Kenya Rolls Out First-Ever Food Safety Manual for Street Food Vendors in Nairobi
Nairobi — On May 20, 2025, the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), working with the Nairobi City County Government and the University of Nairobi, launched the first-ever Food Safety Training Manual for Street Food Vendors — a guide aimed at improving hygiene, food handling and safety across Nairobi’s informal food sector.
The manual was developed under the European Union-funded Healthy Food Africa (HFA) project.
Street-food vending is a central part of Nairobi’s urban food scene, offering affordable meals and livelihoods for thousands of vendors — especially in low-income areas. But the sector has long been plagued by food-safety concerns: poor sanitation, unhygienic handling practices and lack of formal training.
The new manual addresses these gaps with evidence-based, easy-to-follow guidance covering proper sourcing, storage, preparation, cooking, serving and waste disposal.
It is designed not just for vendors, but also for public health officers and trainers — so that safe food practices can be taught and enforced city-wide.
At the launch, Dr. Elizabeth Kimani‑Murage of APHRC described food safety as a public health imperative and a human rights issue, underlining that safe food is essential not just for nourishment but for dignity and health.
Mr. Anthony Muthemba, Director of Public Health for Nairobi County, committed to rolling out the manual through structured training sessions, mentorship programmes and routine inspections across all sub-counties — signalling a shift from past ad hoc efforts.
Among vendors, reception has been positive. A street-food vendor from Korogocho said that training has already yielded visible improvements in hygiene standards and she plans to teach others what she has learned.
Going forward, the manual could significantly transform Nairobi’s street-food sector — improving food safety, reducing disease risk, and boosting public confidence in affordable urban meals. If successfully implemented, the approach could serve as a model for other counties and help institutionalise food-safety training across Kenya’s informal food economy.