Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has issued a strong warning to cartels he accuses of sabotaging the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate harmful pesticides from the Kenyan market.
Speaking on Wednesday, June 11, the CS said the cartels have intensified their pushback against a recent government ban on the importation of fifty agrochemical products deemed toxic and unfit for use. According to Kagwe, these groups have in the past two months deployed illegal tactics—including bribing lawmakers and regulatory bodies—to frustrate enforcement of the pesticide ban.
“They are fighting back through the media to ensure positive reporting on the banned chemicals,” said Kagwe. “They’re also bribing members of Parliament to sustain their agenda in the legislative houses.”
Kagwe maintained that the government would not relent in its bid to safeguard public health and food safety, insisting that the battle goes beyond policy to touch on the nation’s wellbeing.
“This is not just a policy issue—it is a fight for the health of our people, the integrity of our food systems, and the future of our environment,” he stated.
While addressing the public in Nakuru, Kagwe revealed that the fifty banned pesticide brands were also outlawed in their countries of origin. He noted that the list had been provided by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB).
As part of the government’s long-term solution, Kagwe announced plans to support local manufacturers of safer pesticide alternatives. The strategy includes scaling up pyrethrum production by expanding cultivation from the current ten thousand acres to more than seventy thousand acres.
“We will empower farmers and provide the necessary support to ensure sustainable production of local, safer alternatives,” he said, adding that this initiative would also generate employment across the agricultural sector.
Kagwe reaffirmed the government’s resolve to enforce the pesticide ban and shield farmers and consumers from the influence of vested commercial interests.
“We have decided that we will stop the importation of these products and instead focus on producing safe alternatives locally,” he said.
