Kel Chemicals Limited, a manufacturer, has denied any links to the alleged supply of sub-standard fertilizers that were distributed to farmers under the Fertilizer Subsidy Program.
While appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on Thursday, April 18, the Company’s Managing Director, Patel Devesh revealed that he attended a state house meeting with senior public servants, moments before his arrest.
Further, he narrated that the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei invited him for a meeting in the office of the president but did not allow him to explain himself. Shortly after, Koskei ordered for his arrest, and he was taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
“Mr. Koskei Felix did not even finish listening to me, and he ordered the police officer to arrest me and take me to the DCI in Kiambu. That was Friday April 5. They dropped me at around 6:00 o’clock. I was with our lawyer,” he said.
At the DCI headquarters, Patel said that he was forced to write a letter stating that he had recalled the fertilizer his company manufactured, that had already been distributed.
“I was arrested without being informed of the reasons for my arrest, no representation from counsel and I wrote my statement while under duress. I was later released on Ksh100,000 police bond and was forced to write a letter indicating that I had recalled the batches of fertilizer,” he added.
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Kel Chemicals Clarifies Case of Fake Fertilizer
At the same time, officials from Kel Chemicals stated that company received a valid approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) after the test product of their NPK and the government indicated that it was of good quality.
“The Members heard that Mems Distributors Limited approached the Company with a Local Purchase Order (LPO) for the distribution of fertilizer NPK under the subsidy program.
“Mr. Devesh further narrated that upon delivery of the first batch, Mems informed them that the fertilizer was of good quality and no complaints were raised by either NCPB or the farmers,” a statement from the committee read in part.
In addition, he said that by the time the fertilizer was being recalled, the bags were of a higher quantity than what they distributed.
The MD of Kel Chemicals further disclosed that at the point of recalling the bags of fertilizers following the allegations of sub-standard fertilizer, the quantity of bags recalled from the farmers were of a higher quantity than what they distributed to Mems distributors.
“Mems was required to deliver a total of 550,000 bags to NCPB. However, we only manufactured and delivered 69,670 bags. Therefore, in order to satisfy the terms of the contract between Mems and NCPB, the former was under an obligation to source for 480,030 bags,” he explained.
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The Company Appeals to DCI
Kel Chemicals through its lawyers claimed foul play and called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe the exact amount of the contract price paid to Mems by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Also, they want investigations into the amount of money paid by Mems to them for the supply of the fertilizer.
“The Company received positive results on the samples of the fertilizer following an independent application for analysis to KEPHIS on 21st March 2024. Regarding those sent to KEBS, were yet to get feedback to date,
“We are concerned by the emergence of these sub-standard fertilizers and of great concern to us is the insidious and spirited attempts to inculpate us as purveyors of the fake commodities. We welcome impartial efforts to identify the real culprits and appropriate actions taken against them,” Patel said.
