NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya has been left out of a global list of countries recognised for eliminating industrially produced trans fats, with the World Health Organization (WHO) citing weak enforcement of existing regulations as the key reason.
At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva this week, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus awarded Austria, Norway, Oman, and Singapore with validation certificates for best-practice policies in eliminating trans fats from their food supplies.
These countries were hailed for not only introducing strong regulations but also ensuring strict compliance through robust monitoring systems.
“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is one of the most cost-effective strategies to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Tedros said. “These countries are not only protecting the health of their populations, but also setting an exemplary standard for others.”
Kenya, despite having a legal framework in place through Legal Notice No. 115 of 2015 under the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act, was passed over due to the law’s lack of enforceable limits on trans fats.
Trans fats—especially those industrially produced—are commonly found in margarine, baked goods, fried foods, and packaged snacks.
They are widely known to clog arteries and raise the risk of heart attacks and coronary heart disease.
The WHO estimates that over 278,000 deaths annually are attributable to their consumption.
In 2018, WHO launched a global campaign to eliminate trans fats, calling on all countries to enact and enforce policies that restrict their use.
At the time, only 11 countries had adopted best-practice regulations.
That number has since grown to nearly 60, now covering 46 per cent of the global population.
Kenya’s omission highlights the gap between policy and practice.
While the 2015 legal notice banned the use of trans fats, it stopped short of specifying a maximum limit for their content in food products—an omission that has rendered the law practically toothless.
“There is a need to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases,” said Gideon Ogutu, programme officer for health governance at the International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), a Nairobi-based advocacy group. “We are pushing for the inclusion of specified limits. As it stands, without these limits, the law is not implementable.”
The IILA has been working with policymakers to draft new regulations. Proposals by a technical committee recommend capping industrial trans fat levels at two grams per 100 grams of total fat in all edible oils and processed foods.
If adopted, Kenya would align itself with WHO’s best-practice guidelines, paving the way for potential future recognition and, more importantly, reducing a key risk factor for heart disease among its population.
For now, however, the country’s absence from the WHO honours list is a missed opportunity—and a reminder that good laws are only as effective as their enforcement.
