Bahati Member of Parliament Onesmus Kimani Ngunjiri has called on the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) to stop peddling falsehoods around with matters milk.
Addressing media in Nakuru on Wednesday, Ngunjiri stated that as legislators they will not sit down and watch as farmers are intimidated by the board.
He noted that farmers have gone through hard times with the maize scandals and that it is now wrong for the dairy sector to be interfered with from any quota.
“We are putting the Dairy Board on notice. They cannot come up with regulations that will make the farmer suffer for no reason. We are aware farmers have gone through a lot from maize issues and now we cannot sit and watch the dairy sector again being messed up” said Ngunjiri.
This comes just two days after KDB suspended the Milk Bill 2019 that sought to prohibit farmers from selling their fresh milk to neighbours, hawkers among others.
The vocal Jubilee legislator further called on KDB to ensure public participation so that farmers can give their inputs before any regulations are put forward.
He asked fellow MPs to join hands in ensuring the interests of the farmers are protected at all cost.
“That condition must have public participation so that the farmers can give their input. I want to call on MPs to ensure that we rally together in safeguarding the interests of our farmers” said Ngunjiri.
Parliament had denied the existence of ‘a Bill circulating on social media platforms titled ‘Milk Bill 2019’ that purported to regulate the production and sale of milk by farmers to consumers and other third parties.
KDB, however, said the proposed bill had been suspended to allow for consultation.
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