Ruto regime wishing hunger and death for Kenyans- Martha Karua
President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza government have been accused of wishing hunger and death for Kenyans in regard to the fake fertilizer scandal that is currently unfolding.
In her statement issued on April 8, 2024, NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua, also known as the Iron Lady, called out the Ruto government for demonstrating callousness in this matter.
“The fake fertilizer heist suggests a deliberate scheme to lower food production to increase food insecurity in order to force starving Kenyans to be at the mercy of food cartels. It is a sadistic act by those entrusted with the task of making the nation food secure,” said Ms Karua in part.
She went on to add that, “this regime does not care about its citizens and its aim is to send Kenya to its death bed as food security ought to be at the heart as a priority to any government.”
“Do Kenyans deserve this?” asked Ms Karua.
The Ministry of Agriculture was put on the spot after allegations of distribution of fake fertilizer by the government emerged. Investigations and claims from farmers were that the fertilizer was made of sand, donkey waste and stones.
Initially, the government refuted these claims, claiming it was a political witch hunt from detractors but as the claims and accusations piled up, the government had to break its silence on the matter.
Earlier, State House aide Dennis Itumbi claimed there was no fake fertilizer being distributed, joining a song by Kenya Kwanza allied politicians on the same.
The opposition, led by Raila Odinga, had been calling out the government over this particular fertilizer issue and agitating for its recall and compensation to farmers affected before the government had to accept that there was fake fertilizer in circulation.
However, matters took a turn when the Kenya Bureau of Standards found that the fertilizer being distributed by the government in a subsidy program was indeed fake and proceeded to sue the company producing the fertilizer that did not meet quality requirements.
Additionally, eight KEBS officials were suspended over this fertilizer scandal over the issuance of certification and marks of quality to two companies linked to this fertilizer.
On April 8, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, who had earlier vehemently denied the existence of any fake fertilizer in circulation, asked Parliament to give him time to provide them with documents needed for the ongoing probe into this scandal as he did not have enough time to update himself with the reports and documents submitted to his Ministry.
A number of parties have been summoned to Parliament over this scandal including Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, officials from the National Environment Management Authority, KEBS and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Police, over the past few weeks, have been nabbing people transporting these fake fertilizers to various counties- some bearing government and county government branding on them.