Renowned investigative journalist John-Allan Namu, co-founder of African Uncensored, has firmly addressed allegations of bribery levelled against his platform in the wake of the fake fertilisers exposé dubbed #FertileDeception.
The investigation, which rocked Kenya's agricultural sector, uncovered a shocking scheme involving the sale of ordinary sand disguised as subsidized fertiliser, leaving farmers across the country in dire straits.
"Is it true that @AfUncensored asked for a bribe from GPC director at some point? As someone who has always looked up to you, I remember discussing this with a friend and I was like if huyo ni Namu, we really don't have a country here. Btw I knew this was coming, don't ask me how," said an X user who claimed to have inside information.
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In response to claim the journalist set the record straight Dispelling the accusations with clarity. Namu added that he had records backing his response and will not shy away from exposing those behind the campaign.
"Ordinarily I don’t respond to these sorts of claims because they usually are a red herring for a coming smear campaign. But this I will respond to because the issue we uncovered is one of national security: 1. NO. 2. I know where these claims are coming from.
"3. If that person had an iota of wisdom they would know that every conversation we have had while they were trying to play middleman has been meticulously transcribed 4. If this goes any further than random claims, then the public will know the full extent of who tried to bribe who," said Namu.
The #FertileDeception documentary has already had a significant impact, with dozens of farmers coming forward to share their experiences with the counterfeit product.
Here is a brief snippet of the exposé;
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Despite the gravity of the revelations and their potential implications for food security in a country that faced its worst drought in a decade in 2022, the response from government agencies has been tepid.
Namu pointed out that only the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) have commented on the issue, leaving a gap in accountability and action from other relevant bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.