President Ruto fires warning shot to subsidized fertiliser cartels

President William Ruto has warned fertiliser cartels against trying to take advantage of the fertiliser subsidy programme.

The President directed all security agencies to be on the lookout and arrest any individual found re-packaging the subsidised fertiliser to sell to unsuspecting farmers.

The Head of State spoke on Thursday when he toured Nyandarua County, one of the country's agricultural zones, during his development tour of the region.

He said the government has laid down a robust subsidised fertiliser programme for farmers, but warned deep rooted cartels at the Agriculture ministry against taking advantage of the government's fertiliser programme.

“Tumeweka mpango wa kuhakikisha kuwa wakulima wote wanapata mbolea ya bei nafuu...hiyo ndio itatusaidia kupunguza gharama ya maisha,” said the President.

The fertiliser distribution to farmers has in the recent past been embroiled in graft related controversy amidst reports of cartels repackaging the commodity and later selling to farmers at markedly higher prices.

President Ruto, however, now says he is watching.

“Tmekubaliana mbolea ifike hapa kila mahlai,...na hatutaki brokers na hatutaki wale cartels...mbolea ya mkulima imfikie mkulima,” he said.

The President called on farmers to take the lead and plant food crops in sufficient quantities to take advantage of the short rains. He said opposition protests would not lower the cost of living.

Ruto further told Nyandarua residents that his government will increase milk coolers in every sub-county to help dairy farmers.

“Tutaleta milk coolers kila mahali hapa ndio mpate nafasi ya kuweka maziwa yenu,” he added.

With bipartisan talks set to resume on Friday, President Ruto affirmed that there will be no sharing of government with his opponents.