Mwea rice farmers threaten to stop water levy payments over poor roads

Speaking during their annual general meeting, the farmers accused the NIA of neglecting road maintenance despite collecting annual levies meant for that purpose.

“We pay Ksh. 5,000 per acre every season, but the National Irrigation Authority has failed to repair the farm roads. Poor infrastructure has led to losses and reduced profits,” said Pius Njogu from the Thiba section.

Njogu said the roads within the scheme were last rehabilitated during the late President Mwai Kibaki’s administration. “The roads are in terrible condition, making it hard to transport rice from farms to stores in Mwariko, Ngurubani. After harvest, we end up paying up to KSh400 per bag just for transport,” he said.

John Mwangi Muigai from the Tebere section added that farmers have resolved not to pay the levies next season unless the situation improves.

According to Njiraini Kimenju from the Karaba section, the poor roads have forced many farmers to hire tractors to ferry rice to the main road. “Even the loaders cannot pass through the muddy fields. We now pay through eCitizen, but we are worried after the Auditor-General reported that some funds were unaccounted for,” he said.

The farmers have also petitioned the National Assembly to facilitate the issuance of title deeds for their farms, saying they have operated without legal ownership for decades.

“More than 200 farmers have signed a petition submitted through a local MP. We want title deeds so we can have full ownership and access loans for development,” Njogu said.

John Munene from the Thiba section said Mwea farmers remain the only group in Kirinyaga without legal land ownership. “We have been denied the right to own the land we have cultivated since the 1950s,” he said.