Seven arrested as police bust fake fertiliser racket in North Rift

Police in Uasin Gishu County have busted a fake fertiliser syndicate targeting gullible farmers ahead of the planting season.

Acting on a tip-off, the multi-agency team stormed Kotut Balers Agro Feeds at Naiberi shopping centre in Ainabkoi Sub-county on Saturday, arrested seven suspects and recovered hundreds of bags that were being repackaged.

The raid raised fears that counterfeit fertiliser is already in circulation as farmers start preparing for planting.

Police say the Naiberi incident is just the tip of the iceberg. They believe the wide syndicate is actively distributing fake fertiliser in North Rift and Western regions where farmers have started tilling their land and procuring inputs.

Maize planting in the two regions runs from March to April, coinciding with the onset of long rains.

However, the circulation of fake fertiliser jeopardises efforts by the farmers to ensure there is enough grain, which is currently not enough following poor harvests last year.

At Naiberi, the multi-agency team found 490 bags of counterfeit DAP, 250 bags of fake NPK, and 10 bags of bogus Urea under repackaging.

The officers recovered 500 empty bags labelled OCP fertiliser, 500 empty DAP branded bags, 500 empty wheat bags, three sewing machines, a weighing scale, moisture meter machine, 10 kilogrammes of Nova drying agent, and 10.3 kilogrammes of iron oxide.

Police are now warning farmers, and the public in general, to be wary of fake fertiliser being sold or distributed by unscrupulous traders.

“We are aware some criminals take advantage for the rush for inputs during the planting season to sell fake fertiliser,” said Uasin Gishu police commander Benjamin Mwanthi said, adding:

“Let farmers buy fertilizer and seeds from certified dealers or the National Cereals and Produce Board.”

The suspects nabbed were identified as Wycliffe Ogudi, Sammy Juma, Vitalis Oduki, Stephen Vigisa, Patrick Amboso, Gabriel Walunywa and Daniel Ndung’u. They will be arraigned in court today.

Two years ago, the country was hit by a Sh209.5 million fake fertiliser scandal involving sell of soil conditioner packaged as organic fertiliser.

Businessman Josiah Kariuki Kimani was charged in connection with the racket after his firms, SBL Innovate Manufacturers Limited and African Diatomite Industries Limited, were found to have been involved in the distribution of the bogus fertiliser.

As a result, thousands of farmers recorded poor yields, a situation that threatened Kenya’s food security.

Mwanthi said police have launched thorough investigations as he urged farmers to volunteer information.

“We want to get to the bottom of this matter as we try to ensure that fake fertiliser does not land in the hands of innocent farmers,” said the county police commander.

Last Wednesday, the government flagged off one million bags of subsidised fertiliser ahead of long rains in the country.

Principal Secretary for Agriculture Kipronoh Ronoh led the nationwide exercise at Athi River Railway station, Machakos County.

The 18 wagons were designated to Kitale, Moi’s Bridge and Eldoret where they were expected to arrive on Sunday.

“Alongside the wagons, we have more than 300 lorries on the roads. We have prioritised the provision of fertiliser to ensure that farmers can competitively produce crops, sustain agricultural production and productivity; and contribute to management of the cost of living,” noted Dr Kipronoh.