Mitigating Challenges to Kenya’s Scrap Metal Illicit Trade

Abstract

The brief articulates that the proliferation of scrap metal illicit business activities within the country and across the borders could be emboldened by the ongoing political unrest due to the isolated destruction of public infrastructure. The vice has been on the rise despite the establishment of the Scrap Metal Council in 2015. However, decelerating the vice has been challenging due to loopholes in law enforcement mechanisms, low levels of awareness of the illicit trade, and weak collaboration among various actors and stakeholders. The brief recommends that the Scrap Metal Council should strengthen the capacity of its members to combat illicit activities; invest in public awareness campaigns and community-based surveillance networks; intensify collaboration among various actors in tackling the illicit trade in scrap metals; and lobby for enhanced cross boundary cooperation and harmonization of regional framework for imposing unified penalties on smuggled metals.