Former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, Mwangi Kiunjuri has accepted the president’s decision to relieve him of his duties, saying the decision did not catch him by surprise.
Addressing the media hours after the Head of State announced his removal from the Cabinet, Kiunjuri admitted that the agriculture docket, which he took over in December 2015, has been a challenging docket to manage.
The president’s directives on matters agriculture have also been welcomed.
Early Tuesday morning, President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation from the steps of the State House, Mombasa in a speech that spoke volumes about his development agenda as he enters the second half of his second term as the president of Kenya.
Notable in his speech was his decision to drop change guard at the ministry of agriculture.
But in a carefully worded statement in which he thanked the president, Kiunjuri appeared to welcome his removal from the agriculture docket, terming it as a relief.
Although Kiunjuri did not reveal his next move, he expressed confidence that his best days are still ahead.
Kiunjuri’s stint at Kilimo House has been one of many challenges, starting with a firm rebuke from the president over his handling of payments to maize farmers in the north rift that was said to have been skewed in favour of traders.
The tea and dairy industries have also been facing a tough period under his watch that has seen small scale tea growers and dairy farmers endure low returns for their produce.
President Kenyatta’s policy directives on matters agriculture have now been welcomed as moves that will benefit the Kenyan farmer.
Kiunjuri’s exit from the agriculture ministry now paves the way for Peter Munya who will now also take charge of the co-operatives movement as he takes over his new cabinet docket.
