Kenya urgently needs an independent food safety regulator

Over the years, food safety concerns have been largely ignored by relevant stakeholders with serious consequences for Kenyan consumers.

It is evident from recent reports that Kenyans are consuming heavily contaminated and unsafe foods and beverages leading to a number of potential health problems.

This is no longer news. What is shocking, however, is the nonchalant attitude and inaction that the relevant regulatory agencies and the government, have developed.

This is largely due to poor governance and structures that have not been leveraged to address food safety concerns.

Stereotypes and the culture of Kenyan consumers with regard to food safety concerns in the food supply chain further exacerbate the situation.

It is, however, encouragingly that there has been a growing sense of public outrage. Revelations that Kenya’s beloved maize flour brands might aflatoxins and a third of the pesticides being sold in the country contain unapproved and banned substances with potential chronic health effects drew the ire of Kenyans online.

With the prevalence of cancer cases, most of which are suspected to be linked to the foods we are ingesting, you would expect that such news of sale of contaminated foods would provoke all Kenyan consumers to demand that the government takes responsibility and takes corrective measures to address this perennial problem.

But no!  Instead, a good number have turned this into an online joke.

While this could be a defense mechanism occasioned by a collective sense of helplessness, and with the government agencies that are supposed to protect consumers seemingly unperturbed by what is happening, perhaps we need to consider another option.

We need to consider the establishment of an independent body on which we will transfer the overall mandate of verifying the safety and quality of foods, beverages and related products in the country and approving the same for sale.

Where applicable, that regulatory body would have oversight in the entire food value chain - from production, processing, distribution, and consumption.

This is because going by recent reports, most of the players in the value chain, be they farmers, manufacturers or distributors, are not adhering to the safety precautions of the products they are dealing with, thereby exposing consumers to all manner of health risks.

In establishing such an agency, we need not re-invent the wheel. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is a good example to start with. After all, Kenya exports to the EU with better compliance as opposed to what is observed in the domestic food markets.

We can also draw lessons from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA which has been in existence for over a century.

In both cases, we need to do as a country is make necessary adjustments based on our unique situation.

According to their website, FDA is charged with the responsibility of protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices; and by ensuring the safety of America’s food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.

While FDA’s scope is broad, we could perhaps start with food and drinks but with the provision of expanding the list later.

Even as all these administrative measures are being undertaken, we cannot continue sitting on the fence as we are fed and sold harmful and contaminated products largely by people who are only out to make a quick buck. 

Kenyan consumers and citizens should be not only be aware of their rights but also be able to access safe products. Intensive lobbying by wananchi for more funding and cost-sharing by the government for effective interventions will be essential in keeping the country free of dangerous contaminants in foods.

This matter needs to be addressed urgently, soberly and deliberately. As a country, we can no longer afford to separate the issue of food safety as we focus on food availability and affordability.

Food security only truly exists when people are able to, at all times, feed themselves in dignity and only when the quality and safety of what they are consuming is guaranteed. 

If we do not act together, we shall surely hang together.

Dr Kunyanga is a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi.