In Summary

• Over 500 food handling certificate have been identified so far.

• The health department on spot for not taming the vice as some of their officers actively involved.

Nairobians have been called to be on the lookout after it was revealed that more than five hundred food handling certificates are fake and that those using the same when handling food in eateries poses high health risks to their customers.

When being grilled by the Nairobi Assembly Health Committee,the acting deputy director in charge of environmental health Margaret Sunguti stated that there are in deed more than 500 food handling certificates which  are fake raising questions on how she has been sitting on her desk with search  glaring risk.

When put to task,she failed to explain how they got in the market with Chief officer public health Tom Nyakaba acknowledging that some of the officers issuing fake food handling certificates are Cityhall employees.

“Chair is true we have fake food handling certificates and I will give detailed report later.From the numbers we received from our field officers 580 certificates are fake.” Margaret Sunguti revealed to the committee.

The Committee Reaction

Meanwhile the committee chairman Maurice Ochieng perturbed by the revelations questioned the health department capabilities of ensuring food  safety in the city.

“You are telling us that more than 500 hundred food handling certificates are fake yet you are in office comfortably sitting with your officer perpetrating the vice. You are taking us for a ride and as a committee we shall do our report and out of that we shall bring sanity in this department. We can’t have incompetent officers in a department.” Maurice noted.

County Reaction

Meanwhile Public Heath Chief Officer Tom Nyakaba defended the county saying they have instituted internal investigations but further revealed that some of County officers are involved.

“We have received reports of fake food handling certificates and we instituted internal investigations but I can confirm that some of those who are involved are our officers whilst some are not our staff,we shall be able to table our findings once investigations are completed .” he said.