The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has declared that the imported 125,000 Metric Tonnes of edible oil worth Ksh16.5 billion that has been subject to probe is unsafe for consumption.
According to the bureau, the oil, was imported to help subsidize the cost of food and bring down the cost of living.
Further, KEBS in a letter to the Kenya National Trading Cooperation (KNTC), directed that the oil consignment is either destroyed or shipped back to the country of origin.
“The consignment have been rejected and the importer is hereby advised to reship them back to the country of origin within 30 days from the date of this letter, failure to which they shall be destroyed at the importers’ cost,” the letter read in part.
Notably, the companies procured the oil did so on behalf of the Kenya National Trading Cooperation (KNTC), a state corporation.
Also Read: KEBS Suspends Cooking Oil Brands over Quality Standards.
KEBS on Why the Edible Oil is Unsafe
At the same time, the bureau detailed that the oil was tested against the Kenya standardization specification for fortified edible oils and fats.
The results found that the consignment failed to comply in Vitamin A and insoluble impurities.
In the final report, KEBS indicated that for fat content, the edible oil exceeded the required amount by 0.47 by mass and contained 99.97 instead of the required 99.5.
Also, for moisture and matter volatile at 105 degrees Celsius, while the required 0.2, the oil subjected to test contained 0.03.
Also Read: REVEALED: How Govt Lost Billions in Duty-Free Import Scandal
For the amount of peroxide oxygen per kilogram oil, the requirement is 10. However, the edible oils contained 5.42. The imported oil also contained 0.04 of insoluble impurities against the required standard which is 0.05.
Notably, all the other edible oil shipment that came into the country at the same time and around the same time were not subjected to lab test by KEBS.
DCI Grills KNTC Bosses
Earlier on November 28, Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano revealed that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) had arrested officials of the Kenya National Trading Cooperation (KNTC).
Pamela Mutua, the Managing Director, was among senior managers picked up by DCI over the edible oil scandal.
Also, the detectives grilled managers from a local bank that guaranteed the edible oil deal.
“I would like to inform this committee that Ms. Pamela Mutua, the Managing director at KNTC was not able to accompany me since she was picked by Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers yesterday and she is still recording some statements,” Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano stated.
