Governors in the North Rift region have rejected the 2,300
per 90 Kg bag
set by the government.
They said the decision had been made by the Strategic Grain Reserves Board without consulting the Task Force appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the maize crisis.
Governors Jackson Mandago of Uasin Gishu and his Trans Nzoia counterpart
Patrick Khaemba
said there is no need for them to sit on the taskforce if decisions are made with consultations.
They were speaking in Eldoret after a meeting for the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB).
“We held our first meeting as a task force and one of the issues we are supposed to talk about is the maize prices”, said Mandago.
Mandago and Khaemba said when they discussed the matter in the task force they had recommended that the maize prices at the NCPB should not be set at less than sh 2,500 per bag.
Chairman of the Strategic Food Reserves Board Dr Noah Wekesa announced the new maize price after meeting in Nairobi.
The government has been purchasing maize at Sh3,200 per bag and farmers were demanding that the new price should be above the same because of the increased costs of farm inputs.
“Farmers are producing maize at the cost of averagely Sh1,800 per bag and if one considers the costs of transport and other issues then they cannot make profits at Sh 2,300 per bag”, said Mandago.
Khaemba said they would consult with the CS for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri if there will be a need for them to remain on the task force if decisions are made without consultations.
“It’s like some people are ignoring the president’s directive on the task force.
This is a situation where the same people, want to make
the same kind of decisions and then we end up in the same problems that we have been experiencing,” said Mandago.
Present also were Governor Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and Deputy Governor for Nandi Dr Yulita Mitei.
The governors said they would inform farmers that they had been ignored in coming up with the new price.
“We want to let our farmers know that we are not part of the decision to set the new price”, said Mandago.
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