Rift Valley MPs have sought audience with President Uhuru Kenyatta over the maize crisis.
Jubilee MPs Alfred Keter, Joshua Kuttuny and Sila Tiren want the President to personally intervene and have the government increase the maize prices to not less than Sh3,200 per bag. They say the National Cereals and Produce Board has been paying farmers that amount since last year.
“We request the President to give us a hearing and hear the cry of farmers who will make heavy losses by selling maize at Sh2,300 a bag as approved by the Cabinet,” Tiren said.
Last week, the trio sparked debate when they demanded that Deputy President William Ruto be investigated over maize and fertiliser crises. Ruto allies were outraged. They accused their colleagues of being hired mercenaries out to derail the DP’s presidential ambitions. The three responded that they would not be dissuaded from advocating farmers’ rights.
Yesterday, they pledged to push on to have farmers get better prices, among other measures meant to improve the agriculture sector.
“We know the President is a caring leader and he will listen to us and the farmers,” Tiren said.
Separately, Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut expressed concern that many problems are bedevilling the agriculture sector. He said swift action must be taken to restore order and ensure Kenya is food-secure.
Chepkut urged CS Mwangi Kiunjuri to meet with sector players so together they can fix the problems. They must protect food production, he said. He said more than Sh3 billion set aside for subsidised fertiliser should be used to buy maize from farmers. He said Sh2,300 per bag is too little to allow profitability.
“We plead with the President to intervene and ensure farmers get better pay. We can reallocate money for the fertiliser subsidy and get more funding for fertiliser through the supplementary budget,” the lawmaker said.
He wants the government to ensure only quality fertiliser is imported. Chepkut also called for a meeting between the region’s leaders and the President.
“We should unite and dialogue to come up with solutions, instead of quarrelling in public,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chepkut urged Uhuru to sack lazy and nonperforming Cabinet secretaries whose dockets are riddled with corruption. Uhuru must intensify the war on corruption, he said.
“The president should not spare cabinet secretaries who don’t perform. There are those whose dockets have remained dormant while others have so many graft cases. Uhuru should send them home,” he said.