The State Department for Crops Development and Agriculture Principle Secretary Francis Owino has issued a tough warning to millers who are stockpiling maize flour at the expense of Kenyan consumers.
Speaking on Saturday at Kiboswa Trident Millers Ltd. while on an inspection visit in Kisumu, Owino questioned the lack of flour at the nation’s supermarkets and by retailers.
“We are sending a warning that this flour is meant for consumption and not storage. If we get information that anybody is hoarding this flour, stern action will be taken against them,” said Owino.
“We are going to engage all government machinery to ensure that all traders hoarding the subsidised maize flour are arrested and prosecuted,” he added.
Yesterday, Agriculture CS Peter Munya spoke said that the government had discovered that some millers and retailers were concealing unga, which increased the cost of living in the nation at the expense of Kenyans for whom maize has been the main food.
“The government directed a 2kg packet of unga to retail at Sh100 to cushion Kenyans from high cost of living. But some millers have decided to go against and hide the products. We know where this is and we are going after them,” said Munya during a political rally.
The PS insisted that the receipting and processing of invoices for payments began on July 26 and will proceed as agreed, and regrets that some people, particularly retailers, are purchasing flour with the intention of stockpiling in order to profit more with the flour intended for consumption and not storage.
A total of Sh256.7 million has already been disbursed and paid to 122 millers for the program’s facilitation budget of Sh4 billion.
In order to protect Kenyans from the high food costs, the government has declared that it has set aside Sh8 billion for the unga subsidy scheme, which is anticipated to last for eight weeks.
Munya concurred that the government’s Sh8 billion stimulus program is intended to lower maize flour costs.
It has been eleven days and counting since President Uhuru Kenyatta directed that a 2kg packet of unga be sold for Sh100.
However, some supermarkets and retailers continue to sell maize flour above the standard agreed price, and the majority of shelves are still empty at most retail stores. The product is priced higher than 200 shillings at the few places that have stock.
Following a contract signed with millers, the government organized a multi-agency team to take action against dishonest traders stockpiling subsidised maize flour, stressing that the nation has enough maize flour and inventories.
The government has stated it will take action against maize millers and retailers thought to be responsible for the scarcity.
Kenyans have persisted in expressing their outrage and disgust about the circumstance in supermarkets and small stores all around the nation.