Bullish Matiang’i tells MPs illegal sugar to be destroyed next week

Contraband goods worth Ksh1.2billion will be destroyed next week, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has said.

According to him, this also includes illegal sugar that was seized in different parts of the country.

“1.4 million bags of sugar that we are holding is not a small matter. We have arrested 72 people and we will arrest more. Public servants who have colluded will also be prosecuted,” he warned.

Also Read: ‘Muhoho will face the law if he imported illegal sugar’

He was speaking on Thursday when he appeared before a Parliamentary Committee.

Dr. Matiang’i further indicated that members of the public will be blocked from accessing the go-downs where the contraband products have been locked up.

He was responding to questions as to whether he indeed ascertained that mercury was found in the sugar that was seized.

“Your statement that sugar has mercury brought a lot of panic. People are now afraid of taking sugar,” Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi said.

Committee chairman Adan Haji, who is also the Mandera South MP had also demanded to know whether there was any sugar tested and confirmed to have mercury.

Samburu North MP Alois Lentoimaga further blamed Dr. Matiang’i for the surge in sugar prices and scarcity of the commodity.

“I don’t know if there’s scarcity or whether there’s any relationship between what we are doing and cost of the same. We will continue with this exercise forever until we get rid of harmful sugar,” the CS retorted.

James Tuitoek then questioned why Dr. Matiang’i did not wait for conclusive test results before announcing that there were traces of mercury in sugar circulated in the country.

The CS responded saying: “We can’t vouch for the sugar we are holding. When we share the outcome of the results in camera you will see what I mean.”