NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has kicked off a nationwide public engagement drive on the proposed Standards Bill, 2025, which seeks to overhaul the country’s quality infrastructure and strengthen consumer protection.
The Bill proposes sweeping reforms to Kenya’s standardisation, metrology, and conformity assessment systems, aiming to ensure safer products, fairer trade practices, and enhanced competitiveness for local industries.
The public consultations, led by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), will run from October 8 to 27, 2025, beginning in the Coast region before moving to Mt Kenya, North Eastern, Nyanza, North Rift, South Rift, and concluding in Nairobi.
In compliance with the Constitution’s requirement for public participation, KEBS has invited Kenyans to submit feedback through regional forums or by email to standardsbill@kebs.org before October 28, 2025. The draft Bill and feedback form are available on the Bureau’s website, www.kebs.org.
“The Standards Bill, 2025, is about protecting consumers, boosting industry, and creating a fair trading environment. Every Kenyan has a stake in shaping it,” KEBS said in a statement.
Modernising Kenya’s standards regime
The Standards Bill, 2025, seeks to replace the Standards Act, Cap 496, which has guided the country’s quality regime for decades.
The proposed law grants KEBS broader oversight and enforcement powers, transforming it into both the National Standards Body (NSB) — responsible for developing and publishing Kenya Standards — and the National Metrology Institute (NMI), in charge of scientific and industrial measurement standards.
Under the new framework, all KEBS assets, staff, rights, and obligations will transition seamlessly to the reconstituted Bureau.
Among the major reforms proposed are:
- Mandatory registration of all manufacturers and licensing of calibration service providers and cargo consolidators.
- Expanded inspection powers, allowing KEBS officers to enter premises, seize unsafe goods, halt production, order recalls, and even destroy counterfeit or substandard products.
Hefty penalties for non-compliance
The draft law introduces stringent penalties for violations of Kenya Standards. Manufacturers, importers, or distributors found dealing in non-compliant products could face fines of up to Sh10 million or 10 years in prison, or both.
Other proposed penalties include:
- False advertising: up to Sh3 million or three years in jail.
- Illegal use of KEBS certification marks: up to Sh5 million or five years in jail.
- Failure to recall unsafe products: up to Sh10 million or 10 years in jail.
- Disposing of uncleared goods: up to Sh20 million or 10 years in jail.
- Obstructing KEBS inspectors: up to Sh5 million or five years in jail.
- Failure to pay the Standards Levy: up to Sh3 million or three years in jail.
KEBS will also have authority to impose administrative penalties of up to Sh5 million for licensing violations, doubling to Sh10 million for repeat offenders.
Businesses trading in non-compliant products may face surcharges equivalent to 15 per cent of the goods’ market value.
Impersonating a KEBS official will also be treated as a criminal offence, carrying a fine of up to Sh5 million or a five-year jail term, or both.
Establishment of a Standards Tribunal
To promote accountability, the Bill proposes the creation of a Standards Tribunal, chaired by a person qualified to serve as a High Court judge, to hear appeals on licensing, certification, product recalls, and enforcement actions by KEBS.
If enacted, the Standards Bill, 2025 will mark a major milestone in Kenya’s effort to align its quality systems with international best practices, combat counterfeit products, and enhance consumer confidence in locally available goods.
