Kakamega,
Saturday, April 27, 2024
KNA by Moses Wekesa
The Member of Parliament for Nyando constituency Jared Okelo together with his Matayos Counterpart Geoffrey Makokha Odanga have visited Kakamega NCPB depot on a fact-finding mission on the alleged distribution of substandard fertilizer.
The MP’s who are members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock met with NCPB Kakamega staff before listening to concerns from farmers.
They also toured the depot to see for themselves the supplied fertilizer and took some samples which will undergo testing at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and in other private laboratories for concurrence.
Speaking to the Media after the tour, Okelo said parliament will come up with drastic measures and recommend drastic actions to be taken against any culpable individuals who are subjecting the country into economic sabotage.
“We intend to have two more weeks going around the country because we want a comprehensive report. So in the next three weeks we should be able to table a bill before parliament for debate,” the MP said.
He assured farmers that the National Assembly will try to unravel the entire fake fertilizer expose’ and ensure justice is served and those found culpable face the law.
“People spent money, people have wasted time, people have applied the wrong fertilizer on their farms, some of which have created coloring or discoloration of maize in the farms and other farm produce so it’s a mess that as a country we must address,” he pointed out.
The MP also said with the findings, the National Assembly will come up with a raft of recommendations in order to ensure that the country does not experience a similar occurrence in the future that threatens the lives of Kenyans.
“We have an agenda for food security in our country and when we have economic saboteurs such as what we witnessed here and in other places within our country then it goes against that wider vision, we must feed our country, we must be food sufficient going forward,” he pointed out.
The Matayos MP on his part asked the government to compensate farmers for all the costs incurred, which include transport costs and time wasted during the delays in planting.
“We are also following up with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), The Kenya Bureau of Standards and any other responsible quality assurance agency to establish the quality of the fertilizers and the quality of any other goods that we consume or use,” Odanga noted.
Kakamega Senator Dr. Boni Khalwale who accompanied the Legislators asked the National Assembly to be firm and support farmers get justice as Kenyans are the ones who will grapple with high food prices if crops fail.
The Senator also said it was high time for the country to check on the governance system, which had allowed people of questionable character, who lack integrity and entrusted them with discharging important mandates.
“There must be something fundamental with our governance system because it is that governance system which is wrong, that allows people who are actually saboteurs, who are criminals, who are conmen to be in high office to the extent that they are doing this to the members of the public,” he noted.
The Member of County Assembly for Kisa North Ward James Etabale said the County Assembly is also investigating to determine if fertilizer supplied to farmers by the County Government is substandard.
Etabale who is the chairman of the Agriculture committee in the county assembly said they have collected samples and taken them to KEPHIS, KEBS and the government chemist for analysis.
“We have also visited the plant that supplied Kakamega county with the fertilizer. Once we get the results from these three agencies, we will be able to do our report and submit it to the people of Kakamega county,” he added.
Courtesy; KNA
