Ruto: We have enough fertiliser

PHOTO | ISAAC WALE Deputy President William Ruto (right) with Mr Musalia Mudavadi at the thanksgiving party of Vihiga MP Yusuf Chanza at Vihiga High School on January 18, 2014.   NATION

In Summary

• Government to determine the price of the farm input before distributing it to farmers
• On January 14, 22,000 tonnes of an expected 100,000-tonne consignment of fertiliser arrived in Mombasa. Cornel Ngelechey, managing director of the National Produce and Cereals Board, said the subsidised price for a 50-kg bag would be Sh2,480.

By BENSON AMADALA
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Up to 140,000 tonnes of fertiliser have been imported to be distributed to farmers at subsidised prices, Deputy President William Ruto said on Saturday.

“We want to assure farmers that there will be no shortage of fertiliser because we have enough to last the whole year,” he said.

On January 14, 22,000 tonnes of an expected 100,000-tonne consignment of fertiliser arrived in Mombasa. Cornel Ngelechey, managing director of the National Produce and Cereals Board, said the subsidised price for a 50-kg bag would be Sh2,480.

It was not clear whether Mr Ruto was referring to a separate 140,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

He said the government plans to increase generation of electricity from 1,600 megawatts to 6,000 megawats in the next five years to ensure that the 67 per cent of Kenyans who are without electricity are connected.

Speaking in Vihiga County at the thanksgiving party of MP Yusuf Chanzu the DP also said the cost of connecting electricity to rural homes would be reduced next year to Sh15,000. It is currently Sh35,000.

Amani coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi said his defeat in last year’s presidential elections had not dampened his spirit to contest the seat in the next polls.

Mr Mudavadi told the Jubilee administration to ensure all Kenyans are represented equally in government irrespective of who they voted for.

Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi said regional leaders were disheartened by the government’s failure to appoint professionals from the region. Lugari MP Ayub Savula said 16 MPs from Western had met President Uhuru Kenyatta last year at State House and assured him of their support.

“We are now asking the President and his deputy to include Mr Mudavadi in their government to benefit from his experience,” said Mr Savula.



Elsewhere, Jubilee MPs and senators have vowed to keep watch over governors to ensure they don’t overtax Kenyans.

Majority Leader Aden Duale said it is shameful that governors have turned counties into personal enrichment ventures.

“We will not sit back and watch the governors turn the counties into means of overburdening Kenyans economically instead of fostering development,” he said at a fundraising at Kapchepsir Polytechnic in Cherangany, Trans Nzoia County.

“We will force governors to spend 70 per cent on development and 30 per cent on recurrent expenditure” said the Garissa Township MP.




Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said the Senate would use all means to protect Kenyans from governors who he said are hell-bent on taxation and not development.

Additional reporting by PHILIP BWAYO AND DERICK LUVEGA