- Amid an outcry from protesting Kenyans to have an accountable and corrupt-free government, a consignment of fertiliser donated by Russia has still gone missing
- Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu reported that 564 tons of fertiliser, part of a 34,400-tonne shipment given by Russia in 2023, vanished before reaching Kenya’s National Cereals and Produce Board
- The missing fertiliser, valued at KSh 197 million, was expected to significantly boost agricultural production in the country
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has uncovered yet another potential fertiliser scandal involving a significant shortfall in a shipment of fertiliser donated by Russia.
The incident has raised concerns over potential theft and mismanagement within the country’s agricultural supply chain.
According to Gathungu, more than 564 tons of fertiliser that Russia gave Kenya in 2023 vanished before reaching Kenya’s National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
This discrepancy suggests that the fertiliser might have been stolen.
The donation from Russia included 34,400 tonnes of raw fertiliser, which was intended to garner support from African nations amidst Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
Must Read:
2: James Orengo Urges Ruto to Resign Amid Rising Public Outrage
However, Gathungu reported that Kenya only received 33,835.9 tonnes of the shipment.
The raw fertiliser was expected to triple the amount of ready-to-use manure produced and subsequently distributed to farmers across the country.
In her audit of the NCPB, Gathungu stated, “NCPB received 33,835.9 metric tonnes, hence a short landing of 564.1 metric tonnes from the 34,400 metric tonnes of fertiliser raw materials donated from Russia. The cause of the short landing was not explained.”
The missing shipment reportedly left Russia but never made it to Kenya, as it did not arrive at the Port of Mombasa.
At the current market price of KSh 6,000 for a 50kg bag, the 1,643 tonnes of ready-to-use fertiliser that would have been generated from the missing 564 tonnes of raw fertiliser would be valued at KSh 197 million.
In total, the 34,400 tonnes of fertiliser from Russia would be worth KSh 12 billion on the market after reformulation.
This donation came at a time when global fertiliser prices were sharply rising due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The revelation has sparked concerns and calls for a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the cause of the shortfall and hold accountable those responsible for the potential theft or mismanagement of the shipment.
