The Ministry of Agriculture has revealed to the Members of Parliament who sit in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that they sold to Kenyans contaminated maize.
Appearing before the committee to respond to audit queries of condemned maize , Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga said that the ministry sold maize that contained high levels of afflatoxin which is not fit for consumption.
“Out of the 176,265, 90 kilogrammes bags of maize that the Ministry of Health established contained high levels, a good portion of the condemned maize was released to Kenyans on May 3, 2019,” he disclosed.
Shocked by the revalation, the committee led by PAC chairman Opiyo Wandayi, demanded to know if the accuracy of the information.
According to Boga, a re-sampling of the maize initially condemned, recommended
that some of the maize be released for human consumption while the others for animal use.
“The re-sampling was undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Kenya Bureau of Standards,” he defended.
He disclosed that the National Cereals and Produce Board sold the condemned maize to Kenyans at Sh780 per 90 kg bag after they got approval from the
Strategic Food Reserve.
In 2019, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that the condemned maize were part of the 6 million bags worth Sh10.46 billion whose aim was to replenish the country’s food reserves.
Aflatoxins are poisonous carcinogens and mutagens that are produced by certain molds and can cause liver problems and cancer.
In January 2020, KEBS ordered the withdrawal of 17 brands of maize flour from shops and supermarkets, due to high aflatoxin levels that made them unsafe for human consumption.
KEBS ordered the 17 retailers to immediately withdraw the listed brands from retail outlets, warning that failure to comply could lead to legal action.