On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and his Trade Counterpart Rebecca Miano are scheduled to testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee.
The two have been called for an investigation into the distribution of counterfeit fertilizer in the Kenyan market, according to Senator James Murango, the chairperson of the Senate Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Committee.
The committee will visit multiple counties, including Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Embu, Laikipia, Nandi, Homabay, Nakuru, and Kakamega, to bring the offenders to justice, according to Murango, the senator for Kirinyaga, who announced on Wednesday while speaking in Kerugoya.
According to Murango, the committee has also called in representatives from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB), and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to explain the distribution of phony fertilizer in government depots.
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"Individuals linked to the scam will be prosecuted," Murango said.
Nationwide, farmers have been tallying their losses due to purchasing counterfeit fertilizer from NCPB depots.
Farmers who purchased fertilizer from the NCPB depots in Embu and Sagana are requesting compensation from the government.
More than ten farmers from Mugamba, Ciura, who purchased the phony fertilizers at Embu Depot, claimed that the sand, stones, and goat dung were inside.
Isaac Njagi purchased fertilizer packed with stones at the Sagana depot in the Gichugu Constituency.
Susan Wambui Jogoo purchased two bags of subsidized fertilizer containing sand and goat dung in the Ndia Constituency.
In response to farmers' protests, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has so far denied allegations of fake fertiliser that was given subsidies.
Murango counseled the nation's farmers to preserve the coupons and text messages they obtained after purchasing the purported fertilizers from NCPB.
