The Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), has joined 40 organisations across Africa and the world, who had submitted a letter of support to the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Health, sued by British American Tobacco (BAT)

A statement signed by Mr Labram Musah, the Programmes Director of VALD, a civil society group fighting the menace of tobacco use in Ghana, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, declared support to Kenya.

The letter of support from the 40 organisations urged the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Health, James Macharia and the Kenyan government to stand strong against the BAT attempts to derail policy advancements that protect Kenyans from tobacco’s highly addictive and deadly effects.

“This BAT lawsuit is the latest in a long line of tactics the corporation has employed to undermine, delay and thwart the strong tobacco control regulations passed earlier this year.

“The regulations, elaborated after a 13-year legislative battle for the passage of Kenya’s Tobacco Control Act in 2007, have been the target of intense political interference by BAT,” the press release said.

The VALD said in the past, BAT has successfully interfered in policy by coercing government officials to advocate on its behalf, interfering in policymaking through trade committees and third parties, and aggressively lobbying and bribing policymakers.

“When each of these tactics failed to derail the regulations, BAT resorted to litigation against the Ministry of Health,” it said.

The BAT launched its lawsuit in April, claiming the Kenyan Ministry of Health violated due process procedures under the Constitution by not consulting with the tobacco industry.

The signatories to the letter of support rejected such chicanery stating: “These claims are spurious and unfounded in the face of Kenya’s actions, which are consistent with national law.”

It said Kenya’s tobacco control regulations are also validated by the force of international law.

“BAT’s unfounded lawsuit against Kenya is a desperate last-ditch attempt to thwart the deluge of public health measures being passed across the continent,” said Deputy Campaigns Director John Stewart of Corporate Accountability International.

“This letter is a clear demonstration that the global community stands with Kenya in the face of tobacco industry aggression.”

The VALD said tobacco kills more than six million people every year, remaining the largest preventable cause of death globally.

“The American Cancer Society predicts Africa will be the future epicentre of the tobacco epidemic, with smoking rates increasing seven-fold by 2100 unless meaningful policies are put in place. Across Africa, from Nigeria to Uganda, BAT is pulling out all stops to obstruct or delay the passage of tobacco control policies that will curb this epidemic,” the press released stated.

The VALD explained that the good news is that countries, including Kenya, developed the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the world’s first public health and corporate accountability treaty, which has been ratified by 179 countries.

As a party to the treaty, Kenya is taking steps toward fulfilling its legal obligations, including through advancing the Tobacco Control Regulations 2014.

"By standing up against the tobacco industry, the Ministry of Health is prioritising the health of Kenyans,” said Dr Ahmed OgwellOuma, Tobacco Control Regional Adviser at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

“The global tobacco control treaty is Africa’s best defence against the expansion of the tobacco industry and will protect present and future generations.”

The letter of support demonstrates from notable organisations like Corporate Accountability International, American Cancer Society, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Framework Convention Alliance and African Tobacco Control Alliance among others.

“By this release VALD wishes to reiterate its unflinching support to the Kenyans Ministry of Health and good people of Kenya as they gather momentum to protect its citizenry from the tobacco epidemic.”