Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Mutahi Kagwe has vowed to confront the entrenched cartels in the ministry, which he says have derailed progress and ousted previous Cabinet Secretaries.

Kagwe expressed confidence in his ability to tackle these challenges, drawing from his experience in the Ministry of Health during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, despite controversies like the KEMSA scandal.

“Cartels fight back. Will they fight me back once I start fighting them? Absolutely. But I am ready because I know the battle will come, and the cartels will resist. Regardless, there are enough people who will be supportive,” Kagwe said.

Kagwe made the remarks on Tuesday while responding to a question from National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed during his vetting before the Committee on Appointments.

“You are the third Cabinet Secretary in this docket, if approved. The question I’ve asked your predecessors is whether they understand what they’re getting into. Are you aware of the challenges ahead?” Mohammed asked.

In response, Kagwe assured the committee of his readiness to address the deep-rooted issues in the agriculture sector.

“As I went into the Ministry of Health, I was aware of the presence of cartels. I am equally aware they exist in the Ministry of Agriculture. I am prepared for the fight,” Kagwe said during the session chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

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