Cabinet secretary Lee Kinyanjui wants the national quality standards watch-dog, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), to give greater attention to traditional brews to enable their exploitation commercially.
The Investment, Trade and Industry CS said the focus should be on responsible manufacturing and not simply restriction of production.
“Some of our neighbouring countries have successfully standardized, commercialized and exported their traditional beverages. Kenya has similar opportunities that remain largely untapped,” he noted.
KEBS must, therefore, continuously strengthen its technical capacity to respond to the changing needs of the economy by matching industrial ambitions with equally strong quality assurance systems.
Mr Kinyanjui said standards are not just about the quality of products on our shelves but they also determine the competitiveness of our industries, the safety of consumers and the ability of Kenyan products to access regional and international markets.
The standards body must up its game as the country is attracts new investments in sectors such as mineral processing and petroleum refining.
The CS said Kenya must explore appropriate standards and regulatory frameworks that would enable local producers to formalize their businesses, improve product quality and access wider markets, while protecting consumers from harmful products.
He spoke when joined KEBs team led by Director-General Esther Ngari and other standards institutions for the World Standards Day 2026 celebrations at Eka Hotel, Nairobi.
The occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on the critical role of standards in supporting industrial growth, safeguarding consumers and positioning Kenya as a competitive manufacturing and export hub.
The National Standardization Strategy was launched during the celebrations. The strategy provides an important framework for strengthening Kenya’s quality infrastructure, promoting innovation and ensuring our standards keep pace with emerging industries and global market requirements.
