The ongoing investigation into the sale of substandard cooking oil in Kenya has taken a new turn, as the Kenya National Trade Corporation (KNTC) publicly criticised the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for not informing them about the unsafe edible oil imported into the country. This revelation came during a Senate Trade Committee session on Tuesday.
Key Highlights:
- KNTC acting managing director Peter Njoroge expressed concerns about KEBS’s lack of communication regarding the substandard oil.
- The KNTC released the flagged cooking oil into the market without receiving any guidance from KEBS.
- An ongoing investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has been initiated.
A Breach of trust
During the Senate hearing, Njoroge informed lawmakers that KNTC only learnt about the substandard oil after KEBS officials disclosed the details during their testimony. “KNTC learnt from the response of KEBS to the Senate that they had issued instructions to KNTC to reject, reship, or destroy the specified consignment of the edible cooking oil,” he stated. This communication breakdown has raised serious questions about the processes in place to ensure food safety for Kenyan consumers.
In addition to this alarming oversight, KNTC officials admitted to a staggering loss of Ksh6 billion in irregular payments made to several companies that purportedly imported edible cooking oil for the Kenyan government. This financial loss drew strong criticism from the Senate committee members, who expressed their outrage at the corporation’s handling of public resources and questioned how such a significant amount could be lost due to price alterations in the oil market.
A betrayal to ordinary citizens
The lawmakers did not hold back, labelling the situation as a betrayal of the ordinary citizens, particularly the “hustlers,” who are already struggling to make ends meet. The ramifications of this incident are widespread, affecting not only public trust in regulatory bodies but also the daily lives of Kenyans relying on safe and affordable cooking oil.
Meanwhile, in September, KEBS officials had previously informed the same committee that around 32 million litres of the flagged oil were being sold to unsuspecting Kenyans. KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari clarified that the cooking oil imported by the government last year was never authenticated.
The government had reportedly imported this oil between May and June 2023. Ngari further noted that out of the 73 containers of the imported consignment, 44 contained cooking oil that failed to meet the necessary mineral content standards as per KEBS regulations. “We tested eight consignments, and the results showed failure. As far as KEBS is concerned, the consignments were rejected, and therefore KNTC could not sell them out,” Ngari confirmed.
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This incident raises serious questions about food safety and regulatory practices in Kenya as the investigation continues.