Raila Odinga
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has accused President William Ruto of lying to Kenyans about reducing the cost of fertilizer to boost food production in the country.
Speaking on Sunday during a roadside rally in Kisii County, Raila said the Russian government donated the fertiliser being distributed to farmers in Kenya.
“Ruto is lying to Kenyans that he has brought down the cost of fertiliser to help farmers. That fertiliser was given for free by the Russian government, but now he is selling it at Ksh2,500. Where does that money go?” Raila questioned.
The opposition chief went on to allege that the subsidised fertilizer has been adulterated with sand to increase its quantity and help some officials make more money from Kenyan farmers
“They added sand to the fertiliser to increase its quantity. The agricultural functions were devolved and should be left to the county governments to handle them. Stop taking away functions of the county governments, instead, send money to the counties for them to run their operations smoothly,” he added.
His remarks come a month after President William Ruto announced a reduction of fertilizer prices from Ksh 3,500 to Ksh.2,500 for a 50-kilogram bag.
“Today, I am proud to announce the commencement of the second phase of our programme. On this leg, we shall begin by immediately bringing down the price of fertiliser from Ksh3,500 to Ksh2,500 per 50 kg bag,” he said.
Ruto noted the price reduction was inline with his promise to lower production costs instead of subsidising food prices, which saw him lower the price of a 50-kilogram bag from Ksh.7,000 to Ksh.3,500 in the last season.
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