President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday announced the sacking of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri.
The firing of the embattled CS has already elicited mixed reactions from different factions.
But where did the rain start beating Mwangi Kiunjuri?
On Oct 20, 2018, President Uhuru lost his cool and dressed down Kiunjuri after maize farmers lamented that they had not been paid. The head of state questioned Kiunjuri to account for Sh2 billion he had received from the Treasury.
"In the 2018 budget we had more than Sh2 billion set aside for maize farmers but the next thing we hear the farmers have not been paid then you hear there is a farmer who has delivered maize worth Sh200 million. I have land and not a small piece of land. Please tell me which farmer delivers maize valued at Sh200 million? (Katika budget ya 2018 tulikuwa na bajeti ya zaidi ya shilingi billioni mbili ya kulipa wakulima ya kulipa wakulima wetu wa mahindi. Lakini kesho yake tunasikia hiyo pesa mkulima hajalipwa lakini unasikia kuna mkulima amedeliver kwa NCPB mahindi ya shilling million mia mbili. Jameni niambieni ni nani mimi nko na shamba na sio ndogo niambie ni nani mkulima Kenya hii anakuza mahindi ya shillingi million mia mbili?”angry Uhuru said in part.
On May 27, 2018, Kiunjuri had come forth breathing fire after he was asked to resign following the alleged maize scandal at the National Cereals and Produce Board.
The CS said that he was innocent and faulted political forces for engineering his woes. He reiterated that he was not going to step down from his office after pressure was mounted on him.
He was quoted saying: "I am a politician, trader and former teacher. I do not know why they think they can intimidate me..."
In the recent past, the Agricultural sector has faced other challenges. Farmers have been decrying importation of cheap eggs and milk at the expense of their produce. They have also been lamenting about the fluctuating prices of tea and high prices of fertilizers. The maize and sugar farmers have also been complaining of his performance in the docket.
The recent invasion of locusts into the country also put him on the spot.
He shocked Kenyans when he asked them to take pictures and share with his office online.