Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya has faulted Interior CS Fred Matiang’i for claiming some of the contraband sugar imported into the country contains mercury and among other cancerous chemicals.
Mr Kimunya described Matiang’i as ‘inexperienced’ and an ‘activist’ who wants to attract recognition and seen to be working.
According to Kimunya, Matiang'i 's claims exposes Kenya’s economy to a huge risk.It can scare away tourists.
“When a cabinet secretary stands up and says that Kenyan sugar has mercury, what are Kenyans supposed to do?“
Imagine a tourist in America, who had booked to come to Kenya and reads headlines that a cabinet secretary has said that Kenyan sugar has mercury and is coming to our hotel. Will he come?” posed Kimunya.
Mr Kimunya, who was speaking at the 43rd Kenya Secondary School Heads Association annual conference in Mombasa. This happened on Friday.
On Wednesday, Matiang’i made it to the public that results of tests carried out on 1,400 bags of contraband sugar at the government chemist shows that Kenyans may have been feeding on copper, mercury, yeast, and molds for years.
Kimunya said he has served as a cabinet minister for more than10 years and that some matters need not be shouted to the media.
"Let’s pray for Kenya and try to teach people that there are secrets you don’t go telling people just to appear you are the minister who is working the most,” Kimunya said.
“We did it in our time,” he added.
Kimunya noted that it will be difficult to achieve the Big Four agenda if the tourism sector dies.