NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 31 – Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called on the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to reveal the suppliers implicated in the recent fake subsidized fertilizer scandal.
Speaking at a church fundraising event in Bomet County on Sunday, Mudavadi urged the NCPB to disclose the names of individuals involved in distributing counterfeit fertilizer to farmers so they can be held accountable under the law.
“We are urging the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) not to delay because they know the supply chain and can identify which consignment was brought in by whom out of this fertilizer. Let us ensure that the law catches up with these individuals so they can face charges,” he emphasized.
Mudavadi assured that the government is committed to safeguarding the supply of subsidized fertilizer from disruption by unscrupulous traders attempting to infiltrate the local market.
He warned that the nation’s food security is at risk due to those implicated in the fake fertilizer distribution scandal.
“There are critical areas where we have essential commodities, including food production involving fertilizer and seeds. As a government, we will not allow these unscrupulous traders to compromise our nation’s food security,” he affirmed.
Mudavadi’s remarks follow calls from Members of Parliament for a special audit into the alleged fake fertilizer across the country.
On March 23, 2024, detectives in Nakuru County seized 560 bags of suspected fake fertilizer worth Sh1.4 million intended for delivery to Molo National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores. The fertilizer, originating from Kel Chemicals Limited Thika and transported by MEMS distributors, was scheduled for delivery a day earlier, according to the police.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) had previously accused a Kenyan-based regional fertilizer merchant of fraud after discovering that the firm supplied substandard fertilizer to the NCPB.
Lawmakers in Kenya have expressed concerns about the supply of fake fertilizer and have demanded action against those involved in the distribution chain. They highlight that farmers are at risk of purchasing counterfeit fertilizer from various NCPB stores across the country ahead of the planting season.
