By Grace Gilo
The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, has condemned the June 25th protests after over 7,354 bags of fertilizer, each weighing 50kg and valued at over Ksh. 29.5 million were looted from the Maua National Cereals Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Meru County.
“We must never confuse democratic rights with anarchy. Peaceful demonstrations are being hijacked by criminals,” read the statement in part.
“Those who rob, destroy, and loot critical public installations such as the NCPB are not demonstrators, they are criminals and anarchists, and they must be treated as such,” reiterated the CS.
According to the CS, the looted fertilizer was meant to sustain farmers through the planting season.
“This reckless act jeopardizes the ability of our farmers to grow food, feed their families, and support the national economy,” he stated.
Mutahi further noted that the attack on the NCPB depot is not just a property crime, it is a direct assault on Kenya’s food security.
Emphasizing the importance of the fertilizer as a vital input for farmers across the region, Mutahi stated that its loss threatens to trigger a catastrophic crisis for both food crop and cash crop production.
The Agriculture CS urged the National Police Service to act with urgency in apprehending those involved in the looting and vandalism, recover the stolen fertilizer and prosecute in accordance with the law.
“Such actions undermine the legitimacy of peaceful protest and are an abuse of the democratic space,” he said.
“Just as brutality and loss of life are unacceptable, so too is the wanton destruction of public property and theft of critical agricultural inputs,” remarked the CS.