Nairobi — The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has commissioned a radiation laboratory that is expected to be operational by July.

Kebs Managing Director Dr Kioko Mang'eli said the new modern facility would enable the standards body test for radiation emission, a service it could not previously provide. He said phase one of the project, which is complete involves dosimetry laboratory. The laboratory, he said, would give guidelines on the acceptable level radiation, radioactive sources and x-ray protection devices.

"The second phase of the project would focus on non-destructive material testing," said Mang'eli during a long service award ceremony for employees held at Kebs headquarters in Nairobi.

"The third and final phase will be on radio-chemistry." Awareness on radiation has heightened in the last five years due to widespread use of mobile telephony sets that are said to emit some amount of radiation.

Signal transmitters dotted across the country put up by mobile telephone services providers are also said to emit some radiation, but the quantity is still unknown.

Mang'eli said Kebs was also training its personnel to test imported construction materials and motor vehicles spares parts.

Meanwhile, national intellectual property organisations have announced new plans to protect local inventions for commercial benefits.

The Kenya Industrial Property Institute (Kipi) is negotiating with the National Museums of Kenya to be the legal custodian of cultural products.

"We want to negotiate with the Museums on how to recognise cultural goods so that (it) can be the legal custodian of the goods," Kipi Managing Director, Prof James Otieno Odek said at an Institute of Economic Affairs media workshop in Nairobi, on Tuesday.

Speaking at the same forum, the Copyright Board chairman, Mr Jimmy Makotsi said in collaboration with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), they want to control piracy by introducing an anti-piracy tool.

"We are in the process of introducing an anti-piracy device with a stamp of authorisation from the KRA," Makotsi said. Speaking on the role of intellectual property rights in alleviating poverty, Odek said that it was a "major problem that no person can be identified as the owner of akala shoes (tyre sandals), kikoi, or author of nyatiti songs."