Kericho: The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is set to establish product testing and equipment calibration laboratory units in Kericho town. The initiative aims to bring quality services closer to manufacturers, health facilities, farmers, and other consumers in the South Rift region.
According to Kenya News Agency, Deputy Director of Standards, Research and Regulations at KEBS, Eng. Josephat Bangi, highlighted that the proposed facilities would minimize the need for manufacturers and other users to transport samples and measuring equipment to Nakuru or Nairobi for testing and calibration. These facilities are expected to benefit the tea processing industry, dairy farmers, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), while also protecting consumers from substandard and potentially harmful products.
Eng. Bangi spoke during a KEBS departmental report presentation at the National Government Development-County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee meeting, chaired by Kericho County Commissioner Mr. Omari Ali. He noted that KEBS had already established laboratories in Nakuru covering areas such as temperature, pressure, density, food, agriculture, chemistry, and microbiology, with plans to replicate similar facilities in Kericho.
The planned laboratories in Kericho are anticipated to boost the county’s manufacturing and agricultural sectors by reducing the distance between producers and quality assurance services. Bangi explained that this would facilitate trade and ensure that products manufactured in Kericho, particularly black and orthodox tea, could be tested more conveniently before reaching consumers and external markets.
Bangi emphasized the importance of the facilities to the tea industry, where precise temperature and pressure measurements are crucial during processing. He linked the planned investment to public health, noting that properly calibrated equipment is critical in hospitals to prevent inaccurate diagnoses or medication dosages.
He cited examples of medical equipment, such as incubators for premature babies, where accurate temperature measurements are vital. Properly calibrated equipment helps health workers obtain reliable readings and administer appropriate care. KEBS is also focused on the accuracy of laboratory equipment, stressing that even the amount of medicine administered depends on accurate measurements.
KEBS conducts market surveillance after product certification, taking samples from shops and supermarkets for laboratory analysis to ensure continued compliance with required standards. According to KEBS, this surveillance ensures that products in the Kenyan market meet approved standards and do not endanger health, safety, or the environment, with enforcement measures against non-compliant products.
The initiative is expected to support SMEs, described by Bangi as a critical engine of economic growth facing challenges in accessing standards, testing facilities, and financial resources. KEBS plans to absorb the cost of factory inspection and testing for qualifying small enterprises, providing technical guidance and mentorship to entrepreneurs lacking expertise.
Standardization will allow locally manufactured products like wheelbarrows and jembes to be made to consistent specifications, facilitating trade, repair, and sourcing replacement parts across the country. A KEBS quality mark gives consumers confidence in a product’s compliance with standards, aiding manufacturers in accessing wider markets. KEBS’s certification framework supports industry and trade through recognized standards and conformity assessment.
The meeting, held on Wednesday at the County Commissioner’s boardroom, was attended by regional and county departmental heads and National Government Administrative Officers.
