The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) launched a countrywide crackdown on businesses using the banned plastic bags.
Speaking on Wednesday, NEMA Regional Director for Rift Valley Njoki Mukiri said that Kenyans had come up with new ways of acquiring the banned goods.
“We have already arrested about four people mainly from bakeries because we found that they are using these bags that are printed but are not cleared by NEMA. We have realized that they have been issued with clearance but are not adhering to the conditions that were issued and that is why we have arrested them, and we are going to arraign them in the court of law,” Mukiri stated.
In addition to the already printed circulating bags, NEMA confirmed that others were being illegally imported to the country through some boarder points.
“We want to ensure that we sustain this kind of inspections because we have realized that we still have very porous borders around, like Eldoret which is not very far from the Uganda border and therefore these papers can easily be brought in,” Mukiri added.
“We want to embrace a multi-agency approach and work with other bodies because these bags are coming in from neighboring countries,” she added.
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Uasin Gishu County NEMA Director of Environment Solomon Kihiu said “It is either Ksh2 million or one year in prison that is the penalty. Whether we get you with one polythene bag with no license, that is the punishment, we don’t have categories of penalties for manufacturers or users,”
“We are warning the users of those plastic bags, we are telling all of them we have a lot of alternatives in the market, and we want them to adhere to that,” he added.
