Nairobi, November 13, 2025: Nairobi County Public Health officers today carried out a major fumigation and sanitation exercise at Burma Market as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen food safety and hygiene standards in the city’s meat markets.

Led by County Chief Officer for Public Health Tom Nyakaba, the team inspected stalls, conducted hygiene checks, and held a meeting with the market committee and traders to reinforce compliance with public health regulations.

Speaking during the visit, Nyakaba said the operation aimed to ensure that all meat outlets meet the highest standards of cleanliness and safety, especially as demand rises toward the festive season.

“Today we were at Burma Market here in Nairobi to inspect the condition of the meat market to ensure it meets the best public health standards. As the demand for meat begins to rise, it is our responsibility to maintain health standards in all our facilities, especially those dealing with food,” said Nyakaba.

He added that the County had fumigated and cleaned the market to prevent bacterial contamination and ensure compliance with licensing and safety requirements among traders.

“We have fumigated and cleaned to stop micro-bacteria. We are also ensuring that all meat vendors possess valid licenses because this is a matter of public health,” he said.

Nyakaba emphasized that only approved vehicles should be used to transport meat, warning that the County had banned the use of Probox vehicles for meat distribution following recent health incidents.

“To maintain health standards in meat facilities, we have banned Probox cars from carrying meat. Any approved vehicle should have an identification number that can be traced back to the market. This will help prevent cases like the one we had last week involving anthrax. Let’s comply — we can have Probox cars carrying people, but not meat,” he cautioned.

He further noted that the Meat Control Act provides clear guidelines on how meat should be handled, transported, and stored — urging compliance across all markets.

“The Meat Act already provides standards on how to transport meat and the necessary processes. We encourage those in charge to do their best and ensure full adherence,” Nyakaba added.

He also announced that Governor Johnson Sakaja has approved the deployment of two public health officers to monitor meat hygiene at the market day and night.

“The Governor has approved that we have two public health officers stationed here to ensure continuous inspection of meat throughout the day and night,” he said.