Senator: Koskei must go over maize prices
What you need to know:
- Prof Lonyangapuo asked how National Cereals and Produce depots became fully stocked at once yet the country was relying on donors for relief food.
- Areas where board officials will be stationed include Kapcherop Centre for Marakwet east farmers, Kapsowar for Marakwet west, Chepkorio for Keiyo south farmers, Iten Town for farmers in Keiyo north among others.
- Addressing the press in her office on Thursday, County Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Executive Stella Rono asked farmers to register their names and the number of bags they intended to sell to the board.
West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo wants Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei sacked for “giving farmers a raw deal”.
Speaking in Kitale, Prof Lonyangapuo said farmers would make big losses if they sold maize at the price set by the CS recently.
He said Mr Koskei had demonstrated incompetence since being appointed to the Cabinet.
“He has no interest of farmers at heart and the President should sack him if he does not resign,” he said.
The Senator claimed Mr Koskei had allowed cheap maize imports from Uganda and Tanzania.
“He is a procurement specialist out to kill our economy while profiting farmers from neighbouring countries,” he said.
RELYING ON DONORS
Prof Lonyangapuo asked how National Cereals and Produce depots became fully stocked at once yet the country was relying on donors for relief food.
He said farmers could not be expected to sell a 90kg bag of maize for Sh2,300 because they incurred a lot of expenses during production.
Meanwhile, farmers in Elgeyo-Marakwet have been asked to put their maize at designated points to make it easy for the board to buy it.
Areas where board officials will be stationed include Kapcherop Centre for Marakwet east farmers, Kapsowar for Marakwet west, Chepkorio for Keiyo south farmers, Iten Town for farmers in Keiyo north among others.
Addressing the press in her office on Thursday, County Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Executive Stella Rono asked farmers to register their names and the number of bags they intended to sell to the board.
“By doing this, there will be no room for middlemen to buy maize,” she said.