Orders prohibiting the government from privatizing Kirinyaga County's Mwea Rice Mill Company have been extended by the High Court of Kerugoya.

Judge Richard Mwongo of the Kerugoya High Court extended the orders in a case involving two rice farmers from the Thiba section of the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Pius Njogu Kathuri and John Munene, on December 7, 2023.

The two farmers petitioned the court to prevent the government from holding any public hearings regarding the sale of Mwea Rice Mill, one of the 11 parastatals targeted for privatization, until May 13, 2024, when the case is scheduled to be discussed.


In opposition to the government's plan to privatize the rice mill company, more than a hundred farmers appeared in the High Court.

According to Mr. Njogu and Munene, the Mwea Rice Mill is a liability company that is jointly owned by the Mwea rice farmers through Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited (MRGM) with 45 percent and the National Irrigation Authority with 55 percent.