Busia MP Wants All Imported Edible Products Taken To State House For Tasting: "I'll Bring A Bill"

• Catherine Omanyo disclosed that she plans to table a bill in Parliament requiring all imported food items to be sent to state house first
• The Busia woman MP claimed that individuals behind the importation of edible products are part of the Kenya Kwanza administration
• Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) flagged the KSh 17 billion edible oil imported by the government

Dennis Lubanga, a Kenyan journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than 10 years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Busia - Busia woman representative Catherine Omanyo has raised the red flag over contaminated cooking oil in the market.

Speaking during a public event in Busia county over the weekend, the vocal MP suggested that the edible products should first be taken to state house for tasting before being released to the local market.

"I am asking the government to make sure that these edible oils are first taken to state house for tasting. The president and the first lady should first consume them to assure Kenyans that they are fit for consumption," Omanyo said.

Why all food items should be taken to state house

Omanyo disclosed that she plans to table a bill in Parliament requiring all imported food items to be sent to state house first.

"All I want is to make sure that all the imported products for human consumption are first taken to state house for tasting. If not, then I am against this," the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party lawmaker added.

She claimed that the individuals behind the importation of edible products are part of the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration.

"These oils are poisonous and not fit for human consumption capable of killing all Kenyans. The government should come out clean and tell us why it wants to poison its people. We don't feel that the government has good motives for Kenyans," she further claimed.

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) flagged the KSh 17 billion edible oil imported by the government over contamination.

What KEBS found in contaminated edible oil

Fresh details indicated that a letter dated September 5, 2023, from KEBS to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) detailed that the 125,000 metric tonnes of cooking oil imported by the state entity were unfit for human consumption.

“The consignments number 23MBAIM402473344, 23MBAIM403321628, and 23MBAIM403235943 have been rejected, and KNTC is hereby advised to reship them back to the country of origin within 30 days from the date of this letter, failure to which they shall be destroyed," read KEBS letter in part.

The standard body noted that the consignments did not have the required content rate of vitamin A and insoluble impurities.

It further explained that fat content exceeded the required amount of 99.5 by 0.47% to read 99.97.

The acid value of the edible oils had an amount of potassium hydroxide at 0.12 milligrams as opposed to the standard of 0.6.

KEBS also found that the imported oil contained 0.04 insoluble impurities, as opposed to the required standard of 0.05.