KEBS Clarifies Boss' Confession Of Not Testing Goods Sold In Supermarkets

Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KEBS) claimed that the revelations by acting Managing Director (MD) Esther Ngari that they do not test products to ascertain quality were taken out of context.

In a statement on Friday, August 11, KEBS redefined its clear mandate, which is to provide standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment solutions for sustainable development.

The agency went on to state that its role in ensuring that goods and services conform to standards is pivotal in enhancing the quality of life, and consumer protection, and in fostering trade, industry, and innovation.

KEBS revealed that for any product to enter the market, it needs to have been issued a product certification from the agency in the event it meets the criteria provided for under the Standards Act and, International Standard ISO/IEC 17065:2012, which outlines the internationally recognized best practices in product certification.

An image of KEBS offices. /CAPITAL GROUP

"In summary, the process involves rigorous inspection and evaluation of the manufacturer's premises, sampling and testing of the products, and signing of a Scheme of Supervision and Control or Product certification contract with KEBS as a commitment to continuous compliance with the relevant standards and regulations governing the product," stated KEBS in part.

Regarding the diamond mark of quality, KEBS explained that it was not a token emblem but rather a superior mark which demonstrates a manufacturer's capability to consistently produce compliant products, over and above the minimum requirements set in the product standards.

"The Diamond Mark of Quality is a voluntary mark, superior to the mandatory Standardization Mark of Quality (SMark)," it added.

KEBS went on to reveal that product certification is carried out after due diligence on the manufacturer, which must be a registered legal entity.

KEBS inspects the manufacturing premises to assess the capability of the manufacturing process to meet the requirements of the Standard in line with Section 10(3). This entails controls to ensure that the raw materials used are of the right quality, production is managed within specified conditions, and final products are properly packaged and labelled as per the required standards.

Further, the manufacturer is required to test or make arrangements for testing their products on a regular basis. Records of these quality measures must be maintained and produced to KEBS for verification during surveillance inspections.

KEBS samples and tests the product and only issues that certification mark if the product meets the requirements of the relevant Kenya Standard for the product. It is after this process that the manufacturer must sign a certification contract with KEBS which is a systematic guide to quality management activities that the manufacturer shall implement the quality assurance activities as agreed throughout the validity period.

KEBS continuously monitors in a scheduled manner the implementation of the Scheme of Supervision and Control or Product Certification contract, during the validity period of the Certification and also undertakes surveillance inspections, with sampling done either at the factory or market during the validity period.

"Manufacturing and monitoring are two distinct realms. While KEBS defines and oversees adherence to standards, manufacturers are responsible for producing goods that meet these benchmarks.

"This dynamic creates a system anchored in trust - a trust fortified by stringent protocols and consequential penalties for deviations," KEBS added.

Ngari faced a consumer lobby group during an interrogation by the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee which put her on the spot regarding the revelations that a section of products locally manufactured and sold through supermarkets do not go through testing.