Efficient and professional Kebs will guarantee quality goods

NAIROBI: Last week I attended a conference organised by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). It is one of the few government institutions that are in a direct line of fire every time fatalities or injuries occur from consumer goods that, prior to entering the market, must have the seal of approval. Ensuring quality and safety is the primary responsibility of Kebs.

Earlier this year, there was an outcry over the effects of unlicensed, often poisonous alcoholic brew that led President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare an all out war on illicit brew. There have been incidences of imported maize laden with aflatoxin resulting in unnecessary deaths. There have been cases of expired or uninspected cosmetics and foodstuffs finding their way onto supermarket shelves, endangering lives. Products have been finding their way into the Kenyan market without the prerequisite certification or meeting international standards. Fighting counterfeit and substandard goods is the mandate of Kebs.

Yet for some time there have been fears the regulatory body was not up to task given counterfeit goods permeating every corner of the country. The high turnover of top managers in a short span of time pointed to political machinations given the sensitivity of the institution. Politicians, being who they are, would unfairly try to influence the issuance of import licences to friends or themselves. This has for a long time compromised professionalism. But, as musician Bob Marley sang; out of the darkness there must come out the light, Kebs is a whole new institution, an outfit that now takes it watchdog duties seriously.

To fight rampant counterfeiting, which was made possible by an easily copied seal that bore no security features, Kebs has introduced new tamper-proof security features in their quality seal that has been classified into three categories; Standardisation Mark (SM), Diamond Mark (DM) and Import Standardisation Mark (ISM). In order to safeguard Kenyans, Kebs has introduced a new concept known as pre-export verification of conformity (PVoC). In essence, this means goods entering Kenya must be inspected at the country of origin and bear a seal and certificate from the inspecting institution which must be recognised internationally. Goods that do not meet this requirement will be turned back at the point of entry. Alternatively, such goods can be tested by Kebs at a fee to the importer. To ensure this, Kebs has set up staff and equipment at points of entry to screen all incoming products.

Kebs has also endeavoured to limit deaths from illicit brews by imposing strict controls on methanol which it now insists must be denatured before being supplied. Kebs has also suspended 76 brewers who did not have laboratories for carrying out tests on the quality of their products. Distinguishing between ethanol and methanol is impossible without a laboratory.

Nevertheless, Kebs faces challenges in executing its mandate, especially in terms of staffing. With only 1,000 staff, the regulator might be constrained in its operations, but that can be countered with input from a vigilant public that is able to report counterfeits using a toll free line.

The government must also invest heavily in Kebs by buying modern machinery and scientific material for testing various goods. So far the regulatory body is self sustaining, but increased government funding would improve its performance. The role of the media in making Kebs succeed cannot be over emphasised given its wider reach both in print and electronic media. The success of an efficient and professional KEBS means safety and quality for all Kenyans.