Sugar scam: State agencies on the spot over contradicting statements

Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda has criticized government agencies for issuing contradictory statements regarding contraband sugar.

The legislator also accused the State of harassing small scale traders instead of going for the ‘bigwigs’ linked to the scandal.

“We are in one government serving the same people and we should be reading from the same script,” she said.

According to Lesuuda, security officers led by Samburu AP commander Alfred Ageng’o, arrested traders and impounded 300 bags of the alleged poisonous sugar.

She further urged the investigating agencies to conduct spot checks at supermarkets and not just warehouses.

Police have maintained that they will continue the crackdown on illicit sugar.

I still insist as I did today at the joint committees probing the contraband sugar that random tests be conducted on products already on our supermarket shelves even as we do the wares houses. Any of them found contaminated to be immediately withdrawn from the market in totality.

— Hon. Naisula Lesuuda (@Lesuuda) June 28, 2018

This comes even as MPs questioned Interior Cabinet Fred Matiang’i on Thursday wanting to know whether the said sugar indeed has mercury.

The legislators demanded to know which tests he relied on before making the pronouncement and why the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) gave conflicting reports.

A defiant Dr. Matiang’i responded saying that all contraband goods seized would be destroyed next week and the operation of seizing illegal sugar would continue.

On Thursday, Lesuuda urged restraint against making speculations and reiterated President Uhuru Kenyatta’s statement that leaders stop politicising the issue.

“The matter is before Parliament and relevant investigating authorities. Let us give them time. I have seen that one of the greatest challenges we have as a country is that every initiative that starts and affects us which we need to see results we start politicizing it,” she said.