DP: It’ll take six months for flour prices to drop

Kenyans will wait for another six months for the price of maize flour to go down when the country will start importing dry maize from Zambia.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday said the world was currently experiencing a serious maize shortage while what was available was selling at exorbitant prices.

The DP said Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi travelled to Zambia and successfully negotiated a government-to-government deal that will see the country supply maize to Kenya.

“There is no maize in Zambia at the moment which is one of the largest maize producers in Africa; the earliest they can supply is September. We engaged the Zambian government, and they have said the earliest they can give us maize is in six months’ time,” Gachagua said.

Deputy President noted that the harsh climatic conditions and lack of enough rain in many parts of the world had led to the current situation.

“There is no cheap maize anywhere in the world, the only maize available is expensive to import. “Unfortunately, I am sorry to tell the people of Kenya there is no maize… Cheap maize is not available anywhere in the world,” Gachagua told journalists during the interview.

According to the DP, the only maize available is from South Africa but there is stiff competition from Angola and Rwanda for the same.

“There is maize in Brazil but it is too expensive to import mainly due to the logistics involved especially the distance,” Gachagua explained.

The government opened the window for the importation of duty-free maize in February to cushion Kenyans from the high prices of maize flour.

 Gachagua noted that traders and importers have been met with maize shortages everywhere they go.

The DP also revealed that the government opted not to import maize directly to avoid corruption, scandals and government officials getting into the business.

“It is a difficult situation. Two months ago, when we gave millers and traders permits to import maize, they told us that they were competing with other governments for the same maize wherever they go,” he added.

President William Ruto has, however, revealed that some four million bags of maize and other basic food items were enroute into the country and will be arriving starting this month.

The food items are being imported by the National Cereals and Produce Board  (NCBP) at a cost of Sh23 billion.

 “We gave farmers enough time to sell their produce. The time is up, and we have plans to import food. The government will import four million bags of maize starting March and other items in the future,” Ruto said two weeks ago.

Strong Opposition

Gachagua said the Kenya Kwanza administration was committed to ending banditry in the North Rift, adding that the vice will be dealt with to the end.

“The government will sort banditry issue once and for all. It doesn’t matter how long it will take,” promised the DP.

He also dismissed claims that the government was planning to muzzle the Opposition, maintaining that the government wants a strong Opposition.

“A strong Opposition is a good governance tool for any reasonable democracy,” he said in response to a question that the government was wooing MPs from other parties to join it.

On claims that the government had hatched a scheme to stifle the media, the DP said the Kenya Kwanza government believes in all freedoms, including freedom of the Press, adding that the media plays a key role in information, education, and communication.

He, however, cautioned: “This freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility; fairness and objectivity.”

Gachagua said the Kenya Kwanza administration will obey court orders, but maintained that they must be implemented during the day and with a human face.

“Resources of taxpayers cannot be brutalised to evict people at night. The law protects everyone,” he said.

He noted as Deputy President he will continue to speak the truth, saying Kenyans deserve the truth.

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