Workers offloading maize from a lorry. FILE PHOTO | NMG
What you need to know:
During the meeting held at the Teachers Advisory Centre in Eldoret, MPs from the region were on the receiving end for being silent as farmers suffer after cartels infiltrated the maize sector.
The farmers challenged leaders from the region to unite in the fight for farmers’ welfare instead of being political sycophants.
Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter hit out at influential individuals who he said have been importing maize and supplying to the NCPB at the expense of farmers.
Tempers flared in Uasin Gishu County during a public forum attended by North Rift leaders to deliberate the plight of farmers following a maize buying scandal at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
During the meeting held at the Teachers Advisory Centre in Eldoret, MPs from the region were on the receiving end for being silent as farmers suffer after cartels infiltrated the maize sector. The farmers challenged leaders from the region to unite in the fight for farmers’ welfare instead of being political sycophants.
“We are not even interested in 2022. What we want is our money. Eat the way you want in Parliament but give us our right as farmers,” said Immaculate Kandie, a farmer from Moiben.
Outspoken Moiben MP Silas Tiren said that his efforts to agitate for farmers’ rights had been frustrated by his colleagues who fear reprisals from Jubilee Party leadership. “The same cartels teamed up to stop me from being the parliamentary agriculture committee chairman. What was important? The seat or serving the people?” asked Mr Tiren.
He said that colleagues shot down his efforts to ensure that the government increases funds for purchase of maize through a supplementary budget.
Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter hit out at influential individuals who he said have been importing maize and supplying to the NCPB at the expense of farmers.
Other leaders who attended the meeting included Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Caleb Kositany (Soy), William Chepkut (Ainabkoi), Janet Sitienei (Turbo) and Uasin Gishu Senator Margaret Kamar.
Mr Sudi was jeered after he said that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations should be left to investigate the maize scam.
The leaders claimed that the 21 people mentioned as having supplied maize to the NCPB were genuine farmers who are well known but are being used as sacrificial lambs to protect cartels.
“Give us the names of the real culprits. Does it mean only the 21 filled all the NCPB stores?” asked Kenya Farmers Association director Kipkorir Menjo.
