Kenyans suffering at hands of illegal traders

Early this week, a yoghurt manufacturing and distribution syndicate in Nakuru was unearthed.

On the same day, the Kenya Revenue Authority expressed concern as it emerged that more than 60 per cent of bottled water and soft drinks sold in Kenya are counterfeit.

A day later, counterfeit alcoholic drinks were impounded from a supermarket in Eldoret.

About two weeks ago, Brookside Dairy milk processor called for a severe action against deceitful traders who use chemicals to prolong milk life.

It is not so long ago when a story was run on how commercial broilers' farmers in Nairobi were using Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs to fatten the chicken and enhance weight gain.

Recently, we also heard of traders in Naivasha who used to sell donkey meat to the unsuspecting public. Time and again, we have heard of farmers who sell maize grains mixed with rotten ones in a manner that a buyer cannot easily notice.

These, among many other dishonest practices are performed by traders in a quest to make quick cash. What they don't know is that they are gambling with innocent people's lives.

These practices are dangerous to people's lives as they cause diseases such as cancer, cholera and high blood pressure.

The Government should rein in the unscrupulous traders and have them fined heavily and even their licences withdrawn.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards should also put in place measures to help curb these malpractices.

The bureau should introduce excise stamps for the goods to stop illegal trade.

This is a wake-up call for the Government to consider enacting tough policies and procedures.