In a bid to address the growing concerns surrounding the condemned sugar issue, the Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Committee chaired by Hon. James Gakuya (Embakasi North) recently held a follow-up meeting with the Acting Managing Director of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Ms. Esther Ngari. The meeting aimed to provide the Managing Director with ample opportunity to respond to the questions raised by the Committee in the last meeting held on Tuesday, June 20th 2023.
During the initial meeting, the Committee members expressed their deep concern over reports of substandard and potentially harmful sugar entering the local market. The Committee’s primary objective is to investigate how this condemned sugar made its way to the Kenyan market.
As the acting head of KEBS, Ms. Ngari faced critical inquiries regarding the failure to detect the consignment’s disappearance from the warehouse. KEBS documents indicated that installation of CCTV and a backup system were mandatory before storing the condemned sugar, raising concerns from the Committee members. In response, Ms. Ngari clarified that the warehouse was sealed therefore negating the necessity for KEBS to remain stationed there.
As the investigation into the presence of adulterated sugar in the market continues, the Committee has arranged a meeting with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and other companies, including Asset and Cargo Ltd, Galgamesh, and Vinepack Industries. The purpose of this meeting is to further investigate and establish the circumstances surrounding how Kenyans came to possess the contaminated sugar.
โKenyans deserve to consume the best standard of products. Laxity as shown by KEBS in failing to convert the condemned sugar into ethanol for over 6 months put the lives of Kenyans at risk. This Committee implores KEBS to take their mandate with utmost seriousness and ensure that Kenyans are not exposed to counterfeit goods. This Committee will get to the bottom of this matter.โ Said the Chairperson, Hon. Gakuya.