The agricultural sector was rocked by scandal last month when reports surfaced about counterfeit fertiliser flooding the market. However, the ongoing investigation into the supply chain of fake fertiliser has unearthed a shocking revelation: a company implicated in distributing substandard fertiliser had been operating for nearly a year without the necessary quality certification.
During a session before the National Assembly Agriculture and Livestock Committee on Tuesday, April 9, the Director of the company faced tough questions regarding how they managed to distribute fertiliser through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) without a quality certificate from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
According to records presented to parliament, the company approached the NCPB on March 31, 2022, seeking permission to utilize their distribution network for their fertiliser. Distribution commenced two months later, as confirmed by the director. However, it was revealed that they only secured an agreement with a diatomite mining company to distribute its fertiliser in November 2022, sparking concerns about the absence of proper quality assurance measures leading up to the agreement.
John Kanyuithia, the Tigania West Member of Parliament and chairperson of the committee, expressed astonishment over how a company lacking a quality assurance certificate managed to operate with a government institution.
The director attempted to justify the oversight by claiming an oral agreement with the manufacturer prior to engaging with the NCPB. However, Kanyuithia was not convinced, criticizing the director for jeopardizing the welfare of millions of Kenyans.
In response, the director cited a partnership agreement with the mining company, stating the use of their quality certificate since his company was not directly involved in manufacturing or packaging. He claimed that samples were submitted to the NCPB for testing before distribution commenced.
Furthermore, the director revealed plans to register another company to distribute the fertiliser under a different quality certificate, asserting that an application for a quality certificate from KEBS had been made in December 2022.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, appearing before the Agricultural Committee last month, disclosed that the implicated company had distributed 70,143 bags of the product through NCPB depots since 2022. However, following the suspension of the commercial contract on March 9, 2024, NCPB seized 3,276 bags found to be substandard, with directives issued to withdraw the products from the market.
The director denied any wrongdoing by his companies, disputing claims of involvement in the government's subsidised fertiliser programme.
This development adds to the fallout from the fake fertiliser scandal, which has led to the suspension of eight senior officials at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), pending investigations by Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives and parliamentary inquiries.