The government has imported 7, 000 bags of maize from Uganda to supplement the subsidised flour programme in Kisumu county.
The consignment, which was procured through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), was received yesterday amid concerns of flour shortage in the lakeside town.
Kisumu County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed, who is the coordinator of the programme, said the maize will be distributed to United and Mombasa maize millers in Kisumu to bridge the shortage that has been witnessed across the county.
He said the government was determined to sustain the programme cautioning traders against hoarding the commodity and inflating prices.
Maalim said some traders who increased prices of the subsidised flour were arrested at Ahero and will face the full force of the law to serve as an example to others.
“Nobody is allowed to sell this flour above the recommended price. Any trader found repackaging the flour or hoarding to create a shortage shall be arrested,” he said.
The administrator asked retailers in Kisumu to stop imposing conditions on their customers for them to access the commodity.
“I am told some supermarkets demand that a customer must purchase some other items before being allowed to purchase the subsidised flour. That is illegal because no conditions were imposed on them when they were given the flour to sell,” he said.
Speaking to the press in his office on Friday, Maalim said the demand for maize and flour was still high, adding that the government was doing everything possible to meet the demand.
He added that more supplies shall be sourced to reach far flung corners of the county, among them, Seme, Nyakach and Muhoroni, which are yet to receive the subsidised flour.
Chiefs and their assistant, he disclosed have been put on high alert to monitor the progress of the programme asking millers to enhance their transportation network to cover the entire county.
Arrangements, he added, have been made for schools and institutions to purchase maize directly from NCPB for consumption.
The NCPB, he said continues to receive requests for maize from individuals and households adding that plans were underway to allow them to purchase at least one bag per household once the supply is stable.