Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) Managing Director Esther Ngari has angered MPs after she failed to appear before them despite confirming her availability to answer questions on claims that the government lost Sh420 million in revenue through forgery and falsification of documents.
The members of the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry and Cooperatives committee summoned her to clarify the matter or face police action, even as they linked her no-show to political patronage from the individuals who do business with KeBS.
The committee, chaired by Shinyalu MP Bernard Shinali, extended its probe into the matter to include Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui. Dr Juma Mukhwana, the principal secretary for Industry, has also been summoned.
“We wrote to Ms Ngari requesting her to appear before this committee to respond to the weighty matter that touches on the safety of the food that Kenyans consume, among others. She requested the committee to reschedule the meeting to a date of her choice, but decided not to appear,” said Mr Shinali.
Some of the goods allegedly smuggled into the country under the watch of KeBS include foodstuffs like rice, powdered milk, edible oil, as well as fake fertilisers.
The 233 bags of counterfeit planting fertiliser worth Sh2.3 million, at the Anti Counterfeit Authority’s office in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on March 20, 2025.
According to Mr Shinali, Ms Ngari was originally expected before the committee on March 27 to respond to questions on the irregular dealings at the State agency that have seen the government lose “colossal amounts of money” through forgery of documents, enabling unscrupulous businessmen to evade paying taxes.
“Even after the committee agreed to her date of choice, she fails to appear to respond to the issues without any regrets, and she is not even responding to inquiries from the Clerk’s office,” added Mr Shinali.
Documents in our possession show that Ms Ngari acknowledged receipt of the invitation from the Clerk, Samuel Njoroge, to appear before the committee but requested another date.
In her letter dated March 26 to the Clerk, she explained that she had an official engagement outside the country that coincided with her scheduled appearances and requested that the meeting be rescheduled.
“Given the significance of this engagement and our commitment to cooperating fully with the committee, we respectfully request that our appearance be rescheduled to April 7, 2025, which will give us ample time to prepare the responses,” Ms Ngari wrote in her response.
She went on: “Please be assured of KeBS dedication to transparency and accountability and our readiness to provide any necessary clarifications to support the committee’s work.”
Aldai MP Maryanne Kitany.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Her failure to appear saw committee members Ms Maryanne Kitany (Aldai) and Dr Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula) accuse her of treating the committee casually, with Mr Samuel Parashina (Kajiado South) saying that it's her “high political connection” that is making her ignore the committee’s invitations.
“Because of the gravity of this matter that touches on people’s health, the KeBS boss needed to be here to respond to these serious issues. Other than summoning her, we should also escalate the invite to the CS and PS,” said Ms Kitany. “They should accompany the KeBS boss.”
“Kenyans are living by God’s grace because whatever they are consuming is not safe. And here is a person absconding from parliamentary invitations because they are protected by powerful people who are doing business with KeBS,” said Mr Parashina.
Mr Shinali said that the power the committee has supersedes any political patronage, as he promised to ensure the interest of the people comes first.
