Keter seeks President's aid in maize scandal probe

Leaders from the North Rift have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to personally intervene in the Sh2 billion National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) scandal to bring to book those behind it.

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and his Moiben counterpart Silas Tiren hit out at influential individuals whom they accused of importing maize and supplying to NCPB at the expense of genuine farmers.

“We should be given the names of those who filled NCPB depots with maize. Many farmers cannot cater for their families. Some have huge hospital bills. The President should give me a chance and I will show him all the thieves,” said Mr Keter.

The MP said he has a dossier on all corrupt prominent personalities who enriched themselves from maize deliveries to NCPB and will make it public next week if Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri does not do so.

OUTSPOKEN

“We thought they would use the positions they hold to fight for and champion the interests and welfare of farmers. It is sad that the same people are benefitting from scandals by influencing systems in a way to benefit corrupt cartels. The President should intervene. He is the only one we can trust in this,” said the outspoken legislator.

Mr Keter has claimed that top leaders from the Kalenjin community are behind the maize scam.

“We have information that they usually intimidate NCPB personnel to be given preference in the delivery of maize and issuance of subsidised fertiliser as genuine farmers suffer,” Mr Keter told the Sunday Nation.

COLLEAGUES

According to Mr Tiren, his efforts to agitate for farmers’ rights have been frustrated by his colleagues who fear reprisals from the party leadership.

“My efforts to ensure the supplementary budget bill which would have seen the government increase funds for purchase of maize from farmers by NCPB was shot down by my colleagues,” said Mr Tiren.

During a stormy meeting on Monday in Eldoret, cereals farmers from the North Rift demanded the arrest and prosecution of high-profile officials, including former Cabinet Secretaries, Ministry of Agriculture staff and senior government executives, linked to the maize scandal.

The farmers have dismissed the list of more than 60 people said to have received payment for delivering large amounts of maize to NCPB, arguing that they were genuine farmers who are well known but were being used as sacrificial lambs to protect cartels.

PROMINENT

“The government should go for the big fish instead of engaging in divisive tactics. How can you brand hardworking farmers who are toiling to feed Kenyans cartels?” asked Jesse Mais, a farmer.

The former Eldoret South MP said that during the delivery of maize to NCPB depots, prominent individuals were favoured at the expense of genuine farmers.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has begun investigations into the scandal. Detectives have pitched ten in NCPB depots in Western and the Rift Valley.