Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has vowed to eliminate cartels in the miraa trade that have been denying farmers their hard-earned money.
Kindiki made the pledge after he asked President William Ruto to assign him the work of dismantling the cartels, as the head of state visited Meru County on his second day of Mt Kenya tour.
“I have one prayer Mr President. You know we cannot let you do all the work yet you have given us responsibilities. You have a Deputy President, Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries. This war against miraa cartels, delegate it to your Deputy President,” he stated.
Kindiki highlighted that he has some experience dealing with cartels and criminals elements in the society.
“When I was Cabinet Secretary for Interior, there were terrorist attacks in Lamu and banditry in North Rift and other parts of the country. Though I did not eliminate terrorism and banditry 100 per cent, the day you gave me the job, terrorists and bandits knew there was a true CS for Interior,” he stated.
“I therefore ask that you delegate me the assignment t to deal with miraa cartels and I assure you I will destroy the cartels very early in the morning.”
Kindiki’s remarks came as Ruto issued a stern warning to cartels in the miraa business in Mt. Kenya, particularly in Meru.
Speaking in Maua town in Meru County on Wednesday, Ruto said the government will take radical decisions in dealing with the cartels.
''I want to tell you that those who have made a ring of miraa cartels, I want to tell them that we only have three things with them. They should either stop the cartels' rings, or we will jail them,” he said.
Kindiki was assigned the role of ensuring normalcy returns to the miraa industry to ensure farmers accrue maximum benefits from the trade.
The warning to cartels comes weeks after Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced new pricing for miraa, raising the price of Grade 1 from Sh700 to Sh1,300.
Similarly, the price of Grade 2 miraa was increased to Sh700 from the previous retail price of Sh350, while the cost of Alele miraa was doubled from Sh500 to Sh1,000.
