Three cereals board officials sacked over graft

Three National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) officers have been sacked over corruption allegations.

According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett, more officers are being investigated following claims that they colluded with middlemen to sell fertilizers to farmers at exorbitant prices.

Speaking in Eldoret, Bett confirmed that proper mechanisms have been put in place to protect farmers from unscrupulous middlemen.

This comes after Deputy President William Ruto on Saturday assured farmers from North Rift that by the 10th of this month, a total of 1.1 million bags will be available in the regional NCPB stores, adding that the government has set aside Sh5 million for subsidized fertilizer.

Ruto was in Eldoret to forestall complaints by farmers in the north rift that they were being shortchanged in the supply of subsidized fertile.

The deputy president pointed out that a lot of subsidized fertilizer products are being hoarded by unscrupulous businessmen who repackage and sell to farmers at exorbitant prices.

Farmers will now be required to form cooperative societies and saccos curb the middlemen menace.