Sunday, April 21, 2024 - Tensions escalated in the ongoing controversy surrounding the sale of fake fertilizer after the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) threw the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary under the bus.
Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on the distribution of fake fertilizer, KEBS refuted claims of involvement in testing the products distributed under President William Ruto’s subsidy programme.
KEBS CEO Esther Ngari asserted the bureau’s non-involvement, contradicting earlier statements from Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
“In the entire process of tendering and procurement of the fertilizer under the subsidy programme, KEBS was not involved at all,” Ngari stated emphatically.
The hearing comes in the wake of accusations by CS Linturi a few days ago, alleging KEBS's responsibility for circulating substandard fertilizer in the market.
However, according to Ngari, KEBS involvement was limited to a request made on March 22 to verify the quality of fertilizer sold under the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). This suggests no prior engagement in the testing processes before this date.
The debate over fertilizer quality intensified as KEBS reported that 5,840 bags of fake fertilizer had been impounded nationwide.
This statement stands in stark contrast to the ongoing narrative provided by the Agriculture Ministry, with Linturi acknowledging issues with 3,000 bags, of which 516 have been reclaimed and are currently undergoing testing by the Kenya Revenue Authority.
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