Farmers representatives from the North Rift region are today (Thursday) holding a consultative meeting to discuss the way forward over continued delay in the release of payments for the maize they supplied to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
The farmers have been up in arms after the government failed to keep their promise of paying the Sh1.4 billion debt beginning Monday.
The funds are yet to reflect in the respective farmers' bank accounts.
According to the Uasin Gishu branch Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) director, Kipkorir Menjo, farmers are tired of governments’ tricks and they want to look for a long-lasting solution concerning delayed pay for their produce.
“Among the agenda is to deliberate on what we will do after the government gave us false promise that we will be paid by Monday and up to now nothing has been done,” said Menjo in Eldoret town Thursday.
He reiterated that they might resolve to take the government to court for failing to pay farmers since most of them are suffering and sooner or later their property might be auctioned.
“We also want the government through the supplementary budget to set aside funds to buy maize from farmers because it was not factored in 2018-2019 financial year budget,” insisted the KFA director.
Several Members of Parliament in the North Rift region have already threatened to mobilize farmers to take to the streets should the government continue to take them round in circles over the pay issue.
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