Is Kimunya betraying Kenyan Producers?

By David Ochami

MPs on Wednesday accused the Trade minister of sacrificing the interests of Kenyan farmers and producers in negotiations with Western and other foreign nations.

Nyakach MP Pollyns Ochieng told Trade minister Amos Kimunya that the government's pursuit of the Economic Partnership Agreements between Kenya and the European Union has depressed Kenya's agriculture and economy and demanded guarantees against unfettered liberalisation and accession to agreements with the EU.

Kimunya claimed that in negotiations with the EU since 2001 the

Agriculture ministry has ensured the participation of Kenyan producers before signing of agreements but MPs accused him and the government of impoverishing farmers by opening the local market to foreign pressures.

The Nyakach MP said the local fish industry has not benefited from the deals with the EU as Naivasha MP John Mututho said unfair treaties

are destroying local agricultural production.

Import duty

Kimunya was also admonished for suggesting that the Agriculture

minister Sally Kosgey supports the recent lowering of import duty on

wheat.

Kosgey opposes the lowering of the duty imposed by Finance

Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, apparently in fulfilment of a collective East

Africa Community duty policy on wheat importation.

The minister said the drop was necessary to protect local millers and

enable the East African Community member states import adequate

amounts of the crop.

Kimunya said the government has introduced several measures to protect Kenyan farmers including improving infrastructure to foster market access and competitiveness and exclusion of some crops from duty fluctuation.