The Kenya Bureau of Standards has been ordered to recruit more inspectors to enhance market surveillance and curb counterfeit goods.

Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation Adan Mohamed said the 20 officers working with Kebs are too few to monitor all imports into the country.

Porous borders have allowed illegal imports and counterfeits to thrive, out-pricing manufacturing firms from the market. Some illegal imports also do not meet stadards, resulting in health complications such as the recent deaths caused by methanol brought in from outside the country.

Kebs chief executive Charles Ongwae said the firm has set up a toll-free call centre where the public verify authenticity of products or report cases of uncertified goods at no cost.

Source:: The Star

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