Counterfeit Gypsum Seized in Kakamega as ACA Warns of Collapse and Fire Risks.
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Enforcement officers from the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) have seized 578 counterfeit Hada gypsum boards valued at KSh 880,000 from a prominent hardware store in Kakamega, dealing a major blow to the distribution of illicit construction materials in Western Kenya.
The hardware proprietor faces imminent prosecution selling counterfeit products. He will be arraigned in court as soon as preliminary laboratory and material analyses of the impounded consignment are concluded to formally establish product defects and trademark infringement.
Speaking on the operation, ACA Regional Manager for Western and Nyanza, Tom Muteti, linked the proliferation of fake building supplies directly to the frequent structural failures and tragic building collapses reported across the country.
He noted that rogue traders are undermining national construction standards by quietly flooding the local supply chain with dangerous, unverified substitutes.
According to genuine manufacturers, authentic gypsum boards are intentionally manufactured with core fire-retardant properties designed to insulate structures and slow the spread of flames during a disaster. In contrast, counterfeit boards omit these essential fire-resistant compounds, rendering them extremely combustible, quick to ignite, and capable of accelerating structural fires within minutes.
Furthermore, these fake materials utilize substandard binding fillers that easily warp, sag, or disintegrate under humidity and weight, severely compromising wall partitions and ceiling stability.
Mr. Muteti issued a stern warning to hardware owners, distributors, and contractors against trading in counterfeit goods, cautioning that multi-agency enforcement drives will relentlessly target all perpetrators throughout the region. He called on property developers, builders, and the general public to safeguard their investments by purchasing building supplies exclusively from authorized brand agents, verifying product authenticity before installation, and promptly reporting illicit trade to the authorities.
