Agriculture cabinet Secretary has been summoned by the MPs to appear before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Read more
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Mithika Linturi, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries, is currently facing the possibility of dismissal from office following a motion approved by the National Assembly on May 2, 2024.
The motion accuses Linturi of approving the procurement and distribution of fake fertilizer by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and failing to uphold public trust and transparency in his duties.
The parliamentary committee conducting the hearings on the motion focused on allegations that Linturi did not take action to prevent the distribution of substandard fertilizer, which has had a detrimental impact on Kenyan farmers.
Linturi’s lawyer, Muthomi Thiankolu, argued that the accusations against his client lacked specifics and a clear link between Linturi and the alleged wrongdoing. Thiankolu placed responsibility on the NCPB Managing Director, stating that a Cabinet Secretary is not directly involved in procurement.
However, the mover of the motion, Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka, contended that Linturi bore the responsibility for the fertilizer scandal.
Wamboka accused the Agriculture CS of failing to prevent the distribution of substandard fertilizer, resulting in significant losses for Kenyan farmers. He urged the committee to uphold the constitution and hold Linturi accountable for the impact on farmers and the country’s social and economic rights.
The committee, chaired by Naomi Waqo, expressed gratitude to members for their dedication to duty and to the media for covering the proceedings. The committee will now prepare a report, which will be presented and deliberated upon by the National Assembly in a special sitting on Monday, May 13, 2024.
The fertilizer scandal has drawn criticism from Kenyan farmers and agricultural experts, who argue that it has severely affected the country’s agricultural sector.
The outcome of the committee’s report will be closely monitored by Kenyans, who are eager to see accountability and transparency in public procurement processes.
As the situation unfolds, the fate of Mithika Linturi as the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock Development, and Fisheries hangs in the balance, pending the National Assembly’s decision on the motion to remove him from office.
