By Shadrack Nyakoe
The Law Society of Kenya has challenged Lithika Minturi, CS for Agriculture to immediately take action and address the unprecedented horror show guised as National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (NFSP).
Speaking today in Nairobi, Faith Odhiambo, LSK President, noted that they have already written to the Cabinet Secretary demanding that he considers and implements several recommendations which they believe are more effective in addressing the real issues affecting farmers
“Should the Ministry fail to put in place the recommended and other necessary measures by the lapse of our demand period, we will take necessary action against all parties involved and bestowed with authority in the matter, ” she said.
In terms of breaches of duty, LSK pointed the Ministry of Agriculture, National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) as having grossly abrogated their duty to enforce stringent quality control measures as stipulated in the Standards Act.
In recent weeks, key stakeholders have raised several complaints over substantial breaches of duty, acts of incompetence, and runaway fraud and corruption in the implementation of the NFSP.
She added that “Farmers have raised concerns over bureaucratic inefficiencies, corruption, and unprecedented delays in their attempts to access fertilizer.”
The President averred that the confirmed instances of fake fertilizers being sold to unsuspecting farmers greatly jeopardise farmers outputs and incomes.
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In addition, she reiterated that NFSP which was rolled out as a source of relief farmers, has now been reduced to a conduit for fraud to obtain money from farmers who suffer the brunt of unyielding investment in fake fertilizer.
The Law Society of Kenya said failure to address the current farmers plight, they will petition Parliament to call for the immediate removal of CS Lithika Minturi from office under Article 152 (6) of the Constitution , and incompetence to hold public office.
Odhiambo noted that they will pursue a class action on behalf of the farmers to seek compensation against the Cabinet Secretary, NCPB, KEBS and all responsible officials.