David Muwanga
16 July 2007
Kampala — THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has impounded sub-standard building materials and electrical appliances worth sh250m.
The head of market surveillance, Martin Imalingat, said the products are flexible electrical conduits, padlocks, extension cables, flexible electrical cables, Mekako bathing soap and Kiwi shoe polish.
Imalingat said the chrome-coated padlocks with the FF Italy label present a safety risk. "For the two brands, a key from one padlock opens all the other padlocks of that brand while the top padlock brand also carries a plate with the brand name which when removed, the padlock can be opened," he told a press conference in Kampala.
"Many of the thefts around the city suburbs may have involved these substandard padlocks," Imalingat said.
He said the extension cables do not have safety closures and the socket parts that receive the prongs of the plug are bare.
"This poses a safety risk to users especially children who may inadvertently place their fingers or insert metallic objects into the sockets of the extension cables, resulting into electrical shocks and death."
The cable brands are Electric Cord Reel, Guipeng Electric Outlet, Globe power extension sockets, Emkay and Long Last.
"These are poorly-labelled, with no country of origin. They have low insulation and can't resist voltages of between 220-240."
The Kiwi shoe polish has got a container without a grip ring that eases the opening of the product. It has a strong aroma of paraffin, which is its major ingredient.
Imalingat said the Mekako bathing soap contains mercury and hydroquinone that can lead to skin cancer and organ failure.
"The genuine Mekako soap is made in France but the substandard is made in Ivory Coast," he said.
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