Kenya: Sixty Thousand Pupils Consume Poisoned Relief Food
By George Okore
NAIROBI---The scandal that has visited the much heralded Kenyans for Kenya anti-hunger campaign reflects the poor food safety situation in the country.
On Thursday, Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) Secretary General Abbas Gullet revealed that about 60,000 pupils are at health risk after consuming contaminated relief food supplied to drought stricken parts of the country. Gullet admitted that Kenyans for Kenya , a private initiative had supplied Unimix food ration bought with the cash raised in the initiative was found to be contaminated and unfit for human consumption.
Earlier this week, Central Imenti MP Gitobu Imanyara demanded that Public Health and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo should clarify about the contaminated food, which was mostly distributed to underage children and those with special dietary needs. Random tests showed the food already delivered to drought-hit areas contains traces of the deadly aflatoxin. Experts now caution that the lives of over 60,000 pupils who ate the food are at risk.
The country has problems with the safety of locally consumed food, despite the global trend that has seem more sensitive consumers bodies demanding several technical requirements and standard with food produce. Furthermore, several trade bodies including European Union has had problems with local Kenyan produce for failing to comply with standards desirable for international trade.
Consuming contaminated food has dire social, economic and environmental consequences efforts have been stepped up through locally and international health and food safety systems. This call for stringent and quality inspection of both locally produced and imported food products, especially for African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
In Kenya and many developing countries, lack of responsive food control mechanisms have left many consumers exposed. The much expected Kenya National Food Safety policy, to be launched late this year advocates for legislative and institutional reforms to address international requirements.
Experts say exposure to aflatoxin can lead to liver cancer and the affected pupils must undergo urgent medical check-up. Imanyara has named Proctor & Allan and Sai Millers as some of those contracted to supply the food. “Tests by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, SGS and Analab had confirmed the contamination,”Gullet told journalists. Parliamentary SpeakerKenneth Marende ruled that the minister should deliver the statement on Wednesday next week.
Safaricom Foundation, Kenya Commercial Bank, Media Owners Association, and the Kenya Red Cross mobilised corporations and the public to raise Sh500 million in four weeks towards relief for three million starving Kenyans.