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Government To Continue Buying Rice At Sh85 Per Kg

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Government to continue buying rice at Sh85 per Kg

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS), Peter Munya, has said the government will buy rice at a constant price of Sh85 per Kg from farmers.

Munya made the announcement, when he addressed rice farmers at Kenya National Trading Company (KNTC) stores in Mwea, Kirinyaga County where he flagged-off trucks transporting rice to various markets.

KNTC is the state organ for buying rice on behalf of the Kenya government. The move will see traders faced with lack of enough storage facilities sell the product to the government.

“This is the information I have, we will buy your rice like last year, with the same price,” Munya said.

Munya added that KNTC has set aside an initial amount of Sh100 million to buy rice this season and added farmers will be paid instantly.

“We have talked with KNTC, they have set aside 100 million which they will pay farmers even before they sell their rice,” CS said.

However, Munya said from next year the government will not guarantee the farmers a constant price of Sh85 a Kg. due to lack of stable domestic market and stiff competition from cheaper varieties.

“From next year I can’t assure you we will buy, we have to negotiate again, because we buy and sell at a better price, but yours is higher than market price,” Munya alluded.

“We have been buying and selling to domestic markets like prisons, supermarkets, and military but now they prefer cheaper varieties available in the market,” he said.

He said there are other areas that produce rice in the country in addition to imported rice which are cheaper than the common Pishori produced in Mwea. He urged the farmers to diversify to different varieties.

The CS also said rice farmers should take advantage of Commodity Fund, which the Ministry is giving out to farmers at a low interest rate of five (5) per cent.

“We have Commodity Fund under my Ministry which is offered at 5% interest. You can take it instead of others that charge 13 %,” Munya said.

Munya also said the government no longer provides subsidized fertilizers because of brokerage that marred the process.

Interviews with farmers revealed a different picture on the announcement, with most saying they will return to the government to buy even with higher prices.

Josphine Githinji, a farmer in Tebere section lauded the Cabinet Secretary for buying the product this season and hoped next year they will negotiate with the government and amicably settle on a better price.

She further urged the government to reduce the prices of pesticides, especially for snails that destroy rice farms.

“Snails have invaded our nurseries and the price of pesticides is high, I wish the government would reduce the price. It is four thousand shillings per liter,” she said.

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Politics

William Ruto To Deal With ‘State Capture’ If Elected President

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Deputy President Ruto To Reverse SGR Port Order

Deputy President William Ruto has vowed to that his government if given the mandate to lead the country in the August 9 polls will deal with hands-on with ‘State capture.’

According to the Presidential candidate, state policies are being used to facilitate the theft of public funds as corruption had been absorbed into government.

DP William Ruto made these calims while speaking to the Reuters in an interview.

“We have no intention of prosecuting President Uhuru Kenyatta, but we have every intention of dealing with State capture. It cannot be business as usual,” the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate said.

DP Ruto’s running mate, Rigathi Gachagua also alluded to said State capture, saying those involved will be dealt with should Kenya Kwanza form the next government.

“We will not go after individuals. We will go after all those in state capture and conflict of interest,” Gachagua said in a joint media broadcast.

The Mathira MP vaguely explained that it was “people in power who have used or are using their offices to use up public resources to their advantage,” when asked who or what State capture was.

The DP has also revealed plans of bringing to end the Kenya’s national debt, which currently stands at Sh9 trillion, in an exclusive interview with international media.

He said the country has the capacity to handle the debt situation, and that they as Kenya Kwanza have mapped out plans of how to go about it, should they win.

“We will put the brakes on more borrowing. It may not come to zero but we will begin the journey to slow down on more borrowing,” the DP said.

Campaigns hit fever pitch and candidates scramble for airtime to sell their agendas with just eighteen (18) days left as Kenya will soon be headed to the General Election.

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IEBC Clears Sonko To Run For Mombasa Governor

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Sonko has increased the intense in the race for Mombasa county which already has aspirants from the UDA and ODM parties.

Sonko has finally been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to contest for the Mombasa gubernatorial  seat.

On Thursday, July 14 2022, Sonko in the accompany of his supporters was given the green light.

The former Nairobi governor was invited by the IEBC to submit his letter for clearance as per a letter addressed to him earlier.

“The venue will be the IEBC Mombasa County offices and you are expected to submit your papers on July 14, 2022 between 2pm and 4pm,” Swalha Ibrahim the returning officer said.

The letter to Sonko came after a high court ruled that the politician doesn’t be disqualified from vying for governor noting that the governor was eligible to run for office. The commission said it could not head to the courts to appeal the decision as time could not allow.

Addressing the media after the clearance, Sonko said his candidature seeks to solve the problems of the people in the Coastal city and that he was bringing a new awakening in the city.

Sonko said he was not worried about the short time time line he has to undertake the campaigns in the large city noting that he was drawing a campaign schedule to begin immediately.

“We must campaign, we have few days but we will utilize them properly. We can do two days per constituency or a day per constituency,” Sonko noted.

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