Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi was on Thursday, April 11, 2024, countered with burning questions concerning the truth about the circulation of fake fertilizer.
CS Linturi while in an interview on Citizen TV was met with questions from veteran investigative journalist John Allan Namu who exposed the fake fertilizer scandal in a documentary dubbed “Fertile Deception“.
While responding to the expose, the CS described it as “irresponsible journalism”, stating that the team ought to have sought clarification from the Ministry to understand the details of the fertilizer program.
Namu, however, revealed details about of how his African Uncensored team approached the Ministry of Agriculture while working on the investigation to seek clarifications.
“The CS claims we never reached out to the Ministry, that’s a lie. On 15th Feb this year, we reached out via email, his Ministry is the only government department that did not respond to our claims. When he says that I am a crook and a liar, perhaps he should take a hard look in the mirror,” said Namu.
In his defense, CS Linturi argued that contacting the Ministry via email alone was not enough adding that the Ministry has “many people”.
Also Read: Meet Veteran Journalist Behind Exposé of Fake Govt Fertilizer
“The Ministry is not me, there are many people in the Ministry. He should be saying he sent to my email, the office of the CS or my PA, that is how it would have gotten to me,” argued Linturi.
Linturi claps back
CS Linturi had earlier referred to the veteran journalist as a crook following the release of the documentary.
Namu while responding to the remarks by Linturi asked the CS to apologize to the organization and to the nation over the scandal.
African Uncensored’s “Fertile Deception” story exposed the circulation of counterfeit government fertilizer after a deep investigation into public procurement since 2018.
According to the veteran journalist, some influential political leaders both outside and inside parliament reached out to him in attempts to convince him not to air an exclusive story on the scandal.
Namu while appearing before a Senate Committee further stated that he was ready to provide evidence about the politicians who approached him to embargo the story.
Fake or Sub-standard?
CS Linturi who has been defensive over the issue was further tasked to defend his claims that the government fertilizer flagged by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) was not fake but rather substandard.
Also Read: Linturi Cornered as MPs Bring Fake Fertilizer Samples Before Him
The CS while on the same interview struggled to paint the difference between fake and substandard, insisting that contrary to the media’s description of the fertilizer as fake, the subsidized fertilizer was only substandard.
He reiterated his stance made during his appearance before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries earlier on Thursday, claiming that its macronutrients fell short of agreed requirements.
According to him, the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium nutrients that fell short of the agreed standard did not mean that the fertilizer was completely useless or is fake.
“If we were to discuss the percentage, then, I would be in a position to respond and how we intend to remedy the situation. Fake is counterfeit…standards are set by the regulating bodies on any product that is being manufactured.
The standards set out and agreed on the fertilizer that I am insisting is not fake it is substandard, is that it was meant to have 26% of Nitrogen, 10% Phosphorus and 10% Potassium,” the CS said.
President William Ruto while addressing the matter during a past event warned that the government would deal with fraudsters trying to undermine its food production program by selling fake fertilizer and promised to ensure that farmers who bought fake fertilizer would be compensated.
