MPs Probe Alleged Entry of Unsafe Sugar Into Consumer Market

A parliamentary committee has launched an inquiry into whether sugar deemed unfit for human consumption may have entered Kenya’s consumer market through local millers, amid growing concerns over the handling of a controversial imported consignment.

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives on Tuesday conducted an inspection tour of Kibos and Allied Industries, owned by the Chathe Group of Companies, in Kisumu County as part of a nationwide fact-finding mission.

Led by committee chairman Bernard Shinali, the lawmakers toured facilities operated by the company, including Mombasa Sugar Refinery, where they inspected storage warehouses and reviewed procedures related to sugar imports and refining.

Shinali said the committee would carry out similar inspections across the country and collect samples for laboratory testing to determine whether any sugar unsuitable for consumption had been released into the market.

“We are at the moment working with a multi-agency team to ensure that sugar which enters the market is safe for human consumption,” Shinali told reporters after the visit.

He said the committee would also examine whether millers complied with all legal and regulatory requirements governing the importation, storage and refining of raw sugar.

The investigation follows recent reports that industrial-grade sugar may have found its way into the retail market, sparking concern among consumers.

Shinali sought to reassure the public, saying authorities would not allow any unsafe sugar to reach consumers.

“We will verify all the legal channels involved in the importation and subsequent refining of raw sugar and ensure that the required procedures have been followed,” he said.

The committee is expected to compile and table a report in Parliament after completing its nationwide assessment.

The inquiry stems from concerns raised by lawmakers over 27,839 metric tonnes of imported sugar valued at about KSh1.5 billion, which was brought into the country by Mombasa Sugar Refinery Limited.

During a meeting with officials from the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) on May 12, members of the committee questioned the handling and whereabouts of the consignment after tests by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) reportedly found that the sugar met standards only for raw sugar intended for further refining and was therefore not fit for direct human consumption.

Lawmakers also sought explanations over the movement of the sugar from Mombasa to Nairobi, saying documentation authorising the transfer had not been provided.

“There is no clearance document provided in your documentation. We need to see the document that authorised the movement of MSRL sugar from the Mombasa warehouse to the Nairobi warehouse,” Shinali said during the session.

“We require the answers urgently so we can know Kenyans’ lives are safe.”

Members of Parliament expressed concern that the consignment could be diverted into retail outlets, citing previous incidents in which sugar declared unsafe allegedly ended up in the local market.

In response, KSB Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire said the sugar had not been released for public consumption and remained under strict security and regulatory oversight.

“We hired police officers to guard the consignment already in Nairobi, and it was locked and sealed,” Chesire said. “Those are the measures that we have ensured we meet the conditions provided by the multi-agency team in securing this consignment.”

The board said the consignment was initially stored in a bonded warehouse at the Kenya Ports Authority in Mombasa before being transported to Nairobi under the supervision of a multi-agency team.

KSB Director for Regulation and Compliance Samwel Kembo told lawmakers that the sugar remained sealed and intact throughout the process.

“The sugar was never diverted or distributed in the country,” Kembo said, adding that the first batch transported via the Standard Gauge Railway arrived in Nairobi on May 3.

According to the board, the sugar was imported from South Africa and arrived at the Port of Mombasa in early February.

The shipment was later flagged and placed under a multi-agency verification lock after customs and regulatory officials discovered an unmanifested excess of 1,481 tonnes.

The investigation comes as the government steps up efforts to increase domestic sugar production and reduce reliance on imports.