Wamuzi News Ke
In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves across the nation, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has issued a dire warning—Kenya is staring down the barrel of a long and painful economic recovery triggered by sweeping U.S. policy changes under former President Donald Trump.
Speaking at the Africa Exchange Meeting in Nairobi on Monday, April 7, Mudavadi didn’t hold back. With grim candor, he painted a picture of looming hardship, blaming the sudden 10% reciprocal tariff slammed on Kenyan goods just last Wednesday. The move, part of a dramatic overhaul of U.S. trade strategy, has placed Kenya in a vulnerable economic position.
“Let’s be honest—what’s happening in the United States has the potential to derail our progress for decades,” Mudavadi warned. “Reversing these new policies won’t be a quick fix. It’s a deep cut that’ll take years—maybe even generations—to heal.”
As the country reels from the fallout, Mudavadi—who also serves as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary—urged Kenya and the broader African continent to prepare for a drawn-out adjustment period. He specifically pointed to the gutting of USAID funding and new trade restrictions as critical blows that could upend vital sectors like healthcare and education, which have long depended on American assistance.
The fallout is immediate and brutal. Trump’s tariff, slapped on Kenyan exports in retaliation to VAT practices, now threatens to decimate the Ksh109.7 billion (USD 784 million) trade pipeline between the two nations. Key industries—textiles, coffee, and tea—once protected under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), now find themselves exposed and at risk of collapse.
“We must mobilize resources urgently,” Mudavadi pressed. “We can no longer rely on aid streams that are vanishing before our eyes. The government must step up—fast.”
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) joined the growing chorus of concern over the weekend, pleading with the Trump administration to reverse the economic warpath. CEO Tobias Alando issued a stark warning: the tariff could cripple Kenya’s competitiveness and undo years of carefully built trade relations.
As economic uncertainty mounts, the big question now is—how will Kenya weather this storm? One thing is certain: the clock is ticking, and the cost of delay could be catastrophic.
