Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Charles Ongwae on Thursday cast aspersions on Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi's declaration that mercury was found in seized contraband sugar.
The MD made the assertions in a meeting with the National Assembly Trade Committee that had summoned him over the unravelling mystery of repacked industrial sugar that has been sold to Kenyan consumers.
Mr Ongwae explained that he did not understand how the CS had come up with the shocking results yet KEBS had not found it in its own laboratory tests.
"The sugar samples were additionally examined for heavy metals contaminants because of public outcry and no mercury was detected.
[caption caption="KEBS Managing Director Charles Ongwae on a podium during a past stakeholders forum"]
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"I wish to be very particular that no mercury has been detected within the samples that now we have examined," the director explained.
He went on to describe the procedures that are set in place to test imported commodities stating that the sugar must be tested in its country of origin then upon arrival in Kenya.
"For sugar to be cleared on the level of entry, the next authorities businesses should approve launch primarily based on their particular person necessities.
"The KRA for customs and tax points, KEBS for high quality, Port well being for meals security, Sugar directorate high verify that they really issued that license and the radiation safety board for security and the Kenya Port Authority (KPA) for logistics," he elaborated.
Ongwae, however, admitted that copper and lead were found in the sugar samples that were tested adding that the presence of the elements was permissible at 2.0g/kg of the sugar.
The samples contained up to 20.0g/kg and the KEBS officials assured that the sugar had been recalled for that reason.
[caption caption="Trade CS Adan Mohamed (R) with KEBS MD Charles Ongwae (L) share a word during a past consultative forum"]
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