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{
    "id": 810992,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/810992/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 144,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kieni, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kanini Kega",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1813,
        "legal_name": "James Mathenge Kanini Kega",
        "slug": "james-mathenge-kanini-kega"
    },
    "content": "a cautionary statement. Investigations are ongoing to establish the presence and quantities, if any, in the various commodities seized by the multi-agency across the country. As I conclude, the Committee observed that 95 per cent of imported sugar during the duty-free window was brought through the Port of Mombasa and was cleared by various relevant agencies, and the remaining 5 per cent found its way through our porous border. Some few recommendations: (a) The Committee recommends that the multi-agency team should expedite their investigations into the matter and provide conclusive evidence on the same. (b) The Committee recommends that the border management committee be reconstituted to provide sufficient safeguards. (c) The Committee further recommends that border surveillance team be facilitated to enable them conduct their work effectively. The process of clearing sugar is done by six bodies: KRA, for them to collect tax; KEBS, for quality; Port Health, for food safety; Sugar Directorate, on licensing; Radiation Protection Board, for safety; and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), for logistics. The KEBS issued the following conditions to regulate the importation of bulk sugar, because the issue that we have in the country is about bulk sugar. The conditions were that the sugar was to be bagged at the point of entry in marked bags and transported to the factories for further processing before repacking for retail. The Committee observed that certain companies failed to comply with the outlined conditions by transporting sugar in open trucks, storing the sugar under unhygienic conditions, and exposing the sugar to contamination by handling it using machinery used for other industrial purposes. In conclusion, these matters are under investigations and releasing some of the names might jeopardise the investigations. The sugar imported is pre-inspected by KEBS-appointed agents and issued with COCs into the country. The Committee also observed that all sugar imported legally within the duty free importation window had the requisite clearance from the country of origin and KEBS. Due to poor handling and storage conditions, the sugar is likely to be contaminated due to its hygroscopic nature. The Committee further received presentation from the Ministry of Health indicating that some of the samples did not meet the national standard of moisture content. The Ministry assured the Committee that the contaminated lots are under seizure pending destruction. However, the Committee cannot make a conclusive determination on the issue of the level of contamination of sugar in the country since analysis of samples collected by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS) is still ongoing. Meanwhile, we made the following preliminary conclusions: (i)Preliminary laboratory tests and ongoing analysis show no traces of mercury, however, investigations are ongoing; (ii) Kenya Bureau of Standards should coordinate with other relevant Government agencies to ensure that the raw sugar that was imported during the duty exemption window is reprocessed by all importers; (iii) All sugar imported, bagged or bulk, should undergo fresh tests and if found unsuitable for human consumption be destroyed by the multi-agency team; (iv) The Kenya Revenue Authority should recover duty lost from importers who imported sugar outside the duty free window; (v) The Kenya Revenue Authority should recover the applicable duty from any entity that imported industrial sugar during the duty free window; The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}