Some miraa stakeholders have queried how Agriculture CS Peter Munya intends to disburse Sh180 million received by Commodities Fund from the National Treasury.
Munya has said that the money must reach the farmers and traders in Nyambene and no fraudsters or crooks will be allowed to divert it.
But the Nyambene Miraa Traders Association (Nyamita) has sued to seek clarification on how Munya’s preferred entity, Mwenge Sacco, would be the sole receiver of the funds.
Nyamita chairman Kimathi Munjuri said the Ministry of Agriculture did not involve them and other stakeholders in the allocation of the money.
The suit, before Meru High Court judge Francis Gikonyo, will proceed on Wednesday after the Attorney General sought time to verify the status of the fund.
CS Munya had said that the money would be channelled to the Mwenge Sacco before the financial year ends.
“We are not forcing anyone or excluding anybody to join the sacco. We are just rebranding and will hold sensitisation meetings in every ward to enlighten farmers about the initiative once the coronavirus is contained. They should stop cheap politics against Mwenge Sacco,” Munya said.
Munjuri said they established the money was disbursed to the Commodities Fund through a letter from the managing trustee of Commodities Fund Nancy Cheruiyot.
He said the money should be disbursed openly within a clear framework to auditable miraa farmers and traders saccos.
“What we expect next is for the Commodities Fund to publish in the media the criteria of accessing this money. We are opposed to the money being disbursed from the Commodities Fund to a startup sacco whose credentials we have questions about,” Munjuri said.
Munjuri said Nyamita wants saccos that are registered and are compliant with the regulator in Nyambene get the money.
“It’s paramount that Meru prorated remaining share is Sh164 million and Embu Sh16 million. Tharaka Nithi put their full share into water infrastructure,” Munjuri said.
