Monday, February 27, 2023 – Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing’oei has thrown Trade CS Moses Kuria under the bus over the China Square Store saga.
In a statement yesterday, Sing’oei told China Square owner Lei Cheng not to be concerned by the calls by Kuria to buy out his lease at the UniCity Mall and hand it over to local traders.
He assured the Chinese investor that provided that he acquired the licenses legally, then there was no cause for alarm.
“No lawful investment actor – irrespective of their nationality – should be apprehensive because the country’s investment regime is non-arbitrary and non-discriminatory,” the PS stated.
Sing’oei’s response came just days after Kuria had indicated that China Square was unfairly competing with local traders.
Kuria questioned how Cheng was awarded a work permit in the country, stating that he should have been enlisted as a manufacturer and not a trader.
City lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi and former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo also condemned the pronouncements by Kuria whom they accused of doublespeak since he was synonymous with pushing for the opening up of the Kenyan market to investors.
On the other hand, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei defended CS Kuria from the backlash and called for the revocation of the dealer’s license.
“The core business of the government is protectionism measures of local businesses first before foreign businesses. China has created a dumping ground for their substandard goods in Africa; it must stop,” Cherargei stated.
This comes even as Cheng closed China Square indefinitely.
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