The High Court has lifted conservatory orders stopping the importation of rice but has slashed the amount to be imported to 250,000 metric tonnes.
Kerugoya High Court Justice Edward Muriithi made the ruling on Tuesday, where he acknowledged the government's concerns over a potential food shortage if they failed to supplement local production with imports.
However, the judge also factored in rice farmers' concerns, noting that importation of 500,000 metric tonnes would likely shove local farmers out of business.
As such, the judge lifted the conservatory orders but slashed both the amount of rice that is to be imported as well as the import window, which will now be three months.
Effectively, this means that while the government intended to import 500,000 metric tonnes of rice between August and December 31, 2025, the imports will be slashed by half and will only take place between August and October 31 2025.
"As to the necessary quantities of local demand against production and being careful not to cause a food shortage, the court would at this stage of the hearing allow the implementation of the gazette notice, but not for the entire import window of 6 months ending December 31 and not for the entire volume of the rice to be imported," the judge stated.
"But with a limit of half the amount so that only a total of 250,000 metric tonnes of rice is imported, and for a shorter window of three months ending October 31 2025," the judge ruled.
Further, the judge also revealed the importation would be subject to continuous monitoring to establish the deficits and determine the country's needs as far as rice was concerned.
Days after the initial conservatory orders were issued, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned of devastating ripple effects if the government failed to secure a rice supply from abroad.
To highlight the dire situation, the CS projected that rice consumption per capita in Kenya will reach 29 kilograms by 2025, with the Kenyan population expected to hit 54.79 million.
These projections translated to a national requirement of approximately 1.5 million metric tonnes of rice for the year, or about 125,000 metric tonnes per month.
Kagwe, through the affidavit, reiterated that the importation of rice was not a new strategy but a longstanding practice by the government to stabilise food supply in the country.
