Embattled Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mithika Linturi, was on Thursday caught in an awkward situation when he was forced to abandon a key summit under his docket to defend himself against ouster from office.
As President William Ruto hosted the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH) at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC), Mr Linturi was at County Hall – barely a half a kilometre away from the summit – confronting grave charges that have a potential of scuttling his long political career.
In ordinary circumstances, CS Mithika would have been at the forefront of the summit, together with the African Heads of State, ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, as well as high-ranking government officials.
The event’s key highlights revolved around the role of fertiliser and soil health in stimulating pro-poor productivity growth in African agriculture. The provision of subsidized fertilisers to farmers is one of President Ruto’s flagship projects, making the summit crucial for his administration that promised to subsidise production.
But he was instead before an 11-member committee conducting his impeaching hearings. Crestfallen, Mr Linturi in several instances came close to breaking down to tears – as his love affair with Aldai MP, Marianne Kitany, permeated the proceedings.
He described his impeachment motion as part of a wider scheme to bring him down politically, revisiting how proceedings of his divorce with Ms Kitany were made public for a ‘marriage that was never there.’
President William Ruto was speaking at the African Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi on Thursday, where he said Africa should work towards ensuring affordable, quality and accessible fertiliser through local production.
Photo credit: PCS
"Whatever I have gone through for years, which is also manifesting itself here, is not something I would wish on any human being. It has been a long painful journey. When I thought I had gone through that kind of trauma, the motion is here with the same stories that I've been trying to fight for years," the CS told the team on Wednesday.
"It is very painful for me because when I took over the Ministry, the country was in a crisis. We did not have food and were trying to import it. But we managed to produce 67 million bags within the first year in office. I will soldier on because this is what I would call an occupational hazard, it comes with the job I am doing.”
Before the event, Mr Mithika shared a poster of the event, indicating that he would be one of the participants.
The summit, which is set to conclude on Thursday, started on Tuesday in a ceremony that was addressed by the troubled Minister.
“I am deeply honoured to extend a warm welcome to my esteemed colleagues, the Agriculture Ministers, gathered here in Nairobi, Kenya, for the pivotal African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH). I joined the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, in inaugurating the AFSH Summit 2024 at the Kenya International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi,” Mr Linturi said.
He said the discussion surrounding Soil Health resonates universally as every nation shares the need to sustainably provide food for its population.
“I am heartened by the engagement of Kenyan experts in shaping the Soil Health Initiative and crafting a comprehensive 10-year Action Plan across various platforms. Our gratitude extends to the commendable leadership of AUDA-NEPAD and AUC in this endeavor,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Linturi noted that a mere 18 percent of the country’s land is deemed arable for cultivation.
“This places immense strain on the soil within these agricultural domains to sustainably yield enough sustenance for both local consumption and international trade. Consequently, urgent action is imperative not only to harness these lands judiciously but also to ensure their stewardship in a manner that preserves their fertility for posterity,” he said.
