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Kisumu County passes motion compelling retailers to give free packing bags

Majority of MCAs supported the motion while a minority opposed it claiming that supermarkets are being targeted unfairly.

KISUMU, Kenya, Feb 21 – The County Assembly of Kisumu has passed a motion that will now require Supermarkets and other shopping outlets to give free packaging bags to customers. 

The Assembly’s Chief Whip Gard Olima, who moved the motion, says the resolution seeks to cushion customers from incurring additional expenses.

“All the supermarkets have now abdicated their role and responsibility of packing shopping items forcing customers to buy or recycle shopping bags. This has come at an additional cost for the customers,” said Olima.

Majority of MCAs supported the motion while a minority opposed it claiming that supermarkets are being targeted unfairly.

Nyalenda MCA Joseph Olale says that giving out free packing materials will lead to littering of he environment. He says customers must be responsible for their packaging to keep a clean environment.

“If we don’t charge for the bags we are going to have heaps of garbage because it doesn’t cost the customer to get one,” says Olale.

Kabonyo Kanyagwal MCA Oiko Pete says cost measures must be taken into account before compelling supermarkets into the new arrangements.

Pete says supermarkets are in business to make profits and will not entertain anything that deprives them of their goals.

However, Central Kisumu MCA Judith Ogaga says it is a burden on the customers to purchase packaging materials.

Most MCAs agreed that supermarkets must find a way of incurring costs on the packaging.

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The Speaker of the day Linet Muga ordered that the adopted motion be further discussed by the environment committee.

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