Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe has called on Members of Parliament to expedite the passage of key agriculture Bills and legislative amendments before the end of 2026, warning that delays could derail critical sector reforms as the country heads into the 2027 General Election campaign period.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting with the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Kagwe said Parliament has a limited window to conclude legislative business that is crucial to transforming the agriculture and livestock sectors.
He warned that after the election campaigns kick off, legislative business might slow down, causing the passing of some key laws to be delayed and others having to go back into Parliament for the next term.
The CS argued that both the pending and new legislative bills needed to be taken seriously in order to facilitate the reforms in the sector which were supposed to move forward despite the political calendar.
The CS directed the officials from the ministry of Agriculture and livestock development to provide MPs with detailed, reliable and well-researched information to guide debates on the proposed bills.
He observed that in order to formulate policies that serve the interests of the farmers, the Members of Parliament need data to help them answer supplementary questions posed on the floor of the house when discussing the bills.
As per the CS, data-driven policymaking still plays a significant role in the transformation of the agriculture sector.
The meeting brought together members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture, led by Chairperson John Mutunga and Deputy Chairperson Brighton Yegon. Also present were committee members Mpuru Aburi, Monicah Muthoni, Patrick Osero, Ruth Odinga, Sabina Chege, Justice Kipsang Kemei, John Makali Okwisia and David Kiplagat, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
