The embattled Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mithika Linturi’s past marriage with Aldai MP Marann Keitany and his past court cases dominated during the first day of hearing of an impeachment motion against him over the distribution of the fake fertilizer.
Both the defense and the prosecution dragged Linturi’s ex-wife in the impeachment with the mover of the impeachment motion Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka dismissing Linturi’s defense as “nothing more than a love letter from a jilted lover” while the prosecution led by Dr Muthomi Thionkolu maintaining that it was the ex-wife who was the mover of the motion with Wamboka acting her ‘proxy’.
“I have looked at the document submitted by Linturi and it is nothing more than a love letter from a jilted lover. These are grievous matters of national importance to be reduced to love matters. It is unfair to keep dragging Keitany into this matter, allowing her to proceed on with her life,” Wamboka.
On his part, the lead Defense lawyer John Khaminwa who emphasized the need to focus on substantive national issues rather than invoking personal relationships or other irrelevant factors saying that was unacceptable.
“I was reading a response filed before the select committee and the main defense appears to be… that ‘what is before the parliament of Kenya dealing with grave national issues is because of my ex-wife. ‘My ex-wife is the one bringing trouble. It is unbelievable that you should trivialize a matter of national importance and say it is your ex-wife doing this. “Let us not invoke mundane concepts of love, tribalism, religion. Those no longer make sense in Kenya in this context at all,” said Khaminwa.
He also cautioned against invoking irrelevant concepts like love, tribalism, or religion, asserting their irrelevance in the context of the impeachment.
However, Linturi’s counsel Thionkolu poured cold water on the impeachment motion maintaining that some of the allegations against his client are based on love gone sour relationship with his wife whom he termed as the real person behind the impeachment adding that the impeachment ‘do not meet the evidence Act threshold’.
“There should be serious reasons not frivolous reasons, not reasons tied to unrequited love and affection, that warrant the belief he has committed a serious crime at the national law,” he said while reiterating that MP Wamboka was being used as a proxy by Keitany to avenge for the frosty relationship between them.
He added “I represent a man who has been presented as an incorrigible, womanizer, criminal, fraudster, thug. I represent a man who, for the lack of a better word, is the dog that has been given a bad name.”
On the allegations against Linturi, Thionkolu said “The motion before you has three allegations, allegation number one relates to the Constitution, allegation no. 2 relates to alleged crimes at the national law which unfortunately the evidence given, is the evidence that arises from personal cases about love and affection,” he noted.
The lead lawyer maintained that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations probed allegations tabled by the mover of the motion against the CS and forwarded the files to the Director of Public Prosecutions with courts’ ruling in favor of Linturi.
He however said Linturi has been a victim of State sponsored public shaming, vilification and defamation campaign between 2018-2022 and told the select committee that Linturi could not be dismissed from State office due to an artificial claim and that the campaign was smeared to punish him for supporting a candidate who was not a favorite to the regime,” said Thionkolu.
“The person I have come to represent is a man who has held state offices in which he has served with honor and distinction, contrary to the claims, he has impressive performance as the Cs and has been recognized by independent agencies that are not under his control like theCentral Bank of Kenya document most credible institution that says he has achieved various achievements.
On his part CS Linturi insisted the fertilizer scandal was an occupational hazard adding that his Ministry has taken necessary steps to cushion farmers who were hoodwinked in buying fake fertilizer.
“So, members of this committee look at the matter, on the basis of evidence and the fact I am ready to defend myself,” he said.
“I really know the pain of the number of farmers that interacted with the few bags of fertilizer. I really feel for them. And we’ve done, I’ve taken corrective measures, “he said.
“Whatever I’ve gone through for a number of 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,” Linturi said.
“It is very painful for me because when I took over the Ministry the country was in a crisis, we didn’t have food, we were trying to import food. We produced 67 million bags within the first year. I will soldier on because this is what I would call occupational hazard, it comes with the job I’m doing but remember members, I sat on that side for 15 years, you may also cross to this side. So, as you decide on this matter, please do justice.” the CS added
Linturi, who denied any wrongdoing, lamented that his case has been linked to personal cases of love and affection, relating to his previous relationship
“We have been wondering, and we have read and read this motion with a lot of keenness. And we’ve been left wondering why we are here. Of course, we know the simple answer is that there’s a motion before the house and it was sent to this committee to investigate,” Linturi added.