Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi has dismissed allegations surrounding the presence of counterfeit state-subsidized fertilizers following recent reports of seizures in various regions of the country. Speaking in Kuresoi, Nakuru County on Tuesday, the CS emphasized that government-approved fertilizers undergo rigorous scientific testing and analysis before being distributed to Kenyan farmers. He urged farmers not to give credence to any unfounded rumors regarding the quality of the fertilizers.
Linturi assured the public, stating, “The fertilizer provided by the government has been inspected, and we have all the test results and analyses. This fertilizer has been scrutinized and approved as suitable. We cannot tolerate a situation where our farmers are deceived.” He further criticized individuals purporting to possess scientific expertise, cautioning against their assertions that may mislead farmers.
Blaming the opposition for spreading what he termed as baseless rumors, the CS accused them of attempting to sabotage the development agenda of the Kenya Kwanza administration. He dismissed their claims, remarking, “We should ignore the tales of riddles and those who claim to have pots on their heads. We should not expect anything positive from them. Their aim is to destabilize our government and cause problems.”
Despite refuting the claims of counterfeit fertilizers, Linturi acknowledged that the government has initiated investigations as a precautionary measure to ensure that no substandard subsidized fertilizers are in circulation. He highlighted the government’s awareness of past attempts by criminals to defraud Kenyans and reiterated the commitment of government agencies to identify and apprehend any individuals involved in such illicit activities.
