Trader arrested over alleged contaminated rice

A Kirinyaga trader whose 1,080 bags of rice were impounded by police while the commodity was being offloaded from a truck has been arrested.

The trader told police the rice clearly labeled ‘a produce of  Pakistan and safe for Human consumption’ was  meant for making animal feed.

Mwea East Sub-County OCPD Dorothy Gaitenga said the trader was issuing contradicting statements over  the rice transported to the area on Wednesday night from Mombasa.

She said officials from Kenya Revenue Authority visited the area yesterday and took with them some documents.

“We are also expecting officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards to take samples for analysis before we can charge the trader,” Gaitenga said.

Police acting on a tip-off from the public found the consignment being offloaded near Kimbimbi Market.

The rice suspected to be contaminated has been transported to Wanguru police station as investigations continue.

Mwea farmers say the continued importation of cheap rice sold to unsuspecting consumers has hurt their trade.

The farmers claim their produce does not get to the market as the imported product is sold cheaply.

Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri said the county government will change the Mwea Rice brand to differentiate it from the cheap imports.

Imported cheap rice from Pakistan is said to have flooded the Mwea market.