Cash Crops Farmers Should Give Gov’t Time To Address Their Plight

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• It is worth to note this. President Ruto has been at the helm of power for eight months and we know he assumed office at a time when the country was being confronted by five main challenges; dilapidated economy, drought and famine (rated as the worst in 40 years), hefty maturing foreign debts, Russia-Ukraine war and at a time when the country was recovering from devastating effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
• Besides, Dr Ruto took over at a time when the ‘handshake’ government had already prepared and approved the budget for 2022/2023 financial year. There were reports of massive looting at tail-end of this regime.

The latest media reports indicate that the cash crops farmers in Kenya are up in arms. They accuse the top leadership of Kenya Kwanza (KK) government of ‘failing to walk the talk’.

Some recalled: During the campaigns, Alliance’s flag bearer Dr William Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua promised to initiate reforms aimed at streamlining the agricultural sector which is the backbone of Kenya’s economy.

The farmers who spoke with one of the mainstream newspaper lamented that they have not seen any progress.

They were mainly drawn from Coffee, Tea and Macadamia sub-sectors.

The cartels and brokers were still calling the shot. After toiling, our produce would land on the their hands.

They would control the whole value chain; buying, milling, export and marketing.

At the end of the day, we will get nothing in return. They will consume and eat all our sweat.

This is not the first time that the government is talking tough.

President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta had rolled out similar interventions  which never bore fruits that is worth to talk about.

President Ruto and his deputy have however assured farmers of thier commitment to deal with this recurring problem.

At one point, the DP stated. We are going to win this battle because Dr William Ruto and myself have no interest in this business.

We know these cartels. They are powerful people.

Though the DP fell short of saying some of them were holding senior positions in the previous administrations and the others were politically connected, he took many by surprise when he said.

My late brother Nderitu Gachagua, then Governor of Nyeri, was killed by these cartels.

They gave him poison and his health started deteriorating. My brother had just vowed to deal ruthlessly with these cartels and brokers; eradicate them so that Coffee farmers can put money into their pockets.

We tried to save him but we lost him. He left us.

So, this war can be won by feint hearted.

But you should count on me and President Ruto. We don’t fear them.  They cannot reach where we are.

The DP spoke just a few days after convening the inaugural Coffee Reforms Conference held in Meru.

After deliberations, the summit which brought together farmers, leaders and other stakeholders drawn from the Coffee growing counties passed a number of resolutions.

In his response, Gachagua told them. I have heard you. I want to assure you that the government of President Ruto is going to implement all these resolutions .

Some of them will take effect immediately.

For those that need to be legislated, we shall be done with this process in 90 days.

The DP further noted. I’m passionate about addressing the plight of all the farmers.

I thank President Ruto for seeing my potential and assigned me this work.

I’m going to convene similar summits to listen to the problems of the farmers in other sub-sectors.

Once we have their resolutions, we shall take the necessary steps and actions.

As a government, the ultimate goal is ensure that farmers have money in their pockets.

This war cannot be won on a day because we are dealing with deep-rooted cartels. Please give us time. But we want to promise you we are going to win this battle.

This brings to the main reason of writing this article. It is too early for the farmers to allege that the government took them for a ride.

As a principal to the President, the DP is leaving nothing to chance.

He is following the instructions of his boss very well.

He has already set the ball rolling.

This is what I want to tell the farmers. There is always a bit of pinch when good things are coming.

It is worth to note this. President Ruto has been at the helm of power for eight months and we know he assumed office at a time when the country was being confronted by five main challenges; dilapidated economy, drought and famine (rated as the worst in 40 years), hefty maturing foreign debts, Russia-Ukraine war and at a time when the country was recovering from devastating effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

Besides, Dr Ruto took over at a time when the ‘handshake’ government had already prepared and approved the budget for 2022/2023 financial year. There were reports of massive looting at tail-end of this regime.

With this, one can understand the cause of a bit of delay in rolling out some of projects and programmes within the timelines he had set out.  As for the reforms in Agricultural sector, I’m not sure he had set a timeline.

The farmers should bear this. The proposed reforms can only be realized when there are funds allocated to do this job.

So, I urge them to appreciate what the government has done so far. The President and his deputy means well. Let us support them.

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi