This week, the Kenyan Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Response team convened for a strategic training and review meeting to assess progress made in tobacco control advocacy and monitoring efforts across Kenya. The meeting brought together civil society actors, researchers, and advocates committed to countering tobacco industry interference and strengthening public health protections.

The session provided a comprehensive update on ongoing and upcoming initiatives, including new research outputs that will contribute evidence to strengthen tobacco control policy, enforcement, and monitoring frameworks in Kenya. Participants reflected on policy priorities aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and compliance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), particularly Article 5.3, which calls for the protection of public health policies from tobacco industry influence.

A key highlight of the meeting was a detailed showcase of progress under the #UnmaskTheTactics campaign. The campaign continues to expose how tobacco industry actors and front groups infiltrate advocacy spaces, distort public narratives, and promote misleading messages that lack any public health basis. Through coordinated digital advocacy, community engagement, and monitoring, the campaign is strengthening the capacity of advocates to identify, document, and counter these harmful strategies.

Ogweno Stephen, Founder of Stowelink Foundation and a leading Kenyan health advocate, delivered a project update outlining recent milestones, emerging risks, and next steps for the tobacco industry monitoring work. His update emphasized the importance of sustained vigilance, evidence-based advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure that tobacco control policies are not weakened by commercial interests.

Ogweno highlighted that effective tobacco control is inseparable from Kenya’s broader non-communicable disease (NCD) agenda, noting the growing burden of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses linked to tobacco use. He underscored the critical role of youth and civil society in holding both industry and institutions accountable.

The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of Kenyan health advocates to advance stronger tobacco regulation, amplify evidence-informed advocacy, and protect current and future generations from tobacco-related harm. As research findings are finalized and policy engagement deepens, the coalition is positioned to further strengthen Kenya’s leadership in tobacco control across the region.