The government is set to gazette chicken inspectors who will be authorised to raid homes, stop, search or detain any aircraft, ship or vehicle housing poultry, its products, inputs and equipment.
Kenyans will also pay fines of up to Ksh500,000 or face imprisonment for a period of one year or both if found guilty of impersonating the inspectors, according to the Livestock (Poultry Industry) Regulations 2023.
According to the proposal fronted by the Ministry of Agriculture, an inspector is an officer appointed by the Livestock Inputs and Products Regulatory Authority as per the regulations.
Roles of Chicken Inspectors
The inspectors will assess infrastructure, such as the architectural design and construction of poultry housing. They will also inspect poultry registration records as farmers and breeders in both commercial and subsistence production will register their poultry and provide the documents upon request.
Other roles include inspecting poultry waste management and its products, such as eggs etc.
Powers of Chicken Inspectors
Inspectors shall have the power to enter any premises where poultry is prepared, preserved, packaged and stored.
They will also stop to search and detain any vehicle, plane or ship transporting poultry, its products or equipment and open or examine any package which contains poultry or its products.
Other powers include examining records on poultry as farmers, both in subsistence and commercial production, will be asked to have a registry, which will be provided upon request. They will also be authorised to make copies of the documents and peruse the information at their pleasure.
"Any part of premises which an inspector has power to enter, or anything in such premises, shall be left undisturbed for so long as is reasonably necessary for the purpose of any test or inspection and seize and detain for such time as may be necessary," the regulations stipulate.
Obstruction of Inspectors
A farmer will be considered to have obstructed an inspector if they fail to comply with a lawful order issued, bars them from entering any premises, land, or vehicle carrying poultry or its products.
They will also be held liable for declining to provide records and registers to chicken inspectors or giving wrongful and misleading information that interferes with their operations.
Any person found guilty of committing the offence shall be liable, upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding Ksh500,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or both.
Training and Identification of Chicken Inspectors
Inspectors are, however, required to comply with all laws enshrined in the Constitution and the Public Officer's Ethics Act. They are also required to maintain a poultry farmer's confidentiality and provide a record of their operations as required by their appointing authority.
The Livestock Inputs and Products Regulatory Authority will appoint the inspectors in consultation with County Governments.
The authority will also develop a training curriculum and offer regular and mandatory training to poultry inspectors to enhance their service delivery.
All poultry inspectors will also be gazetted 30 days after completing their training.
While at work, they will be required to identify themselves with an ID or certificate provided by the Livestock Inputs and Products Regulatory Authority.
