Local manufacturers need help, not condemnation

Editor, I wish to respond to Sunny Ntayombya’s article, “RBS, keep naming and shaming those who’d give us food poisoning” (The New Times, January 8). I beg to differ. I think the writer is aware of how message dissemination can be distorted. In the process of trying to inform the public three key things happen: information reception, interpretation and dissemination. In typical Rwandan anecdote “bipfirahe?” or “where does the problem arise?” interpretation is a key milestone in information dissemination. If you release the names of the milk processors to the public, which in Rwanda we call “rubanda”, you risk one thing: inappropriate information interpretation. First, there are readers who read headlines and continue to spread inaccurate information without getting in-depth explanation of what happened. While Mr. Ntayombya might be among Rwanda’s eight per cent university graduates who understand pathogenic bacteria, there are about 90 per cent consumers who may not understand what pathogenic bacteria means – they just receive information/headlines from newspapers that a company X was processing “poisonous” yoghurt, then news will spread like wildfire that company, X, Y and Z are producing poisonous milk. In the process of information dissemination, the news will eventually be totally distorted and, in the end, a consumer in Rusizi will say some companies wanted to “kill” people. As a biochemist, I am aware that cultured milk is processed using bacteria. In actual fact, bacteria inoculum is added to milk. But this bacteria is not the pathogenic type that causes disease. I think the RBS (Rwanda Bureau of Standards) employee who refused to divulge information acted very professionally. The whole problem arises from hygiene practices. I think the cottage industries in Rwanda deserve better than just condemnation. We need to support and advise them. I would like to thank the leadership of RBS and the work they are doing. More advice to these processors is needed. James Munanura, Makerere University,Kampala, Uganda

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Local manufacturers need help, not condemnation