Traders along the Nairobi-Murang’a highway at the Kaharati shopping Centre have been put on the spot following a video that went viral over the weekend of a motorist who was duped into buying presumably ripe and mature avocados covered in a dark coating only to realize they were not close to attaining full maturity at the time of being picked.
Speaking to the traders on the busy highway, Monday, Murang’a South Deputy County Commissioner Gitonga Murungi warned that the traders risked having the market which is a source of income for hundreds closed if they continued endangering the lives of the consumers of their products.
“We recognize the work that you do so as to earn a livelihood and educate your children, but we want you to do business that is safe and dignified without endangering the lives of motorists and consumers,” he said.
“The avocados may be covered with a poisonous substance or even dirt to make them appear ripe and mature, which not only endangers the health of motorists who purchase from you but also shows the levels of dishonesty you employ in your business and ends up jeopardizing your trade,” he added.
The DCC noted that his administration would not hesitate to have the market, which is on the roadside, closed if disgruntled motorists and customers continued registering their complaints.
An experiment by the DCC and the sub-county security team that involved picking two avocados from several traders and washing the coating off revealed the dirty trade and dishonesty among the avocado sellers as
A seemingly dark brown (ready for ripening) avocado turned green upon wiping off the coating. Cutting the avocado also revealed that it was picked before it attained full maturity.
“Moreover, we know that some of you sell stolen farm produce, which you will try to conceal by covering it with mud or other poisonous substances and that must come to an end as we are ready to follow and establish where your produce came from,” warned the DCC.
He also urged the traders to be organized and avoid crowding the motorists’ vehicles when they stop over to purchase their wares, in respect to the free market economy and environment we enjoy in the country.
“When a motorist pulls over, they know exactly what produce they want to purchase be it paw paws, bananas, avocados, or even guavas so give them the space and freedom to purchase without suffocating them. Sell what is genuine; consumers will buy and do not be deceived into duping people for quick sales,” he observed.
The traders unanimously agreed to conduct genuine business and weed out the elements that were destroying their business.
By Florence Kinyua
