Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has publicly condemned the national government's decision to permit the importation of 500,000 metric tonnes of duty-free milled white rice, arguing the policy will devastate the livelihoods of local farmers. In a statement issued on Thursday, 30 October 2025, Waiguru asserted that the timing of the imports could not be worse, as they are set to flood the market just as farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme—the country's largest rice-producing region—prepare for a bumper harvest.

“Our Mwea rice farmers have invested heavily to produce high-quality Pishori rice, spending about Ksh. 60 per kilogram,” Waiguru stated, emphasizing that the influx of cheap imports threatens years of progress and could lead to significant financial losses for farming households. She urged the national government to halt the importation plan and prioritize the purchase of all locally produced rice before seeking to fill any deficit with foreign supplies. “Before you import rice from outside, just note that our stores are full with rice and we ask that you first buy that one and then import to meet the deficit,” she said.

Policy Collision: Food Security vs. Farmer Livelihoods

The controversial import plan was formalized through a Kenya Gazette notice dated 28 July 2025, by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture. The notice authorizes the duty-free importation of Grade 1 Milled White Rice until 31 December 2025, a measure the government defends as necessary for national food security.

Government officials argue that the imports are essential to stabilize soaring consumer prices and bridge a significant national production gap. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya's annual rice consumption is over one million metric tonnes, while local production stands at approximately 230,000 metric tonnes. This leaves a deficit of around 770,000 tonnes that must be met by imports. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has previously warned that blocking necessary imports could lead to severe shortages and disrupt supply chains for essential institutions like schools and hospitals.

In response to initial farmer outcry, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General, Dr. Bruno Linyiru, assured on 31 July 2025, that the government would protect farmers' interests and that the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) was actively procuring local rice to guarantee a market.

Legal Challenges and Market Realities

The import directive has faced legal opposition. Following a petition by the Farmers' Party, the High Court in Kerugoya intervened on 19 August 2025. Justice Edward M. Muriithi capped the duty-free import volume at 250,000 metric tonnes and shortened the importation window to 31 October 2025, in a bid to balance food security needs with the protection of local producers. However, Governor Waiguru's recent statements indicate that the concerns of farmers remain acute as the deadline approaches.

Leaders in Kirinyaga County, which hosts the Mwea Irrigation Scheme that supplies over 60% of Kenya's domestic rice, have reported that their stores are already overflowing with unsold stock from previous seasons due to prior import waves. Ndege Muriuki, chairperson of the Mwea Rice Multipurpose Cooperative Society, stated on 30 October 2025, that cheap imports have forced local farmers to lower their prices from a typical Ksh 90-100 per kilogram of unprocessed rice to Ksh 85. He fears the continued importation will cripple the economy of Mwea, which is heavily dependent on the crop.

The standoff highlights a persistent tension in Kenya's agricultural policy: the national government's mandate to ensure affordable food for all citizens versus the devolved governments' responsibility to protect the economic welfare of their local farmers. As the harvest season begins, thousands of farming families in Kirinyaga and beyond are watching closely, their financial stability hanging in the balance.