President William Ruto on Wednesday warned manufacturers and distributors of fake farm inputs saying those found culpable will face the 'music they deserve'.
The President spoke amid a public outcry over alleged fake fertilisers and uncertified crop seeds being distributed in the market.
On Tuesday, detectives in Kakamega County impounded 700 bags of fertiliser that farmers said was insolvable as it was mixed with stones contrary to manufacture specifications.
"We are going to make sure that those who sell fake seeds and fake fertiliser face the music that they deserve,'' President Ruto warned.
"Just today, we have arrested some of the characters who want to take advantage of our fertiliser supply programme and we have already many more who are facing court.''
The president warned that the government will use its mighty to firmly deal with elements keen on ensuring that the government's agriculture sector interventions fail.
"We must deal with those who want to sabotage our fertiliser subsidy programme,firmly, effectively and conclusively,'' Ruto said.
The President spoke tough while opening the Kakamega Investments Conference hours after police officers impounded bags of fertiliser said to be substandard.
DCI detectives have since taken samples from the confiscated bags for analysis to determine the exact composition of the alleged fake fertiliser.
The County Government has, however, defended the commodity citing politics in the region.
"Our fertiliser was tailor-made, our technical team led by my director farm inputs moved around and we tested our soils in diff forms and we learnt that its important for our people to get tailor-made fertiliser," Benjamin Adama, the County's CEC Agriculture.
This comes at a time when farmers from various parts of the country are facing long queues at different depots in search of government-subsidised fertiliser.
President Ruto on Wednesday said the country is experiencing fertiliser shortages but assured Kenyans that the government will ship more fertilisers for planting by April 10.
The President attributed the shortage of fertilisers in the country to delayed shipment due to the logistical challenges affecting the Red Sea corridor.
“We have had challenges of intermittent supply. The fertiliser we were expecting early this month will be arriving by the 10th of April as it was delayed because of the challenges we have at the Red Sea,’’ President Ruto said.
“We have had alternative sources of fertiliser and I want to assure farmers that the Government of Kenya and the Ministry of Agriculture is working around the clock to make sure that every farmer gets the requisite fertiliser before the season is over.’’
