The political onslaught against China Square has now gone a notch higher after the state launched investigations on some of the products being sold at the Thika road shopping complex.
This is as the store which had become an internet sensation due to its cheap prices and wide catalogue of products remained closed for the third day yesterday.
Lei Cheng, the 38-year-old owner of the store has said he does not know when he will reopen it. He has however reported his tiff with the Ministry of Trade to the Chinese Embassy.
“The embassy encouraged us to do business following Kenya rules and laws and that everything should be ok,” said Cheng.
But even as Cheng awaits for a solution for the crisis that has fallen on his store to be resolved, it has emerged that the Anti Counterfeit Agency has launched investigations on China Square.
According to the Anti Counterfeit Agency, China Square is suspected of selling fake products alleged to have been manufactured by a Chinese company called Finder.
“We have an active case that we are investigating against China Square after a Chinese manufacturing company called Finder claimed that their products had been counterfeited by China Square and that they have infringed on their intellectual property,” Mr Tom Indimuli, the communications manager at the Anti-Counterfeit Agency told the Daily Nation.
Cheng however says the timing of the investigation is suspicious and that it amounts to witch hunt. He says the issue between China Square and Finder was just a misunderstanding that resolved a long time ago.
“Finder issue was resolved by the Finder brand company in China. It was a misunderstanding and the issue was withdrawn, said Cheng.
China Square opened on January 29, offering a range of household items, from kitchenware to furniture and hardware.
The store became an immediate hit but Kenyan traders claim that China Square has cut them out of the market by selling its goods at a deep discount.
The government appears to have sided with local traders hence the move to shut down the store.
