Claims that 780.2 metric tonnes of tainted sugar that were allegedly stored at the privately owned Mitchell Cotts Container Freight Station (CFS) in Mombasa were released into the local market have been refuted by station officials.

James Rariaya, director of operations at Mitchell Cotts CFS, stated that samples have been collected for KEBS's laboratory and quality assurance testing and that no sugar has been made available for human consumption.

The shipment that arrived in Mombasa from Mauritius on October 9, 2023, includes the tainted sugar.


It arrived in the nation via container carrier MSC Eagle F, packed into 46 20-foot containers.

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The ship partially sank outside the Kilindini channel for more than twenty-four hours. Water seepage consequently affected multiple containers.

"Kuna container 13 zilikua zineingiza maji, kuna hii ilikua law container 46 meli ilipata shida ikaingiza maji," stated Rariaya.

Furthermore, Rariaya declared that no contaminated sugar had ever been discharged from its facilities into the neighborhood market, allaying growing worries that the tainted sugar would find its way into local markets.

“Hakuna Sukari yoyote mbaya imetoka kutoka kwa hizi warehouse zetu...zilikua separated zile mbaya,” he said.

In the presence of representatives from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Port Health, and KRA Customs Department, he continued that it was necessary to strip all 46 containers in a warehouse and separate the bags to assess the extent of the water intrusion on the cargo.

Rariaya clarified that all the wet bags from the stripping exercise were separated and kept in warehouses until they were destroyed, which will happen under the supervision of the appropriate authorities.


The remaining intact bags are currently being kept in warehouses while KEBS provides the necessary laboratory and quality assurance test results. Only then can KRA authorize the bags to be released.

Rehema Badi, who works for the freight company Mitchell Cotts, is said to have imported the contentious sugar.