10 food vendors were arrested in Nairobi when the crackdown began

Nairobi County government officials have arrested more than 10 food vendors for selling food that is not inspected to residents when they crack down on those who operate without health certificates.

Health officials and inspectorates on Wednesday arrested seven food vendors in Kamukunji and five others at Embakasi.

Nairobi County Health Executive Mohamed Dagane said City Hall earlier this month had given all food vendors, restaurants and other food outlets operating in the district two weeks to submit a re-examination request.

EXAMINATION

He said inspectorate officials, along with health officials, had carried out daily inspections of food outlets in the city.

"No one will operate or sell food without checking. We made this determination and we want to apply it to the letter to avoid health problems now and in the future, "Dagane said.


The arrest came just days after the Kenya Producers Association (KAM) put the local government in the spotlight for failing to test public food handlers in the capital for nearly a year despite collecting the necessary fees.

KAM regional coordinator for Nairobi Robert Juma revealed that no public food handlers have been issued with good health certificates for almost a year because tests are rarely carried out by district public health officials.

TESTING FEES

Mr Juma said this even though public health officials demanded that someone adhere to a six-month testing cycle by paying ordinary testing fees with those who failed to pay being arrested.

He also blamed City Hall for its lack of capacity to test, track and have evidence that someone had been tested, saying that the local government had not conducted the test and issued a valid health certificate.

"There are only four licensed public laboratories in the county that are able to do the testing. They are already overwhelmed, meaning that food consumed in Nairobi is handled by people who are not tested, "he said.

MAIN CRACKDOWN

On his part, Mr Dagane said that the new operation would not only target food vendors but also food handlers in general, adding that a large crackdown in the central business district had already taken place.

He promised stricter measures that would ensure only safe food was sold in Nairobi, adding that the local government was also expected to expand the food inspection department to meet the growing demand of the population.

"We are not only targeting street vendors but also big hotels. They must ensure that cleanliness is properly maintained. Last month, six supermarkets closed their food section for violating regulations on food handling, "the Health executive said.