Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), have launched a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit pesticide products being sold in the market.
The board has also issued a stern warning that selling pesticides in open-air markets, through hawking, car boot sales, and temporary structures, is illegal.

“The public is notified that the quality of pesticides sold in this manner cannot be guaranteed and they pose a risk to both consumers and the environment,” the board cautioned.

Last week, PCPB and DCI officers conducted an operation in Mombasa, resulting in the arrest of two individuals and the closure of several business outlets. The board raised alarms over the increasing trade in counterfeit pesticide products. The two suspects, Peter Muchu Waweru and Peter Nguru Mungai, were arraigned in a Mombasa court, where they were fined Sh100,000 each or sentenced to one year in prison.

Selling counterfeit

“The Pest Control Products Board, in collaboration with the DCI, successfully arrested two suspects in Biashara Street, Mombasa County, for selling counterfeit and unregistered pesticides,” said Stanley Mruu Ng’ang’a, the Regional Manager of the Pest Control Products Board, Coast Region.

Following the sentencing, Ng’ang’a emphasized that the punishment should serve as a warning to others involved in the illegal sale of pest control products. “I would also like to warn those hawking pesticides that it is against the law. The long arm of the law will catch up with you,” he stated.

Ng’ang’a further disclosed that during the crackdown, their team seized more than 300,000 kilograms of illegal pesticides en route to Kabati, Kenol in Murang’a. The importer reportedly lacked the necessary documentation.

The crackdown has now been extended to all parts of the country, with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) also involved in the operation. Ng’ang’a noted that PCPB and DCI officers are actively visiting agrovets and farms nationwide to ensure that the products being sold meet the prescribed standards.