Mithika Linturi Shuts Down Company Accused Of Manufacturing Fake Fertiliser

• Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi announced the closure of KEL Chemicals and the withdrawal of its manufacturing license amid allegations of supplying substandard fertilisers
• Linturi declared the Thika-based company a crime scene following investigations into the fake fertiliser controversy
• The CS emphasised that the government would not authorise any payments to fertiliser suppliers during the ongoing investigations
• Linturi reiterated the government's commitment to thoroughly investigating the issue of fake fertiliser in the country before taking any further action

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kiambu - Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has shut down and withdrawn the licence of KEL Chemicals.

The Thika-based company is at the centre of the ongoing controversy over fake fertiliser amid allegations that it supplied farmers with substandard fertilisers under the government fertiliser subsidy programme.

Addressing the media after visiting the aforementioned company and inspecting the plant, Linturi declared the factory a crime scene.

"Gov't has withdrawn the manufacturing license for KEL Chemicals whose investigations are going on. The blending plant for other fertiliser is now closed and this is treated as a crime scene from now henceforth. Until the investigations are over," he said.

Linturi rules out paying fertiliser suppliers

The CS further revealed that the government would not authorise any payment during investigations into the fake product in the market.

Linturi said the government was committed to getting to the bottom of the fake fertiliser in the country.

"We will make sure that whatever money will not be disbursed until we have established and able to know who to carry the blame," Linturi added.

CS Linturi says fertiliser is not fake

Earlier, Linturi maintained that there is no fake fertiliser in the Kenyan market.

Appearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday, April 11, Linturi claimed the fertiliser was only substandard.

The CS explained that the fertiliser distributed through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) only fell short of the approved composition ratio.

He pointed out that failing to meet the composition ratio does not render the fertiliser fake.

Linturi compared the situation to producing bread below the standard weight, emphasising that substandard doesn't equate to being fake.

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Mithika Linturi speaks at an event.

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