Weed out dealers exposing public to dangerous food and medicine

Dola flour millers lorries parked at their Majengo's factory in Mombasa after Kenya Bureau of Standard (KBS) banned their products over the high level of aflatoxin. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Kenya could soon become a case study of how incompetence, graft, and selfishness can drive an entire population into serious problems. But in the face of all this, Kenyans can still afford to be indifferent, smile and even joke about their plight when their staple food, drinks and water contain dangerous chemicals. Annually, we have been condemning thousands of children and adults to an early grave due to negligence and failure by agents supposed to ensure the food is free of life threatening elements.

It is even more saddening that although the country is awash with reports of Kenyans consuming maize and associated products which have igh aflatoxin levels, the relevant agencies supposed to deal with the menace are either clueless or engaged in endless turf wars. Explanations by Cabinet Secretaries for Agriculture, Trade and Health appear to be at cross purposes and do not help the situation.