Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has claimed prominent politicians are behind the importation of duty-free maize in the country.
Karua, who has joined the growing list of leaders opposing the importation of the cereal, said the politicians are out to make quick money at the expense of local maize farmers.
“Maize, maize, maize. Source of daily meal for a majority of Kenyans. To wheeler dealers, a get-rich-quick medium imported often needlessly at the expense of the local farmer,” she said on Twitter.
Karua further took a swipe at President William Ruto claiming he was associated with a maize scandal when he was Agriculture minister in the Grand Coalition Government.
“We are now set for season two of the Maize scandal. Ships docking with the consignment of maize before rules of importation are known and when local farmers are harvesting,” she said.
“To add in the mix is purported Cabinet approval for GMO products to enter the country.”
The Narc Kenya party leader said the introduction of genetically modified foodstuffs was irregular because there was no legitimate Cabinet when the decision was allegedly made.
She said the decision on GMOs was no more than a roadside declaration and therefore illegitimate.
“Once a president is inaugurated after elections, the reign of the outgoing ends and the outgoing Cabinet dissolved by operation of law. The purported Cabinet meetings with Uhuru’s Cabinet after inauguration a nullity,” she stated.
A section of MPs from have since threatened to impeach Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria over the importation of duty-free maize as farmers are anticipating a bumper harvest.
The politicians mostly from the North Rift and Western region have demanded that Kuria ceases the issuance of the gazette notice to allow the importation of 10 million bags until April next year.
Led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, the MPs said the Cabinet has not approved any maize importation.