This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
On July 22, 2019, the Busia County Department of Health and Sanitation issued a directive to supermarkets in the region, ordering them to stop displaying, cooking, or selling meat to customers.
The directive, signed by County Public Health Officer Napoleon Nyongesa, cited non-compliance with the Food, Drug and Chemical Substances Act as the reason for the ban.
The affected supermarkets include Tesia Junction, Frontier, Frank Matt Highway, and Khetia's Supermarkets.
However, Khetia's Manager Fredrick Ochieng denied selling meat products, stating that they have never sold such products since opening their shop in Busia.
Tesia Supermarkets Director John Kariuki confirmed that they have complied with the regulations set by the Health department.
Meanwhile, Kocholia meat inspector Silas Etyang announced that they have increased surveillance across all abattoirs and butcheries in the county to ensure only licensed meat is sold.
A random survey conducted in Nairobi found that six out of 40 samples of meat contained sodium metabisulfite, a toxic preservative.
