By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, 23 July 2026 - The Ministry of Health has announced plans to form a special task force following reports of excessive pesticide levels in vegetables across various markets in Nairobi and Nakuru Counties.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said on Thursday that the task force will review the findings and make recommendations on the necessary regulatory action.
Muthoni has also said that the ministry will review and reinforce enforcement of Maximum Residue Level (MRL) standards and pre-harvest intervals compliance among producers.
These will be done in collaboration with the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), KEBS, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Ministry of Agriculture and county governments.
The study released last week showed that 78% of vegetables sold in several markets in Nairobi and Nakuru, including Githurai, Kangemi, Muthurwa, and Nakuru market, contained pesticide residues.
The study indicated that in every three samples, one of them exceeded the European Union’s maximum Residue Limits (EU MRLs).
Even though the presence of pesticides can be significantly reduced by proper household preparation practices, farmers, regulators and policymakers have a responsibility to ensure that the pesticides are within safe limits.
Some vegetables analysed by the researchers include tomatoes, kale, spinach and onions collected from major wholesale and retail markets in Nairobi,
The study, titled 'Pesticide Residues in Selected Vegetables Sold in Kenyan Markets,' was spearheaded by the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN), the University of Nairobi, and the SGS Kenya Laboratories
Welcoming the findings, Muthoni assured that the results of the study only relate to long-term cumulative exposure of the chemicals and not immediate risk.
Households have, however, been encouraged to ensure that they adopt washing, soaking and peeling their vegetables appropriately before cooking as an immediate safeguard.
The Ministry will collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen routine surveillance and testing of fresh produce sold in Markets across the country, as well as amplify public education campaigns on safe handling and preparation of vegetables.
They will also engage with farmers and other agrochemical regulators to promote safer and integrated pest management practices.
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