Silverio Omari
Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed has warned Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary nominee Dr. Andrew Mwihia Karanja about the presence of influential ‘cartels’ within the ministry. He cautioned that if Karanja is not vigilant, he might find himself out of the position within a year.
Mohamed, a member of Parliament’s Committee on Appointments, explained that these malicious groups have manipulated deals in the ministry for years, to the detriment of Kenyan farmers. These so-called ‘cartels’ have consistently evaded accountability, often leaving Agriculture ministers to shoulder the blame for their actions. He pointed to previous ministers, including the recent former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi, who were removed from office due to scandals engineered by these shadowy figures. Despite the disbandment of the Cabinet by President William Ruto last month, Linturi was not reinstated, unlike some of his colleagues.
Mohamed advised Dr. Karanja that he must address these cartels effectively to avoid a similar fate. “The biggest problem in this country, in terms of governance, is the Ministry of Agriculture. Over the last 5 to 7 years, there have been numerous issues, from previous ministers to the one we approved who had 30 cases, and now to the current nominee,” said Mohamed.
He continued, “I want this nominee to demonstrate to this committee how he plans to tackle these cartels and the corruption in Agriculture. If corruption in government were a house, the Ministry of Agriculture would be the bedroom; the rest are just sitting rooms, servant quarters, and other small places.”
He added, “Having a PhD and dealing with corruption are two different things. I need him to show us, even physically if possible, how he will handle the corrupt individuals there. If he can prove that, I’ll be satisfied. Otherwise, after one year, he might be walking jobless in the streets.”
In response, Dr. Karanja assured the lawmaker and the Kenyan public that if approved, he would prioritize dismantling the cartels. He emphasized his commitment to integrity and his determination to act in the best interest of the country and its farmers.
“I understand that dealing with cartels is a significant challenge with many facets, but if approved, I will give notice to these cartels that their time is up. Integrity is a principle I hold dearly and will not compromise,” said the CS nominee.
He further stated, “Another principle I uphold is prioritizing the interests of the country and its farmers. We will do whatever it takes to address these issues, including implementing systems, governance structures, and involving all government agencies. I believe the government of Kenya has the capability and the agencies necessary to deal with these cartels, and I will lead the charge.”
Dj Vnyash
