KIRINYAGA, Kenya — Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has urged the national government to purchase all locally produced rice before approving duty-free imports, warning that unchecked importation could devastate farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme as the harvest season begins.
Speaking during her State of the County Address (SOCA) at the Kirinyaga County Assembly on Tuesday, Waiguru said the influx of cheap imported rice had flooded the market, pushing down prices for local produce and threatening farmers’ livelihoods.
“The rice import should only be to fill the deficit and not to flood the market,” Waiguru said. “So before you import rice from outside, priority should be given to our farmers.”
Her remarks follow a gazette notice by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, directing the importation of duty-free Grade 1 rice on or before December 31, 2025.
The directive, meant to cushion consumers from high food prices, has sparked outrage among rice farmers, who say it risks destabilising local markets.
Farmers in Mwea, the country’s leading rice-growing region, have decried stagnating prices, arguing that imported rice is undercutting locally produced varieties such as Pishori and Basmati.
“One good thing about Pishori rice is that it has always had a ready market and fetched a fair price,” said Mwea Rice Growers Chairperson Ndege Muriuki. “But now, with imported rice entering duty-free, we fear that our local Basmati rice will have nowhere to go. We are facing a bumper harvest, and without a market, we will suffer huge losses.”
The farmers have appealed to the government to review the import plan and prioritise the purchase of local rice stocks before importing, saying that protecting domestic producers is vital to sustaining thousands of households dependent on rice farming in Kirinyaga County.
Waiguru also proposed that rice farmers be given the first right of refusal to purchase the Mwea Rice Mills (MRM) when it is offered for privatisation.
“Since farmers already own 45pc of MRM, it is only fair that they are given first priority in acquiring the national government’s 55pc stake,” she said. “The county government will stand with our farmers to ensure they can manage and run the factory themselves.”
She added that recent investments in irrigation infrastructure, including the completion of the Thiba Dam, have significantly boosted rice production in Mwea.
Farmers can now cultivate rice three times a year, up from one season previously, resulting in a surge in output.
“Mwea Irrigation Scheme is now Kenya’s leading rice producer, accounting for about 80pc of the nation’s rice output,” Waiguru said. “Production has grown from 90,000 metric tonnes in 2017 to 210,000 metric tonnes, generating an annual income of Sh15 billion.”
The county government, she said, remains committed to supporting farmers through improved infrastructure, value addition, and fair market access to ensure sustainable growth in the sector.
