Nairobi County has prohibited the use of Probox vehicles to transport meat after recent health scares linked to poor handling and contamination.
The directive was announced by County Chief Officer for Public Health, Tom Nyakaba, during a major sanitation and fumigation exercise at Burma Market on Thursday, November 13.
Nyakaba said that only certified and traceable vehicles will now be allowed to ferry meat to and from city markets.
“To uphold hygiene standards in our meat facilities, we’ve stopped the use of Probox cars for transporting meat. Approved vehicles must have identifiable numbers that can be traced to the market they serve,” he said.
He explained that the move was prompted by recent incidents of anthrax and other bacterial infections traced to poor meat handling.
“We can use Probox cars for passengers, but not for meat. It’s a matter of public health,” he added.
Nyakaba further reminded traders that the Meat Control Act already outlines proper procedures for handling, storage, and transportation of meat and urged them to comply.
“The law provides clear standards on how meat should be transported. We’re asking everyone involved to follow those requirements strictly,” he noted.
To boost compliance, Nyakaba revealed that Governor Johnson Sakaja had approved the posting of two public health officers to Burma Market to conduct continuous inspections.
“We’ll now have two officers stationed here full-time to monitor meat hygiene both day and night,” he said.
The sanitation exercise was part of the county’s broader effort to improve food safety and market hygiene across Nairobi.
Public health teams inspected stalls, assessed hygiene conditions, and met with the market committee and traders to reinforce safety measures.
Nyakaba said the goal was to ensure that all meat outlets maintain the highest cleanliness standards, especially as the festive season approaches.
“We’re doing this to make sure Nairobi residents have access to safe, clean meat. As demand increases, we must uphold strict hygiene in all facilities handling food,” he said.
He added that the county had also fumigated the market to prevent bacterial contamination and would continue verifying traders’ licenses.
“We’ve cleaned and disinfected the entire area to eliminate bacteria, and we’re confirming that all meat vendors are properly licensed. This is a matter of public safety,” he emphasized.
