Businessman Joshua Kulei, his son Ken and top officials at the African Diatomite Industries Limited (ADIL) are among those who have been grilled over the supply of fake fertilizer in the country.
Kulei owns ADIL, which is said to have supplied some products used in mixing fertilizer supplied by the SBL Innovate, which is one of the companies that had been contracted to supply the product to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
SBL Innovate Manufacturers Limited director Josiah Kimani Kariuki told police he got the chemicals from ADIL, which he used to mix with some fertilizer before supplying to NCPB.
This prompted the police to summon Kulei, his son who is a director and top managers.
Kulei told the police he does not run the company on a daily basis and he had delegated the management to a group led by the general manager Philemon Bitok.
He recorded his statement at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters.
ADIL officials too have been questioned over the supply of the product.
They said they sold a bag of the diatomite to SBL at Sh200 a bag.
They added they did not know what the SBL officials were to do with the product.
ADIL says on its website it was established in 1942 as the leading mining and processing diatomaceous earth filter aid products in the East and Central African region.
Its principal activities include the mining, processing and supply of diatomite filter aid products that are utilized in alcoholic beverage filtration, fruit juice filtration, edible vegetable oil filtration, resin filtration, sugar refining corn syrup, soil conditioning, organic grain preservatives, human food grade diatomaceous earth, pets management and animal food supplement.
Other use areas of diatomaceous earth products are grain preservatives, polythene anti-blocking agents, paint fillers as flattening agents and agricultural applications.
Kariuki said he was not involved in fertiliser subsidy programme.
Detectives have grilled a number of officials from government agencies that handled the fake fertilizer in circulation.
They include those from Kenya Bureau of Standards and suppliers.
Those from the NCPB have also been grilled.
Police said they had summoned and grilled all those bearing responsibility for the acquisition and supply of the fertilizer.
The team plans to escalate the matter to any level before they send their file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) with various recommendations.
And after learning he was wanted over the saga, the Kenyan-based regional fertilizer merchant Kariuki rushed to court and obtained an order to stop police from arresting and detaining him
Justice Diana Kavedza issued the order following an application made in court by Kariuki.
Kariuki is the Chief Executive officer of Silica Booster Limited Innovate Manufacturers (SBL).
The ministry of agriculture said they had completed the testing on all fertilizers being distributed under subsidy programme.
A statement said all fertilizers being distributed meet the required quality requirements except those manufactured and distributed by Ms KEL Chemicals-branded Kelphos Plus, Kelphos gold and NPK 10:26:10, which did not meet all required test parameters.
“This consignment affected KEL Chemical fertilizers distributed between 5th and 10th March 2024,” the statement said.
Following release of test results by Kenya Bureau of Standards, the statement added, the government has taken decisive action to safeguard the agricultural sectorand farmers by announcing the immediate suspension of KEL Chemicals’ operations and seizure of its fertilizer products.
“The government has further seized and impounded all fertilizer stocks distributed by KEL Chemicals at the National Cereals Produce Board (NCPB) facilities.”
The ministry told farmers who have acquired or possess fertilizer from KEL Chemicals to immediately discontinue its use and to visit their nearest NCPB facility for further guidance.
KEBS has initiated legal action against KEL Chemicals for distributing substandard products as per the law.
The Ministry of Agriculture has in the meantime directed NCPB to replace all the substandard fertilizers that were distributed to farmers as it escalates the probe into the fake fertilizer scandal.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh has confirmed plans for thorough scrutiny of the entire fertilizer supply chain warning of tough legal action against those found culpable.
“We are going to replace the fertilizer with the right fertiliser because it is under investigation for the farmers who have used the fertilisers already we have also analysed the missing component in those fertilisers which shall be addressed by top dressing fertilisers,” said Ronoh.
On the magnitude of the impact, he said: “The impact is very negligible, very insignificant because we arrested this very early. These are the counties, which started planting in March counties in the South Rift or North Rift.”
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