Explainer: How John Allan Namu Exposed Fake Government Fertilizer Scandal

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Investigative journalist John Allan Namu details the inception of his documentary “Fertile Deception,” uncovering the widespread distribution of counterfeit government fertilizer across Kenya.
• Namu’s investigative team collected samples from multiple National Cereals and Produce Board depots, with subsequent forensic tests confirming the authenticity of their findings, sparking outrage among farmers and prompting official acknowledgment from Kenya Bureau of Standards.

In a recent appearance on Citizen TV’s Newsgang Show, veteran investigative journalist John Allan Namu provided insights into the origins of his latest documentary, “Fertile Deception,” which uncovered the widespread distribution of counterfeit government fertilizer nationwide. 

Namu disclosed that the investigation commenced in late October to early November 2022, following a tip-off from a source familiar with the counterfeit trade.

Motivated to delve deeper into the matter, Namu and his team at African Uncensored embarked on capturing evidence that would unveil the magnitude of the issue to the public. 

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Astonished by the footage obtained, Namu expressed disbelief at the extent of the problem.

Subsequently, the investigative team gathered samples of the counterfeit fertilizer from various National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots across the country throughout 2023. 

These samples underwent forensic analysis at both Egerton University and a private laboratory to confirm their authenticity.

Namu highlighted that Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) corroborated their findings just days before the documentary’s broadcast. 

With KEBS conducting tests on 59 samples, their results aligned with those obtained by Namu’s team, providing substantial scientific evidence.

The documentary not only shed light on the scale of the counterfeit operation but also incited outrage among farmers who began scrutinizing the legitimacy of their fertilizer supplies. 

Namu emphasized that this revelation exposed a longstanding issue of counterfeit and fake products infiltrating the market, often at the expense of farmers and with possible involvement from government agencies and figures.

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He underscored the profound impact such deception could have on families reliant on agriculture for sustenance, emphasizing the significance of addressing the issue to safeguard food security and the livelihoods of Kenyan farmers.