Ban on plastic carrier bags has come into force in Kenya

   A ban on plastic carrier bags has come into force in Kenya, which means that from Monday anyone found selling, manufacturing or carrying them, could face fines of up to $38,000 or prison sentences of up to four years.

   The government says the ban will help protect the environment. But manufacturers of the bags have argued that 80,000 jobs could be lost, as. Kenyans are estimated to use 24 million bags a month.

   Meanwhile, a court had on Friday, rejected a challenge to the ban. A number of other African countries have outlawed plastic carrier bags, including South Africa, Rwanda and Eritrea.