West Pokot County is in the limelight for producing thriving charcoal businesses owing to the existence of indigenous tree species considered the best suited for the production of the ancient source of energy.
Business people have been known to make a killing in terms of charcoal business with the advent of boda boda services having escalated the business through clandestine movements across the county.
The charcoal business, in which the government has initiated regulations to at least save wanton deforestation in the region, is currently facing numerous challenges.
For instance, at the retail charcoal stores one is supposed to pay a levy to the county government as witnessed at Makutano Centre within Kapenguria Municipality and border points.
A bag of charcoal from the producers goes for less than Sh700 within the interior zones but when it reaches the local markets the price is doubled making smart business people to use motorbikes to source for the commodity for maximum profits.
Our investigations revealed that such business people come from as far as Kitale in Trans Nzoia County where Charcoal prices are more than Sh1700 while in other areas they fetch over Sh2000 per 90kg sack.
By Richard Muhambe
