Fake fertiliser row: Linturi, Trade CS Miano summoned by Senate

The controversy surrounding the government’s fertilizer subsidy programme continues even as farmers flocked to NCPB depots that remained open on Good Friday in search of fertilizer as the planting season edges closer.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi warned farmers not to be misled by what he described as propaganda.

"I am very impressed by the famers by their initiative na kuhakiksha kwamba hawajapotezwa na wale walaghai na wale ambao hawatakii Kenya mema na wale wanaoeneza propaganda," he said.

The fertilizer saga has attracted the attention of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

Speaking in Kirinyaga County, the chairman of the committee James Kamau Murango said that the committee has summoned CS Linturi and his Trade Counterpart Rebecca Miano to appear before it and help unravel the fertilizer puzzle.

"Tumeita waziri wa kilimo, waziri wa viwanda Rebecca Miano na KEBS ambao wanashughulikia ubora wa bidhaa tujue ni vipi mbolea gusi ilifikia wakulima," said Senator Murango.

"Musitupe mbolea ambayo mlipewa, msifute jumbe fupi mlizotumiwa, kwa sababu tutahitaji ushahidi wakati tunafanya uchunguzi. Tunataka tujue kama kuna wakora ambao walihusika katika serikali tunataka tujue ni vipi mbolea gushi ilifika katika halmashauri ya nafaka," Murango added.

At the NCPB depot in Trans Nzoia County, hundreds of farmers queued to pick fertiliser. Apart from a shortage that has been experienced for several weeks, some farmers decried what they termed as discrimination

"Saa kumi na mbili nilikuwa hapa bado hawajatushughulikia... jana tulikuwa hapa hadi jioni hawakutushughulikia," said a farmer.

"Sisi watu wa mbolea kidogo tunajaribu tuone kama tutapata hio mbolea hatupati...unapata watu wa lori ndio wanapata tunashangaa sisi wanyonge tutapata mbolea kweli."

Farmers in Uasin Gishu County also decried  the lack of proper structures for fertiliser distributions as they endured long queues at the NCPB depot in Eldoret town

"Tunaambia Mungu aendelee kushika mvua kwa sababu hatuwezi panda I cannot plant mimi nalima heka hamsini, siezi panda kidogo tena nikuje kwa laini,' said another farmer.

"Hii kitu ipelekwe kwa kaunti, kaunti wapeleke kwa sub-county ofisi ya MCA iko hapo ndio watu wa gunia 4 , 10 wachukue huko watu wa gunia hamisni wakuje NCPB. Hii kitu si rahisi fertilizer Kenya mzima, afadhali upeane kwa wafanyibiashara uwape licence afadhali iwe kSH.3000 na tupate kwa maduka."

In Meru County, however, farmers hailed the fast-tracked process of picking bags of fertilizer since the introduction of 10 collection centres.

At Kiganjo NCPB deport in Nyeri County, a consignment of 1200 bags of fertilizer was offloaded in readiness for pick up by farmers. 

There was however no activity at the Nakuru NCPB depot which remained closed on Friday.