Kenya's Anti-Counterfeit Bill - progress

According to Daily Dispatch, Kenya's Anti-Counterfeit Bill will be re-introduced in Parliament and introduced into law by the end of the year. Kenyan Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey said he would ensure that the Bill passed through the House. The Anti-Counterfeit Bill, 2007 was introduced in the last Parliament and only reached the first reading stage before the House was dissolved. As a result, all pending legislation has to be re-introduced. According to the draft Bill, dealers in counterfeit goods risk either 15 years in jail or a fine five times the value of the fake goods. It is estimated that manufacturers whose goods are affected experience losses in operating capacities of up to 30 per cent and associated loss in employment opportunities of above 27 per cent. Cases are reported of imported counterfeits but there is also a level of locally manufactured counterfeits. Beauty products, batteries and detergents are the most commonly imitated products. In addition Afro Leo notes previous reports on the scale of counterfeiting Kenya, particularly with respect to drugs, external pressure from pharma companies, from KIPI, from the ACCK and from IP Kenya.