Nyandarua governor says potatoes are safe

Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha when he appeared before the Committee on Public Investments at Bunge Towers, Nairobi. May 2, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha has told the Senate that the potatoes produced in the county are safe for human consumption, dismissing the findings of a research that claimed that most of the potatoes are laced with chemicals.

Badilisha, who appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the county produces 30 per cent of potatoes in the country. He said his administration was not involved in the research and the matter required further verification.

The governor told the committee chaired by Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli that the allegations that Nyandarua farmers have one set of land for potatoes planted for local consumption and another that for those to be sold in other parts of the country as ridiculous.

"The allegations that our farmers have planted potatoes for their consumption which is safe and another set of potatoes which is laced with harmful chemicals that is sold to other parts of the country is in bad taste since that is further from the truth and aims to destroy our reputation," said Badilisha.

Wakoli said that it was a matter of great concern that there were allegations that the residents of Nyandarua have potatoes for their own consumption and another that they sell to the rest of the country which is serious given that most Kenyans love potatoes from the county which is one of the largest producers in the country.

The Bungoma senator told the governor that they need to move in quickly and address the matter so as to ensure that Kenyans know the truth about the status of potatoes in Nyandarua County, normally consumed in various parts of the country.

"It is a matter of fact that potatoes from Nyandarua County are a favourite to many Kenyans. Therefore, the allegations that they may be laced with harmful chemicals raise a lot of questions and should be addressed as soon as possible to ensure the health of citizens is not compromised," said Wakoli.

The governor said the research took a wrong approach since it zeroed in on Nyandarua yet Narok, Nakuru and Meru counties also produce potatoes on a large scale.