Linturi asks Parliament for more time to submit missing documents on fake fertiliser scandal

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has asked Parliament for more time to furnish lawmakers with all the documents needed in the ongoing probe into fake fertiliser distributed in Kenya under the disguise of government-subsidised fertiliser.

The minister appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on Monday, where the committee pointed out that he had not submitted crucial documents needed in the investigation.

Tigania West Member of Parliament John Kanyuithia, who is the chairperson of the committee, noted that while Linturi’s team in their report submitted that the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) had all the documents to prove that the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) distributed authentic fertiliser, the documents were not among those presented to the agriculture committee.

This was despite Linturi’s team marking them as annexed in his report to MPs.

“You are saying you have provided the documents but they are not here; what are we dealing with? These are the documents talking about the fake fertiliser and the agency that deliberately distributed the wrong product,” Dr Kanyuithia told the minister.

In response, Linturi asked the committee for more time to submit the missing documents, saying he had not had enough time to appraise himself with the entire report and its supporting documents.

“I want to take note of all those issues that have not been provided so I can provide another bundle (of documents) for you to clear your minds,” Linturi told MPs.

“I had asked for indulgence for Wednesday because I was out of the country for the whole of last week and I came directly from Meru this morning for this meeting.”

In the missing annexes which the committee chair flagged was also a court order.

Linturi added: “I beg for more time to supply you with the material alleged to be annexed but is not, because there is nothing to hide.”

Linturi, his Trade counterpart Rebecca Miano and officials from KEBS, the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are among those whom the Parliament has summoned to explain how fake fertiliser was distributed in government depots.

So far, eight KEBS officials have been suspended in connection to the fake fertiliser scandal after being interdicted over the issuance of certification and marks of quality to two companies which have been linked to the sub-standard fertiliser.

Over the weekend, police in Bungoma nabbed a lorry carrying 120 bags of suspected fake fertiliser after reports of a fertiliser consignment being repackaged at one of the local fuel stations.

The bags had County Government of Bungoma branding, according to police.

Last month, the police impounded 700 bags of fake fertilizer in Kakamega while in Nakuru, detectives seized 560 bags intended for delivery to Molo NCPB stores.

Over 2,650 bags which had already been supplied to farmers have so far been recalled as DCI and Parliament probe the matter.