Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has urged Parliament to fast-track the passage of key agriculture Bills and legislative amendments before the end of 2026, warning that the 2027 General Election campaigns could disrupt pending reforms in the sector.
Kagwe said delays in processing the proposed laws risk pushing critical legislative business into the next Parliament, potentially forcing the Government to restart lengthy processes and slowing reforms intended to transform the agriculture and livestock sectors.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting with members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Kagwe called for closer cooperation between the Ministry and lawmakers to ensure both pending and new legislative proposals are concluded before political campaigns intensify.
“We need to clear both the pending and new legislative proposals before the end of 2026 to avoid delays as the country enters the 2027 General Election campaign period,” Kagwe said.
The CS said timely passage of the legislation would provide the regulatory and policy framework required to advance reforms across the agriculture sector, which remains a major source of livelihoods for millions of Kenyans.
He also directed officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to provide MPs with comprehensive, accurate and well-researched information when considering legislation and other matters concerning the sector.
Kagwe said access to reliable data would enable legislators to make informed decisions, strengthen debate in Parliament and allow the Ministry to adequately respond to supplementary questions raised by lawmakers.
“Evidence-based data is essential in shaping sound legislation and ensuring Parliament enacts laws that support the Government’s development agenda and accelerate the transformation of Kenya’s agriculture sector,” he said.
The meeting comes as the Ministry seeks legislative backing for reforms aimed at strengthening agricultural production, livestock development and the regulatory environment governing the sector.
Kagwe’s push places a tight timeline on the legislative agenda, with 2026 effectively representing the final full year for Parliament to process major reforms before political activity shifts towards the August 2027 elections.
The meeting was attended by Agriculture Committee Chairperson John Mutunga and Deputy Chairperson Brighton Yegon.
Other lawmakers present included Mpuru Aburi, Muthoni Monicah, 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.
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