Rice farmers from Bunyala irrigation scheme protested in Mau Mau area, Budalangi constituency of Busia county demanding for the report of inquiry which has been delayed for over ten years.
Farmers carried placards with complains on what the county government has not accomplished for them.
Through their chairman Paul Odeda, the farmers urged the national and county governments to fully pay for the tractors that had been delivered at the scheme to enable farmers to prepare for the next planting season.
The farmers further complained of unpaid water bills at national irrigation board that amounts to 2.1 million which has led to cutting off of the water supply to the rice fields resulting in the blockage of the drainage systems that direct the water to the rice fields.
Further more, unsold rice worth 6.1 million lay in stores due to lack of market and poor market for farmers.
It is alleged that farmers didn’t get their money for the rice that was sold last season in good time, a situation that has made them to delay preparing for the next planting season as they lack capital to carry out the activity.
According to the secretary general of Bunyala Irrigation Scheme Paul Omala, a new crop called No 51 has taken over the market by being very productive and therefore the farmers are urging both the county government of Busia and the national government to give out the report of inquiry, find the market for their rice and help pay the bills at the national irrigation board.
The farmers thanked their area member of parliament Hon. Ababu Namwamba for funding them with a 3.5 million check that helped them pay debts and begin the last planting season.
“Politicians should keep politics off the scheme. They only come in when its time for elections so that they can convince farmers to vote for them then later disappear after elections, as farmers we are not going to allow this anymore,” said Paul Odeda.
The farmers registered their disappointments at the rate at which politicians are using the scheme to manipulate their votes.