President William Ruto has vowed to reduce the cost of fertilisers from next week.
Speaking in Kangari, Murang'a County, the head of state told residents that he had fulfilled his earlier campaign promise of reducing the cost of fertiliser from Sh7,000 to 3,500 further promising to lower it.
"Mambo ya mbolea ilikuwa elfu saba, mwaka huu tumeteremsha mpaka Sh3,500. Natangaza nikiwa hapa Murang'a, kuanzia next week, ile mbolea ya chai, kahawa, mahindi na ngano tutapunguza kutoka Shh3,500 mpaka Sh2,500," Ruto said.
This, he said, will help reduce the cost of maize flour, which Kenyans have been decrying has shot up in the last few months.
"Tumesema bei ya unga imepanda, ili kuteremsha bei ya unga si ni lazima tusaidie mkulima azalishe chakula zaidi. Iko njia ingine ya kuondoa njaa?" Ruto said.
He further criticized Azimio leaders who had called on their protesters to come out with sufurias and wear them on their heads during the 3-day anti-government protests to portray the high cost of living.
"Ati mtu anavaa sufuria kwa kichwa na kufanya maandamano ati bei ya unga itashuka chini. Mimi nauliza nyinyi watu wa Kangari, ata kwa dawa, ata kwa uganga, ata kwa uchawi, bei ya unga itashuka kwa sababu mtu ameweka sufuria kwa kichwa, itashuka chini kweli?" Ruto posed.
In his address, the head of state additionally promised to remove taxes on all materials involved in the manufacturing of fertiliser and animal feeds saying it will help eliminate hunger and famine in the country.
"Vifaa yote ambayo inatumika kutenegeneza mbolea sasa tutaondoa ushuru. Ile vifaa yote ambayo inatumika kwa chakula ya ng'ombe tunaondoa ushuru. Kwa sababu tunataka kumsaidia mkulima azalishe chakula tuondoe njaa katika taifa letu la Kenya," Ruto said.
He reiterated that his administration would like to use agriculture as the main way of putting money in the pockets of Kenyans.
Ruto was speaking in Kangari where he had launched a school feeding programme accompanied by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other Murang'a local leaders.
