NAIROBI, Kenya – Nairobi County has ordered the immediate closure of all Naivas Supermarket outlets within the county over allegations of selling expired food products and operating with uncertified staff.
The move was announced on Wednesday by the Nairobi County Assembly Health Committee, led by Member of County Assembly (MCA) Maurice Ochieng, following an impromptu inspection at the retailer’s Moi Avenue branch.
“We are here at Naivas Moi Avenue, and we have realised that there are expired products on the shelf, putting Nairobians at risk,” said MCA Ochieng.
Among the flagged items was expired yoghurt, which the committee presented to the press.
Legislators also said they discovered products without visible expiry dates, which they warned posed a serious health risk to the public.
In addition, the committee accused Naivas of deploying staff who have not undergone mandatory medical testing.
“We found out that the people handling these products have not been tested. Therefore, as a committee, we have resolved to close all Naivas outlets in Nairobi so that staff can be tested and certified to serve Nairobians,” the committee said in a statement.
BREAKING: Nairobi County Health Committee orders the immediate closure of all Naivas Supermarket outlets in Nairobi over the sale of expired products.
The county government stated that the closures will remain in place until all employees are medically cleared and the supermarket complies with public health standards.
A broader investigation into Naivas’ operations and suppliers is also set to begin.
Naivas, Kenya’s largest supermarket chain, operates more than 30 branches in Nairobi alone, including in Kilimani, Lavington, Westlands, Lang’ata, Buruburu, and Kasarani.
MCA Ochieng further called on Nairobi’s County Health Chief Officer, Suzzane Silantoi, to act swiftly to ensure food safety across retail outlets in the capital.
“We will not sit back. Most of these facilities have expired products, and Nairobians deserve better,” he said.
The closure is likely to have major ramifications for the supermarket’s operations in the city, with potential job losses for hundreds of employees.
There are also growing concerns that the action may prompt similar scrutiny or closures by national health authorities across Naivas’ other branches countrywide.
