I want to ensure everything in this country runs on standards

Evah Adega Oduor, 54, is the Managing Director of Kenya Bureau of Standards. She is charged with running the organisation and ensuring continuous improvement on quality standards of goods and services in the country. She spoke to NJOKI CHEGE.

I attended Lwak Girls’ High School in Siaya County in the late 1960s and later Limuru Girls’ High School for ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels respectively. I later joined the University of Nairobi where I studied chemistry and biochemistry — a discipline that enabled me to secure employment at Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) as assistant laboratory analyst in 1980.

Evah Adega Oduor

A few years later, I was granted study leave to pursue a Master’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Nairobi.

Shortly after joining Kebs, two colleagues and I were sent on a one-year training on food, chemical and microbiological analysis in Germany. On completion of our training, we were given the task of setting up the Kebs laboratories from scratch — a task I consider one of my earliest achievements in my career. This was the beginning of my career journey at Kebs.

I worked in testing laboratories for 22 years, leading it to achieve the highest level of competence by acquiring ISO.IEC 17025 accreditation. I also initiated the establishment of chemical metrology.

In 2004, Kebs underwent a restructuring process where several positions were advertised internally. I applied and got the position general manager, standards. It was time to move on. I must say it was a new and exciting challenge for me. Kebs had decided to include the aspect of trade in their mandate by promoting international trade through standardisation. This position gave me an opportunity to travel, learn and look at Kebs’ mandate vis-a-vis that of the international world. The experience also exposed me to the side of standardisation that I now know. I needed it to steer this organisation ahead. These are years that will forever remain priceless in my career progression.

International trade

In 2008, the institution underwent a second restructuring that saw me rise to the position of director, standards and international trade. Four years later, the position of managing director was advertised, and the rest of the story is out there.

Unbeknown to many, Kebs is a three-in-one organisation; consisting the measurements (metrology) institution, the normative specification department and the enforcement department in charge of quality assessment and inspection. Besides that, we are a certification body that gives the ISO 9,000 and 1,400 as well as a training institution.

Our core mandate is standards development and maintenance. The world runs on standards and our primary aim is to industrialise and facilitate trade. We are right in the middle of the Vision 2030, as we provide the link to national development and regional harmonisation. Exports need to meet certain standards in order to facilitate growth, and consumers need to be protected in order to live in a safe and healthy environment. This is why we have positioned ourselves in different regions and border points to control the entries and survey the products going to the market.

I am also the co-ordinator for the African International Electro-technical Commission. This is the international standardisation arm for electronics and electrical goods. I represent Africa in the commission. In fact, they call me their African commission.

Being the chairperson of the African Regional Organisation for Standardisation, I am at the helm of the body which is charged with promotion of standardisation, quality assurance, metrology and testing activities across the African continent and the support of inter-African co-operation in these fields.

In 1981, I was awarded certificates for moderating international workshops on climate change and trade for 50 countries held in Sweden after they were impressed with the way I moderated the workshop. I am also considered an expert in issues of standardisation within the region.

I am the vice-president of the African Electro technical Commission (Afsec), the African arm that deals with electro-technical standards. Because of the trust they have in Kenya, they have held several workshops and trainings here.

Protecting consumers

The challenges on the job are high. We have a dual mandate of protecting the consumer and facilitating trade. Sometimes consumers want the impossible, while the traders want to take shortcuts. We, therefore, have to strike a balance and ensure that in the process of protecting consumers, we do not strangle businesses.

Setting and maintaining standards is not an easy task — particularly when it comes to protecting the dignity of consumers.

The issue of illegal brew is one of the challenges we face. There are many people brewing alcohol that does not reach the main market. Our main aim is to get these people to do their business the right way.

This is why Kebs works with all stakeholders such as National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority (Nacada) to see how we can deal with illegal brew. We also work closely with local authorities to find those trading the illicit brew.

Another challenge we face is getting the SMEs to the frontline — this is what will spur economic growth in our country. The challenge mainly lies in getting people to come together as a team to make a difference. Lack of a good consumer movement in Kenya is also a challenge since many consumers do not know their rights.

Kebs has come a long way and I appreciate the efforts of all those who were at the helm before me; but I also believe there is still more that needs to be done; considering that a world of standards is very dynamic.

I have a three-year contract at Kebs within which time I hope to change the perception people have of the organisation. I hope to make everyone understand the importance of a standards organisation. We will strive to change the thinking of our people and make sure this country runs on standards.

We are a musical family

I was born in December, 1957. I am the fourth born in a family of nine children. My father worked as a physiotherapist at Kenyatta National Hospital while my mother still is a social worker. We thus lived at Kenyatta Estate in Nairobi. Growing up among five brothers was interesting as I learnt to curve my space among men at an early age.

Ours was always a close-knit family. We had a lot of love from our parents and we learnt the value of sharing, having come from a big family. When I turned seven, I was taken to boarding school — I guess my parents thought I was too playful and needed to settle down and get serious with my schoolwork.

I am married to Jasper Oduor — an electrical engineer. We are blessed with two children. The firstborn is a girl who is 25 years old. She is at Berkley College of Music in Boston studying music. Our second born is a boy who is 22 years old and studying civil engineering at the University of Stanford.

My family has been my greatest pillar of support, cheering me on and always believing in me.

I am a born-again Christian and I have been a member of Nairobi Pentecostal Church choir for a long time. We are a musical family; my son plays the guitar and piano, my daughter, too is a musician and we enjoy making music together.

Music plays an important part in my life. For many years I looked forward to Thursdays because that is when we have choir practice. For me, singing makes a whole lot of difference to my life. I am still involved in the music ministry in my church.