Members of Parliament sitting in the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock chaired by Tigania West MP, John Mutunga were forced to release a director of the company accused of supplying fake fertiliser.
The director Josiah Kariuki was kicked out for failing to give clear answers regarding the operation BL Innovate which was suspended over the fake fertiliser saga.
The Committee inquired about the company’s operations and how they ended up supplying counterfeit fertilizer to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for distribution.
In his response to the Committee’s concerns, the director who was accompanied by his lawyers including Cliff Ombeta and Dunstan Omari, disclosed that his experience in farming led him to venture into the fertilizer business and he approached the African diatomite to partner with them to produce fertilizer signing a contract with the NCPB on March 31, 2022.
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The documents presented to the Committee revealed that during his engagements with NCPB, the company did not have a Kenya Bureau Standards (KEBS)certification, he was using African Diatomite’s certification., He, however, sent his first sample to KEBS on January 4, 2023.
Additionally, Kariuki said that the sample fertilizer he presented before KEBS and approved was the same that was distributed in the market.
“KEBS certified the sample fertilizer I presented to them. That is the same fertilizer that is in the market. About the counterfeit fertilizer KEBS should be questioned for that,” Kariuki insisted.
The Committee also wanted to know if Kariuki has scientific evidence that can prove that the fertilizer has an improvement to crops.
However, he told the committee to ask KEBS. The response compelled them to dismiss him.
"I think Mr Kariuki, we would like to release you and if we need to need anything from you we will have to ask you if we have to ask you or KEBS," Mutunga stated.
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