How I amassed a fortune of 214 million shillings

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary candidate Dr Andrew Mwihia Karanja has revealed that he has a net worth of 214 million Kenyan shillings, made up of various investments and property assets.

Appearing before the Appointments Committee for verification on Friday, the CS candidate explained that his wealth was amassed from his family homes, vehicles, land plots and bank deposits.

The disclosure was made in accordance with the Ethics in Public Office Act 2003, which requires all public officials to submit financial declarations of their income, assets and liabilities.

“My net worth is 214 million Kenyan shillings, which comprises my family houses, apartments, vehicles, plots of land and bank deposits,” he said.

During the session, MPs wondered whether the CS candidate would oppose the billions owed by the cartels at Kilimo House if confirmed for office.

“You are worth 214 million Kenyan shillings, you will find cartels that will want to make you a billionaire in the next three years, will you be able to resist?” poses Kathiani MP Robert Mbui.

“One of my non-negotiable areas is the issue of responsibility and I will not compromise on that. I will pray to God that I do not deviate from the principle of public good, which I deeply believe in, because I need divine intervention because it is not easy,” Dr. Karanja replied.

He confirmed he would deal decisively with cartels, promising they would be driven out of business if he took office.

“I know that dealing with cartels is a big problem and there are many formats and forms, but if I am confirmed by this House and this committee, I say I will issue a notice of cartels. Notice that they will disappear from the market because one of the principles that I hold very dear is integrity – integrity,” he said.

This will be possible thanks to a team consisting of representatives from many agencies who will ensure that the quality of products delivered to farmers does not deteriorate.

“This is a critical program and a center for food security, and we have cartels that have led to concerns about the quality of fertilizers. If approved, this is one of the areas where I will work personally to ensure that quality is in order. Cartels thrive where there is a lack of competition and openness,” he added.