Uhuru Announces Ksh 500M Gift to Waiguru's Constituents

President Uhuru Kenyatta assured Mwea residents of the government’s commitment to addressing challenges facing rice farmers in the region and countrywide on Saturday, February 1.

He was addressing members of the public at Wanguru Stadium in Kirinyaga County after touring the Mwea Rice Millers (MRM). This was the second of day of his working visit of Central Kenya region that also saw him visit Nyandarua County on January 31 to launch several development projects. 

He was accompanied by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya. 

While addressing the farmers, he directed all government institutions to only buy locally produced rice to ensure farmers reap maximum returns from their hard work.

The head of state informed that the government had set aside Ksh500 million in a revolving fund to ensure farmers are paid promptly once they deliver rice to their cooperative societies for onward transmission to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC). 

“We said when we ushered in the new year that this year we would like to address the various problems facing the farmers. We know here in Mwea there have been problems. We are working towards addressing those problems,” the president said.   

The head of state also ordered KNTC to buy rice from the farmers at a cost of Ksh 85 per kilo of paddy instead of the current Ksh 70.

“If we do that and continue to buy the locally produced rice, as government, we will encourage private buyers to also pay more for the rice from farmers," President Kenyatta assured.

“It is a free market but as a government, we will be buying the locally produced rice at Ksh 85 per kilo of paddy,” he added. 

The president stated that his government was focused on reviving and improving the performance of rice mills to ensure farmers avert losses due to lack of functional mills. 

“We have a hardworking Agriculture CS (Peter Munya) and after a year, we will be back here to see the work he has done to revive and improve the rice mills,” he said.

President Kenyatta assured the residents that subsidised fertilizer would be sold to them directly so as to ensure they are not overcharged by middlemen. 

He asked Kenya Power to lower electricity tariffs for MRM to reduce the cost of milling and ordered that rice factories ensure farmers benefit from the savings that would accrue from the low power costs. 

The head of state later flagged off trucks carrying rice from farmers to KNTC warehouses countrywide, reiterating his call for all Kenyans to embrace peace and unity.  

He asked politicians to shun divisive politics and instead, work to consolidate peace that would ensure Kenyans live together in harmony anywhere in the country. 

President Kenyatta also spoke against corruption, noting that the duty of leaders was to protect public resources and not to loot what was entrusted to them. 

On his part, Munya said his ministry had embarked on a focused plan that would improve the agricultural sector and ensure farmers benefit from their work. 

Governor Waiguru thanked Uhuru for caring for the welfare of farmers in Kirinyaga and across the country.

 

  • .