Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, on Friday, July 7, heightened his crackdown in the agriculture sector after reading the riot act to the directors of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
While addressing stakeholders at the Tea Reforms Conference in Kericho County, the DP revealed that he was in possession of the travel itinerary of KTDA bosses, forwarded to him by an anonymous reliable source.
"An insider sent me the travel details of some of these KTDA directors. Some of them have traveled 36 times in two years on farmers' money," Gachagua disclosed to the surprise of the directors.
He threatened to forward their names to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), under Director General Noordin Haji, for further investigations before taking the next course of action.
"I have done a bit of cross-checking and I will forward the names to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) for further verification. No one is being witch-hunted, but we must have a candid discussion," he added.
Gachagua, nonetheless, did not clarify why he settled on NIS rather than the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which investigate fraud and embezzlement of public funds.
In a strong-worded speech, the DP emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring that farmers receive their fair share of earnings from the cash crop generating huge profits in foreign countries.
The DP emphasised that the government was set to have the farmer get money from the crop, earning others money in foreign countries.
'Any time you make profits, you start a new project to use the profits instead of benefiting the farmers, this must stop," he complained.
"I know you will not be so happy with us but we do not need you to love us," the DP added.
According to Gachagua, all relevant stakeholders, including the zealous farmers, should be included in discussions and decision-making processes before the agency initiates any new project.
"You can not sit in Nairobi and start a project worth billions without talking to the owners of the money (farmers). Those who have been cheating farmers must include the farmers or they will end up losing the opportunity," Gachagua remarked.
President William Ruto tasked the Second in Command to streamline the coffee, tea, and miraa sectors infiltrated by cartels. The Kenya Kwanza duo set out to boost the economy, improve food security and guarantee youths jobs through the clamp down.
