By Eldoret based Human Rights Activist Kimutai Kirui
We overely on senseless politicians and underutilized our experts – academicians or Scholars.
We’ve competent leaders but deceit, hypocrisy,lies, propaganda and conmanship command the ship.
When Dr Ruto Empower Kikuyu Youth and Women he’s a hero worth electing but Dr Mishra empower Kalenjin Youth and women he is a sellout.
In Eldoret hotbed of divisive politics – Education, employment, business opportunities and Medicare take passengers seat, reckless politicking is the driver’s seat.
We milk political mileage out of farm produce ,- detrimental to the producers.
No politician care about the ordinary mwananchi.. ONLY THE VOTE.
Why no policy nor legislation to regulate prices of farm inputs and the end products?
Can’t the farmer be allowed to control the product along the value chain now that agriculture is devolved?
What do we mean?
We only own farms,we don’t own the maize or milk along the value chain
We hear VALUE ADDITION but it is just catch phrase.
A farmer should be able to control the product a little further than harvesting and selling the crop to reap maximum returns
NCBP buy 90Kg at 3000 and sell to millers same maize at 4500 of 50Kg repackaged maize to Millers.
The government is actually using 40Kgs – almost half for storage.
Can’t county government even facilitate free storage facilities?
Millers will have maize flour,bran and other products…farmers need bonuses like tea farmers as well.
And Kalenjin politicians is the problem
The day we stop obsession for elections and zero in on what affects the people not elections,life will be better.
This must change..our overall view should be the Economy.
This culture where Leaders need KALENJIN for elections must be stopped
Leaders must engage experts not court poets, sycophants and demagogues if we truly want to modernize farming.
We must maximize on the many institutions RVTTI, Eldoret polytechnic and many universities lying idle around us.
We must explore new frontiers,Entrepreneurship, manufacture and companies.
We must invest in options and alternative that create jobs and create balance in the economy.
This way poverty tracks will be curtailed.
We urge the few billionaires or those who loot the state through inflated government tenders or lucrative jobs not to buy lands but invest in what will create employment for the people.
We overvalue land in this country, construction of schools and churches yet no one is willing to create jobs.
Schools only produce job seekers…a reason School dropouts employ graduates.
Without Kikuyu, Indian or Arab outlets, how’ll Eldoret be?
Our billionaires only bank money or Invest in shares,real estate and land.
When will we be manufacturers, distributors, retailers,wholesalers and supermarket owners?
Who owns Naivas,Yako or Rupa malls or better still run the business therein?
History will never forgive Mandago in Uasin Gishu,if milling is an industry still in hands of non KALENJIN what was the business of being a governor?
To remove hawkers in the streets?? collect taxes??