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Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary nominee Mutahi Kagwe has vowed to dismantle cartels in the agriculture sector once he gets into office.

Speaking on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, during his vetting before the National Assembly, the former health CS revealed his knowledge of cartels within the docket.

“In 2020, as I went into the health ministry I was quite aware that there were cartels and I am quite aware that even in this one (agriculture) there are cartels,” he stated.

Kagwe sentiments came as he was responding to questions raised by Belgut Member of Parliament Nelson Koech and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah who had inquired whether he was aware of the ongoing intrigues surrounding the Agriculture docket.

He expressed his readiness to combat the cartels, describing the initiative as a collaborative effort.

“Not only would I expect cartels to fight back, but I’m ready for the battle. Irrespective of the war that’s going to be there, there are enough people in the ministry, there are enough people in this parliament there are enough Kenyans who are going to be extremely supportive in that fight,” he stated

He further provided an example of how he restructured the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) in 2019 and 2020 while he was serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Health.

He highlighted some of his achievements during that time, particularly how he eliminated the cartels that had exploited the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who is Mutahi Kagwe?

On December 19, 2024, President William Ruto nominated Mutahi Kagwe as Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary.

Kagwe is set to replace Andrew Karanja who has been nominated as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil.

Kagwe holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Insurance from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from the United States International University (USIU).

He is a seasoned Kenyan politician who served as the fifth Member of Parliament for Mukurweini Constituency and was the inaugural Senator of Nyeri County.

During his tenure as a Member of Parliament, he served as the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Trade, Tourism, and Planning before being appointed as the Cabinet Minister for Information and Communications. In this role, he oversaw the construction of the transformative East African Marine System (TEAMS), which was the first fibre optic project in Eastern Africa.

In 2020, he led Kenya’s National Emergency Response Committee in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic. His efforts, despite numerous domestic and local challenges, garnered him both national and international recognition.