This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
Naivas, a leading retail chain in Kenya, has taken a bold step to safeguard its customers' health by suspending the sale of red meat across all its stores countrywide. This decision comes after a test conducted at the Mavoko outlets confirmed the presence of an additive in its products.
According to Willy Kimani, the Naivas Chief Commercial Officer, the move is aimed at protecting the welfare of its customers. The company will subject its entire stock of red meat to a thorough independent lab test and verify each participant along the meat value chain.
Naivas has assured the public that it does not use or condone the use of any chemical preservatives for meat products. The company has also pledged to take strong legal action against anyone found to have supplied contaminated meat to Naivas.
On July 18, 2019, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua ordered the closure of Naivas' meat sections in the county following the test results. The governor directed his officers to collaborate with national government counterparts to investigate and advise the public on the matter.
The Ministry of Health had earlier swung into action, collecting random samples from various outlets for analysis at the national public health laboratories. Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki revealed that six out of 40 meat samples taken for testing had large amounts of Sodium Metabisulfite preservative.
