KEBS calls for quality culture as professionals celebrate new milestone
The Mt Kenya Times 
KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari
Celebrating achievement while reinforcing the responsibility of raising standards.
By John Waithaka
NAIROBI — Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Esther Ngari, EBS, has urged newly certified quality professionals to use their expertise to strengthen standards, improve service delivery, and promote excellence across the country’s economy.
Ngari delivered the message during the Kenya Quality Awards 2026 at the Argyle Grand Hotel, Nairobi, where she congratulated graduates of the Certified Quality Professional (CQP) programme.
The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Chief of Staff Amos Gathecha, the Chief Guest, who challenged organisations and professionals to make continuous improvement central to their operations in an environment of constant change.
For Ngari, the graduation represented more than the completion of a programme. It marked a milestone in the careers of the graduands and a commitment to championing quality wherever their journeys take them.
“Go forth and make quality count,” she told the graduates, underscoring the growing importance of skilled professionals in strengthening Kenya’s quality infrastructure and helping organisations meet consumer expectations.
The CQP programme equips participants with knowledge in quality management, providing a foundation for continuous improvement and effective standards adoption. Ngari emphasised that quality professionals play a vital role in translating standards into practical improvements that enhance efficiency, competitiveness, and customer satisfaction.
The occasion also allowed Gathecha to highlight the broader importance of quality in both public and private institutions.
“Every organisation represented here tonight has a different story, but we all face the same question: how do we continue delivering better value in a world that keeps changing?” he said.
He identified listening to customers, improving processes, and embracing innovation as essential to maintaining high standards. He cautioned against settling for “good enough,” urging organisations to pursue continuous improvement.
“Tonight’s recognition is a celebration, but it is also a reminder that quality is a journey we all have a role to play in,” he added.
His remarks complemented Ngari’s call for graduates to turn their training into meaningful action in their workplaces.
The convergence of government officials, professionals, and stakeholders at the awards highlighted the increasing role of quality management in Kenya’s economic development. Strong standards are essential for enhancing consumer confidence, improving production and service delivery, supporting innovation, and enabling enterprises to compete effectively in domestic, regional, and international markets.
The newly qualified CQP professionals now join a growing pool of specialists expected to help organisations establish effective quality systems and pursue continuous improvement. For KEBS, building such professional capacity is central to strengthening the country’s standards ecosystem.
Ngari’s leadership continues to place excellence and quality at the heart of KEBS’ mandate, encouraging industry to view standards not merely as compliance but as a foundation for sustainable growth.
The Kenya Quality Awards 2026 therefore served a dual purpose: recognising achievement while reinforcing the responsibility of maintaining and raising standards.
As celebrations concluded at the Argyle Grand Hotel, the message from Kenya’s standards community was clear — quality is not a destination but a continuous journey requiring commitment, innovation, and collective responsibility.
For the CQP graduands, the next chapter begins with an opportunity to put their knowledge into practice and help raise the quality bar in the organisations and communities they serve.
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