My dear readers, after much thought and contemplation after getting sloppy service and mediocre goods from assorted sellers, some of whom claim to be the best of the pack, i realised that we need to come out and literally turn the tide against this charlatans. Otherwise how does one explain a lack of a consumer agency to fight arbitrary price rises, sloppy or non existant customer service?
In this category dear readers are shops, dukas, grocers, supermarkets, government agencies, politicians and anyone and everybody who is tasked by virtue of being in business, to serve the public but deals with them , us, like we are scum yet we pay fro the services and goods they are dealing with.
This is the place to rise against them, slowly but surely. For i have a dream that we are going to ensure that we only get the best from them otherwise they close shop.
And this is how you are going to do it easily:
- Create a comment to this post.
- Let the subject/topic/title be the company/individual but the company name is much better in this case.
- Post the complaint – (get your facts right about the person/company/product/attendant and any other relevant info.)
- Be as brief, detailed and to the point as possible.
- If you have the contacts of the culprit, post them as well as how they can get in touch with you so that we can try to get in touch with them and get their attention to your complaint.
- If you have evidence, photos, documents, just send them over to our mail address: complaintome at gmail dot com
- The rest, you leave to us.
With time, its my dream that we can grow to a formidable website that will fight for the consumer interest and ensure that we get the best.
In any case, i believe that we sincerely deserve it for we aren’t on a witch-hunt mission.
Complain2me
complaintome at gmail dot com
Complain2me 
That is a pretty good idea, this should have been done long ago. but i do have reservations how are we going to deal with crazy Matatu touts and drivers who hiking bus fair whenever there is some little drizzle like it rained money into commuters pockets.
Comment by Kirgit — August 20, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Safcom has introduced another data product in the market that they are selling for 1,999.00 and claim is available countrywide. I have been trying to get through to them via 100 customer-care to enquire about it and it has proven to be tedious. For real, i dont know how to get through. Even their land lines are ever busy. Cant these guys outsource customer-care services so that they can work on their ‘core competences’?
Comment by complain2me — August 22, 2007 @ 5:14 am
The Karatina Tourist Lodge that created the Raila debacle should be avoided at all costs. Essentially, its illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of sex, gender, race, religion and by extension political affiliation. What makes the unapologetic Ms. Weru so sure that Kibaki will return to StateHouse hence her arrogant display of discrimination tendencies? Its such hotels that we should stay away from: if only to teach her a lesson. With such people, Kibaki doesn’t need enemies!
Comment by complain2me — August 26, 2007 @ 8:54 am
Consumer protection Bill overdue
KENYA MAY SOON JOIN THE small league of African countries with one-stop consumer legislation. That is, if the newly-published Consumer Protection Bill, 2007, is passed by Parliament into law.
Despite existing scattered pieces of legislation meant to protect consumers, their enforcement has been for the better part haphazard and ineffective.
As a result, Kenya’s consumer has remained at the mercy of everyone. Apathy has continued to reign supreme. The proliferation of counterfeits, goods of sub-standard quality, fraudulent advertising and labelling of goods is now the norm.
But who is really a consumer in this context? The new Bill, brought to Parliament by Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, defines a consumer as “an individual acting for personal, family or household purposes, and does not include a person who is acting for business purposes”.
Just what does it take for broad consumer legislation to materialise? First and foremost, Kenya must stand to be counted as a country with appropriate consumer policy and legislation.
Unfortunately, the overall performance on this has been embarrassingly dismal. This can best be exemplified by helpless ministers trying to rein in cartel-like entrepreneurs who keep retail prices high even when international prices of such goods and products have plummeted.
Secondly, sustainable management of our environment requires a negotiated and fair convergence point. While on this, food and drugs safety and standards require more awareness, as well as aggressive enforcement.
The hurried attempts to install a central radioactive waste processing facility in the formerly fully-gazetted Ololua forest against the wishes of Karen-Lang’ata residents, is a case in point which requires urgent public consultation, structured debate and understanding.
TO WALK THE TALK OF CONSUMER participation, continued policy formulation and implementation, the proposed Consumer Protection Authority would be handy in this respect.
The proposed authority will have heavy representation from consumer NGOs. Others will include the Kenya Bureau of Standards, medical associations, farmers, business-people, the National Association for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse, manufacturers and lawyers.
Thirdly, the need to raise the consumer awareness is probably one of the key issues such a body could undertake. The current high level of fraud handed down to unsuspecting members of the public through cellphones, the Internet and other technology calls for enhanced investment on consumer education.
A consolidated list of products whose consumption or sale has been banned, severely restricted or not approved by the Government must routinely be in the public domain.
Measures for consumer grievance redress will require a more proactive response especially from Government. Indeed, even after the recall of batteries by Nokia, the Government remains mum about reinforcing the recall.
Another sector that has remained a free-for-all is the multi-billion-shilling bottled water industry. Their respective labels as either “mineral” or “natural” water have been carrying the label of the Kenya Bureau of Standards. How often are their contents verified?
Mr Midiwo’s Bill seeks to guarantee consumer rights and warranties. It will also check unfair practices against consumers, which include false, misleading or deceptive representations.
The new Bill also covers provisions on the rights and obligations respecting specific consumer agreements. If enacted, the new law will prohibit charging of advance fee in certain areas such as loan brokering, credit repair and certain goods and services. Repairers of motor vehicles will not be allowed to charge for what they were not authorised to do.
Story by STEPHEN MUTORO
Publication Date:DNation 9/4/2007
Mr Mutoro is the chief executive officer, the Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations, KARA.
Comment by complain2me — September 5, 2007 @ 4:45 am