Donated Russian 564 Tons Of Fertilizer Vanishes As Linturi Docket In New Scandal
Amid rising tensions between Nairobi and Moscow, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has revealed a startling disparity.
Last year, Russia donated 564.1 metric tonnes of raw fertilizer worth approximately Ksh197 million, but it vanished before reaching Kenya’s National Cereals and Produce Board.
This concerning discovery raises suspicions of possible theft and exacerbates the diplomatic tension between the two countries.
The missing fertilizer shipment was part of a larger donation of 34,400 tonnes of raw fertiliser material from Russia.
This contribution was part of Russia’s strategy for gaining African support during its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
560+ tonnes of donated fertilizer from Russia disappears in high seas, left Russia but never landed in Kenya! This incident highlights critical concerns over aid transparency and accountability.
— Maskani Ya Taifa 🇰🇪 (@Maskani254) July 2, 2024
It's time for accountability and transparency in resource management pic.twitter.com/4c7Shjh2Hd
The fertiliser was intended to boost Kenya’s agricultural output by tripling the production of ready-to-use fertilisers for distribution to farmers nationwide.
The fertiliser could have been applied to 15,000 to 30,000 acres of land.
Nancy Gathungu’s audit report, released on Sunday, June 30, revealed that the 564 tonnes of fertiliser vanished en route to Kenya, never reaching the port of Mombasa.
The public auditor noted: “NCPB received 33,835.9 metric tonnes, hence a short landing of 564.1 metric tonnes from the 34,400 metric tonnes donated by Russia. The cause of the short landing was not explained.”
The 564 tonnes of missing raw fertiliser could have resulted in 1,643 tonnes of ready-to-use product worth Ksh197 million.
This supply shortfall has significant implications, given that Russia’s donation was intended to produce 100,200 tonnes of fertiliser after reformulation, addressing soaring global fertiliser input prices.
The Russian Embassy in Kenya emphasized the significance of this donation, stating in August last year that the 34,400 tonnes would greatly assist Kenya in achieving a good harvest.
The revelations come at a time of rising tensions between Kenya and Russia, exacerbated by Nairobi’s support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
This diplomatic tension complicates the investigation into the missing fertiliser.
To make matters worse, the NCPB has failed to provide a comprehensive financial report on the cost of purchasing and importing fertilizer for President William Ruto’s fertiliser subsidy programme.
The Auditor General’s report criticizes the NCPB for a lack of transparency, stating that the board has not detailed the raw material costs, including shipping, transportation, and handling.
“However, other costs associated with the raw material of fertilizer such as shipping cost, transportation cost from the port to the granulator, and handling costs were not disclosed and therefore it is not clear how much the Board was incurring per 50 kg bag,” wrote Gathungu.
Young Kenyans demanded last week that Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi resign over the fertiliser fiasco, which resulted in farmers receiving substandard fertiliser.
Donated Russian 564 Tons Of Fertilizer Vanishes As Linturi Docket In New Scandal
