KEBS Warns Kenyans Of Substandard Cooking Oil In Market Unfit For Consumption

• While appearing before the Senate's Committee on Trade and Industrialisation, KEBS MD Esther Ngari disclosed some samples of cooking oil failed the Kenyan standard
• Ngari revealed that eight out of 44 consignments imported by the Kenya National Trading Corporation Ltd (KNTC) were found to contain insoluble impurities
• She informed the senators that KEBS had written to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) requesting that the substandard oil be destroyed or shipped back

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers profound insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has warned Kenyans of substandard cooking oil in the market that is unfit for human consumption.

Why cooking oil in market is unfit for consumption

KEBS managing director Esther Ngari revealed that eight out of 44 consignments imported by the Kenya National Trading Corporation Ltd (KNTC) were found to contain insoluble impurities and failed vitamin A.

While appearing before the Senate's Committee on Trade and Industrialisation, Ngari disclosed some samples failed the Kenyan standard.

"Samples of edible oil were drawn from the consignments for testing against the requirements of KS EAS 769: 2019 Kenya standard specification for fortified edible oils and fats. Out of the eight sampled consignments, seven failed in vitamin A, while one consignment failed in vitamin A and insoluble impurities," Ngari revealed, as reported by The Standard.

Why substandard cooking oil wasn't destroyed

According to Citizen Digital, Ngari informed the senators that KEBS had written to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) requesting that the substandard oil be destroyed or shipped back.

However, she noted that the standards body lacked the power to prevent the sale of the remaining 36 consignments, totalling 32 million litres of cooking oil to Kenyans.

Under the government's plan to lower the price of cooking oil, Shehena Commodity Trading Company, Multi Commerce FZC, and Charma Holdings were among the companies that were given the green light to import the cooking oil.

Who was involved in the cooking oil scandal?

President William Ruto's administration imported duty-free cooking oil via KNTC, aiming to stabilise prices.

Four of the companies contracted to import goods worth KSh 6 billion were linked to officials in the Kenya Kwanza government.

Four of the 11 companies had direct links to Mary Wambui, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) Board chairperson.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke