This archive report was first published on 13 July 2019.
On October 23, 2018, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua tabled a bill in Parliament to limit foreign investors from doing work that Kenyans can do.
The bill, an amendment to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, aims to promote local businesses and the Big Four Agenda by limiting tenders below Sh1 billion to Kenyan investors only.
Gachagua argued that local businesses are struggling to grow and compete with cheap Chinese goods flooding the market.
“We have what I would call the Chinese economic invasion to the Republic of Kenya. This people came and are slowly kicking out the owner of the house economically. This has to stop,” said Gachagua.
The proposed bill also includes stiffer penalties for local individuals who accept to be used by foreigners to register companies on their behalf.
