Kisumu residents lament as prices of groceries double

Residents of Kisumu County are feeling the pinch of the bad weather that has forced them to dig deeper into their pockets as the prices of groceries double.

Most residents are buying a piece of tomato at Sh15 up from Sh5 four months ago.

"I used to buy one tomato at Sh10, now I have to pay Sh20 for the same," said Ms Patricia Atieno, a resident of Buoye in Kisumu.

She also complained that the tomatoes are smaller even though the price has remained the same.

Ms Rose Anam, who works at a salon in town and shops at a Supermarket in town, also laments that the prices of groceries have gone up.

She used to buy a kilogramme of tomatoes towards the end of last year at Sh50 but now has to part with Sh79 for the same at a local supermarket.

The price of onions has also increased almost by the same margin.

Onions and tomatoes are used in virtually all meals in most Kenyan households.

Hotels too affected

But it’s not just homesteads that are suffering. Hoteliers have also had to regulate the number of onions and tomatoes with some introducing new charges for the vegetable salad popularly known as 'Kachumbari', which was previously offered for free.

“We are forced to reduce the amount of kachumbari we give our customers or charge extra for those who need any addition,” said Mr Martin Osele, a hotelier at the Kisumu Bus Park.

Ms Millicent Akinyi, a resident of Kondele said the high cost of living has now forced her to forgo some household requirements and meals in her home.

“The prices of commodities including tomatoes and onions have tripled while the quantities have remained very low,” said Ms Akinyi.

She says her family now survives on a single meal a day and in most cases, they go for days without a balanced diet.

“We do not know how long it will take for the commodity prices to stabilise; we are already struggling with other family needs. It is high time the government looked into this matter,” she said.

Traders are, however, blaming the current situation on the prolonged dry spell.

Kisumu is among the counties that get food supplies from neighbouring counties to feed its population.

But the high cost of living has seen many individuals from middle and low-income families feel the pinch as they struggle to make ends meet amid the tough times.

Ms Dorothy Anyango, a vegetable seller says they have been forced to hike the food prices since most of their supplies come from Uganda.

She explains that a number of their local suppliers no longer supply them with vegetables due to the poor rainfall patterns.

“We are selling our commodities at a high price to maintain the profit margins. The goods are supplied to us at a higher price due to the transportation cost from the border," said Ms Anyango.

She added: “We are looking forward to better times in the future once it rains, some of us have been forced to close down business since they can no longer make profits.”

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