President William Ruto issued new orders to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday, January 15, to resolve the crisis in the coffee, tea, and milk sectors as soon as possible.
During a thanksgiving service in Bomet County, Ruto told Gachagua to go ahead with the task without any fear from any quarter.
“That responsibility of tackling brokers and cartels in these sectors will be handled by my deputy, I know he will deliver because he has a soft spot for the downtrodden and will ensure the job is done. I know the deputy president is up to the task and eliminating these cartels so that Kenyans can feel the value of the produce,” he said.
Ruto also defended the move to task Gachagua with the mandate to crack the whip on cartels exploiting farmers.
He denied claims that the move is aimed at finishing the DP’s politically saying that he is committed in the fight against the faceless individuals exploiting farmers.
“Let me be clear, we were elected together with Gachagua and if he falls, both of us will fall,” Ruto said.
“Those opposed to the roles I have assigned him know that he will deliver, move with speed and rid off those cartels and brokers,” he affirmed.
Gachagua, for his part, stated that he is prepared to fight cartels that have completely paralysed farmers and denied them profit from their sweat.
“The people being the exploitations of farmers are big people and have money and I’m wondering why their interests is to make sure the farmers get little money or no money at all. We will face them squarely and before the end of the year things will start moving in the right direction,” he said.
He pleaded with the president to let him do his job without fear or favour, and he warned the cartels to leave the sector before he set foot there.
“By mid-this year, we will have removed them from the sectors because they stole the money using their own banks,” he said.
Gachagua stated that politics are over and that it is time for every leader to get to work and fulfil the promises they made to Kenyans.
“We are now putting the country back on its feet and we are now heading in the right direction as a nation in terms of economy,” Gachagua said.
