Millers told to exhaust stocks before price hike

Agriculture National Assembly committee chairman Silas Tiren on Sunday asked millers to exhaust the subsidised maize flour in their stocks before issuing out new prices to retailers and supermarkets.

According to Mr Tiren, the millers have enough stock from the subsidised programme to last another month.

Addressing journalists at Marriott Hotel in Eldoret, he said he expects the price of the staple food to increase from next month (February) and not the beginning of January.

“The millers need to be fair to Kenyans. They took enough stock, we have the records of how much maize was purchased by each miller, and we expect their stock to last another month,” said Mr Tiren.

The Moiben MP urged the millers not to take advantage of Kenyans since the Sh6 billion subsidy programme came to an end on December 31.

INCREASING PRICES

“I don’t want to interfere with the operations of the millers but we are warning them against increasing the prices or repackaging the subsidised flour,” he said.

The prices of maize flour are expected to increase from Monday in most parts of the country, with millers circulating new price lists to supermarkets.

The details of the new price list have not been revealed yet until it takes effects.

The end of the maize flour subsidy programme has, however, elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans, with most terming it a political campaign strategy used by the government.

“We are very disappointed that the programme has come to an end, it feels like it was a campaign scheme,” said Ms Marion Chepkurui, a shopper at Uchumi supermarket.

HARVEST

“Now we have to dig even deeper in our pockets since the maize flour price is expected to rise from this week,” complained Mr Nelson Makokha, an Eldoret resident.

The government has ended the programme after the harvest season in the grain basket of the country.

Meanwhile in Nyeri County, Senator Ephraim Maina vowed to push for the return of the Sh90 maize flour after an outcry from residents.

Mr Maina, while addressing residents of Kiamwathi, said the government has the ability to sustain the programme that has seen many households afford meals when the maize flour prices went up.

“I will approach President Kenyatta to discuss how we can have the subsided maize back on the shelves. We know it is possible,” he said.

The senator also promised to resolve a delay in issuance of title deeds to residents of Kiamwathi colonial villages.

“I will hold talks with officials in the Ministry of Lands to have this issue addressed immediately,” he said.