A major crackdown on counterfeit trade has left entrepreneur and social media personality Shiquo Hii Style counting heavy losses after enforcement officers allegedly swept through her shop and carried away merchandise valued at millions of shillings, a move that has now forced her to rethink her entire business model.
The businesswoman, who deals in shoes, clothing, and household items, confirmed in a video seen by Radio Generation on Wednesday that her outlet was cleared out during the operation, saying her entire shoe stock was taken, leaving her with no choice but to start rebuilding from scratch
She said the incident has been both painful and eye-opening, adding that it has pushed her to reconsider how she sources and sells her products in the market.
“Every piece of shoe was taken because they were counterfeit. There was a big problem. We have to start again, relearn, rebuild and do it again. I want you to learn that if you are dealing with anything like that, it can waste you. When they start to take, they take everything. We shall restructure the whole business. Complaints and blame games will not help us,” she said.
Shiquo noted that the financial damage was severe but stressed that she is taking the setback as a turning point rather than a defeat.
“It’s a big loss for me. I would not want whatever has happened to me to happen to anybody else. If you are dealing with counterfeit products, be careful because they will take everything and it will cost you so much,” she warned.
She further encouraged traders to shift focus towards genuine and locally produced goods, saying building original brands could strengthen both individual businesses and the wider economy.
“Let us start and learn to build our own things. We can also grow something from scratch and not depend on other people.”
She added that supporting local production could also have wider effects beyond business, including helping other sectors grow.
“Maybe our football stars are not growing because we are not supporting them. I can make a shoe with my own brand and then come and support our local football clubs. We slowly grow because these things come fast and go,” she said.
At the same time, she warned traders in similar lines of business to be cautious, saying authorities are tightening enforcement against counterfeit goods and acting without hesitation.
“If you are in this business, do the necessary because they are coming and they do not care,” she said.
The raid, which targeted suspected counterfeit products, saw goods reportedly worth millions of shillings confiscated, dealing a major blow to her operations as she begins efforts to reorganize her business.