CS Kagwe orders ship detained at Mombasa port over fears of radioactive material

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Friday ordered a container ship docked at the Port of Mombasa to be quarantined and inspected over fears that it was ferrying radioactive material.

Kagwe, in a statement, similarly ordered that all crew members on board the ship be detained and questioned by the Director General for Health and Port Health Officer in charge of Mombasa.

The Port Health Officer has been legally authorised to board any ship docked at Mombasa and medically examine crew members to determine if they have suffered from radiation poisoning.

“The Director-General for Health and Port Health Officer in charge in Mombasa are hereby directed to quarantine the Seago Piraeus Voy 147Sb/1214735979 for purposes of inspecting any part thereof and anything therein and conduct medical examination on any person on board and require such person to answer any questions in accordance with the Health Act,” Kagwe said.

Kagwe consequently ordered the Director of the Kenya Nuclear Authority to quickly establish the contents of the containers.

“Kenya has an international obligation to prevent, intercept, interdict and combat illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear material and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction having ratified international instruments,” the CS added.

The statement sent to newsrooms, similarly highlighted the treaties Kenya has endorsed in relation to Radiation and Nuclear Waste.

They include the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism of 2006, the UN Security Council Resolution 1540 of 2004 and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty of 2000.