The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) intends to verify and create a comprehensive list of all imported products and their manufacturers to increase and enhance the level of scrutiny before these items are allowed to be shipped into the country.
Following an increase in the number of defective products in the nation, local producers face competition from less expensive counterfeit imports. In response, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has appointed four inspection firms as Pre-export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) agents to enforce standards.
The verification of products before shipment to ensure they meet Kebs standards is overseen by several organizations, including French firm Bureau Veritas, China Certification and Inspection Group, British multinational Intertek International, and Swiss multinational Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS).
The government will only allow imports from firms that comply with applicable Kenyan technical regulations and mandatory standards to enhance these checks. Areas of concern include construction materials such as steel and roofing products, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and apparel and textile industries.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in ten medical products in low- and middle-income countries are either substandard or falsified.
In Kenya, sub-standard and counterfeit goods are also prevalent in products such as alcoholic drinks, juices, electronics, and machinery.
The CEO of KEBS, Bernard Njiraini, stated that they would identify companies that meet their standards to curb substandard goods. Meanwhile, the CEO of Safal Group, Anders Lindgren, estimates that up to 40% of roofing material in the Kenyan market is sub-standard, primarily imported from China. Sub-standard goods provide a raw deal to consumers, pose risks, and deprive the government of revenue.
According to the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the value of illicit trade, of which the trend is a part, is estimated to be over 1 trillion shillings and is facilitated by unscrupulous officials and merchants.
Illicit trade is now bigger than the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the GDP, at 7.2 per cent. To achieve the 20 per cent target, we must deal with this menace.
Kenya Association of Manufacturers CEO – Anthony Mwangi
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) acknowledges that previous efforts to combat illicit trade have enabled edible oil and cement manufacturers to regain a portion of the market.
Kenya used to be the leading exporter into the EAC but this was lost to cheaper imports from China and India. We must bring back the fight against illicit trade.
Kepsa deputy CEO – Victor Ogalo
Juma Mukhwana, the State Department for Industry PS, has emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting the growth of the local manufacturing sector while promoting fair trade with neighbouring countries and international partners. He added that introducing the Export Promotion Levy on products such as steel, which can be manufactured locally, will help build the capacity of small industries.
The levy will be imposed on imported goods that can be produced locally, and the funds collected will be used to support the expansion of small players.
Juma Mukhwana- State Department for Industry PS
The move by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is an extension of the Pre-export Verification of Conformity Standards program, which was first introduced in September 2005. The Kebs program aims to assess the compliance of products with Kenyan specifications at the respective exporting countries, ensuring quality, health and safety, and consumer environmental protection. It also safeguards the country from unfair trade practices and the import of substandard goods by requiring imported products to comply with the exact requirements of locally manufactured goods.
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