Police officers in Juja, Kiambu County Thursday recovered expired sanitary towels branded GOK at a residential house under construction in Witeithie Estate.
The pads issued by the government through the Ministry of Education are believed to have been looted from Mombasa, Kilifi, Murang’a and Kiambu Counties since 2018 with the aim of repackaging them for sale.
Acting on a tip-off from members of the public, police raided the premises and impounded over 300,000 pieces of the expired pads.
Juja Sub-County Police Commander Dorothy Migarusha said they arrested the owner of the premises, Stephen Muchoki.
“Some residents have told us that these sanitary towels were brought here back in 2018 and that Mr Muchoki leaves this unfinished house with loaded sacks to an unknown destination.
“We want him to explain how government property landed in his house and why,” Migarusha said.
The bust comes after Witeithie residents raised concern over the increased cases of female urinary infections in the area, attributing it to the use of expired sanitary towels.
“It’s a shame that someone is making money out of free goods that are distributed by the government! It is quite sad that they are even expired towels no wonder we have so many cases of Urinary Tract Infections around,” Zena Rotich told reporters.
