Nairobi — Kenya's regional and global leadership in tobacco control received fresh validation today after the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, hosted a high-level delegation from the Republic of Namibia in Nairobi.

The visit marks the beginning of a benchmarking mission by Namibia, which seeks to learn from Kenya's acclaimed progress in tobacco regulation, taxation, and surveillance.

Kenya has earned international recognition for its robust tobacco control measures--including comprehensive smoke-free laws, graphic health warnings, and a pioneering track-and-trace system that monitors the movement of tobacco and nicotine products across the supply chain.

These milestones have positioned the country as a frontrunner in Africa's fight against tobacco-related harms.

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The Namibian delegation will review Kenya's implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), with an emphasis on strengthened taxation regimes, enforcement mechanisms, and strategies to curb illicit tobacco and nicotine trade.

The team is expected to engage Kenyan technical experts, hold discussions with regulatory agencies, and visit the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to observe digital tax-monitoring systems in action.

PS Mary Muthoni described the visit as a powerful step toward enhancing regional collaboration and strengthening Africa's collective response to tobacco use, which remains a leading cause of preventable death on the continent.

She applauded the World Health Organization for supporting the knowledge-exchange initiative and underscored Kenya's commitment to sharing best practices with neighbouring countries.

"Such engagements are essential for advancing our shared public health goals and building stronger systems across the region," Muthoni said.