President William Ruto has announced plans to remove the 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones in a bid to make smartphones more affordable for all Kenyans.
“We will pursue the necessary legal and customs processes so that we remove the 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones,” Ruto stated during the 63rd Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Keino Stadium on Tuesday, October 20.
Ruto asserted that the government would pursue the necessary legal and customs processes to eliminate the tax.
The Head of State argued that mobile phones were no longer luxury items but essential tools for education, business, banking and employment, particularly among young Kenyans.
President William Ruto attending the 63rd Mashujaa Day celebrations at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
PCS
“As you all know, a mobile phone is no longer a luxury. It is a classroom, a marketplace, a bank and an office for many young Kenyans and a gateway to employment,” he said.
Ruto added that making mobile phones more affordable would enable more Kenyans to access opportunities in the digital economy.
The 25 per cent import duty on mobile phones was introduced in the country from July 1, 2026, after the East African Community (EAC) revised its Common External Tariff.
The introduction of the 25 per cent tax significantly increased the cost of importing smartphones into the country, with the duty calculated alongside other applicable taxes.
Besides the import duty, imported mobile phones are also subject to a 10 per cent excise duty, 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) and a 2 per cent Railway Development Levy (RDL).
These charges contribute to the overall taxes on phones, which the National Treasury has previously estimated at 55.5 per cent under the existing tax system.
The latest declaration comes as a major relief for many Kenyans seeking to purchase smartphones, with the latest directive expected to lower the retail prices of phones.
However, in his declaration, the President did not provide a specific timeline for removing the mobile phone import duty or details on the legal and customs changes required to implement the proposal.
An image showing someone testing a new phone, with a number of new phones lined up in a store.
Photo
ET Telecom