The Government Chemist Department is the Central Chemical Testing Laboratory for the Republic of Kenya with its headquarters in Nairobi and branches in Mombasa and Kisumu.
It was set up in 1912 as an independent section of the National Public Health Laboratories in the Ministry of Health to offer forensic science and analytical laboratory services. It was transferred to the Office of the President in March 1976 and was later transfered back to the Ministry of Health in 1999. During the reorganization of the Government structure in July 2018 the department was moved to the State Department for Interior in the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government.
The Department is tasked with the provision of Forensic science and Analytical Laboratory services besides being the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and serves as the Secretariat for the National Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centre of Excellence (COE) initiative.
Nairobi Branch
Physical Address: Hospital Road next to Kenyatta National Hospital
P.O. Box: 20753-00202
Telephone lines:
Email: gchemist@interior.go.ke or info@gchemistkenya.org
Kisumu Branch
Physical Address: Government Chemist Building
P.O. Box: 20753-00202
Telephone lines:
Email: gchemistkisumu@interior.go.ke
Physical Address: Kangelani Rd, off Nyali Rd
P.O. Box: 81119-80100 Mombasa
Telephone lines:
Ownership
Public (government) Facility
Business Hours
Open Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm. Closed on weekends and public holidays.
Services Offered:
Government Chemist Department is mandated to carry out the following functions:
Provision of forensic science services for the criminal justice system.
Provision of analytical Laboratory services for food safety and Public health safety.
Provision of scientific crime scene support services to the law enforcement agencies.
Provision of technical reports and expert evidence in courts of law for the administration of justice;
Provide investigators in corruption cases with treatment chemicals and analysis of evidential materials obtained thereafter.
Undertaking research, surveys and field tests in forensic science and Chemical matters of national importance;
Participation in technical committees on standards, scientific boards, curriculum development, formulation and reviews of scientific policies;
Undertaking research, surveys and investigations in forensic science and cases of national importance such as; Corruption cases, drugs of abuse and new psychoactive substances, fire incidents and Methanol poisoning in alcoholic drinks
Participate in Mass fatality investigations during terrorism attacks and other disasters eg victim identification.
Implementation/domestication of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in the country as the National Focal Point.
Coordinate matters related to chemicals under the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation initiative.
Capacity building to stakeholders in scientific matters.
training of investigating officers on managing forensic evidential material from crime scenes.
