Vihiga county commissioner Ochillo Oyugi has urged Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards and law enforcers to fight counterfeit goods.
Oyugi said government institutions have not been able to win the war against counterfeit, substandard and contraband goods in the market due to poor coordination.
“Contraband goods owners don’t pay tax or the required duty to the government. Counterfeit are goods that are duplicated from the original one and substandard goods are the ones that don’t meet Kebs requirement,” Oyugi said.
He said some business people are misusing their licenses.
Oyugi spoke in his office on Tuesday at the county headquarters where he met officials from KRA and Kebs. They agreed to work as a team.
The county commissioner said most bar operators are leading in the sale of counterfeit, contraband and substandard goods.
“The reason for the dominance among bar operators is because people want cheap things without considering their health,” he said.
Oyugi said the war against such products is to safeguard the health status of Vihiga residents.
He said the war will also reduce the rate of alcohol consumption within the county and the region which has been ranked as the second largest in alcohol consumption at the rate of 39 percent.
Oyugi further warned politicians that the law will not spare them if they continue duping young people by buying them alcohol.
