Ping-pong games played at port with imported maize leads to Sh217m waste

By Standard on Sunday Reporter

The game of ping-pong over the status of a 6,200 tonne maize consignment imported by Government has brought credibility of public agencies charged with food safety into focus.

It is not clear where the buck stops and who is to be believed.

The Permanent Secretary for Special Programmes Ali Dawood, who imported the maize, now wants independent tests conducted to settle the dispute between Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), Government Chemist, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), and a private consultant hired by the office of the Prime Minister.

CEO, Grain Bulk Handlers, Mohamed Jaffer and Mr David Wedmaier (left) talks to US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger at the Mombasa port, on Friday. [PHOTO: OMONDI ONYANGO/STANDARD]

"The credibility of sensitive national institutions is at stake. When agencies like Government Chemist, Kebs, and Kephis differ on matters of food safety and science, the need for unequivocal clarification arises. We should be open and invite independent tests from World Health Organisation and others. Only one verdict is correct, and we should not lose the opportunity to find out which one," Dawood said in an interview.

He said even if the maize were to be declared fit for human consumption, it would not be distributed for food. "We do not believe the maize is bad. But serious doubts have been cast against this particular consignment. We do not wish to take chances with people’s lives. In any case, we wonder what would have happened had we released the maize to animal feed makers after the first Kebs’ advise," he said.

Kebs, using laboratory tests conducted by the Government Chemist, declared the consignment contaminated and unfit for human consumption in December. Public Health Minister Beth Mugo (under whose ministry the Government Chemist falls) issued a public alert that the maize is tainted with high levels of Aluminium Phosphide.

"Only my ministry can say the grain is safe for consumption or not. My officers have said it is not good and it should never have been allowed into the country," Mugo told a press briefing last week.

In between the Kebs verdicts, Kephis, the foremost scientific authority on plant material sanitation and quality assurance, had conducted its own tests and certified the consignment was fit for human consumption as any other.

"I have no reason at all to doubt the Kephis findings and opinion. Kephis boasts of multiple accreditations regionally and internationally in plant health issues. Those who know Kephis capability and reputation are surprised anyone would dispute its scientific opinion," said Dr Wilson Songa, agriculture secretary. He is a bio safety expert. An independent consultant engaged by the office of the Prime minister last week released his report, giving the maize a clean bill of health.

The parliamentary committee on Agriculture, headed by Naivasha MP John Mututho, is expected to table a report of its findings once the House reopens. Sources claim fat cats had conspired to condemn the maize for destruction, and then divert it to the market.

The Special Programmes Ministry paid Sh217 million to NCPB to buy the maize on its behalf.