Bungoma senator Moses Wetang’ula has said the people who delivered maize at the county cereals board depot are not genuine and should be arrested.
He said the list he received is suspicious and wants the individuals investigated.
Wetang'ula spoke on Sunday during a Senate Ad-hoc Committee meeting with farmers on the maize crisis held in Mabanga, Kanduyi constituency.
The senator said the suppliers were paid millions of shillings by the National Cereals and Produce Board yet they are unknown to Bungoma residents.
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“One person was paid Sh50 million and is listed as having planted maize on 200 acres. This is pure lies, such a person is not a resident of Bungoma,” he said.
Wetang’ula said the acreage quoted on the forms shows the biggest beneficiaries are people who do not have farms in Bungoma.
He criticised the unrestricted importation of maize from Uganda. Wetang'ula said the depot was flooded with cheap maize and local farmers were locked out.
"At Malaba border there is a huge consignment of maize being imported into Kenya. Why should that be allowed when farmers are harvesting their produce?" he asked.
Bungoma governor Wycliffe Wangamati said the board needs to partner with county governments to improve purchase of maize from farmers.
He said Bungoma has data on maize farmers.
