The company behind dumping of contaminated maize floor in Thika town that left two people dead and scores hospitalised might have no action taken against it just yet.
This is after the Ministry of Health said that preliminary analysis conducted on the samples of the floor and ugali which had been cooked using it showed no toxic substances from the flour.
Two people lost their lives and several others were hospitalised after consuming maize flour collected from the Kang'oki dumpsite in Thika constituency in August.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said in a report tabled in Parliament that when the incident occurred, a team from the ministry and the county team obtained samples from suspected toxic flour and the food remains from the victims and submitted them to the National Public Health Laboratory and the Government Chemist for analysis.
The CS had been tasked to explain the action that has been taken against the company that dumped the contaminated maize flour and whether the company will compensate for lives lost and hospital bills incurred by affected families.
“Preliminary analysis showed no toxic substances from the flour, hence no action has been taken on the company yet,” Nakhumicha said.
In her submissions, the CS said the the samples underwent bacteriological analysis, particularly for the cooked ugali and toxicological and aflatoxin content for the suspected maize flour.
She however did not reveal the identity of the company behind the dumping of the maize flour.
She said the bacteriological analysis was negative as per the NPHL report.
“The certificate of analysis from the Government Chemist reported the coarse ground 'flour’ maize flour sample was found to contain non chemically toxic substances,” she said.
The victims reportedly picked the toxic flour at Kang'oki dumpsite in Kiganjo, Thika, in Kiambu county, on Saturday, August 12, and stored it until Tuesday, August 15.
On that fateful day, they used the contaminated flour to make ugali, which they consumed together.
Nakhumicha said the ministry reached out to the county for more information on the said dumping of ‘flour’ at the dumpsite in Kamenu ward.
She said the county teams informed ministry officers that they received communication that a lorry carrying industrial waste on August 12 dumped toxic waste at the dumpsite.
Part of it being a substance suspected to be flour at Kang’oki dumpsite located in Makongeni in Thika.
It was reported that the residents of the area, while scavenging for food, came across the said ‘flour’ and prepared food with the same.
Following consumption of the flour twelve patients exhibiting signs and symptoms of food poisoning presented at Thika Level 5 Hospital within Kiambu county.
Most of those received at the hospital came unconscious with breathing problems. They were attended to and unfortunately two patients succumbed.
“The surveillance team visited the site to establish the facts about the incident and to disseminate public health information to the community residing near the dumpsite,” Nakhumicha said.
She said dumping of the toxic waste is illegal, hence the decision to dispatch the surveillance team to investigate the source of the toxic waste.
The CS said that the ministry was in discussion with the county to have the dumpsite relocated.
“They have notified us that due to land scarcity the plan for relocation is on hold but have put in place measures to ascertain waste dumped at the dumping site," she said.