CORRUPT KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS) OFFICER AT NAMANGA ENTRY POINT NAMED

Corruption at the common border has contributed to the importation of substandard materials in the country despite government efforts to stop it. Our investigation has revealed a Kenya Bureau of Standards KEBS officer is the leader of the cartel at the border; he has corrupted the systems to allow the products into the Kenyan market.

KEBS office

The government is losing millions of shillings in revenue collection through a cartel comprising of KRA, KEBS and other government officials who operate from Namanga border point. The cartel allows into the country importation of goods in this case, the entry of substandard tiles and materials which have now flooded the local market from a company called Goodwill with its base in Tanzania. KEBS falls under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives.

Corruption at the common border has contributed to the importation of substandard materials in the country despite government efforts to stop it. Our investigation has revealed a Kenya Bureau of Standards KEBS officer is the leader of the cartel at the border; he has corrupted the systems to allow the products into the Kenyan market.

The officer known as Maticha has overstayed at the border point. He has been at border for more than a decade. He is the one who has manipulated the operations of clearing agents at the controversial border. We have learned that between 150 and 200 truckers cross into the country every month carrying tiles using Namanga border point with an estimated Ksh 5 million going into the individuals' pockets.

The product coming into the Kenyan market is of low quality which has killed the market for the genuine products and has denied the country huge amounts of money in revenue. After pitching tent at the border point we discovered that all goods are channeled through a syndicate through the KEBS officer. In an interview businessman Mr. Patel Shah has lamented the importation of substandard titles despite protests to relevant government agencies.

 

He challenged journalists to take a stock of imported tiles in the market to establish the truth. "We understand the tiles have been taken through government laboratory tests which leave more questions than answers," he pointed out. The businessman told journalists. 90% of the tiles in the market are substandard with consumers raising a red flag. Efforts to get comment at KEBS and Tanzania’s company proved futile.