NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya is working to broker a new trade agreement with the United States following President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of a 10 percent tariff on Kenyan exports.
The tariff, which was announced on April 2, 2025, as part of Trump’s broader “reciprocal tariffs” strategy, has prompted the Kenyan government to explore avenues to address the impact on its economy.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui confirmed on Monday that Kenya has initiated discussions with the U.S. government to appeal the tariffs.
Kinyanjui explained that the 10 percent tariff imposed on Kenyan exports was in response to Kenya’s own tariff policies, including concerns over currency manipulation and trade barriers, as outlined by the White House.
While Trump later paused tariffs for all countries except China, Kinyanjui noted that this has created an opportunity for nations, including Kenya, to present their case to the U.S. government.
“We will be appealing this 10 percent trade tariff, and we have already drafted the rationale for that,” Kinyanjui stated during an interview on Citizen TV’s Monday Report program.
The reciprocal tariffs are expected to affect Kenya’s total goods trade with the U.S., which amounted to $737.3 million (Ksh. 95.3 billion) in 2024, primarily in apparel, coffee, and tea.
In response to the tariffs, Kinyanjui revealed that Kenya sent a delegation to Washington last week to discuss the matter and explore possible solutions.
Beyond the appeal, Kenya is also eyeing a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which currently grants Kenya tariff exemptions, is set to expire in September 2025.
“Kenya is likely to be the second country to have a direct Free Trade Agreement with the U.S., following Morocco,” said Kinyanjui, referencing the Morocco Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA), which came into effect in January 2006.
An FTA with the U.S. would further strengthen Kenya’s trade relations with the world’s largest economy and help to mitigate the challenges posed by the expiration of AGOA.
Kinyanjui emphasized that Kenya is also looking to diversify its export markets to avoid overdependence on the U.S. amid global economic turbulence.
“This is a moment of global turbulence, not just a Kenya issue. We have to go through the storm and adjust accordingly,” he said, highlighting the need for flexibility in Kenya’s trade strategies.
