DETAILS ON HOW DP RUTO CAUSED MAIZE CRISIS

Former Agriculture Minister, Kipruto Arap Kirwa, has linked the prevailing food crisis to Deputy President William Ruto’s term as the Minister for Agriculture in the Grand Coalition government. 

Kirwa – who served as the Minister of Agriculture during late President Mwai Kibaki’s Narc government – recounted the circumstances that led to the dismissal of Ruto from the powerful docket during an interview on Citizen Tv. 

According to Kirwa, the Ministry of Agriculture under the leadership of Ruto destabilized the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) by irregularly selling maize to “funny millers”. The former Minister also noted that the NCPB scandal was the reason for Ruto’s transfer from the Ministry of Agriculture to that of Higher of Education.

“When I left the Ministry, we had 8 million bags under NCPB. Within one month, that maize was sold recklessly to some funny millers. That is what occasioned his transfer from Ministry of Agriculture to Higher Education,” Kirwa argued.Kirwa was appointed as the Minister for Agriculture in 2003 by then President Mwai Kibaki and served for four years before handing over to William Ruto in April 2008. 

Ruto’s stint at the agriculture docket was, however, marred with scandals that eventually led to a reshuffle in the Grand Coalition government. The Ministry caught headlines with, among other scandals, the fertilizer and NCPB sagas. 

In 2008, Kenya lifted a ban on maize importation to allow potent businessmen and corporates to buy maize from outside the country.

According to a report by the Africa Center for Open Governance (AFRICOG), the government had ordered the NCPB to import over three million bags of maize. This would, however, become the genesis of Ruto’s controversies in the ministry.

In 2009, Ruto was put on the spot after the then National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson, Boni Khalwale, accused his Ministry of illegally selling maize. He would serve at the Ministry until 2010 when he was transferred to the Ministry of Higher Education.

Blames Uhuru, Ruto For Food Crisis

Kirwa also blamed President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto for overlooking some policies which in turn destabilized maize production in the country. He faulted the government for the lack of an elaborate plan to preserve maize produce through the National Cereals and Produce Board. 

According to him, the failure of the NCPB to suck up the harvested maize led to wastage and farmers incurring losses. The former Minister was also critical of individuals and companies being allowed to import maize from the neighboring countries at the expense of the local farmers. The country has been grappling with high cost of maize flour which is the staple food for many due to maize shortage.

“We do not have any restrictions for people to go to Tanzania and import maize,” stated Kirwa.

“The government of Kenya should have sucked in all maize produce by ensuring they offer good prices and store the maize under optimal conditions.”

By kenyans