Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has unveiled the draft Kenya Quality Policy.
Speaking at a Nairobi hotel during a national validation workshop, the CS said the policy will provide a framework to coordinate accreditation of the quality of goods and services manufactured locally before export.
“We have a number of institutions in government which look at issues of quality and accreditation. However, we have not had a well-coordinated mechanism. This policy therefore will provide a framework of proper coordination,” he said.
Present during the workshop were representatives from the British Standards Institute, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Trade Mark Africa, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis and Kenya National Accreditation Services.
Mvurya said the policy will assist Kenya in the achievement of the aspirations of Vision 2030 of a globally competitive country providing high quality products to local and international markets while ensuring social, environmental, and consumer protection.
“The policy of Kenya is underpinned on the motto; one measure, one standard, one accredited conformity assessment, accepted worldwide,” he emphasised.
The CS noted that Kenya’s quality infrastructure is faced with a myriad of challenges.
“These challenges include low capacity and limited skills among quality organisations, inadequate public awareness on matters quality and inconsistency in policies, legal, regulatory, and institutional framework,” he said.
Mvurya regretted that the scenario has created a situation where Kenya faces challenges in accessing markets partly due to the absence of clear and internationally recognised quality infrastructure.
He assured that implementation of the Kenya Quality Policy will ensure that the country has a supportive and internationally recognised quality infrastructure.
“The Kenya Quality Policy will promote a quality culture that will, in turn, ensure the protection of consumer rights as per the Constitution of Kenya as well as encourage industries and other organisations to adopt quality improvement practices in their day-to-day activities,” he said.
