prospect of lower prices, and policymakers may view it as a measure to ease economic pressure. However, beyond the immediate economic gains lies a bigger question: what does this decision mean for Kenya’s fight against plastic pollution?
At a time when countries are taxing single-use plastics, promoting refill systems and encouraging circular economies, Kenya has chosen to make bottled water cheaper.
While bottled water is not exclusively packaged in plastic, with some brands opting for glass containers, the reality is that it is predominantly sold in plastic bottles, making it a significant contributor to the country’s growing plastic waste problem.
Look around, and much of the plastic waste littering the environment consists of discarded water bottles. They clog drainage channels, accumulate in open dumpsites, wash into rivers and eventually find their way into the ocean. They are among the most visible symbols of Kenya’s growing waste challenge.
That is why the removal of excise duty raises concerns that go beyond affordability.
Taxes are not merely instruments for raising revenue. They are also policy tools that governments use to influence behaviour. Excise duties can discourage the consumption of products associated with environmental costs. Removing them sends the opposite message.
For a country that prides itself on environmental leadership, this is a contradiction. Kenya gained international recognition for banning plastic carrier bags in 2017. The Environment Ministry continues to champion a circular economy, while the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) strengthens Extended Producer Responsibility regulations to ensure producers take responsibility for the waste generated by their products.
This is why there is a need for policy coherence. One arm of government cannot champion plastic reduction while another makes products packaged predominantly in single-use plastic more affordable.
While clean water is a basic necessity and many Kenyans rely on bottled water because confidence in public water systems remains low, our development objective should not be to deepen dependence on bottled water.
Vision 2030 envisages a clean, secure and sustainable environment as a pillar of national development. Achieving that aspiration requires investment in reliable piped water systems, public refill stations and improved water quality standards, led by the Ministry of Water, county governments and relevant agencies.
The National Treasury and KRA must also ensure that fiscal decisions complement, rather than undermine, Kenya’s broader plastics policy and environmental commitments.
Kenya cannot speak boldly about ending plastic pollution in international forums while simultaneously adopting policies that stimulate demand for products that are largely packaged in plastic.
The writer is a climate action enthusiast and a communications specialist at Windward Communications Consultancy.
