Concerns over standardisation
Speaking at a seminar last week, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) voiced concerns over the African country's future trade with Uganda and Tanzania following the failure of many manufacturers to register their products — including leather, food, metal and steel — with key certification bodies.
Tanzania and Uganda have already registered 1,500 and 900 products respectively for standardisation marks, while Kenya has a mere 150 products bearing the optional Diamond Mark of Quality.
Local manufacturers have been urged to register for the basic mark of quality in order to safeguard their regional trade within the EAC by January 1, when the EAC-SQMT Act comes into effect.
From January 1 next year, Kenyan products exported within the East African Community (EAC) must be registered and from February 1 KEBS will also require products trading in the domestic market to be registered, and for all to bear the basic mark of quality by July 1.
