Wednesday 14th May, 2025 06:40 PM|

President William Ruto’s Senior Economic Adviser, Moses Kuria, has warned of serious repercussions if counties enforce orders to close down supermarkets in the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Ruto’s advisor noted that such orders risk plunging the country into an unemployment crisis, noting that such outlets account for a significant number in terms of offering employment opportunities.

Moses Kuria, who previously served as Trade Cabinet Secretary, further cautioned that such a decision could chase away investors, a move that he indicated could affect the economy at large.

Ruto’s advisor thus unequivocally disagreed with such orders.

“We will not create jobs when County Governments wake up and close Naivas and Carrefour arbitrarily. You don’t attract investors by acting whimsical,” Moses Kuria posted on X.

Kuria’s statement came hours after the Nairobi County Health Committee ordered the immediate closure of Naivas and Carrefour supermarkets for selling expired food products.

Speaking while leading the committee during a site visit yesterday, Chair of the committee, Mountain View MCA, Maurice Ochieng, said they uncovered alarming breaches of food safety, hygiene, and labelling standards within the two leading supermarkets.

“I’m the chairman for health. Here with me I have the health committee of Nairobi, a committee of 23 members. As we undertake our oversight role today, we inspected eateries within the CBD and visited Carrefour supermarket,” he stated.

He continued, “Our findings indicate they are operating illegally, handling food without the required medical certificates, which is a clear violation of Cap 254 of the Public Health Act. We therefore demand the immediate closure of this facility until full compliance with the Public Health Act is demonstrated. Furthermore, we discovered that much of the perishable food being sold to Nairobi residents is frozen, a practice that raises serious concerns about quality and safety, even potentially being worse than food sold on the streets.”

In a rejoinder, Naivas Supermarket denied claims that it is selling expired products or that any of its branches have been closed by authorities.

The retailer termed the claims as false and misleading.

“We would like to reassure our customers, partners, and the general public that no expired products have been found on our shelves. We maintain stringent internal quality control and stock management systems across all our branches to ensure product safety and compliance with health regulations,” the statement read in part.

“The circulating claims are entirely false. They not only damage our brand but also mislead and cause unnecessary panic among our customers who depend on us for daily essentials. Naivas has a very strict anti-bribery and corruption policy and will not submit to extortionary tactics,” the statement continued.

We are aware of the false claims circulating online regarding expired products and alleged branch closures. Naivas remains committed to the highest standards of quality and compliance.
Read our full statement below.#NaivasCares #HomeOfDeals pic.twitter.com/sgysm4dNfW

— Naivas Supermarket (@naivas_kenya) May 14, 2025