Fake fertilizer saga deepens following discovery of 107 bags in Homa Bay

Nyando MP Jared Okello (far-right) and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga at the NCPB depot in Homa Bay on April 27, 2024. [James Omoro, Standard]

The controversy surrounding fake fertilizer distribution in the county has deepened after the National Assembly's Committee on Agriculture discovered 107 bags in Homa Bay.

The Committee, led by Nyando MP Jared Okello, his Matayos counterpart Geoffrey Odanga and Peter Salasya (Mumias East), uncovered the batch during a tour of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga accompanied the Committee during the inspection.

"We have discovered that the fake fertilizers were brought to Homa Bay. This followed a complaint raised by a farmer who had bought six bags of the fertilizers," Okello said.

Okello expressed concern that 63 GPC fertilizer bags were sold in Homa Bay yet only one farmer, who bought six bags, reported that the fertilizer was fake.

"It is evident that there are fake fertilizers in this NCPB depot. I want to encourage farmers who bought fake fertilizers to report," Okello said.

The Committee said they are set to compile a report which will determine the extent to which the fake fertilizers had infiltrated NCPB depots and farms in the country.

According to Salasya, the report's findings will also determine whether Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi should be impeached.

"When we summoned CS Linturi, he told us that he was not aware of the existence of the fake fertilizers. Today, we have discovered them in NCPB depots. Our investigations continue but our report will recommend what should be done to him," Salasya said.

Governor Wanga, on the other hand, expressed concern that Homa Bay got fewer bags of fertilizers than what was recommended.

Wanga said Homa Bay registered 245,000 farmers who ought to have got 165 million bags, but it received only 23,000 bags.