President William Ruto has pleaded with farmers in the country’s bread-basket to release the maize they are hoarding to avoid massive losses.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for 6,704 Affordable Housing Units in Starehe constituency, Nairobi county warned that the farmers are likely to suffer major losses when the shipment of imported maize arrives.

“We are telling our farmers that if they still have food stored in their stores, they start selling it immediately. From this month, we are going to ensure that imported food gets to the country so that we can bring down the sky-rocketing cost of food and make sure that we manage the cost of living,” said Ruto.

The Head of State said that farmers currently have an opportunity to sell their produce at good prices before the duty-free maize gets into the country when “you will not be able to fetch good prices.”

Ruto warned that the government should not be blamed for importing duty-free maize which is meant to address food deficit.

The government targets to import 150,000 tonnes of rice, 125,000 tonnes of cooking oil, 200,000 tonnes of sugar, 50,000 tonnes of wheat and 80,000 tonnes of beans through the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).

  In December 2022, through a gazette notice, Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u said the government will also import 600,000 metric tonnes of rice.

 He said the importation of the two products is aimed at averting an impending food crisis in the country occasioned by the ongoing drought.

 “It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning directs that 900,000 metric tonnes of white maize grain and 600,000 metric tonnes of milled rice may be imported into the country duty-free from February 1, 2023, to August 6, 2023,” the notice reads in part.

 The CS said the imported food products must meet the set health, quality and customs standards set by Kenyan laws.

On the ongoing ravages of drought, the Head of State said the government has already set aside Sh4 billion that will be used to address the situation adding that ShI billion will be used to boost the school feeding programme.

“Recently at Cabinet, we approved an additional Sh4 billion that will go towards addressing drought. We have devised all means possible to ensure that no Kenyan dies out of hunger. Our school-going children will also have their calendar interrupted and we will provide food for them,” he said.

 In addition, the President announced his administration’s plan to availing affordable housing in the city.

 He announced that in three months’ time, the government will begin groundbreaking for another 26,000 houses in various parts of the country.

The Head of State at the same time warned foremen who will handle the affordable housing project not to frustrate women who will be looking for casual employment.

The President said the government is keen on ensuring women play a bigger role in the affordable housing programme which envisions constructing 200,000 housing units annually.

He said in order to preserve their dignity, sufficient ablution blocks should be constructed by the contractor handling the Starehe project.

 “And I want to ask the Ministry of Lands and Housing, you must be deliberate about engaging women in the construction industry,” he said.