20 grocers in Narok court for using plastic bags

Twenty grocers have been charged with using plastic bags in a Narok court.

The grocers denied contravening regulations banning the use of polythene bags and were each released on a bond of Sh100,000 and a surety of the same amount or a cash bail of Sh100,000.

BANNED

The court heard that the grocers were on January 26 and 28 found with flat plastic bags and carrier bags which are banned.

The grocers were arrested separately at Eor-Ekule market near Narok town on Narok-Maai Mahiu road and Nyawera street in Narok town packaging the vegetables and selling them to customers.

The case will be mentioned on February 14 and will be heard on 23 the same month.

If found guilty, they could be fined between Sh2 million and Sh4 million, get a jail term of between one and two years, or both.

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) regional coordinator Patrick Lekenit said the people were apprehended during crackdowns by his office with police officers.

Mr Lekenit said majority of those arrested are women who sell groceries to motorists along the busy highway.

He said those defying the ban are doing so at their own risk as Nema carried out sensitisation work and and it was now time to implement the ban to the letter.

"Many traders are now compliant and support the ban because they know the effects of plastics on the environment, drainage systems in particular." he added.

Former Environment secretary Judi Wakhungu banned the use of plastics through a Kenya Gazette notice on February 27 last year,

This gave manufacturers six months — until August 28, 2017 — to have cleared their stock when the ban took effect.