Gov’t & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina’s burial ceremony
Wednesday at the burial of the late NTV journalist Rita Tinina, government and opposition officials engaged in combat over allegations of counterfeit fertiliser.
Leah Ntimama, the Nominated Narok MCA, addressed the subject during her speeches. In doing so, she criticised the government for the reports and urged farmers to inspect fertilisers prior to applying them to their farms.
In response, Senator Enoch Wambua of Kitui stated that the fertiliser that the government had disseminated comprised of donkey manure and ground rocks.
“Those who followed proceedings in the Senate yesterday, we pronounced ourselves clearly on this matter. We want a government that is responsible and treats its farmers and the critical masses fairly.
“The truth of the matter is that the fertilizer is not fake because it is not fertilizer in the first place. It is rocks and donkey waste, and somebody must take responsibility for this,” he said.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina expressed comparable views, advocating for accountability and plea to God for severe retribution against those who seek damage for the populace.
Following the opposition, digital strategist Dennis Itumbi delivered the initial rebuttal on behalf of the government, wherein he accused the opposition of disseminating propaganda.
He asserted that the fertiliser was authentic and contended that the bountiful harvest served as justification for the decrease in maize flour prices.
“We wish to remember Rita as the queen and master of storytelling, and stories of truth. Some of the stories we have heard here before I spoke are not true. Last year because of good fertilizer, we improved the bags that were harvested from 60 million to 80 million. Because of good fertilizer, the demand for fertilizer has gone up by 200,000 acres.
“Finally, my friend senator from Kitui has said that it was rocks and donkey waste. I was lucky to have grown up in Mwea where we rear donkeys and even so we used donkey waste as fertilizer,” he said.
By providing receipts from farmers who had allegedly received the counterfeit fertiliser, he threatened to compensate them prior to the conclusion of the funeral, challenging the MCA’s initiative in bringing up the matter.
Respecting the deceased journalist and his family, State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Taalam declined to comment on the matter when Itumbi invited him to do so. As an additional gesture of respect, he urged other speakers to join him.
“Because of my respect and love for Rita Tinina, I will not speak about fertilizer because I have lost a father myself. We have all lost a relative or friend. Let me tell you, good people, I am not saying that to cover for the government or the president, but I am talking out of experience.
“Let’s have a bit of respect. Malkia (Rita’s daughter) doesn’t know about fertilizer, donkeys, Ruto, Wambua, or Olekina. She wants to be comforted,” he said and proceeded to deliver his eulogy, recalling his past crush on the departed journalist.
In his address, President William Ruto lauded Rita for her diligence as a journalist, which was also read by Taalam.
Babu Owino, a member of parliament for Embakasi East, who was next in queue to speak, stated that while good people perish young, evil people, such as those in government, live long enough to cause trouble for Kenyans.
“On this issue of fertilizer, there is no way the government can allow such a thing to happen if they are not directly involved.
“That is why we were told the president cannot address that issue because he knows what is going on. We want this government to take responsibility and the CSs to resign,” he said.
In contrast, Senator Edwin Sifuna of Nairobi criticised Taalam’s effort to dissuade the speakers from discussing the contentious subject.
“Because we are at the funeral of a journalist who was known to unearth information, let us not hide things. You cannot tell us not to talk about things that concern our citizens. If there are questions to be asked about government they should be directed to those in power.
“You cannot sell us dubious fertilizer then tell us not to raise concern on behalf of Kenyans. If Rita was here to do an expose, maybe she would have found that this fertilizer was brought by Taalam who is saying we should not ask questions,” he said.
Itumbi subsequently announced via social media that the distribution of fertiliser had been halted by the government pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations.
In Other News: Raila To Chair Top Organ As Party Warns Leaders Against Engaging In Succession Politics
Gov’t & opposition officials clash at Rita Tinina’s burial ceremony
