MPs suspend Sh420 million KEBS probe after DCI clears agency

Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director Esther Ngari. (Photo: KEBS)

By Lucy Mumbi
Sunday, August 31, 2025

KEBS had been accused of presiding over forged documents that enabled the entry of untaxed goods such as rice, edible oil, powdered milk and substandard fertilisers.

A parliamentary committee has suspended its inquiry into the alleged loss of Sh420 million at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) cleared the agency of wrongdoing.

KEBS had been accused of presiding over forged documents that enabled the entry of untaxed goods such as rice, edible oil, powdered milk and substandard fertilisers. However, DCI concluded that no evidence linked the standards body to the revenue loss, prompting MPs to hold off further scrutiny.

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The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, chaired by Shinyalu MP Bernard Shinali, had been probing the matter and had summoned KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari on three occasions to clarify the allegations, but she failed to appear.

“We have since been told that the DCI has already concluded his investigations and has cleared KEBS, but the EACC and the Auditor-General are yet to conclude theirs,” Shinali told the House.

“The committee will look at the findings of the investigative agencies before recommending appropriately to the House.”

Before suspending its probe, the committee had escalated the matter to Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui and Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana, who oversees KEBS. The move was taken after Ngari repeatedly failed to honour the committee’s invitations.

In its summons, the committee noted it was seeking responses to “weighty matters that touch on the safety of the food that Kenyans consume, among others.” But Ngari requested that the sessions be rescheduled to dates of her choice, and never appeared before the legislators.

“She requested the committee to reschedule the meeting to a date of her choice, but never appeared before the committee, only to be informed that the investigative agencies are looking into the matter,” Shinali said.

Ngari had initially been expected before the committee on March 27, 2025, to answer questions on what MPs described as irregular dealings at the State agency that had seen the government lose “colossal amounts of money” through forgery of documents.

Documents show she acknowledged receipt of the summons from the Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, but explained in a March 26, 2025, letter that she had an official foreign engagement that coincided with the scheduled appearance.

“Given the significance of this engagement and our commitment to cooperating fully with the committee, we respectfully request that our appearance be rescheduled to April 7, 2025, which will give us ample time to prepare the responses,” Ngari said in her response.

Her repeated failure to turn up before the committee, however, drew criticism from MPs who accused her of treating Parliament’s oversight role casually.