UPROAR After Gov’t Supplies Expired Products In Meru, Residents Demand Compensation
Meru County Government came under fire on Tuesday for supplying expired fertilizer to farmers in Tigania West.
While protesting, the residents claimed that the fertilisers were provided as part of a program established three years ago to assist farmers affected by the locust invasion.
Since then, the initiative has been retained to encourage sustainable farming and boost crop production.
In the newest accusations, the County Government allegedly supplied 30 bags of 25kg fertilisers that the farmers said had expired in 2018.
“The county government supplied us with this fertiliser two weeks ago but we realised that it had been manufactured in 2013 and had expired in 2018,” one of the complainants lamented.
When the farmers returned the phony fertilizer to the county offices, they expressed their dissatisfaction at being given fertilizer in new packaging.
Farmers in Tigania West, Meru county, demand compensation after the county government reportedly donated expired fertiliser to them pic.twitter.com/OrHcrKxB7J
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) November 12, 2024
They claimed that the county engaged in purposeful foul play.
“What is really disappointing is that the county supplied us with the fertilizer packaged in new bags knowing that it was all fake. It is very upsetting,” another farmer stated.
During the protests, farmers were also outraged by the county’s inadequate supply of fertiliser bags, claiming that the bags delivered were insufficient for the number of farmers.
“The county government only gave us 30 bags of fertiliser. In our farmers’ association, we are 50 in number,” the farmers decried.
“The low number of bags resulted in members having to share amongst themselves. It is not fair because some members end up having inadequate fertiliser for their land.”
The farmers stated that after they protested about the false fertilizer, members from the county government’s Health committee threatened and intimidated them.
They further claimed that the county administration denied supplying them with subpar fertilizer.
“When we complained, the county government denied giving us fake fertilizer. They later told us that if we keep complaining, we will not be considered for the next round of donations,” the farmers asserted.
Farmers who have already used a significant amount of fertilizer are in a state of limbo due to uncertainty about the progress of their cultivated crops.
ALSO READ:
- JSC Defends Judges Playing Sports During Workdays
- County Gov’t Fires 22 Employees, Dismissal Reason Withheld
- IEBC SELECTION: Anne Amadi Explains How Internal Conflicts Will Be Managed
- Gold Scam Case Haunts Amadi At The IEBC Chair Selection Interview
- Raphael Tuju Clarifies Ksh1.2 Billion EADB Loan Dispute
They demanded compensation from the county government, anticipating losses in the upcoming harvest season.
“We already used a great portion of the fertilizer; we do not know how our crops will perform in the upcoming harvest. We demand compensation from the county government,” the farmers declared.
Earlier this year, the country was shaken by a phony fertilizer scam that involved then-agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
The spread of false fertilizer had a significant influence on crop growth in Kenya, which was already experiencing food scarcity.
UPROAR After Gov’t Supplies Expired Products In Meru, Residents Demand Compensation
