Senate Agriculture Committee Receives Submission on the Food and Feed Safety Control Bill
Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Committee, under the leadership of Kirinyaga Senator James Kamau Murango, MP, held a meeting with the stakeholders from the Council of Governors, State Department for Livestock Development, State Department of Crop Development and Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS).
The COG, represented by Baringo County Governor, H.E Benjamin Cheboi stated that Agriculture, including crop and animal husbandry as well as County health services, including promotion of primary health care; licencing and control of undertakings that sell food to the public; veterinary services (excluding regulation of the profession); among others are functions of the County Governments under the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution. “It is therefore imperative that the proposed legislation recognizes the County Government as competent authorities for purposes of coordination of efforts between National and County Governments in the promotion, control and regulation of food and feed safety in the country.” Governor Cheboi said.
The State Department for Livestock Development submitted that as captured in the Bill, regulation of Food safety should always be done separately from regulation of medicines as guided by the SPS Agreement of WTO and other international standard setting bodies. “The current Food and Feed Safety Control and Coordination Bill is properly drafted to address the current challenges in food safety regulation devoid of any business interests and is backed by a sound Food Safety Policy.” PS, Dr. Joshua Chepchieng’, PhD, MBS, said.
The Managing Director of KEPHIS, Prof. Theophilus M. Mutui, PhD, submited that KEPHIS supports enactment of the Bill to an Act of Parliament of Kenya. The Act will address several gaps within the Kenyan Food Control System keny among them being the coordination of several competency authorities who have a role in food and feed safety.
State Department for Crop Development submitted their memoranda and recommended that Food safety needs to be organized in a more coordinated and integrated way to deliver a high level of public health and consumer protection in accordance with both local and international requirements. Food systems should ensure that food and feed is produced and distributed through a safe process that results in wholesome products fit for human consumption.
The Committee is scheduled to hold more stakeholder meetings to receive submissions on the Bill.
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