Protect consumers more
In the past few years, consumer rights have been infringed with minimal intervention of the authorities.
More than a decade since consumer protection became a constitutional right, Kenyans still struggle with infringement of their rights. Besides, the Consumer Protection Act, 2012 has had minimal assurance either.
While the Act provides for an advisory committee, it lacks a board to which aggrieved parties can lodge complaints. Whether a deliberate exclusion or oversight, we need a fully-fledged devolved independent body with the sole role of consumer protection.
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK), the solitary handler of consumer complaints, has done well despite its centralised locality. But its tribunal covers an array of diluted roles that diminish consumer-centredness. The spectrum of consumer rights covers diverse areas.
In the past few years, consumer rights have been infringed with minimal intervention of the authorities. We’re deprived of quality sugar. Assured of non-standard but cheap goods. Uncontrolled ‘air’ selling in the name of land and many other scams.
We need a body that sets the basic minimum, non-negotiable consumer rights with nationwide staff and powers to punish and take up issues suo moto (on their own push). The lack of monitoring mechanisms to disentangle metamorphosing compromise on product quality, quantity and standards has exposed Kenyans to poisons.
A consumer body should stop unfair and deceptive business practices laced with fraud. It should sensitise consumers about their rights and responsibilities and enlighten them on reporting and also quickly act on claims. An undercover investigators would compliment voluntary consumers’ reporting.
We need a separate entity to solely handle consumer rights—like the National Consumer Council of South Africa and the Bureau of Consumer Protection of America. Competition issues can be dealt with idiosyncratically. Else, the reverberating consumer rights infringements will continue jeopardising people’s health with lifestyle maladies posing serious economic implications.
Mr Munoko is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. [email protected].
