Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi faced a significant setback on Wednesday when a select committee decided to admit new evidence in his impeachment proceedings.
Linturi is under scrutiny for his alleged involvement in the fake fertilizer scandal, which has prompted calls for his removal from office.
The National Assembly Select Committee overseeing his impeachment unanimously agreed to consider any fresh evidence that could strengthen the case put forward by the motion’s initiator.
Moreover, the committee granted permission for Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Rono and Devesh Patel, the chief operations officer of Kel Chemicals, to testify. The MP behind the motion, Jack Wamboka of Bumula, is confident that both officials possess crucial evidence that could incriminate Linturi.
The allegations against the embattled CS stem from his purported instruction to Kel Chemicals, the company implicated in the distribution of fake fertilizer, to issue a statement prepared by the National Cereals and Produce Board. This statement sought to hold Kel Chemicals accountable for the fraudulent fertilizer. However, the company refused to comply.
Wamboka claimed that Linturi then took the drastic step of shutting down Kel Chemicals and declaring its premises a crime scene.
In response, Linturi and his legal team vehemently opposed the introduction of new evidence, arguing that it deviates from the scope of the initial motion approved by the House. They urged the committee, chaired by Naomi Waqo, to focus solely on the evidence presented during the motion’s passage.
However, Waqo clarified that the committee has the authority to consider any relevant evidence pertaining to the allegations outlined in the motion, citing parliamentary rules and regulations.
Despite Linturi’s objections, the committee proceeded with its deliberations and ruled against dismissing the motion on procedural grounds.
Linturi’s potential removal hinges on three primary grounds: gross violation of the Constitution or other laws, suspicion of criminal activity under national law, and gross misconduct.
During the hearing, Linturi stirred controversy by implicating his former partner, Aldai MP Marianne Kitany, in his impeachment proceedings. His legal representative asserted that Kitany instigated the motion, rather than Wamboka.
In response, Wamboka urged Linturi to refrain from dragging personal matters into the impeachment process, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations.
The proceedings also witnessed attempts by Wamboka to present video evidence to bolster his case against Linturi. However, Linturi’s legal counsel challenged the authenticity and relevance of the evidence, questioning whether it adequately supported the allegations outlined in the motion.
