Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government will buy rice from local farmers before importation, promising allocation of Sh1 billion to ensure best prices for the Kenyan cereal.
Prof. Kindiki said the government is prioritizing purchase of local produce before opening doors for foreign rice in order to protect Kenyan farmers and boost food reserves.
“We will not import rice until we offtake all the rice grown in Mwea, in Kirinyaga County and all the rice-growing areas. We will not allow importation of rice before we buy all the rice in the country,” DP assured.
Speaking on Friday when he inspected development projects in Mwea Constituency, Kirinyaga County, the Second in Command said the administration is keen on securing better returns for farmers through friendly policies.
Further, the Deputy President said he will ensure Sh1 billion is allocated to KNTC to ensure the corporation mops up locally produced cereal when mass harvesting commences later in the year.
“The Government will ensure all rice produced by our farmers at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme will be bought by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) to boost national food reserves, before rice is imported into the country,” he stated.
At the same time, the DP explained, the government will ensure continuation of higher prices for coffee, milk, tea and other farmers who have benefitted from farmer-focused reforms since 2022.
In Mwea, he inspected the tarmacking of Kangirici-Karira Hospital-Ngurubani Road which is nearing completion. The road is part of a 65-kilometer transport corridor traversing Kirinyaga Central, Ndia and Mwea
Constituencies. In total, Kirinyaga County has been allocated 37 billion shillings for construction of 500 kilometres of roads which are in various stages of completion.
Prof. Kindiki also officially opened Mwea Huduma Centre which will enable residents to get access to critical government services. It will also house Jitume ICT Hub for youths to acquire skills on digital jobs
and make a living from them.
“Our interest is to ensure the people of Mwea get development projects like every part of the country. We will make sure all ongoing projects are completed as we start others,” DP promised.
Other ongoing projects in the County include the construction of a County Aggregation and Industrial Park at Sh500 million with both the national and county government sharing its cost.
The DP pledged additional Sh300 million to connect more residents in Mwea Constituency to electricity.
The expansion of the Makutano-Mwea-Embu-Chuka-Meru-Maua highway is also in the pipeline.
Prof. Kindiki exuded confidence that extensive development will get the government reelected in the coming elections dismissing attempts to drag him to a contest over insults.
“I will not engage in trading insults because I know I will lose but I can assure you no one will defeat me in a contest over development,” he said.
Moreover, he said they will fully account for the time in office at the right time promising to present a development record capturing what they have done for Kenyans.
“I am asking our opponents to also be ready to tell Kenyans what they did when they were in power because most of them have occupied powerful offices before. Before they christen names like Kasongo or Soprano, first tell us what you have done for the people,” DP stated.
Mwea MP Mary Maingi, who accompanied the DP, appreciated the government for paying closer attention to the development of the constituency.
“We have pushed for construction of Kangirici-Karira Hospital-Ngurubani road and Karira bridge for years. Previous leaders promised to construct this road but failed to do so. But now the road and the bridge are being constructed,” she said.
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