The KEL Chemicals Factory in Thika town was closed by the Kenyan government on the grounds that it produced fake fertiliser.
The company’s licencing has also been revoked, according to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, until the conclusion of the inquiries into the supply of counterfeit fertiliser to farmers.
Authorities deemed the factory’s grounds to be a crime scene, and CS Linturi gave the people confidence that the deception would not jeopardise public cash.
“From now henceforth, I want to announce that the government has withdrawn the manufacturing license for KEL Chemicals whose investigations are ongoing,” Linturi said.
“The blending plant for the fertilizer is now closed and will be treated as a crime scene until the investigations are over.”
Officials from the KEL company acknowledged that there was a production error and verified that 3,000 bags of fake fertiliser were made between March 5 and 10, 2023.
Food security is still a top priority, according to Linturi, who also stated that the government is dedicated to making sure farmers receive the right agricultural inputs and is taking action to stop any fertiliser-related issues that can affect crop yields in the future.
In order to receive reimbursement, the Agriculture CS also requested that farmers return any dubious fertiliser to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots.
