The revelation by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu that Kenya’s standards watchdog is insolvent after sinking into an Sh1.5 billion hole does not inspire confidence among consumers.
One, the country is mostly a net importer of products given our constrained capability to produce enough, which means whatever comes in through our borders should be thoroughly verified before being allowed in.
With the planned importation of controversial GMO products, concerns will grow about the capacity of Kebs to guarantee the safety of what lands on our tables.
Genetically modified organisms and derived products must comply with product specifications, labelling, codes of practice, food safety assessment and credible methods for detection and quantification.
Unless urgent measures are put in place to give the public watchdog financial muscle, Kenya may be turned into a dumping ground for substandard as well as fake products, exposing consumers to harmful substances.
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