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Kenya: Polythene Bags Ban Suspended
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The Nation (Nairobi)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Caroline Wafula
Nairobi
The Government has suspended the implementation of a ban on polythene bags until full consultation among stakeholders is concluded.
The ministry of Local Government explained the ban will be implemented after consultations at the East African Community (EAC) level.
The Nairobi City Council (NCC) had recently announced the ban will be effected on June 1.
However, the ministry of Local Government in a letter dated May 7 directed that the council suspends the implementation of the by-law until full consultation with all stakeholders is exhausted.
The council complied with the directive and Town Clerk John Gakuo advised the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) and Kenya Association of Manufacturers on the same.
EAC level
On Thursday, the Local Government Permanent Secretary, Mr Sammy Kirui, explained the ministry had consulted with Kebs on the move and had been informed that the matter is to be dealt with at EAC level.
The EAC standards committee on plastics met and approved the revised standards which are now awaiting approval by the EAC Council of ministers.
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According to the PS, this is expected to be done by the end of this month after which ministers of Finance in the EAC countries will be advised on the way forward.
"The ministry was concerned that the council wanted to enforce the old standards instead of waiting for the new standards which are being revised," he said.
The PS added that the council lacked the technical capacity to determine the size of plastic bags to be used and that only Nema could do so.
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