MPs from tea growing regions now want President Uhuru Kenyatta to crack the whip on his cabinet secretaries sleeping on the job as farmers suffer low prices.
The 20 lawmakers singled out Trade Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya whom they accused of failing the President in the manner he is handling the issue of marketing tea and coffee resulting into farmers fetching reduced prices every year.
The leaders mainly from Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions also faulted Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri for allowing exploitation of poor farmers at the expense of known brokers making a kill at the Kenya Tea Development Authority.
Addressing a press conference at parliament buildings on Wednesday, the MPs led by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said they will do everything to protect the plight of farmers hinting of a possible censure motion against some CSs.
“Where you see smoke there is fire,” Kuria said when asked if sponsoring impeachment of the Cabinet Secretaries involved is part of their strategy.
“We are demanding better prices for our tea, we want the government to start taking our farmers seriously,” added Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua said Uhuru meant well for both tea and coffee farmers but he is being intentionally let down by members of his cabinet entrusted with the mandate of streamlining the ailing sector.
“Since Munya was given the Trade docket, he has never set foot in any tea factory to engage with the farmers all they do is to appoint task forces of technocrats who have no idea. We voted for this government to a man yet CS given the mandate is sleeping on the job,” he said.