One term is a reality: Opposition criticises gov't over rice importation plan

The leaders argued that the directive to import 500,000 metric tonnes of milled white rice would also cripple local producers. Here's Seth Olale with this report.

The controversial opening of a duty-free window for the importation of 500,000 metric tonnes of milled white rice, set to last until the end of the year, now faces objection from both opposition and Kenya Kwanza Alliance leaders.

PLP's Martha Karua, DAP-K's Eugene Wamalwa, and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka say the move will negatively impact farmers.

"This is a criminal regime that not only resorts to wilful violence against its people, resorts to physically harming its populace unfit for public consumption of goods, but also attempts to limit its people via wilful and defunding education which is a right," Karua noted.

Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru and Maara legislator Joseph Mugweru have joined the list of leaders protesting the government's duty-free rice importation.

"Promote our farmers who have excess rice in their farms," said governor Waiguru.

"Let them buy from farmers," added Maara MP Kereke Mbiuki.

However, while speaking at the Kenya School of Agriculture in Nyeri county, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe assured rice farmers that the government will purchase all locally available rice stocks before any importation is allowed.

"We are assuring all farmers that the government is going to buy all stock from the farmers. The imports won't affect local production," Kagwe pointed out.

The Agriculture and Food Authority, through a press release, stated:

"Failure to import rice under the current shortfall would lead to either acute food scarcity or a sharp spike in prices not only for rice but also for other staples such as maize flour and wheat products. This would create a domino effect on the cost of living and place an unsustainable burden on millions of Kenyan households."

Opposition leaders further claimed that, besides rice, 25,000 metric tonnes of imported sugar is already on its way to a sugar factory based in Western Kenya to be repackaged and sold to unsuspecting Kenyans.

"And we know that the three-month closure of the mills in Western was to realize artificial shortage in order for secret importation and re-packaging of the unfit sugar for sale," Wamalwa indicated.

"President William Ruto, you are living on borrowed time and we are telling you that one term is a reality," said Kalonzo Musyoka.

In response to the allegations, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) assured the public that no consignment of sugar unfit for human consumption has been released into the Kenyan market. 

"Our attention is drawn to statements circulating in the public domain alleging that contaminated sugar is circulating in the Kenyan market," KEBS stated in a statement dated July 31, 2025.

"KEBS would like to dispel these allegations and ascertain that both locally produced and imported sugar undergo mandatory and rigorous inspection, testing and certification before release to the market."