Eight Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) officials have been suspended in connection with the fake fertilizer scandal which is being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Parliament.
The eight from the Quality Assurance Department were arrested over issuance of certifications and marks of quality to two companies which have been linked to the production of fake fertilizers.
Among the two companies which have been linked to the fake fertilizers is KEL Chemicals whose operations were suspended on Friday, April 5, 2024.
Its fertilizer products were withdrawn from the market after KEBS confirmed that they did not meet the required quality standards.
DCI detectives in charge of the case want to establish how the companies deviated from producing quality standards to the fake fertilizers which have led to an outcry among farmers.
DP Gachagua on Fake Fertilizer
The suspension came a day after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua promised that the police would arrest people involved in the scandal.
Speaking in Kigali, Rwanda on April 6, Gachagua condemned the distribution of sub-standard fertilizer to government stores but explained that the amount was small and cannot interfere with Kenya’s food security.
“Every society has rogue people. Only one supplier brought something that was not good. It is negligible. The amount involved is small and cannot affect our food security. However, we will be more careful and work on how to stop people from being mischievous,” he stated as he asked traders to be patriotic.
Gachagua explained that out of the four million imported by the government only 50,000 bags came from rogue suppliers.
The DP maintained that the fertilizer subsidy program has been successful since the product can now reach the farmers unlike before.
“We registered over five million farmers and created an electronic voucher system. As a result of the subsidized price of fertilizer, we produced over 60 million bags of maize last year, up from 40 million,” he said.
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Call for Linturi’s Resignation
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has called for the resignation Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi and senior government officials linked to the scandal.
NCCK Nairobi region chairperson Dr Alphonse Kanga said Linturi failed to identify and punish individuals involved in the scam.
“The fertilizer was distributed with the systems that exist they have the accountability; they know the storekeepers they have the lorries that transported. The ministry of agriculture should come and tell us this happened and either so and so has been sacked or he himself he has stepped down,” he said.
The Council also wondered how the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) was used to distribute the fake fertilizer to farmers.
Also Read: Govt to Compensate Farmers who Received Fake Fertilizer
Bungoma Fertilizer
Police in Bungoma County nubbed 120 bags of suspected fake fertilizer that was allegedly being repackaged ready for distribution in the country.
Bungoma OCPD Wilson Muraya said they received reports of a fertilizer consignment being repackaged at one of the local fuel stations.
“We can’t confirm whether the fertilizer is fake or not until we welcome officials from KEBS. It should be taken to government laboratories so that we can confirm that it is original and be used by the farmers,” noted the county police boss.
According to Muraya, the fake fertilizers had County Government of Bungoma branding.
