A section of Rift Valley leaders on Tuesday warned Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mwangi Kiunjuri that it would call for his resignation.
Led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, the leaders threatened that they would petition the government to sack CS Kiunjuri over failure to offer a solution to the woes of the farmers.
"We want to emphasize what the president said during swearing-in, if you feel you cannot perform, it is always good to give up," Cherargei iterated.
[caption caption="CS Mwangi Kiunjuri"]
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The Senator was complaining over the alleged failure by the Ministry of Agriculture to protect the farmers' interests and regulate the maize buying and importation process.
"This is a warning issued to him that he must come to the ground, engage with the farmers and ensure (that the issues are addressed).
"If he does not perform, some of us will support that he resigns so that we can protect our farmers going forward and ensure that we finish corruption cartels bedevilling the agriculture sector.
"Agriculture sector is one of the serious sectors that we have in this country. There is a high responsibility for ensuring that he protects the interests of the farmers. If he does not work hard on it, some of us leaders will be more than obliged to force him out of office," Cherargei warned the CS.
The farmers have been complaining since early March over delays by the government to take maize delivered at the depots in Eldoret, Moi's Bridge and Kitale where long queues were witnessed.
Others have complained over alleged delays by the government to make payments worth over Ksh4 billion for the maize delivered to its depots since December 2017.
[caption caption="File image of Kenya Farmers’ Association members protesting in Eldoret town"]
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There was confusion after it emerged that the government was distributing the wrong fertilizer; CAN - a top-dress fertilizer, instead of DAP which is meant for planting.
