Embattled Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri was on Tuesday given a 7-day ultimatum by the Members of Parliament (MP).
This after he snubbed the Agriculture and Livestock Committee for the fourth time after calls to explain issues dogging his Ministry including the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) scandal.
Infuriated MPs, led by the Committee Chairperson Adan Haji, ordered the CS to appear before them before Tuesday November 6, 2018, or face sanctions.
"Why did he set the date and the time of the meeting only to fail to show up," the Mandera South MP posed.
In his view, Kiunjuri's failure to honour the meeting can be equated to demeaning the Committee and Parliament by extension.
Reading the riot act, MP Haji reminded the CS that the Committee has the legal mandate to seek answers and clarification from government officials as per their discretion.
CS Kiunjuri has in the past come under heavy criticism over the glaring irregularities including the controversial purchase of maize worth Ksh2 billion.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had reprimanded CS Kiunjuri in public over the conduct of the Ministry of Agriculture in the matter.
In late October, it emerged that the NCPB is on the verge of loosing Ksh1.8 billion through poor maize storage and by ignoring calls for better food preservation.
Auditor General Edward Ouko showed 750,000 bags of maize weighing 90kgs each have been damaged by weevils.
CS Kiunjuri also acknowledged that the government had purchased the maize at a high cost of Ksh3,6000 per 90kgs bag which it is currently selling at Ksh2,300.
