The ongoing parliamentary investigation into a controversial shipment of imported raw sugar took a new turn after the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) defended its role in clearing the consignment, saying all the required quality checks had been completed before the cargo left the exporting country.
KEBS officials appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives on Tuesday, where they faced tough questions from MPs over the agency’s inspection procedures and whether Kenya should introduce mandatory laboratory testing for imported sugar once it arrives at local ports.
The hearing is part of a broader investigation into a 27,000-tonne shipment that has attracted attention over its clearance process, tax incentives granted to the importer and concerns about whether existing safeguards are strong enough to keep industrial sugar from reaching consumers before it is refined.
Existing import procedures
Responding to the committee, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari maintained that the bureau followed the law and existing import procedures.
She explained that Kenya uses the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme, under which products destined for the Kenyan market are inspected by independent companies appointed by KEBS while still in the exporting country. Only goods that meet Kenyan standards are issued with certificates allowing them to be shipped.
Ngari told MPs that the agency does not routinely repeat laboratory tests on every imported product after it lands in Kenya. Instead, additional testing is only carried out if there are complaints, intelligence reports or any other information suggesting that a shipment may not comply with quality requirements.
She also dismissed fears that the imported sugar was meant for direct sale to consumers, explaining that it had been imported as raw material for licensed refiners. According to KEBS, the sugar must undergo processing before it can be released into the local market, and refined sugar is subjected to laboratory analysis before approval is granted for distribution.
Officials informed MPs that samples already collected from part of the refined sugar had passed laboratory tests and were found to meet Kenyan quality standards.
Even so, members of the committee argued that relying only on inspection reports prepared outside Kenya leaves room for uncertainty.
Several lawmakers proposed changes that would require every imported sugar consignment to undergo independent testing immediately after arriving in the country. They said products can deteriorate during transportation because of poor storage conditions, contamination or mishandling, making fresh local analysis necessary before clearance.
MPs noted that introducing mandatory post-arrival testing would strengthen consumer protection and improve public trust in the country’s food safety system.
The committee’s scrutiny goes beyond product quality.
Earlier this month, lawmakers questioned officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over tax incentives granted to the importer of the same consignment.
KRA told the committee that while the importer paid about Ksh 500 million in import duty, it received exemptions on VAT, excise duty and other charges worth an estimated Ksh 2.98 billion. The tax authority was also directed to submit additional documents after MPs raised concerns about incomplete records relating to the sugar’s manufacturer, production date and expiry details.
Committee chairperson Bernard Shinali said Parliament intends to establish whether every agency involved complied with the law during the importation process.
“The circumstances under which the sugar consignment was cleared are of critical concern. The huge tax losses in the form of tax waivers are equally a concern, and this committee must get answers to all concerns raised,” Shinali said.
The investigation has once again placed Kenya’s sugar sector under the spotlight.
For years, sugar imports have remained a contentious issue, with local millers and cane farmers accusing regulators of allowing excessive imports that undermine domestic production. Consumer groups have also repeatedly called for tighter monitoring to ensure industrial raw sugar is not diverted into the retail market before meeting food safety requirements.
Kenya imports raw sugar mainly to bridge supply shortages and provide local refiners with enough material to meet demand from manufacturers. However, industry players have often urged the government to strike a balance between supporting local farmers and allowing imports needed by industries.
As the inquiry continues, MPs are expected to hear from more government agencies before preparing recommendations that could reshape how imported sugar is tested, monitored and cleared. Among the proposals likely to be considered are mandatory laboratory testing at Kenyan ports, stronger coordination between regulators and stricter oversight of industrial sugar from the time it enters the country until it reaches licensed refiners.
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