Nansana Municipality has unveiled a Nutrition Committee to monitor and improve the quality of food sold within the area, especially street-vended foods, following rising cases of food poisoning and food-related illnesses.
The announcement was made by Nansana Monisipality Mayor Regina Bakite during a Budget Conference attended by local leaders, residents, councillors, and community representatives.
Mayor Bakite revealed that the municipality has seen alarming health trends linked to unsafe food.
“In the last five years, over 40,000 people have fallen sick because of eating poorly prepared and contaminated food, and many cases have even developed into cancer,” she said.
She noted that many food vendors rely on dangerous cooking practices, especially the use of stale cooking oil.
“We found that a number of vendors use old oil to fry chips, mandazi, chapati and other foods. This puts people’s lives at serious risk,” Bakite warned.
The Nutrition Committee will monitor all individuals and businesses involved in food preparation not only those operating on the streets.
“We are going beyond street vendors. We will inspect supermarkets, schools, and shops because unsafe food is everywhere, not just on the roadside,” the Mayor added.
According to health officials, many residents depend on fast foods due to busy schedules, leaving them vulnerable to unhygienic vendors. The mayor also expressed concern about some schools failing to prioritise children’s health.
To strengthen regulation, the municipality is drafting by-laws that will criminalise the sale of unsafe food.
“Anyone caught serving contaminated food or unsafe drinks will face arrest,” Bakite emphasised.
Residents welcomed the move, saying it was long overdue.
“Some of these vendors should have been stopped a long time ago. The hygiene is terrible and the things they use are dangerous,” one resident said.
Another added, “We want this committee set up quickly so we can reduce the poisoning we keep suffering from the food we eat.”
The Nutrition Committee is expected to begin operations soon, with hopes that it will significantly reduce food-related illnesses in Nansana.