Posted on February, 4, 2019 at 08:11 am
By BRIAN OCHARO
The Judiciary has yet again come under sharp criticism after the Mombasa High Court last week ordered the release of 10 million kilograms of imported rice that Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) had condemned for destruction.
Justice Eric Ogola ordered the release of 10,327 tonnes of rice valued at more than Sh250 million, which is being held at a warehouse in Mombasa by a multiagency team.
The judge’s order for the release of the rice to Phoenix Global Kenya Ltd means that the commodity can be distributed for sale despite the quality issues the multiagency team raised.
And Kenyans have taken to social media to criticise the decision, accusing the Judiciary of issuing orders that could see the public consume bad rice detrimental to their health.
HEALTH
The social media users accused the court of disregarding findings of a government agency charged with ensuring quality and termed the Judiciary as the enemy within against the war on graft.
In a tweet, Dr Auma Obama, sister of former US President Barack Obama, appeared not to believe that the court ordered the release of goods unfit for human consumption despite protests from Kebs.
“If you are a Kenyan, and even if you’re not, please spread the word. Is it possible that a judge can defeat justice? Hopefully fake news,” she posted on her Twitter account.
Another user, Mula Geophrey @mula_geophrey, said: “Maybe he (judge) meant to be sold for non-human consumption purposes such as fodder, manure and energy production,” in a reply to Dr Auma’s comment.
Mr Gerald Wambua, another netizen, said in a tweet that Kebs, KRA, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, AG and the Anti-Counterfeit Agency should have just destroyed the rice after failing to meet the required standards.
Source: Daily Nation