President bets on agriculture to drive growth, blasts wastage

President William Ruto delivers his speech during Madaraka Day celebrations at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi, Bungoma County. [PCS]

President William Ruto delivered a strong pitch on the efforts his administration is pursuing to revive the agriculture sector and position it as a key pillar of economic transformation.

This came as the President pledged to eradicate corruption, end wasteful spending of public resources and promote accountability among senior government officials.

He said he was committed to linking all sectors of the economy to ensure that the country becomes a success story.

The President's speech during the celebrations to mark 61st Madaraka Day celebrations, however, failed to mention some problems that the country is grappling with, including health workers strikes, disquiet over high taxes and woes in the education sector.

Speaking in Bungoma at the Masinde Muliro Stadium, Ruto focused on the agriculture sector and outlined strategies that, he said, the government is pursuing to increase production.

"We will work to make sure that we deal with the challenge of corruption, wasteful spending and unnecessary use of public resources. We are going to ensure we drive the agenda of Kenya in a manner that benefits all regions," he said.

Chartered plane

Kenyans have questioned the President's own expenditure following his recent visit to the United States using a chartered plane said to have cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of shillings. He has since defended the decision, saying the cost of hiring the aircraft was covered by "friends".

Yesterday, however, Ruto focused on the revival of key sub-sectors in the agriculture sector as part of efforts to boost food security and expand the country's income base.

"Last year, a long drought ended, giving way to floods. Climate change may have slowed us but it will not kill our resolve to become food secure. We will move to restore the environment and encourage climate-smart agriculture," he said.

He detailed an ambitious plan to increase irrigation and construct dams to support sustainable water management, with an investment projected at Sh10 billion.

The President also commissioned 18,000 agripreneurs who will be dispatched to mobilise farmers across the country to enhance food security and ensure farmers reap sufficient benefits from their work.

He praised the spirit of small-scale farmers and outlined interventions to bolster the sector. Notably, he announced debt relief amounting to Sh110 billion for sugar factories and a commitment of Sh2 billion towards sugarcane development.

"As part of my commitment to invest the Sh2 billion in sugarcane development through State-owned mills, after leasing is completed, I am proud to announce that the government has approved the first tranche of Sh600 million for seed cane development, and the National Treasury shall shortly release these funds," he said.

Sugar industry

"The sugar industry is a highly strategic sub-sector, whose value chains have been the mainstay of the local economies of our sugar belt, and a generator of much-needed jobs. For this reason, we are firmly committed to ensuring that the sugar industry returns maximum value to all actors in its value chains, beginning with the initial and foundational entrepreneur," said the President.

Ruto said a new leasing model that will guarantee prompt payment for cane deliveries, timely wages for factory workers and bonuses to sugar cane farmers every end of the year, will be put in place.

"I call upon relevant agencies to accelerate the review process and to incorporate proceeds from by-products," he said.

He also highlighted the government's plans for the livestock sector and unveiled initiatives to commercialise and reform it.

The initiatives include the Livestock Commercialisation Project, which supports 110,000 vulnerable youth and women-led households in 10 counties, with an investment of Sh5 billion.

He listed strategies to enhance productivity across various sectors, including dairy, leather and red meat.

Noteworthy commitments include increasing annual milk production from 5.1 billion to 10 billion litres by 2027, with an investment of Sh3 billion in the milk revolving fund.

On cotton farming, the President said the government is on course with plans to increase production from 2,500 bales in 2022 to 107,000 by 2025 and modernise ginneries.

He also highlighted recent bilateral trade agreements, including securing favourable terms with the European Union and the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) during his recent visit to the United States.

"Smallholder tea farmers recently exported KETEPA's value-added tea to West Africa and China. The government has also increased farm-to-table food safety through frameworks such as the Food Safety Policy, and a Food Safety Coordination Bill," he said.

Ruto called on Kenyans to unite in pursuit of ambitious visions for the nation's future. "The 2022 election was definitive as it helped eliminate tribalism and assured that no system is big enough to select a leader but the people," he said.

He fired a warning at extravagant government officials, saying they will face the consequences soon.

"We will deal with the corruption and wasteful spending and ensure we drive the agenda of Kenya in a manner that will benefit all regions."

"We must live within our means. Every officer, starting with me, will be held accountable for spending," he added.

Ruto has denied spending more than Sh200 million to charter a plane during his trip to the United States.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was uncharacteristically short in his remarks.

The DP said the President was the vision carrier of the Kenya Kwanza administration that, he said, is determined to improve the economic fortunes of the country.

Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka urged Kenyans to emulate second liberation struggle fighter Masinde Muliro, in whose honour the stadium the event was marked was named.

Other leaders present were governors George Natembeya (Trans Nzoia), Paul Otuoma (Busia), Wilberforce Ottichilo (Vihiga), Simba Arati (Kisii), Fernandez Barasa (Kakamega) and Senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Wafula Wakoli (Bungoma), among others.