The plastic paper bag has since been illegal after the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) banned its use on August 28th with a penalty of Sh2m fine on whoever is found using it.
Kisii has been one of the notorious counties which have not embraced the ban completely as business owners are still using the plastic paper bags secretly. In an undercover mission in Daraja Mbili market, the largest market in Kisii County, we discovered plastic paper bags were still in use.
However, the use is very secretive and selective to ensure they do not fall into the hands of the NEMA official.
Before using the plastic bag to wrap goods for you, they will scrutinise you in terms of how well you are dressed before they give in.
"We look at how someone is dressed. If he or she is dressed officially, we suspect them as government officials hence we cannot help them. Age matters too, old people are never denied plastic paper bags," said Moraa, a business owner in Daraja Mbili said.
We discovered that the paper bags are always hidden in 'private' areas like in the bras and inner pants to ensure they are not discovered.
"No one can come and search your bra and pants for the paper bags. it is the safest place to keep them," said Winfred Nyakirario, a business owner in Daraja Mbili said.
In Mwembe Tayari, Jogoo and Nyanchwa, vegetables are still sold in these plastic bags to avoid losing the unprepared customers.
With NEMA always on duty to ensure the ban is adhered to, Kisii remains a notorious county in using the ban.
These plastics bags are sneaked in from the neighboring Uganda where these plastic paper bags is still in use.
#hivisasaoriginal #bizarre