RUTO REVEALS THE FIRST THING HE WILL DO AS PRESIDENT ELECT

Deputy President and August presidential hopeful William Ruto now says he will lower fertilizer prices should he ascend into power, under major plans he has to revitalize the agricultural sector.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance flag-bearer, speaking on Sunday in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County said his government will support farmers by lowering the cost of farm inputs such as fertilizer, whose price has skyrocketed in recent months.

“Kama ni michanga yetu inahitaji liming, tutaweka a national liming program so that we can improve the quality of our soils. Mambo ya mbolea pia, lazima tuhakikishe inauzwa kwa bei mkulima anaweza kugharamia,” said Dr. Ruto.

According to the second-in-power, the price of fertilizer will be slashed to what it was before the recent spike if he clinches presidency in the General Election.

“Bei ya mbolea tutaiteremsha kutoka hii Ksh.6,000 inauzwa sasa hadi ile tulikuwa tunanunua ya 2,500. That will be the price of fertilizer going forward beginning this year,” Ruto told residents.

He further called on Kiminini MP and aspiring Trans-Nzoia governor Chris wamalwa to set in place plans to construct market sheds for vendors in every shopping center.

“Bwana Wamalwa, anza saa hizi kutafuta ambapo tutajenga soko kila mahali wakulima wapo. In very shopping centre, the national and county governments, we must construct a working market,” he said.

“Kama serikali ya Kenya Kwanza, lazima tuwe na deliberate plans under a government program to create jobs for our young people. We will set aside Ksh.100 billion for that. Hiyo ndiyo priority yetu number one.”

Ruto was flanked by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, FORD-Kenya principal Moses Wetang’ula, Speakers Justin Muturi and Ken Lusaka, alongside other leaders and aspirants.

Early March, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya warned that the price of fertilizer was bound to escalate to over Ksh.7,000 for a 50kg bag due to the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

According to the CS, Kenya imports fertilizer from Russia and China and the Ukrainian invasion by Russia was bound to affect the supplies globally.

​​“We get most of our fertilizer from Russia and China and this war may see the price of fertilizer hit Sh7,000 if there will be no subsidy in place,” Munya told Parliament.

At the time, fertilizer was retailing at a staggering Ksh.6,000 for a 50kg bag which has been attributed to high prices of natural gas in Europe.

Citizen Digital