This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
Published on July 11, 2019
Seven members of Parliament from the Rift Valley have accused Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri of protecting cartels in the ministry, denying a maize shortage and challenging him to reveal who he is working for.
Led by Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny, the lawmakers rejected claims of a maize shortage and questioned the Cabinet Secretary's motives, saying he is allegedly working for cartels.
Speaking at a media briefing at Panafric hotel in Nairobi on Thursday, Mr Kuttuny said, "Mr Kiunjuri must be accountable to the public. Any blame for excess importation of maize will be taken to his doorstep."
The MPs, who were accompanied by Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) chair Noah Wekesa, disputed the figures provided by the CS and accused him of creating an artificial shortage to benefit cartels.
They asked Mr Kiunjuri to reveal where he obtained the figures, saying the importation of maize falls within the legal mandate of the SFR, which is managed by a board chaired by Dr Wekesa, with the ministry administering the fund.
However, in a rejoinder from Mombasa, Mr Kiunjuri said statements on maize imports by Dr Wekesa were reckless and amounted to insubordination, accusing him of issuing statements that were contradicting the ministry's food security position.
The board is still holding approximately 2.8 million 90-kilogram bags of maize, which Dr Wekesa said are enough to carry the country through August, ahead of the start of the harvest season in September.
