The government has launched a series of public participation forums to gather Kenyans’ views on proposed reforms to the country’s accreditation legal framework.
The forums are being hosted by the Kenya Accreditation Service (Kenas), the government agency responsible for providing accreditation services to conformity assessment bodies.
One such forum was held in Eldoret, bringing together stakeholders from Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet counties to deliberate on the proposed reforms.
Held at the Uasin Gishu County Hall, the forum focused on the Draft Kenya Accreditation Service (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Kenya Accreditation Service (General) Regulations, 2025, and the Kenya Accreditation Service (Fees) Regulations, 2025.
The meeting is part of a nationwide programme aimed at strengthening and modernising accreditation to align with national development priorities and international best practice.
Kenas chief executive officer Walter Ongeti said the forum gave stakeholders an opportunity to exchange views on reforms intended to make the accreditation body more efficient and fit for purpose.
He said gaps in the existing laws had allowed unscrupulous entities to operate without accreditation. He noted that in 2024, Parliament amended the law to make accreditation mandatory.
“The regulations under public scrutiny will operationalise the proposed legal reforms. We are also reviewing fees that have remained unchanged for the past 17 years to ensure the accreditation body remains sustainable,” Ongeti said.
He urged Kenyans to actively participate before the proposals are presented to Parliament.
Participants from national and county governments, conformity assessment bodies, industry, professional associations, small and medium-sized enterprises and academia shared views on how the proposed legal instruments could enhance quality assurance, promote mutual recognition and support Kenya’s participation in regional and global trade.
Uasin Gishu Deputy governor Evans Kapkea highlighted the role of accreditation in driving economic growth.
He said the county’s strong agricultural base makes quality assurance critical for market access, consumer protection and value addition, especially with the establishment of export processing zones and county industrial parks.
Kenas board chairman Ngeny Biwott said accreditation builds trust, reliability and confidence in conformity assessment services.
He said the proposed legal instruments seek to operationalise the Kenas Act by clarifying accreditation processes, aligning Kenya with international best practice and establishing a transparent, sustainable fees framework.
The forum was attended by senior government and institutional leaders, including secretary for administration in the State Department for Industry Karanja Njora and Uasin Gishu county commissioner Dr Eddyson Nyale, among others.
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