The year as begun on a positive note, with President Uhuru Kenyatta giving positive news on that is making Kenyan farmers very happy.
The maize farmers will again start supplying maize to the NCPB board with assured payment of the maize delivered. Speaking on Thursday, the president ordered the officials to start receiving maize from farmers without with holding their pay.
“I have directed the CS for Agriculture to authorize NCPB through the Strategic Food Reserve to immediately open buying centres & stores in coordination with respective County Governments, to receive 2 million, 90Kg bags of maize @ Sh 2,500 per bag from farmers across the country,” he said.
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The President also gave hope on the state of the country’s food security crediting it to the good weather and diligence from farmers;
“Government interventions & good weather in 2018, have led to a bumper harvest of 46 million bags. 2.5 million bags were also carried over from 2017. The Government will therefore release 1.7 million 90Kg bags of maize @ Sh 1,600 & 300,000 bags of animal feed @ Sh 1,400 per bag,” he added.
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The cry and protests by maize farmers were loud, attracting the attention of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who only last year publicly gave a tongue lashing to his Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to either act, and do so swiftly, or face the consequences over the scandal.
Mr Kiunjuri asked Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately commence the prosecution of those who have been receiving undue payments that should have gone to farmers.
He revealed that 152 people, mainly NCPB officials and unscrupulous traders, were under investigation and faced possible prosecution.