Parliament has launched an investigation into the importation, movement and safety of a controversial consignment of 27,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar linked to Kibos Sugar Refinery Limited.
The MPs seek to determine whether importation procedures were followed, whether proper safeguards exist, and whether the consignment poses any risk if it eventually enters the Kenyan market.
The National Assembly Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives raise concerns that gaps in documentation and handling could pose risks to consumers.
This is after an earlier visit to a bonded warehouse operated by the Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa and inspecting storage facilities at the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi.
Lawmakers are seeking to establish how the consignment moved across the country and whether it meets required safety and regulatory standards.
Committee Chairperson Bernard Shinali expressed concern over possible risks to consumers, noting that the origin and age of the raw sugar could not be independently verified.
“It is not known when the extraction of the raw sugar was done, and it is therefore possible that it could already be expired even for processing purposes,” Shinali said.
According to documents presented to the committee, Kibos Sugar imported about 27,000 tonnes of raw sugar.
Of this, approximately 3,900 tonnes were reportedly transported to Kisumu, while 2,500 tonnes remain stored at the ICD in Nairobi.
Concerns were raised after MPs noted that the consignment lacked key details such as manufacture and expiry dates.
Legislators questioned how such a large shipment could be cleared without full traceability, especially in a sector that directly affects public health.
“We want any activity in relation to the processing of the said sugar stopped immediately until all investigations are concluded and clarity on the safety of the sugar is ascertained,” Shinali said.
Officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) defended the clearance process, stating that the sugar was imported as an industrial raw material for refining and not for direct human consumption, and therefore met import requirements.
However, MPs remained unconvinced, arguing that the absence of production data raised questions about the commodity’s suitability even for industrial processing.
Other legislators demanded accountability over the movement of the consignment. Gichugu MP Robert Gichimu questioned how authorities would guarantee the sugar does not enter the market in raw form.
“How can the stock in the warehouse be safeguarded to ensure it strictly goes to the factory and does not end up in the market in its raw form?” he posed.
The committee also questioned why part of the shipment was transported to Nairobi and Kisumu, instead of being delivered directly to Kibos Sugar’s refinery.
MPs said the movement pattern raised suspicion about possible diversion of the commodity.
Kenya Sugar Board officials told the committee that none of the sugar had been processed, adding that Kibos Sugar’s refinery plant was currently non-operational due to maintenance. However, this explanation further intensified scrutiny among lawmakers.
The Head of the Multi-Agency Team, Samuel Kemboi was at pains to explain why large quantities of sugar were moved despite the refinery breakdown, with MPs warning of possible regulatory loopholes.
The committee has now ordered a suspension of all processing-related activity involving the consignment until investigations are concluded.
