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Senators have launched investigations into the fake fertiliser scandal with several key witnesses lined up to testify on what they know about the scandal.

The Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Kirinyaga Senator James Murango has now lined up Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and the Chief Executive Officers of Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) Esther Ngari and her Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) counterpart Peter Njoroge to give testimony on how fake fertilisers were sold to unsuspecting farmers.

In addition, the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, National Environment Management Authority Director General Mamo Boru Mamo and other individuals have been invited to appear before the committee to clear the air following an expose done by the African Uncensored about the swindle.

“This is a very serious matter unlike doctors and advocates whom we may need several times in a year, we need farmers every day since they provide food to us, we cannot afford to allow a few unscrupulous individuals to get away with the fake fertiliser scandal,” said Murango.

Murango while terming the fraud as akin to terrorism, charged that action must be taken against the unscrupulous individuals who have not only embarrassed the Kenya Kwanza administration but also posed a threat to food security.

According to Murango, the committee will leave no stone unturned as it works towards ensuring that farmers who have incurred losses due to the fake fertiliser scandal get justice with those found culpable not only being taken to court but made to compensate farmers.

“We will be hosting various organisations that played a role in the fertiliser procurement and distribution processes besides visiting various counties across the country to ascertain the extent of the loss incurred and listen to what the affected farmers have to say,” he charged.

Samson Cherargei (Nandi) said that the roles of National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Nema, KNTC and Kebs in the fake fertiliser scandal should be investigated further since it appears there was a well-organised criminal enterprise.

“The organisation that has been mentioned adversely by Africa Uncensored for making fake fertiliser has been carrying out its activities openly, the relevant state agencies should come and explain to us why they failed on their duties, heads must roll over this,” said Cherargei.

Exclusive story

Africa Uncensored chief executive and founder John-Allan Namu who is the first witness to appear before the committee revealed that some influential political leaders both outside and inside parliament reached out to him in attempts to convince him not to air an exclusive story on fake fertiliser scandal being witnessed.

According to Namu, his organisation has been carrying out wide investigation on public procurement since 2018 and that the fake fertiliser scandal cuts across the Uhuru Kenyatta and the William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza’s administrations.

Namu was categorical that investigative bodies should look at the issue of complacency among senior officials of state agencies since the issue did not raise concerns among the relevant actors all this time.

“I would like to inform this committee that politicians across the political divide might have been involved in this fake fertiliser conspiracy, some of them even reached out to me seeking to have African Uncensored not to air this story where the majority of those affected are small scale farmers,” said Namu.

Enoch Wambua (Kitui) said that there must have been a collusion between the relevant state agencies and the unscrupulous individuals involved in the making of fake fertiliser saying the current conspiracy runs deeper.

Wambua said the selling of dust and stones passing it off as fertiliser is not a matter that can be taken lightly equating it to terrorism since it will lead to food insecurity in the country with most farmers having wasted an opportunity to plant their crops during this rainy season.

“We need to have a forensic audit done to establish how this fake fertiliser was made, distributed and reached innocent farmers across the country without the relevant government agencies noticing and taking necessary action, unless they are involved,” said Wambua.

Embargo story

Alex Mundigi (Embu) said that the government agencies who have failed in their role are giving the government a bad name yet President William Ruto had promised to ensure that corruption is brought to an end and that ordinary Kenyans interests are protected by Kenya Kwanza administration.

Yesterday, Namu told the committee that he was ready to provide evidence about the politicians who approached him to embargo the story, adding that it was worrying that they were not concerned about the plight of millions of Kenyans who were going to suffer due to the clandestine activities of the unscrupulous businessmen.