It’s about 2 weeks now since president Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the price of maize flour to be reduced to Kshs100 for a 2kg packet.
Maize flour prices had risen to as high as Kshs250 for a 2kg packet hence making lives harder for common citizens.
To further address the issue, the head of state further announced the suspension of all levies on imported maize.
“This programme of a subsidy of Ksh.105 per 2kg pack of maize-meal is meant to lower the cost of living for the vulnerable households as we look for a sustainable solution to the recurrent rising price of unga every election,” he said.
Most Kenyans are however yet to access the cheap packets of the flour as some are still parting with over Ksh 200 to access the commodity.
According to the Acting Agriculture PS Francis Owino, reasons that have led to the shortage of cheap flour include delayed payments of suppliers, contractual agreement between millers and supermarkets and hoarding of the commodity by a few millers.
“Our millers are not able to supply flour to the supermarkets because of the 45 days contractual arrangement. Our plea is for the two parties to reflect and consider that contractual agreement to align with the commitments of the government, or even to bring it lower from 45 days to three or five days,” Owino said.
Owino however said that the government would be paying millers for the commodities supplied within 24 hours. Kshs8 billion has been set aside to cushion Kenyans from high prices of maize flour.
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