Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has survived an impeachment motion lodged against him over the fake fertilizer scandal. The report, tabled by Marsabit woman rep Naomi Waqo, who chaired the 11-member select committee during Monday’s special sitting, concluded that the majority of the members found all three allegations against the CS to be unsubstantiated.
“The allegations under Ground 1 on gross violation of the constitution, Ground 2 on serious reason for believing that the cabinet secretary has committed a crime under national law and Ground 3 on gross misconduct, as outlined in the special motion, are unsubstantiated,” the committee said in its report to the National Assembly on Monday.
Four members of the committee from Azimio, Robert Mbui(Kathiani),T.J.Kajwang (Ruaraka),Catherine Omanyo (Busia) and Yussuf Farah however issued a dissenting report averring that the grounds were substantiated.
In his motion, Wamboka had accused the CS of gross violation of the constitution, gross misconduct, and committing serious crimes.
In the particulars of the ground on Gross violation of the constitution, he was accused of violating article (2) and article 10 (1) (c) of the constitution by allegedly acting as a state officer by acting to authorize procurement of fake fertilizer.
Following the decision of the majority in the select committee to thwart the impeachment motion against the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, the matter has flopped with no further undertaking by lawmakers.
Following the announcement, Rarieda MP Otiende Omollo and other MPs were given a chance to comment on the committee’s report.
Omollo alleged that he was informed of misconduct among some of the committee members and demanded thorough investigations into the claims.
On the other hand, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi suggested that the National Assembly should stop recognising Mithika Linturi as the Cabinet Secretary and asked President William Ruto to sack the CS.
Linturi’s fate was being determined by an 11-member National Assembly Committee which concluded compiling its report on Sunday, May 12.
The allegations surround the procurement and distribution of government-subsidised fertiliser which itself is under probe over concerns it was fake.