Kenya’s standards regulator said on Tuesday that five alcoholic beverage brands temporarily suspended by Rwanda had passed fresh inspections and laboratory tests, with the products found to comply with applicable Kenyan and East African standards.
The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) announced the temporary suspension on Aug. 5, prompting the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to review the products and their manufacturers.
The affected products are Kenya King Gin and Safari Gin, manufactured by London Distillers Kenya Ltd; Avalon and Sweet Berry Potable Spirits, manufactured by Zheng Hong (K) Ltd; and Gilbey’s Gin, manufactured by Kenya Breweries Ltd.
In a statement issued on Aug. 11, KEBS said the five products had undergone conformity assessments, market surveillance, factory inspections and laboratory testing.
“KEBS wishes to reassure consumers, trade partners, and the public that the five alcoholic beverage brands recently suspended by the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority have undergone rigorous conformity assessment, market surveillance, factory inspection, and laboratory testing by KEBS and have been found to comply with the applicable Kenyan and East African Standards,” the bureau said.
KEBS said its review included certification records, quality assurance reports, previous market surveillance findings, factory inspection reports and laboratory results.
The bureau said inspectors visited the five manufacturing facilities between Aug. 7 and Aug. 10, examining manufacturing processes, quality management systems, traceability, hygiene, sanitation, packaging, labelling and other controls. Fresh samples were collected for laboratory analysis.
The latest laboratory tests confirmed that the five products complied with the requirements of the relevant Kenyan and East African standards, KEBS said.
The agency said the products carry valid Standardization Marks and meet requirements covering composition, alcohol content, methanol limits, higher alcohols, esters, volatile acids, packaging, labelling and consumer safety.
KEBS said it was engaging Rwanda FDA and other regional regulatory bodies to establish the basis for the temporary suspension and seek a technical resolution through established East African Community frameworks.
“The Bureau remains confident in the robustness of its conformity assessment systems and is actively engaging the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority and other regional regulatory bodies to establish the basis for the temporary suspension and facilitate a technical resolution through established East African Community frameworks,” KEBS said.
Rwanda FDA’s Aug. 5 announcement covered alcoholic beverage brands from several countries and ordered the temporary suspension of their importation. The authority also ordered the recall of affected products already on the Rwandan market.
KEBS said it would continue engaging Rwanda FDA and other regional regulators on the matter.
