• The leaders accused Kiunjuri of being behind the dwindling maize and sugar sector in the country.
• Wetang'ula said that the maize and sugar sector in Western region might collapse.
Image: BRIAN OJAMAA
Leaders from maize and sugar growing regions have given President Uhuru Kenyatta seven days to sack Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kinyuri for alleged mismanagement of agriculture sector.
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, MPs Wafula Wamunyinyi (Kanduyi), Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren), Didymus Barasa (Kimilli), Caleb Hamisi (Siboti), Catherine Wambilianga (Bungoma), Charles Kilonzo (Yatta), Lilian Goko (Rangwe), Richard Tong'i (Kisii) and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, said Kiunjuri has completely failed to run the agriculture docket.
The leaders spoke on Saturday at the burial of 28-year-old Erick Juma at Sudi village in Kanduyi Constituency, Bungoma County.
Juma died on the Eldoret – Malaba highway after the car he was driving at night rammed into a cane tractor that had no lights.
He was the son of Eliud Juma, a staff at National Parliament.
The leaders faulted Kiunjuri for allegedly misadvising the State on plans to import maize yet in two months time farmers from maize growing regions will be harvesting their maize.
The leaders accused Kiunjuri of being behind the dwindling maize and sugar sector in the country.
Wetang'ula said that the maize and sugar sector in Western region might collapse.
"Kiunjuri wants to buy maize in Mexico for Sh4,600 a bag and yet a Kenyan maize farmer is paid Sh1,800 we must resists that," he said.
The Ford Kenya party leader said it’s inhuman for government to enrich a Mexican farmer yet the Kenyan farmer is languishing in poverty.
"It’s not rocket science to know how much maize is in the hands of famers, how much maize is in the cereal galas and how much maize will project to harvest this season so that we may know the deficit," he said.
The senator said there is possibility that the maize has already been brought and is at the Mombasa port and it’s only waiting to offload.
"We want before seven days are over Kiunjuri should be at home resting with his children. They have spoilt our sugar factories and now they want to spoil the maize sector yet we see so much maize that has done so well in our farms this years because of good rainfall," Siboti MP Amisi said.
The lawmaker said the maize the State wants to bring in is being imported by tycoons and cartels that don’t care about the poor Kenyan farmer.
Lusaka urged the new Nzoia Sugar Company boss Michael Wanjala to ensure he puts farmers’ interests first to ensure Nzoia is up and running.
Area MP Wafula Wamunyinyi said no maize should be brought in the country before farmers' maize is harvested.
ODM's Sifuna said Kiunjuri should not wreck the maize and sugar sector further.
"Kiunjuri hit headlines for paying NCPB billions of shillings to farmers who did not supply anything yet because some think we have a handshake, nothing will be said when things go wrong no we will not allow that," he said.