Raila raises questions over duty-free food imports
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Raila questions Ruto over the planned importation of duty-free rice, edible oils, and fertilizer
Raila questions Ruto over the planned importation of duty-free rice, edible oils, and fertilizer.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Sunday stepped up his call for civil disobedience against President William Ruto’s administration by questioning the importation of duty-free rice, edible oils, and fertilizer.
The Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) has been granted permission to facilitate the importation of various duty-free commodities that will cost the taxpayer Sh21.76 billion.
Raila, who was joined by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Martha Karua of Narc Kenya, argued that the Kenya Kwanza administration is unconstitutional and that the Ruto government eliminated subsidies so that it could give favors to those who are close to the administration by awarding importation contracts to them.
“They removed these subsidies so that they can give importation tenders of maize and rice to their friends, that is ongoing, corruption in this government has increased,” said Raila.
The supplies are meant to cushion at least 1.5 million Kenyans from starvation caused by the ravaging drought and also help subsidize food production.
However, questions have been raised about how KNTC contracted the seven firms.
“Corruption has increased, they said they will import food under subsidy, they revived the KNTC agency and set aside monies for it, then they gave out tenders which are given to their friends to import maize, wheat, oil, and wheat,” claimed Raila.
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“KNTC was only revived because some people want to benefit from it. I hear they are even importing tractors illegally, that’s why they want them to go home,” said Raila, asking Kenyans to join the mass action campaign in the quest to push for reduced cost of living.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir asked senators and MPs to question the reintroduction of the trading corporation, claiming that the government is not genuine in reducing the cost of living.
The leaders raised queries about why KNTC was given billions of shillings to oversee the importation of the commodities given that its latest audited financial statements show that its total annual income was Sh150 million with a profit of Sh15 million.
On the last General Election, Raila claimed the Kenya Kwanza government colluded with the electoral agency to alter elections through four illegal servers mounted outside the country.
Raila further claimed that if the server is opened today, it will be revealed his side got 8.1 million votes while Ruto got 5.9 million votes saying it can scientifically be verified.
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