SBL Manufacturers Director Joe Kariuki has responded to a recent ‘Africa Uncensored’ exposé titled, ‘Fertile Deception’.

The investigative piece claims that SBL Manufacturers has been producing and selling sub-standard fertilizer to unsuspecting farmers in the country, using the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to distribute the same.

In the two-part investigative piece, it was reported that Kariuki had colluded with government officials and top NCPB officials to defraud local farmers.

However, Kariuki has strongly denied these claims, calling on Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) to conduct its own investigations for certainty.

“The documentary they did was full of false narratives and inconsistencies. It was improperly researched and did not address facts,” Kariuki says, adding, “First and foremost, I did not supply fertilizer to the Cereals Board on a subsidy program. In fact, I paid Cereals Board myself to sell my products across the country via their stores. I wasn’t paid. I did the paying myself.”

And while the piece talks of regular fertilisers, Kariuki says that his company deals in silica booster fertilisers.

“Tulianza kutumia Silica kwa sababu ya mambo ya global warming na climate change. Hi Silica Booster yetu inasaidia mimea kuendelea kunawiri hata kama hakuna mvua. Tumeongea na KEBS about recalling the product, lakini tunataka KEBS ifanye utafiti wake kwa products zetu,” Kariuki says, in an interview with Nation.Africa.