Kenya Begins Standards Inspection of Imported Cargo

Kenya has commenced inspection of product standards for all imported cargo at its ports of entry, a government official said Tuesday.

The managing director of Kenya Bureau of Standards, KEBS, Mr. Bernard Njiraini, told journalists in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that “pre-export verification of conformity,” PVOC, that applied to products at the respective exporting countries to ensure their compliance with the applicable Kenya technical regulations that began in 2005, has come to an end.

KEBS said that a local ‘certificate of conformity’ will be issued for those goods meeting the standard requirements.

“It is equally important to note that those goods tested and are found not to meet the standard requirements will be re-shipped or destroyed at the owner’s cost,” he stressed.

The official revealed that in order to ensure minimal import disruptions while ensuring that no substandard goods enter the country, KEBS has come up with four destination certification options based on risk assessment.

“KEBS has also bolstered the number of inspectors at the ports of entry, the market surveillance directorate and in the testing labs just to ensure timely inspection, sampling, testing and surveillance of all goods imported into the country to safeguard the health of consumers,” Njiraini added.

XINHUA/Christopher Ojilere