Consumer Information Network Chief Executive Officer Samuel Ochieng is now calling on the government to step up efforts in the protection of Kenyan consumers.
Speaking on Wednesday, Ochieng said this will help get rid of the counterfeit menace that has crippled Kenyan businesses.
"What we are more concerned about as consumers is the effects counterfeits have on your body. You've heard of counterfeit alcohol that can maim you, some people have gone blind. What we want is to hear what the government is doing about it," he said.
"We cannot only think about revenues for government, consumers also need to be protected."
Samuel spoke at the Consumers International Global Congress in Nairobi. The three-day event started on Wednesday and was opened by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Ochieng said he hopes that as the Congress continues, they will have a holistic engagement with all stakeholders and come up with a proper mechanism to protect consumers.
The Consumer Information Network boss noted that since Kenya incorporated Consumer Rights into the Bill of Rights, not much has been done in terms of protecting Kenyan consumers.
He said that they were given five years to enact a law that would protect consumers but that has not happened yet.
"What we have now is a Consumer Protection Act which is not very active. It established the Kenya Consumer Protection Advisory Committee. We anticipated we'd have an authority and we do hope that it will graduate to an Authority that will serve us well and be able to prosecute and do more as opposed to just an advisory role," Ochieng added.
Ochieng, who is also a former President of the Consumers International said he is happy all players are in Kenya for the Consumer Congress and that Kenya will be able to pick best practices from the other organisations from across the globe.
This is the second time the Consumer International Global Congress has been held in Africa.
