diff --git a/kafka/kafkaConsumer.py b/kafka/kafkaConsumer.py
index f6ae9ad..bd49c09 100644
--- a/kafka/kafkaConsumer.py
+++ b/kafka/kafkaConsumer.py
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@
 
 from kafka import KafkaConsumer
 
-
 class Consumer(threading.Thread):
     daemon = True
 
     def run(self):
         consumer = KafkaConsumer(bootstrap_servers='10.100.198.220:9092',
-        #consumer = KafkaConsumer(bootstrap_servers='10.0.2.15:9092',
                                  auto_offset_reset='earliest')
         consumer.subscribe(['voltha-heartbeat'])
 
@@ -28,9 +26,5 @@
     time.sleep(3000)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    logging.basicConfig(
-        format='%(asctime)s.%(msecs)s:%(name)s:%(thread)d:%(levelname)s:%(process)d:%(message)s',
-        level=logging.INFO
-        )
     main()
 
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index eab3c02..f4323fc 100755
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 hash_ring>=1.3.1
 hexdump>=3.3
 jinja2>=2.8
+kafka-python>=1.2.0
 klein>=15.3.1
 nose>=1.3.7
 mock>=1.3.0
diff --git a/voltha/consulhelpers.py b/voltha/consulhelpers.py
index c424e7f..a5f0204 100644
--- a/voltha/consulhelpers.py
+++ b/voltha/consulhelpers.py
@@ -18,19 +18,18 @@
 Some consul related convenience functions
 """
 
-import os
 from structlog import get_logger
-import sys
 from consul import Consul
 from random import randint
 
 log = get_logger()
 
+
 def get_endpoint_from_consul(consul_endpoint, service_name):
     """Look up, from consul, the service name specified by service-name
     """
     log.debug('Retrieving endpoint {} from consul {}'.format(service_name,
-                                                           consul_endpoint))
+                                                             consul_endpoint))
     host = consul_endpoint.split(':')[0].strip()
     port = int(consul_endpoint.split(':')[1].strip())
 
@@ -38,7 +37,8 @@
     _, services = consul.catalog.service(service_name)
 
     if len(services) == 0:
-        raise Exception('Cannot find service {} in consul'.format(service_name))
+        raise Exception(
+            'Cannot find service {} in consul'.format(service_name))
 
     # pick a random entry
     # TODO should we prefer local IP addresses? Probably.
diff --git a/voltha/main.py b/voltha/main.py
index 3f63a9c..e76fac3 100755
--- a/voltha/main.py
+++ b/voltha/main.py
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@
 
 from voltha.coordinator import Coordinator
 from voltha.dockerhelpers import get_my_containers_name
-from voltha.nethelpers import get_my_primary_interface, get_my_primary_local_ipv4
+from voltha.nethelpers import get_my_primary_interface, \
+    get_my_primary_local_ipv4
 from voltha.northbound.grpc.grpc_server import VolthaGrpcServer
 from voltha.northbound.rest.health_check import init_rest_service
 from voltha.structlog_setup import setup_logging
 from voltha.northbound.kafka.kafka_proxy import KafkaProxy, get_kafka_proxy
 
-
 defs = dict(
     config=os.environ.get('CONFIG', './voltha.yml'),
     consul=os.environ.get('CONSUL', 'localhost:8500'),
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
 
 
 def parse_args():
-
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
 
     _help = ('Path to voltha.yml config file (default: %s). '
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@
                         action='store',
                         default=defs['grpc_port'],
                         help=_help)
-    
+
     _help = ('<hostname>:<port> to fluentd server (default: %s). (If not '
              'specified (None), the address from the config file is used'
              % defs['fluentd'])
@@ -204,7 +203,6 @@
 
 
 class Main(object):
-
     def __init__(self):
 
         self.args = args = parse_args()
@@ -219,6 +217,7 @@
         # components
         self.coordinator = None
         self.grpc_server = None
+        self.kafka_proxy = None
 
         if not args.no_banner:
             print_banner(self.log)
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@
 
         self.grpc_server = VolthaGrpcServer(self.args.grpc_port).run()
 
-        #initialize kafka proxy singleton
+        # initialize kafka proxy singleton
         self.kafka_proxy = KafkaProxy(self.args.consul, self.args.kafka)
 
         self.log.info('started-internal-services')
@@ -291,5 +290,6 @@
         lc = LoopingCall(get_kafka_proxy().send_message, topic, message)
         lc.start(10)
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     Main().start()
diff --git a/voltha/northbound/kafka/kafka_proxy.py b/voltha/northbound/kafka/kafka_proxy.py
index 801701a..072a7cd 100644
--- a/voltha/northbound/kafka/kafka_proxy.py
+++ b/voltha/northbound/kafka/kafka_proxy.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-import time
 from afkak.client import KafkaClient as _KafkaClient
 from afkak.producer import Producer as _kafkaProducer
 from structlog import get_logger
@@ -32,8 +31,8 @@
     _kafka_instance = None
 
     def __init__(self, consul_endpoint='localhost:8500',
-                 kafka_endpoint='localhost:9092' ,
-                 ack_timeout = 1000, max_req_attempts = 10):
+                 kafka_endpoint='localhost:9092',
+                 ack_timeout=1000, max_req_attempts=10):
 
         # return an exception if the object already exist
         if KafkaProxy._kafka_instance:
@@ -63,7 +62,6 @@
         self.log.info('initializing-KafkaProxy:{}'.format(_k_endpoint))
         KafkaProxy._kafka_instance = self
 
-
     @inlineCallbacks
     def send_message(self, topic, msg):
         assert topic is not None
@@ -71,8 +69,7 @@
         self.log.info('Sending message {} to kafka topic {}'.format(msg,
                                                                     topic))
         try:
-            msg_list = []
-            msg_list.append(msg)
+            msg_list = [msg]
             yield self.kproducer.send_messages(topic, msgs=msg_list)
             self.log.debug('Successfully sent message {} to kafka topic '
                            '{}'.format(msg, topic))