President William Ruto has made a U-turn on the timelines of lowering the prices of maize flour that have been burdening Kenyans for months now.
During the launch of the affordable housing project in Lang’ata, the head of state asked Kenyans to give him a year to lower the prices of the basic commodity.
He accused the previous government, that was led by president Uhuru Kenyatta, of being responsible for the hiked prices.
“We have to lower the cost of living. I told you that we must lower the cost of maize flour. I have already begun the journey of lowering the cost of living and flour prices. We have given our farmers 1.5 million bags of fertilizer and we will give them an additional 6 million bags so that they can produce more and affordable foodstuffs and then maize flour prices will start going down.
“The price of Unga was brought up by the previous government to Kshs230. They ruined things in four years. I ask you to just give me one year and I will bring the prices down,” Ruto said.
The president has however left Kenyans disappointed after he had raised their hopes high before and immediately after the August general elections.
“I don’t even know if I should laugh or just watch and say, “We told you”,” read a tweet.
“Kama hataki waluhya hii Kenya si aseme tu,” a netizen commented.
“Politicians are like ladies, none is trustable,” another said
According to a report by local dailies last month, just days before his swearing-in, the head of state had pledged to announce new prices of fertilizer and maize flour in a week’s time.
On the issue of fertilizer, the prices were lowered to Ksh3,500 from Kshs6,500 a bag. Maize flour however still retails at over Kshs200 per 2kg packet since the one-month subsidy that lowered prices to Kshs100 ended before the August elections.
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