AFRICA ( Commonwealth Union) _ President William Ruto’s government in Kenya has suspended 27 officials in connection with the illegal sugar trade. The sugar in question was imported to the country in 2018 but was flagged by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for lacking expiry date specification, rendering it unfit for human consumption.
KEBS directed that the sugar be destroyed at the owner’s expense, either by burning or burying it. However, a decision was made to convert the sugar into industrial ethanol under the joint supervision of KEBS and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) within a multi-agency framework.
The process of converting the sugar into ethanol was supposed to take place at designated agencies, including the Kenya Wines Agency and the Agro-Chemical and Food Company Limited (ACFC).
However, the conversion process did not occur as planned, and the sugar was illicitly diverted and released into the Kenyan market without following proper procedures. The breach of conditions related to the enlistment of a distiller and the non-payment of applicable taxes led to the suspension of several officials.
Among those suspended is the Managing Director of KEBS, Benard Njirani, along with other senior officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards. Njirani was questioned by the police regarding the sale of condemned sugar worth over 163 million Kenyan shillings.
The suspended officials also include personnel from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Agricultural Food Authority (AFA), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the national police service, among others.
The suspended officials from KEBS include Director of Quality Assurance and Inspection Dr. Geoffrey Muriira, Manager of Inspection Hilda Keror, Assistant Manager Liston Lagat, Chief Manager Rono Birgen, Principal Officer Stephen Owuor, and Inspector Peter Olima Joseph.
The Kenya Revenue Authority officials affected by the suspension are Joseph Kaguru, Mwanja Masinde, Stephen Muiruri, Moses Okoth, Doris Mutembei, Chacha Hondo, Carol Nyagechi, and Derick Kago. Police officers George Mithamo and Joel Kirui, as well as DCI officers Bernard Ngumbi and Raphael Mwaka, are also among those suspended. Officials from AFA, Port Health, NEMA, Anti-Counterfeit Agency, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) were also affected by the suspensions.
