Uasin Gishu governor, Jackson Mandago has today defended the government's move to import Ugandan maize amid neglect decries by Kenyan farmers.
Speaking to a local media house by means of phone, Mr. Mandago said that the government resorted to by maize from Uganda because the country is not producing enough.
The importation of 6.6 million bags of maize happens despite the decries from local farmers following a suspension by the government to purchase locally produced maize.
According to farmers, tonnes of maize have been rotting since the onset of the rainy season due to lack of sufficient storage facilities.
However, the governor said that the plan by the industrialisation ministry to import maize is to breach the gap that Kenya is not producing as a country.
He argued that the move to buy maize from our neighbouring country is better than importing maize from countries such as Mexico.
"The plan of importation of maize by the government is meant to breach the gap that we are not producing as a nation.That does not mean that government is not buying farmer's maize. The government gives priority to buying maize from farmers at a price of Ksh. 3200 which is a good price for us as farmers." Said Jackson Mandago.
Mandago's defense comes at such a time when most farmers in the country have been left stranded following the decision by National Serious and Produce Board(NCPB) to refuse to offload farmer's maize across the country.
The move that has resulted in rotting of more maize as claimed by farmers.
"I ask the government to consider the well being of farmers because they are suffering so much.
Maize has started germinating.We do not know where we are going to take them,'' a Migori farmer cried