In a concerning development, 560 tonnes of raw fertilizer donated by Russia to Kenya in 2023 went missing at sea.
The fertilizer, part of a larger aid package, was intended to help Kenyan farmers boost crop yields and food production.
According to a report from the Kenyan Auditor General’s office, the shipment of 564 tonnes of fertilizer disappeared without a trace while in transit.
The consignment left Moscow for Kenya with 34400 tonnes but however only 33835 tonnes made it to the port of Mombasa, leaving a huge discrepancy.
Nancy Gathungu’s audit report, released on Sunday, June 30, disclosed that the 564 tonnes of fertilizer disappeared, never making it to the port of Mombasa.
“NCPB received 33,835.9 metric tonnes, hence a short landing of 564.1 metric tonnes from the 34,400 metric tonnes donated by Russia. The cause of the short landing was not explained,” she stated.
Authorities estimate that the 560 tonnes of missing fertilizer could have been converted into 1,643 tonnes of ready-to-use fertilizer, valued at approximately 197 million Kenyan shillings (around $1.5 million) based on the market price of 6,000 shillings per 50kg bag.
The disappearance of this significant portion of the donated fertiliser raises serious concerns about the integrity of the supply chain and the potential for theft or misappropriation of the much-needed agricultural input.
Further compounding the issue, the NCPB has failed to provide a comprehensive financial report on the cost of purchasing and importing the fertiliser used in President William Ruto’s fertiliser subsidy programme.
The Auditor General’s report criticizes the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), for its lack of transparency, noting that the board has not detailed the costs associated with the raw material, including shipping, transportation, and handling costs.
Already, young Kenyans last week demanded that Agriculture cabinet secretary Mithika Linturi resigns over the fertilizer fiasco that saw farmers receive substandard fertilizer.
However Ministry has declined to comment on the incident, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the disappearance.
