Farmers in Eldoret town on Thursday staged a demonstration to express opposition to plans by the government to import cheap maize from neighboring Uganda.
Led by the Uasin Gishu Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) director Kipkorir Menjo and former Eldoret South MP Jesse Mais, the farmers further hit out at the Ministry of Agriculture over the manner in which the subsidized fertilizer is being distributed to them.
Addressing the press during the protests, the farmers lamented that despite the nearing planting season, they are yet to get fertilizer from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
“This is the planting season, we’ve prepared our farms but we have no fertilizer because the government has been supplying it to NCPB like drugs,” lamented Menjo.
“We are tired with this government that seems to be playing games with you. They know very well the planting season and it’s unfortunate that we have to beg for them to provide what they should without being reminded,” he added.
They also accused Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri of failing to address their concerns over delays in payments of the maize delivered to NCPB.
It is estimated that NCPB owes farmers up to Sh4 billion for the maize supplied since December last year.
“Whenever we ask for our dues, the answer has always been that we wait they are working on it, it is now three months and no payments have been made for the products supplied,” added Mais, the former legislator.