KENYA – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has opened a new regional office in Kisumu, Western Kenya, as it seeks to strengthen its service delivery and efficiency across the country

The new ultramodern facility will serve as the Lake region headquarters serving counties within the region including Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, parts of Bomet and parts of Nandi counties.

The acting managing director, KEBS, Bernard Njiraini affirmed that the newly launched office will ensure that the region receives adequate support and assistance in all KEBS programs, reports The Star.

Mr Njiraini said that the move also highlights the institution’s commitment to promoting standardisation in industry as well as trade – even at the county level.

The new facility has been equipped with four laboratories including Food and Agriculture, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Instrumentation.

Mr Njiraini said the new office will also enhance proper service delivery especially to industries and education institutions as well as promote the export of fish and fishery products through product certification.

“This will be done through investing in requisite resources and infrastructure for standards development, conformity assessment, testing, and metrology,” he said.

He further noted that the institutions has already put measures in place to ascertain the quality of products manufactured in the lake region with a motif of ensuring goods and services offered within the region meet the global set standards.

“The objective is to wipe out fake goods from entering our market through the borders Busia and Isebania borders,’ he added.

The facility’s laboratories will offer testing, metrology, and calibration services to industries in all sectors including food and beverage, water purification and bottling, animal feeds, fertilizers and hospitality.

The regional office will also facilitate export of fish and fishery products through testing and product certification and ISO Management system training and certification to educational institutions and industry in the Lake region.

Lake Region manager Jacqueline Kangiri said that KEBS also plans to open an additional office in Mbita to complement the already existing ones in Kisii, Isebania, Kisumu Pier, Kisumu, and Busia port.

This, she said, will further improve its efficiency in service delivery.

She added that the availability of quality assurance, market surveillance, import inspection, metrology and testing services in the region will help ensure standardised products and services.