Accreditation by KENAS Promotes global acceptance of Conformity Assessment Results. The Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), the sole national accreditation body for Kenya has accredited three Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) after confirming their operational technical competence on 28th November 2012. KENAS’ core function is to assess the competence of CABs. Conformity Assessment Bodies are those bodies that assess the compliance and or conformance of products, services and suppliers to guided specifications and requirements e.g. Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Proficiency testing Laboratories, Inspection and verification bodies, Medical Laboratories, Certification bodies etc.
It is therefore important for purchasers or users of products and services to acquire quality products and services that conform to specific requirements that enhance the quality of life. Accreditation is distinct from certification. Certification focuses on an organisation’s overall compliance with systems and products standards while accreditation focuses on the technical competence of CABs. Therefore accreditation becomes a formal recognition to the CABs that they are competent to carry out conformity assessment tasks. This means that the accreditation certificates issued to the four CABs is perceived in the market as a credibility test passed.
