KEBS commemorates World Quality Day

Nairobi, 

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

 KNA by Carol Mawia

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) on Tuesday joined the world in marking this year's World Quality Day which is always celebrated on 9th November annually.

The celebrations serve as a platform for promoting compliance to quality standards and advocating for consumer protection, environmental responsibility, and innovation.

State Department for Industry Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Juma Mukhwana speaking during the event in Nairobi said that it is disheartening to see that Kenya imports a lot of things that can be manufactured locally.

He said that the majority of Kenyans say that the locally manufactured products are not as good as those made in foreign countries.

“What we need to realize as a country is that when we import, we are exporting jobs to other countries thus denying our youth the much-needed job opportunities,” he said.

The PS said that as a government they are discouraging importation of goods that can be made locally.

Dr. Mukhwana urged manufacturers to support the Buy Kenya Build Kenya initiative by putting the Buy Kenya label on their products while at the same time calling on Kenyans to buy Kenyan products to boost manufacturing.  

The PS added that their idea is to create in each county a small area where people can undertake manufacturing, inviting Kenyans to try out their skilled ideas.

National Standards Council Chairman Peter Munyiri said that KEBS's mission is to witness substantial policy advancement and investments which are key in nurturing and empowering enterprises in the country.

He appealed to all Kenyans to embrace quality beyond the quality week which is more needed for our country.

“The success of our country is tied to the progress of every sector, our commitment is that we will ensure quality in each sector,” said Munyiri.  

KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari said that KEBS has embarked on an ambitious journey to educate 24, 000 MSMEs to ingrain a mindset of quality adherence and empower those in the grassroots.

She further added that quality is not just an abstract idea but also a culture embedded in our lives.

“Let us affirm our commitment to excellence by ensuring that every step forward is a stride towards a future that is more trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast inequality,” she urged.

The World Quality Days theme this year is Realizing Your Competitive Potential.

Courtesy; KNA