Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli has launched a comprehensive investigation into the utilisation of donor and county funds allocated to the agricultural sector, with a particular emphasis on Bungoma County.
At a stakeholders’ meeting at Mabanga Agricultural Training College (ATC), Senator Wakoli, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Blue Economy, emphasised the importance of transparency and prudent resource management to support farmers and enhance food production.
“Our objective is to establish how agriculture-related donor funds have been spent, particularly in Bungoma. We want to ensure these resources are used prudently to benefit farmers and improve food production,” he said.
The senator disclosed that the committee had received numerous complaints from farmers regarding alleged corruption within coffee cooperatives. As a result, the committee will be conducting thorough audits of these societies.
“We’ll be conducting checks to understand how these cooperatives are operating and where the money is going,” he stated.
The committee’s mandate extends beyond agriculture to include livestock, such as goats, sheep, donkeys and camels, as well as the blue economy, encompassing fisheries and horticulture. It is also assessing whether counties are successfully aligning agricultural value chains with emerging industrial parks.
“With the growth of industrial parks in counties, we’re keen to see if agriculture is being integrated into these developments, and whether the grassroots are seeing tangible benefits,” Wakoli added.
The senator assured stakeholders that the committee will present actionable recommendations. Matters beyond the county’s jurisdiction will be referred to the relevant national ministries for redress.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka welcomed the Senate’s oversight visit, saying it would help highlight areas that need improvement.
“We look forward to the committee’s findings. They will guide us in improving service delivery and ensuring agriculture becomes a pillar of economic transformation in Bungoma,” he said.
During the visit, the Senate committee held engagements with coffee and dairy farmers across several locations, including Kaptama Coffee Factory, Mt Elgon, Menu Coffee Factory in Sirisia, and Chesikaki Coffee Factory.
Farmers, led by Mark Ndiema, raised key concerns including a shortage of agricultural extension officers, limited access to direct markets for their produce, and uncompetitive coffee prices compared to other regions.
The findings of the probe are expected to shape policy decisions aimed at revitalising agriculture and restoring trust among key stakeholders in Bungoma’s farming sector.
