Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe has responded to allegations made by popular Kenyan lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi regarding the origin of the fake fertilizer circulating the country.
Senior Counsel Abdullahi, claiming to act on “actionable intelligence”, had taken to his X account to sensationally claim that the substandard fertilizer doing rounds across Kenyan farms was manufactured and procured from Tanzania.
The man widely referred to as Grand Mulla also used the opportunity to challenge Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi to tell Kenyans “the quarry in Tanzania where the goat manure, sand and stones were mixed and in what proportions.”
He wrote: “I now have actionable intelligence that the fake fertiliser was manufactured/procured from TANZANIA. I challenge Waziri Linturi, National Cereals and Produce Board and MEMS to tell Kenyans the quarry in Tanzania where the goat manure, sand and stones were mixed and in what proportions?”
“Did KRA receive taxes from MEMS or did the fake manure pass through panya routes?”
Reacting to the allegations, Tanzanian Minister Hussein Bashe vehemently denied the claims, at first, unable to tell if the claims were the usual ‘Kenya-Tanzania’ banter.
Bashe also firmly stated that Tanzania was not connected to any fertilizer scandal, adding that the country did not export counterfeit commodities, including fertilizer, to Kenya.
“Brother, is this comment intended as part of the usual banter between Tanzania and Kenya, or are you serious?” Bashe wondered.
“Tanzania is not connected to any fake fertilizer scandal, so please do not associate us with the popular hustler culture.”
The minister, who is also the Tanzanian member of Parliament for Nzega Urban constituency, also revealed that the neighbouring nation was well aware of the exact nature of goods both countries have exported through official channels, adding that Tanzania’s trade policies were devoid of chicanery and shortcuts.
“Tanzania does not export counterfeit commodities, including fertilizer, to Kenya. We are well aware of the exact nature of the goods our two companies(sic) have exported through official channels,” he said.
“Please address your own issues with shortcuts and questionable practices, as our trade policies are governed by principles rooted in integrity.”
Bashe threw the gauntlet to Kenya, asking its authorities to steer clear of dragging Tanzania into a mess they had no knowledge about.
“If there is a mess, I recommend you clean it up, do not implicate Tanzania. It is not our way,” he recommended.
The ongoing fake fertiliser scandal, which has riveted the country, has shaken the Ministry of Agriculture, with several legislators demanding the resignation or dismissal of CS Mithika Linturi.
On Thursday, Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka affirmed that he had collected 110 signatures from MPs supporting a motion of impeachment lodged against Linturi.
“You’re well aware of the happenings in this country and the fertiliser scandal and what we have been experiencing, the drama around it. This is not the first time we’ve had scandals around CS Linturi,” the MP noted.
