The 9th Parliament, after 3 years of debate enacted the Nutritionists and Dieticians law in october 2007. The bill has been authored and sponsored by Hon. Julia Ojiambo - then a NARC nominated Member of Parliament on Parliamentary approval - the act was assented into law by the former President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Hon. Mwai Kibaki on the 22nd October 2007, thus making Kenya the first country in the region of Africa to enact such an important law in the field of Nutrition & Dietetics. Subsequently, the then Minister for Medical Services - Hon. Prof. Anyang Nyong'o - gazetted the act on 30th October 2008.

The first annual general meeting that provided the forum for the election of the first Chairperson and an eligle KNDI full council was held on 3rd October 2009 under the supervision of the then Electoral Commission of Kenya. The elected council members were gazetted by the then Minister for Public Health - Hon. Beth Mugo - in the Kenya gazette Vol CXII - No. 15 on 19th February 2010. Subsequently the council was commissioned on 20th April 2010 by Hon. Beth Mugo.

Cap 253B

An Act of Parliament to provide for the training, registration and licensing of nutritionists and dieticians; to provide for the regulation of the standards, and practice of the profession; to ensure their effective participation in matters relating to nutrition and dietetics, and for connected purposes

[Act No. 18 of 2007, L.N. 130/2008.]

The functions of the institute as directed by the Council are outlined under Section 6 as follows:

1. Determine and set framework for the professional practice of nutritionists and dieticians.
2. Set and enforce standards of professional practice and ethics on nutrition and dietetics;
3. Enforce a program of quality assurance for the nutrition and dietetics profession
4. Approve institutions for the purpose of training persons seeking registration under this Act;
5. Research into and provide public education on nutrition and dietetics;
6. Maintain the competence of members by updating their knowledge through publications and the conduct of continuing professional education;
7. Provide training for nutritionists and dieticians;
8. Design programs and methods for sensitization on suitable dietary and nutritional habits, and
9. Perform such other functions as may be necessary for proper administration of the Act.

Health Laws (Amendment) May 2019: Nutritionists and Dieticians Amendment: –

1. Working jointly with other bodies participate actively in the review of food, food supplement and nutrition supplements with nutrition claims

6. Maintain the competence of members by updating their knowledge through publications and the conduct of continuing professional education.

7. Provide training for Nutritionists and Dieticians.

8. Design programs and methods for sensitization on suitable dietary and nutritional habits.

9. Perform other functions as may be necessary for the proper administration of the Act.

An Innovative Regulatory Institute in the provision of Nutrition and Dietetics services recognized by the internationally

To provide for regulation in training licensing, registration and licensing of nutritionists, accreditation of institutions dealing on matters of nutrition/dietetics and other best practices in the field of nutrition and dietetics in Kenya.

The core business is to provide an enabling environment for sustained improvement of nutrition and dietary status of all Kenya’s population groups.

Integrity-operate with unquestionable moral standards

Professionalism-at all times adhere to the KNDI professional Code of Conduct.

Accountability-be responsible and answerable to the KNDI’s Members and stakeholders.

Transparency-open to its members and stakeholders

Team work– work as a team towards accomplishment of the Institute’s goals

Integrity-operate with unquestionable moral standards

Professionalism-at all times adhere to the KNDI professional Code of Conduct.

Accountability-be responsible and answerable to the KNDI’s Members and stakeholders.

Transparency-open to its members and stakeholders

Team work– work as a team towards accomplishment of the Institute’s goals

“Setting Gold Standards in Nutrition and Dietetics”

Good nutrition is a prerequisite for the national development of countries and for the well-being of individuals. The 2010 Constitution of Kenya recognizes adequate food and nutrition as a human right. It states that every person has the right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food of acceptable quality (Article 43) and that every child has the right to basic nutrition (Article 53). Since 2007, there appears to have emerged some intensified energies that has resulted into several policy and programmatic initiatives. These include: Sustainable Development Goals; Kenya Vision 2030; Kenya National Strategy for control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2015-2020); National Nutrition Action Plan (2012-2017); Kenya National e-Health strategy 2011-2017; National Food and Nutrition Security Policy (2011); Kenya Nutrition and HIV/AIDs strategy (2007-2010); Scaling Up Nutrition movement; Nutrition Situation Analysis-Kenya and big four agenda of Kenya amongst others. Furthermore, the Government of Kenya’s 2011 Food and Nutrition Security Policy states that nutrition is central to human development in the country (Government of Kenya, 2011) a fact that has been embodied in Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that specifically ad­dresses SDG 2). KNDI therefore dutifully and with great hope looks forward to continuing collaboration with all those who practically promote the nutrition status and the well–being of the Kenyan People.

Good nutrition is a prerequisite for the national development of countries and for the well-being of individuals. The 2010 Constitution of Kenya recognizes adequate food and nutrition as a human right. It states that every person has the right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food of acceptable quality (Article 43) and that every child has the right to basic nutrition (Article 53). Since 2007, there appears to have emerged some intensified energies that has resulted into several policy and programmatic initiatives. These include: Sustainable Development Goals; Kenya Vision 2030; Kenya National Strategy for control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2015-2020); National Nutrition Action Plan (2012-2017); Kenya National e-Health strategy 2011-2017; National Food and Nutrition Security Policy (2011); Kenya Nutrition and HIV/AIDs strategy (2007-2010); Scaling Up Nutrition movement; Nutrition Situation Analysis-Kenya and big four agenda of Kenya amongst others. Furthermore, the Government of Kenya’s 2011 Food and Nutrition Security Policy states that nutrition is central to human development in the country (Government of Kenya, 2011) a fact that has been embodied in Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that specifically ad­dresses SDG 2). KNDI therefore dutifully and with great hope looks forward to continuing collaboration with all those who practically promote the nutrition status and the well–being of the Kenyan People.

KNDI provides an enabling environment for sustainable improvement of nutrition and dietary status of all Kenya’s population groups. The legal framework and the research policy framework allow the institute to deepen its work around understanding nutrition research and provide ethical approval of all researches with nutrition specific and sensitive components. Advice the government on matters related to nutrition and dietetics, to enhance nutrition research evidence to policy making. In order to achieve this function, KNDI through the existing research policy, enables its members to make full use of its vast resources to create a research culture consistent with national development goals. The institute is aware of the previous strategies utilized to bring deliberate attention on identification of priority research areas and Conduct need-based research to inform policy, programme design and implementation.

This Strategic Plan is based on the Institute’s initial self-assessment, the needs as defined by its legal mandate, and an external analysis of its prevailing context and environment. Careful and critical consideration of all the emerging issues informed the institute to shoulder-define the orientation of all its goals; and in a prioritized manner to assign its objectives, strategies and activities during the July 2020 to June 2025 period. For this period, KNDI will pursue the overall Medium-Term thematic focus whose Key Result Areas and Results Framework include Operationalizing the Act, Organization Development, Generate Resources for better sustainability of the Institute’s activities and Enhanced Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Food and Nutrition Security agenda for Kenya.