Mwea Irrigation Scheme. Leaders led by opposition have criticised the government over directive to import rice in the country. Photo: Farmbiz Africa.
After an uproar by rice farmers following the gazette notice by National Treasury CS John Mbadi on the government importing rice till the end of the year, united opposition has criticised the move by Kenya Kwanza government terming it as a plan to swindle billions of money through cartels.
In his directive, Mbadi stated that the government will import 500,000 metric tonnes of white rice, which the leaders argued that would disadvantage and cripple local rice farmers.
The move has also received harsh criticism from key allies of Kenya Kwanza including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, Maara MP Joseph Mugweru have joined the list of leaders protesting the government’s duty-free rice importation.
Waiguru called on government to buy the rice stack in stores by farmers, instead of resorting to importation, the government should promote local farmers.
“Promote our farmers who have excess rice in their farms,” she said.
Echoing the sentiments of Waiguru, Mugweru added that the government should have prioritize buying rice from farmers.
Speaking during their press release with journalists in Nairobi on Thursday, PLP leader Martha Karua accused the government for frustrating and oppressing its people in all aspects, citing the recent controversial reduction of school capitation to distribution of unfit food to consumers.
“This is a criminal regime that not only resorts to willful violence against its people, resorts to physically harming its populace unfit for public consumption of goods, but also attempts to limit its people via willful and defunding education which is a right,” she remarked.
However, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe assured farmers that the government will buy all available rice stocks, before importation is allowed to proceed.
“We are assuring all farmers that the government is going to buy all stock from the farmers. The imports won’t affect local production,” Kagwe assured farmers while addressing at the Kenya School of Agriculture in Nyeri county.
According to a statement released by Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), cautioned against failure to import rice could plunge the country into a food shortage crisis, or a rice in prices, which they argued will put another burden to Kenyans already struggling with the high cost of living.
“Failure to import rice under the current shortfall would lead to either acute food scarcity or a sharp spike in prices not only for rice but also for other staples such as maize flour and wheat products. This would create a domino effect on the cost of living and place an unsustainable burden on millions of Kenyan households,” read part of the statement.
AFA said that the importation of 500,000 metric tones is aimed at cushioning the nation food security, stabilizing prices and ensuring that rice remains affordable and accessible to all Kenyans, especially low income earners.
“This is targeted short-term response to current market pressures, reinforcing government’s ongoing commitment to food availability and economic resilience,” AFA further stated.
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