Kenya’s accreditation body bets on new Bill to grow reach as it marks 10th anniversary

By Staff Writer

The Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) is marking its 10^th Anniversary this year having accredited over 100 conformity assessment bodies during that period.

Speaking on Tuesday during the celebrations in Nairobi, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Industrialization, Betty Maina said that the body’s mandate would be enhanced should the expected Accreditation Bill assented to by the President.

“We take cognizance of the vital role KENAS has continued to play in assuring confidence in the quality of service delivery in Kenya and beyond through accreditation of conformity assessment bodies. We also anticipate the assent of the Accreditation Bill to take our business to newer heights and put Kenya on the global map,” she said, while unveiling a commemorative plaque documenting the institution’s milestones for the 10-yesr period and a 35 years history of accreditation in the East African region.

Adding that KENAS played a critical role in reducing the cost of doing business, enhancing technology transfer, facilitating trade globally and increasing investments which are among others the leading manufacturing aspirations.

KENAS has recognized several key contributors towards the establishment of KENAS and accreditation in the East Africa Region which include institutions like the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the national metrology institute providing scientific and technical services, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives where KENAS is anchored as a State Corporation.

KENAS has accredited over 100 conformity assessment bodies in the past ten years. Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairperson KENAS Dr. Catherine Adeya said, “We have made strides in increasing our customer service and international processes, but we aim to spur this to higher heights in the next 10 years. KENAS started off as a lean organization with 9 staff and only 12 accredited clients and today, we boast of having 34 staff and 110 accredited clients.”

KENAS has pioneered in accrediting bodies beyond the Kenyan borders to Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, The Gambia and India. We are the leading accreditation body for conformity assessment bodies in Eastern Africa Region.