Stringent tobacco control laws have not only banned smoking in public places, but have also prohibited cigarette companies from advertising their products and sponsoring social or charity events.
Jump to full article: Business Daily Africa (The Nation) (ke), 2009-03-02
Author: Written by Jim Onyango
Intro: Last year, cigarette maker British American Tobacco Kenya donated Sh10 million to the Kenya Red Cross Society to help settle political violence victims. This year the disaster management organisation went back to the tobacco firm for help, but came out empty handed.
BAT Kenya has declined to support charity organisations because of stringent tobacco control laws that have not only banned smoking in public places, but has also prohibited cigarette companies from advertising their products and sponsoring social or charity events.
"Some people even suggested we should donate quietly, but we said any donation for charity work is contrary to the new laws. We have stopped sponsoring communities around us" says Julie Adell-Owino, the firm's head of corporate and regulatory affairs.
The tobacco firm declined to give financial support to the Kenya Red Cross despite an existing memorandum of understanding between the two organizations outlining parameters of co-operation.
Two weeks ago, the tobacco company also declined to heed President Kibaki's request for donations to support the victims of the Molo and Nakumatt fire disasters.
"It will be morally wrong to bend the laws to suit a particular moment. This will portray the company in a bad light, we will always stick with the law" says BAT, which supported the enactment of the laws on the grounds that it would bar children from accessing cigarettes and that it will also address health concerns levelled against tobacco products.
The stand taken by BAT has been replicated by other tobacco manufacturing firms in Kenya and it is likely to hurt social amenities supported by these firms. . . .
Last year, BAT Kenya donated 300 computers to schools and this earned it a seat on the country's ICT board. As a result of the stringent anti smoking laws, tobacco firms have been left sitting on millions of shillings allocated for social responsibility activities but which they cannot spend.
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