Kenyans are urged to be patient as President William Ruto had announced that there will be an adjustment of maize flour prices as from this week.
The Cabinet Secretary of Agriculture, Mithika Linturi said the government distributed import permits to 28 millers to bring duty-free maize. The millers are debating on the move about those with permits, they are declaring there is a global maize shortage and those without permits are saying their imports will arrive in two weeks’ time.
Citizens will have to be patient to get maize flour prices reduced to Ksh 150 per 2kg packet, as promised by the government.
It was identified from Thursday, April 20, a 2kg packet of maize flour was being sold at an average of Ksh 200 but a few brands like Umi and Ajab sold at Ksh 159 and Ksh 167, respectively.
CS Mithika Linturi said the government waived maize import duty, calling on millers to reflect it in their prices.
Despite the government declaring distribution of import permits to millers, United Grain Millers Association (UGMA) chair Ken Nyagah disclosed that no small miller received the duty-free import license from the government.
Read Also: CS Linturi Summons Maize Millers Regarding flour Prices
The chairperson also said millers have managed to import maize at a cheaper price from COMESA member countries, which will arrive in less than two weeks.
“We have managed to get maize at a cheaper price from COMESA member countries, and we assure consumers that in less than weeks, we shall have been able to bring down the price of unga to less than Ksh 150 per 2kg packet,” said Ken Nyagah as quoted by Citizen TV.
UGMA stated that the cheap maize imports were brought at the time exporters were harvesting. The association however mentioned that the imports will not be enough to satisfy their demand, which is at 400,000 metric tons of maize.
Millers argue that there is lack of cash and global maize shortage. The Cereal Members Association, which received permits to import duty-free maize, criticized the global shortage of non-GMO maize. They also raised concerns over cash shortage and accused the government for not paying for the maize supplies under the subsidy program.
The Supplementary Budget 2022/2023 released by the Treasury in January 2023 was accessed by the Members of Parliament. They approved all financial allocations but kept aside the Ksh 4 billion payment to maize millers.
The government owed millers the money after paying spending initial Ksh 4 billion in the maize flour subsidy program.
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