By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
An Azimio Member of Parliament now wants President William Ruto to take responsibility for the infamous fake fertilizer scandal.
According to Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo, being the head of the government, the President should take political responsibility.
He also accused the Head of State of orchestrating the failure of the bid to oust Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi.
In an interview on Citizen TV, on Tuesday, Maanzo, elected on a Wiper Party ticket claimed Ruto had a hand in the final outcome of the process.
“The President is responsible for the outcome we saw in Parliament yesterday. All those MPs are his,” Maanzo said.
“If he had told them I don’t want Linturi, all of them would have voted against him,” he added.
The National Parliament select committee picked to investigate claims against the CS made the majority decision to clear him of any wrongdoing.
Seven out of the 11 members voted to save the CS while only four supported the impeachment motion. All seven were allied to the Kenya Kwanza coalition while the four were allied to Azimio.
But with the impeachment against Linturi now settled, the Makueni Senator wants the matter taken up higher – to the President.
“Now that Linturi has been saved, the President must take political responsibility,” the legislator said.
Under the fake fertilizer scam, farmers were supplied with substandard fertilisers through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Initially, the government denied the existence of fake fertilizer before making a U-turn. A fertilizer company linked to the product has since been shut down.
In addition, top NCPB managers were arrested and charged in court over the scam.
After his motion was defeated, Bumula MP Jack Wamboka who was its sponsor said it was not yet over.
“We will not tire until justice is served to Kenyan farmers and Linturi dismissed. There are many ways of killing a rat, some will use poison, others will burn the house but some will sit on it,” he said in a post on his verified X handle.