This archive report was first published on 22 August 2020.
On Friday, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) intensified its market surveillance activities by seizing plastic pipes and construction materials worth Ksh10 million from five companies accused of dealing in substandard products or bearing illegal standardization marks.
The affected companies include Kikuyu Pipes and Fitting Centre (KPFC), Yuanyang Plastic Company Ltd (YY), Doer Industrial Company Ltd (DOER), Vintz Industries (VEER), and Kansun Pipe Ltd.
KEBS has instructed Kansun to discontinue manufacturing or offering for sale the affected plastic pipes and take necessary corrective actions to bring their production processes under control.
The seized products will be destroyed at the expense of the owners, who will also face legal action.
KEBS has suspended the standardization mark permits of the affected products effective immediately until corrective actions have been undertaken and confirmed.
"It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure continued product compliance to set standards," said Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini, Managing Director, KEBS, in a statement. "Processing, manufacturing, stocking, and/or offering for sale of substandard goods or products that do not comply with set standards is prohibited by the Laws of Kenya under the Standards Act Chapter 496."
KEBS monitors the effectiveness of quality control measures for products sold in the country through factory inspections, product certifications, and market surveillance activities.
As part of its product certification scheme, KEBS certifies and issues a Standardization Mark (SM) permit or Diamond Mark of Quality once a product complies with the relevant Kenya Standard. Imports are also issued with a Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) number.
