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Government to compensate farmers affected by floods

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh. (X/Paul Ronoh)

By Charity Kilei | Saturday, May 11, 2024

Rono revealed that approximately 33 hectares of land were damaged by the floods. He advised farmers to remain vigilant and cautioned against planting during heavy rains to prevent losses.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh has announced that the Ministry of Agriculture will compensate all farmers affected by floods.

Speaking on Saturday, during a gathering in Kericho County, Ronoh said the government had commenced the mapping out of affected farms to facilitate the compensation process.

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"We have observed significant crop and farm destruction due to floods. Several crops have been washed away," said Ronoh.

He assured that compensation plans were underway and would be implemented once the mapping process was concluded.

Ronoh revealed that approximately 33 hectares of land were damaged by the floods. He advised farmers to remain vigilant and cautioned against planting during heavy rains to prevent losses.

Speaking at the same event, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruyot encouraged farmers to embrace modern agricultural technology to mitigate losses during such challenging times.

“Farmers should avoid engaging in farming practices that lead to losses," said Cheruiyot.

He highlighted technology as vital for safeguarding farmers against frequent losses.

Kenya’s agriculture sector has been hit hard by the floods. About 40,000 acres of cropland have already been reported to have been destroyed. Additionally, the floods triggered landslides and soil erosion.

Fertiliser scandal

The Ministry's compensation announcement follows closely after its commitment to compensate farmers who received substandard fertilisers.

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) advised farmers to file formal complaints by submitting claim declaration forms to the nearest NCPB depot.

The Ministry of Agriculture has come under scrutiny as Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi faces impeachment, with the final decision expected on Monday.

Bumula MP Jack Wamboka spearheaded the motion for Linturi's impeachment, garnering support from over 110 MPs, including those aligned with President William Ruto.

Linturi is accused of involvement in a scandal regarding the quality of subsidised fertiliser distributed through the NCPB depots.

Wamboka cited constitutional violations and alleged misconduct as the basis for impeachment.

The motion was endorsed in parliament by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, expressing concerns about Linturi's failure to engage in public participation and his purported mismanagement of public funds in the fertiliser procurement process.

In connection with the fertiliser scandal, at least eight senior officials from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) have been suspended.

Their suspension awaits the outcome of a continuing investigation conducted by both the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Parliament.