The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has intensified its market surveillance to ensure that products in the Kenyan market comply with the requirements set out in the approved specifications and do not endanger health, safety or the environment.

KEBS Acting Chief Manager for Quality Assurance John Kabue says that, as an organisation they are constantly monitoring products in the Kenyan market to ensure that they conform to relevant technical regulations with respect to health, safety and environmental requirements and to ensure promotion of fair-trade practices.

Speaking in Nairobi during a media engagement forum, Kabue said KEBS is targeting to facilitate smooth inter-county and inter-region trade by prescribing specifications that ensure that products move freely from one county to another.

“We are also focused on consumer protection where we want to make sure that the products which are outside are safe. Thus, this can be achieved by frequent visits to manufacturers to check if they are adhering to the required and documented standards,” said Kabue.

He disclosed that they have offices spread across the country and border points to check if the goods being imported into the country meet the required standards and set specifications for product performance.

Kabue called on Kenyans to make it a habit of verifying if products are genuine by sending a message SM#followed by the permit number to the number 20023 where they will get a reply indicating if the product is genuine or not.

“Through ‘Wajibika na KEBS’ we have a toll-free line that is 1545 where Kenyans can call and ask any questions they have with regards to a particular product. We also have a whistle blower platform on our website where Kenyans can report manufacturers or anyone dealing with substandard goods,” he disclosed.

Kabue explained that they regularly conduct sector-targeted market surveillance activities using a programmed schedule of activities and results of product risk assessment and these activities are geared towards ensuring that all complaints related to substandard and counterfeit products are acknowledged, reviewed, evaluated and investigated to conclusion.

“We are also initiating and implementing corrective and preventive actions including seizure, arrests, prosecution and product recalls,” said Kabue.

KEBS Corporate Communication Manager Mercy Kandie called on farmers to ensure that they buy seeds and fertiliser from certified companies and suppliers to avoid counterfeits which will affect their harvest.

“Seeing that we are in the planting season, our farmers should be on the lookout for fake seeds and fertiliser by using our various verification methods. As KEBS we are also working with other government bodies like the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) to weed out fake seeds and fertiliser from the market,” said Kandie.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Joseph Ng’ang’a