Leaders from Mt Kenya have faulted President Uhuru Kenyatta's advisors for misleading him on the state of the agricultural sector in the country.
The leaders said the state of the nation address speech on agriculture was out of touch with the reality on the ground.
They included Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, MPs Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira), Dindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Kimani Ichungwa (Kikuyu), Rahab Mukami (Nyeri), Susan Kihika (Nakuru), Faith Gitau (Nyandarua) and Irungu Kangata (Muranga).
Others were George Kariuki (Ndia), Rindikiri Mugambi (Buuri), George Koimburi (Juja), Aisha Jumwa (Malindi) and former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu.
They said Uhuru was misled by his advisors to issue a false report on the state of the agricultural sector in the country.
Speaking in Nyeri County, in the company of DP William Ruto, the leaders said farmers' earnings have gone down while the cost of fertiliser has gone up, contrary to the President's report last Tuesday.
Nyoro urged Uhuru to demand for accurate information from the Ministry of Agriculture on the true situation of issues at the grassroots.
"We want to tell the President that farmers are suffering. He should sack those who are misleading him because what the reported he gave in Parliament is different from what Kenyan farmers are experiencing at the grassroots," Nyoro said.
"The price of fertiliser that the President said had gone down is now retailing at Sh 5000, yet it used to be lower during the previous regime."
Ichungwa asked state officials in charge of agriculture to stop deceiving the Head of State that all was well while the reality was that 'farmers are really suffering'.
"We are asking them to stop misleading the President because tea, coffee and milk farmers are undergoing untold suffering," Ichungwa said.
They expressed confidence that Ruto will address the region's economic challenges citing tea, coffee and milk farming if he takes over the presidency.
"The people of Mt Kenya have settled on Dr Ruto because he has a solution to tea, coffee and milk farming in the region,"Kangata said.
