Leaders, activists demand Linturi sacked over scandal

Several leaders and members of the civil society have now demanded that President William Ruto sacks Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi over the fake fertiliser scandal.

Muranga leaders have accused Linturi of laxity, saying he is solely responsible for the mess that occurred in the procurement and distribution of the fake fertiliser.

 Led by senator Joe Nyutu, women representative Betty Maina and Maragua Mp Mary Waithira, they said the president should look for another competent person to replace the the CS.

Nyutu called for thorough investigations in to the matter adding that all those involved in the scandal should face the law.

He said distributing fake fertiliser the farmers would jeopardise the farming industry which is a source of livelihood for millions of people.

“Action should be taken against all those involved in this scandal and no one should be spared regardless of their status or position they hold in government” said Nyutu.

Subsidy programme

At the same time, civil societies want President Ruto to step in and save the agricultural sector, saying it is a critical sector in attaining food security in the country.

The Kenya National Civil Society Centre (KNCSC) Executive Director, Suba Churchill urged the President to fire Linturi for mishandling procurement and distribution and sale of subsidised fertiliser, saying it has undermined the government’s credibility and programme.

“There is no doubt that Linturi’s incompetence and apparent conflict of interest that have emerged during his interrogation by the relevant departmental committees of the National Assembly and the Senate has left the government’s image tainted with irrefutable evidence of graft in the procurement, distribution and sale of fertiliser to farmers across the country under the subsidised fertiliser programme,” said Churchill, in a statement yesterday.

According to Churchill, it is unacceptable that Linturi is still in office and seems to have embarked on a series of visits to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) silos across the country.

In his visits, Churchill said government and parliamentary officials are accompanying the CS, ostensibly to inspect fertiliser even after tainting the government’s image by what he termed as scandalous and unprofessional procurement, distribution and sale of subsidised fertiliser to farmers.