Milk dealers without licenses in Vihiga arrested
Seven suspects have been arrested in Vihiga County by police for engaging in milk trade without license from Kenya Dairy Board (KDB).
KDB Senior dairy inspector David Akungu said the suspects were handling and conveying milk without the permit thus risking the health of consumers.
“Milk traders should have license and comply with KDB regulations and health standards to ascertain safety of consumers,” said Akungu.
Akungu said the move had been necessitated by concern of the regulatory body of increased milk transport in unhygienic conditions.
He said the board had embarked on a joint operation with the police in Vihiga, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu and Nandi counties to arrest milk vendors who are not adhering to the set regulations by the board.
Akungu said most milk vendors were using plastic containers which are unhygienic to store milk, saying this was against the set regulations by the board.
He added that a total of 22 suspects have been arrested in the ongoing swoop in the five counties and will be arraigned in court to face charges level against them.
He said the preferred charges against them will be using plastic containers to store milk against the public health act and food hygiene, selling and transporting milk without permit and handling milk without medical certificate.
Akungu said six suspects were arrested in Eldoret, seven in Vihiga, six in Kapsabet and 3 in Kisumu.
He appealed to milk vendors to obtain licence from the board to ensure they meet the laid down regulations before starting the business.
The official was speaking at Mbale town during the swoop to rid out those business persons who do not conform to the board’s standards.
He said the KDB as a regulatory board is geared towards ensuring that consumers are offered with sanitized and quality milk.
