NAIROBI, August 4, 2025.
Kenya's agricultural sector is reeling in protest after the government greenlit the duty-free importation of half a million metric tonnes of milled white rice, a move critics are branding a devastating blow to domestic farmers and national food security. The contentious Gazette Notice No. 10353, issued July 28th, allows Grade-1 rice imports without the standard 35% duty until December 31st, sparking fierce condemnation led by agricultural economist Professor Fred Ogolla and his group "TEAM EVOLVE".
Professor Ogolla minced no words, declaring the decision "a grave threat to the survival of Kenya’s domestic rice sector and the broader economy." He argued that East Africa's leading economy should prioritize investment in staple foods like rice, pointing to neighbouring Tanzania's success story. After banning imports and investing heavily, Tanzania now produces 2.4 million tonnes annually, enough for its people and a surplus for export. In stark contrast, Kenya consumes 1 million tonnes yearly but produces only 300,000 tonnes locally, despite having the potential to yield over 1.5 million tonnes with focused investment. Critics see the duty-free imports as deliberate sabotage, flooding the market during the peak local harvest season, running until end-December and directly undermining farmers in key regions like Mwea, Ahero, and Bura who currently hold ample stocks.
The outcry centres on the crushing unfair competition created. Local traders, millers, input suppliers, logistics workers, and small retailers face ruin against duty-free imports, threatening "hundreds of thousands of jobs" across the value chain. TEAM EVOLVE accuses the government of deliberately handicapping local production through high taxes while enabling cronyism, calling the notice "a haven for cronies and unscrupulous businessmen" who profit while legitimate importers pay the 35% levy. They cite the failure of a similar 500,000-tonne duty-free quota in 2024, noting USDA data showed no significant drop in consumer rice prices, proving the policy merely "enriches a few connected individuals" while draining national revenue and foreign exchange reserves. This approach, they argue, fundamentally contradicts food sovereignty, a non-negotiable national interest upheld by nations like the US, Japan, and China by "manipulating the market" and creating a "rigged system" favouring foreign goods over Kenyan produce.
In response, TEAM EVOLVE issued a five-point ultimatum demanding the immediate cancellation of the Gazette Notice and duty-free quota, the reinstatement of the 35% import duty and a redirection of public investment towards critical local infrastructure like irrigation, milling, cooperatives, and value addition under the National Rice Development Strategy. They further demand the government mobilize all state agencies to attract diverse, integrated investment into the rice sector, rejecting monopolization by "a few players or foreign governments" specifically mentioning Japan, stressing that "Kenya must be built by Kenyans according to Kenyan resources all the time." Finally, they insist on a realistic, transparent, time-bound strategy to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2030, dismissing current government plans as "unrealistic and unserious."
Framing the issue as one of "national dignity, economic justice, and survival" impacting millions, including smallholders, youth, and women traders, Prof. Ogolla issued a stark warning: "Death is not only by the bullet; more painful and widespread death can be achieved by policies against food security." TEAM EVOLVE's rallying cry is for fundamental economic transformation. "Kenya must EVOLVE from a Consumption Economy to a Production Economy." We can’t keep the Wheels of our ECONOMY in the parking lot growing imports while reducing local, Express and expect a stronger Shilling, offer Free Education, Free Healthcare and Guarantee jobs. LET’S EVOLVE KENYAN ECONOMY now, not in 2027, NOW." The group has called for nationwide condemnation, urging stakeholders, faith leaders, civil society, media, and citizens to join the outcry, placing intense pressure on the government to address these escalating fears for Kenya's agricultural future.
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