This archive report was first published on 23 August 2021.
On August 22, 2021, the Kenya Bureau of Statistics faced backlash for banning the sale of 27 flour brands, citing non-compliance with their standards.
The Cereal Millers Association expressed disappointment with the bureau's decision, stating that it should have followed due process by first verifying and validating the results for each specific batch before going public.
"This would have been the most effective way of dealing with the matter, ensuring that it doesn’t happen again and making sure proper recall procedures for specific batches rather than in its entirety were followed to get the products off the shelf as effectively as possible," the millers said in a statement.
Some of the millers who were blacklisted have yet to be informed on why they were banned, adding to the controversy surrounding the decision.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards directed manufacturers of the 27 brands to stop manufacturing and selling their products and instructed them to recall all their products from the market.
The banned flour brands include Pembe, Family, and Tupike, as well as porridge flour brands such as Winnies Pure Health-Ugali Afya and Golden Porridge Flour Sour Uji Mix.
The millers, who insist their products meet the required standards, have suffered significant losses due to the ban, with lower consumer confidence and reputational damage to both millers and their brands.
"Given the heavy investment made by the milling sector in this country and in order to ensure business continuity, it is in the best interest of all our millers to ensure that every attempt has been made and continues to be made to provide safe food to our consumers," the millers said.
KEBS has stated that it is committed to working closely with the affected manufacturers to ensure that such non-compliances do not recur.
