Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has finally spoken out, defending his role in the controversial fertiliser scandal that unfolded during his time in office.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Linturi admitted that substandard fertiliser had indeed entered the market under his watch—but strongly refuted claims that it was fake.

Linturi clarified a key point that he believes many Kenyans misunderstood. While the fertiliser failed to meet the required standards, he insisted that didn’t make it counterfeit.

“When you produce fertiliser that falls short of the standard—say 10% but you deliver 8%, or 26% and only manage 24%, or 10% and provide 7%—it doesn’t mean plants can’t absorb it,” Linturi explained. “It only means the crops won’t receive the maximum benefit because the product fell below the expected standard.”

He emphasized that substandard fertiliser still contains usable nutrients and can support crop growth, even if it doesn’t deliver optimal results.

To support his argument, Linturi pointed to NPK fertiliser, which typically requires 10% nitrogen, 26% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. He said that if one component—say potassium—falls to 8%, the fertiliser is deemed substandard, not fake.

“The crop may not benefit fully,” he said, “but the fertiliser still works to a certain extent.”

Linturi blamed the political climate for turning a technical issue into a public scandal. He said that once the issue became politicized, it lost direction and became difficult to manage.

“When the matter became politicised, we lost direction in terms of management,” he said. “We live in a country where, once someone becomes a target of public outrage, no one wants to hear the truth.”

He described the intense public backlash that followed as unfair and emotionally charged, saying it created an atmosphere where facts no longer mattered.

Linturi also acknowledged that internal confusion within the Agriculture Ministry prevented him from effectively addressing the scandal. He said conflicting statements from different officials only deepened the misunderstanding among the public.

He claimed he did not have full control over the ministry, and conflicting statements from officials only deepened public confusion.