Mwea rice farmers are set to receive a major boost after Deputy President Kithure Kindiki pledged Sh1 billion to help the government purchase their produce and ensure locally grown rice gets priority over imports.
Kindiki said the government would channel the money through the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), which will buy rice and other locally produced cereals when farmers begin harvesting later in the year.
He said the move would help protect farmers from poor returns while strengthening the country's food reserves, with rice from Mwea and other producing areas expected to be bought before foreign supplies are allowed into the market.
“We will not import rice until we offtake all the rice grown in Mwea, in Kirinyaga County and all the rice-growing areas. We will not allow importation of rice before we buy all the rice in the country,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President spoke on Friday, September 18, 2026, during a tour of Mwea Constituency in Kirinyaga County, where he inspected various development projects and outlined government plans for the area.
Kindiki said Sh1 billion would be provided to KNTC to support the purchase of locally produced cereals during the coming harvest.
“The Government will ensure all rice produced by our farmers at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme will be bought by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) to boost national food reserves before rice is imported into the country,” he said.
The arrangement is expected to give rice farmers a ready outlet for their harvest while helping the government increase its food stocks.
Kindiki further said the government would maintain efforts to support farmers involved in major agricultural sectors, including coffee, milk and tea, with the aim of improving returns from their produce.
Roads and electricity projects
During his visit, Kindiki inspected the ongoing tarmacking of the Kangiciri-Karira Hospital-Ngurubani Road, which is close to completion.
The road is part of a 65-kilometre transport corridor that passes through Kirinyaga Central, Ndia and Mwea constituencies.
According to Kindiki, Kirinyaga County has received Sh37 billion for the construction of about 500 kilometres of roads, with projects at different stages of implementation.
He also opened the Mwea Huduma Centre, which will provide residents with access to a range of government services closer to their homes.
The facility will also host a Jitume ICT Hub, providing young people with access to digital skills and opportunities to make a living through online work.
“Our interest is to ensure the people of Mwea get development projects like every part of the country. We will make sure all ongoing projects are completed as we start others,” Kindiki said.
Kindiki also highlighted the construction of a County Aggregation and Industrial Park valued at Sh500 million. The project is being jointly funded by the national and county governments.
He pledged a further Sh300 million to expand electricity connectivity and bring more residents in Mwea Constituency onto the power network.
The government is also planning to expand the Makutano-Mwea-Embu-Chuka-Meru-Maua highway, a project expected to improve movement and connectivity across the region.
Kindiki shifts focus to development
The Deputy President also connected the government's development programme to the next General Election, saying Kenyans would assess the administration based on what it had delivered.
Kindiki said he would not be drawn into personal exchanges with political rivals, maintaining that the focus should instead be on development records.
“I will not engage in trading insults because I know I will lose but I can assure you no one will defeat me in a contest over development,” he said.
He challenged opposition leaders who have previously served in senior government positions to account for their record while in office instead of concentrating on political attacks.
“I am asking our opponents to also be ready to tell Kenyans what they did when they were in power because most of them have occupied powerful offices before. Before they christen names like Kasongo or Soprano, first tell us what you have done for the people,” Kindiki said.