Weights & Measures

The weights and measures service was established in the country in 1912 under the police force. It was made into a separate unit under the police force in 1928 under a qualified inspector from Britain. In 1951, the function was moved from the police and made into a Department in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with the Head Office in Nairobi at Ribeiro House, Luthuli Avenue. In 1953 the first regional office was opened in Nairobi, followed by the opening of the Kisumu office in 1954 and Mombasa office in 1956. These offices served the entire country. The Department later acquired land in South C, Nairobi where they built offices housing the headquarters and Nairobi Provincial Office and relocated in 1978.  More offices were opened progressively such that by the year 2000, the department had established 21 offices around the country known as zonal offices.

Following the promulgation of the new constitution in 2010, the Department had its services shared between the national government and county governments. In December, 2013 technical staff in the former 21 zonal offices were deployed to the counties. 

Legal Framework

The main legal instrument governing weights and measures in Kenya is the Weights and Measures Act (Cap. 513), first enacted in 1971 and regularly revised. The Act provides for:

• Standardization of units of measurement.
• Verification and calibration of weighing and measuring equipment.
• Licensing of traders and businesses that use measuring instruments.
• Enforcement through inspections and penalties for non-compliance.

Weights and measures also derive its mandate from the Trade Description Act (cap 505) The Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (formerly the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade) administers the two Acts through the Department of Weights and Measures.

Metrication in Kenya

In line with international trends and to facilitate regional and global trade, Kenya officially adopted the metric system in the 1970s. This transition involved phasing out Imperial units in favor of metric units such as:

• Kilograms for weight
• Litres for volume
• Meters for length

The metrication process required public awareness, updating of legal instruments, and training for enforcement officers and businesses.

Functions of Weights and Measures Department at national level.

• Formulation and review of policy and legislation;
• Type approval of new models of weighing and measuring equipment used for legal metrology work;
• Liaising with international Legal Metrology bodies;
• Provision of traceability to County Legal Metrology systems through calibration of standards and testing of equipment in our National Weights and Measures Laboratory; which is the reference laboratory for all legal metrology measurements;
• Enforcement of the Weights and Measures Act (Cap 513) and the Trade Descriptions Act (Cap 505) for consumer protection including surveillance, investigations and prosecutions;
• Inspection of trading premises for the manner of description of goods and services offered in the course of trade;
• •Verification of weighing and measuring instruments used at strategic national installations, tax points, those areas for which the country has international obligations and other areas where Counties are yet to build capacity;
• Provision of legal metrology tools for verification work to both National and County Governments (Stamps of verification and Certificates of Verification);
• Conducting of research in measurement techniques in existing and emerging technologies and societal needs to inform legal metrology technical and policy interventions;
• Training of legal metrology officers in the Country;
• Provision of technical advisory services on legal metrology matters in the Country; •Licensing of repairers of weighing and measuring equipment used for legal metrology work;
• Registration of manufacturers and sellers of weighing and measuring equipment;
• Registration and licencing of Legal metrology Technicians. Visit ITSA for training and examination.
• Development and implementation of awareness creation programmes for legal metrology work.

Functions of Weights and Measures Department at county level

• Verification of weighing and measuring equipment in trade;
• Inspection of weighing and measuring instruments and pre-packed goods to ensure compliance with Weights and Measures Act Cap 513 and Trade Descriptions Act Cap 505;
• Inspection of trading premises for the manner of description of goods and services offered in the course of trade
• Investigations of complaints arising from Weights and Measures Act Cap 513 and Trade Descriptions Act Cap 505;
• Prosecutions of offences arising from Weights and Measures Act Cap 513 and Trade descriptions Act Cap 505.

International and regional representation

Weights and Measures Department represents Kenya in international and regional organisations in legal metrology matters including OIML, AFRIMETS, EAMET. Kenya became a member state of OIML in 1982. The Director of Weights -and Measures Department represents Kenya in International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML). OIML is an intergovernmental organisation established under diplomatic treaty in Paris on 12 October 1955 whose primary aim is to harmonise the regulations and metrological controls applied by national metrological services, or related organisations, of its member states. To access OIML visit www.oiml.org.

Kenya is a member country of Intra-Africa Metrology System (AFRIMETS) which is mandated to promote the development of scientific, industrial, and legal metrology issues across Africa. Weights and Measures Department is a member of the Legal Metrology Technical Committee. In the EAC, the Department participates in the East Africa Metrology System (EAMET) in the technical committee concerned with legal metrology.

Implementation and Enforcement

Weights and measures officers routinely inspect businesses such as supermarkets, fuel stations, markets, and industries to verify that: 

• Approved and calibrated equipment is used.
• Products are accurately labeled.
• Consumers receive fair quantities.

In cases of violations, penalties include fines, seizure of equipment, or legal action.