Farmers Party sues Linturi for deal with Zambian maize farmers

NAIROBI - The Farmers Party has sued Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi for contracting Zambian farmers to grow maize for export to Kenya.

The party, through its Secretary-General Simon Kamangu, is opposed to the decision to contract the Zambian farmers who are to undertake large scale cultivation of maize to meet the demand for the produce in the country.

Under a certificate of urgency filed on Wednesday, the party states that the decision by the Ministry of Agriculture was “unreasonable, irrational and illegal and in gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya.”

In March, Linturi signed a memorandum of Understanding with his Zambian counterpart Mtolo Phiri to allow the cultivation of maize on a large scale for the Kenyan market, in what was seen as an intervention by the government to curb long term food insecurity.

The party says, however, “The decision where the two governments are supposed to enter into a contractual agreement where Zambia would grow maize solely for Kenya to import is tantamount to admission of dereliction of duty by the CS, Agriculture and, by extension, the government of Kenya, to support and provide enabling infrastructure for Kenyan farmers to produce food locally.”

The petition, filed through Chege Kamau Advocates, names Attorney-General Justin Muturi and CS Linturi as the first and second respondents, respectively.

It stated, “It is illogical for the government to contract the republic of Zambia to do maize farming for Kenyans instead of supporting the local farmers to produce qualitatively and quantitatively as Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy.”

Farmers Party is a member of the Kenya Kwanza coalition. Irungu Nyakera, its leader, said that the decision will prejudice the interests of farmers in Kenya as well as the economy.

“The Kenya Kwanza government should prioritise the development of sustainable and modern irrigation systems to reduce over reliance on rain-fed agriculture and ensure farmers have water throughout the years, which will lead to increased productivity and food security,” Nyakera said.

He added that the government should also review its duty-free importation of food products to protect farmers from unfair competition.

This, he said, can be achieved through imposition of tariffs and other trade barriers to level playing fields for local farmers.

Meanwhile, the Zambian government on Tuesday announced a maize shortage that it said was threatening its food security.