To stop patenting of traditional fabric kikoi by a British firm, Kenyan Government has filed a petition in a London court. An unnamed UK fashion designer was reported to be on the verge of pirating the Kenyan fabric.
It has been found that local products including ciondo (a traditional basket), a soapstone used in sculpturing and few Turkana cultural antiquity, already are patented abroad.
Trade and Industry Minister, Mukhisa Kituyi has directed the Kenya Intellectual Property Institute (KIPI) to speed up the registration of local products to prevent foreign firms from pirating them.
This patent will ensure that country can reap maximum benefits from the products available.