March 25, 2022, Nairobi — The National Treasury is facing criticism from legislators in the Agriculture Committee over the removal of a Sh5.1 billion allocation meant for fertilizer subsidy for farmers from the Supplementary Budget.
Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Silas Tiren, accused his colleagues in the Budget and Appropriations Committee of scheming behind their backs and amending their proposal.
Tiren pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and salvage the situation, warning that it may lead to a food shortage crisis in the country due to low harvest.
"It is now that we will want to see those who think of the people they represent or those who think that they can hide behind others. This is the time that we want to know who represents who because I believe food security is very important. It will be very expensive for this country to import maize in the event we have low yield next year," he said.
MPs Majimbo Kalasinga and Osman Mohammed accused the National Treasury of playing politics with the country's food security.
"I am a practicing Catholic and I believe in Catholicism. I think the Ministry of Treasury is behaving like a Mother Superior, it is like it's sitting on all other Ministries," Kalasinga said.
