Kebs speaks out as DCI opens probe into poisonous food donation
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) on Wednesday has dismissed as fake a press statement which has been circulating on social media purporting to give details of the recently harmful relief food distributed in Kikuyu, Kiambu County.
The statement, which surfaced online on Tuesday evening and was shared widely, detailed that samples taken from the donated food in Gikambura area showed that the maize flour contained aflatoxin substance adding that the samples contain a pesticide identified as “Dicamba”, a chemical’ the individuals behind the statement claimed affects fertility in females.
“The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) wishes to inform the public that the Press Statement on the Gikambura Kikuyu relief food incident is fake,” said Kebs.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) wishes to inform the public
that the Press Statement on the Gikambura Kikuyu relief food incident is fake. pic.twitter.com/WbTexYjfIc— KEBS KENYA (@KEBS_ke) May 27, 2020
Kebs spoke as part of the government faulted the politicians who gave out relief food to the residents.
Interior Principal Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho on Wednesday ordered investigations to establish who distributed the poisonous food that left 12 people hospitalised in Kiambu.
He warned that those implicated will be arrested and prosecuted.
At the same time, Central Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga has said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has taken over the investigations.
He said that authorities were not involved in the distribution of the relief supplies as required.
Mr Nyagwanga said investigations are ongoing and that the DCI and the Ministry of Health were running tests on some of the food that was donated.
“We have taken samples for tests to establish what caused the people to fall sick. Investigations are underway with the help of relevant departments,” he said.
The latest development comes after Deputy President William Ruto refuted claims linking him to the contaminated relief food that was distributed to residents on Sunday.
His statement came just hours after Kiambu County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga claimed that the food was distributed by Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa and the Deputy President’s team.
Ichung’wa also issued a statement on his social media pages distancing himself from the distribution which he linked to the onslaught against the Deputy President.