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President William Ruto has today, July 22, 2023, addressed concerns about maize flour prices which have fueled the recent opposition protests witnessed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

While addressing a crowd in Vihiga on Saturday, July 22, 2023, the country’s first-in-command noted that the best way to address the issue was ensuring that fertiliser was readily available for farmers by lowering the costs.

The president also chided members of the opposition and their supporters for staging anti-government protests.

“Unga haitoki kwa soko, inatoka kwa shamba. Kama unataka kutatua tatizo la unga enda shambani. Ata ukieka sufuria kwa kichwa ufanye maandamano bei ya unga itashuka? si hio ni upuzi. Ndo niliwaambia tutapunguza gharama ya mbegu ya mbolea. Mbolea mlikua mnanunua na elfu saba nmerudisha mpaka elfu tatu na mia tano na hio 3,500 bado nitapunguza mpaka 2,500 after two weeks,” he stated.

Ruto also called for an end to the anti-government protests noting that demonstrations are not an effective means of lowering unga prices.

“Kama kuna maandamano mtu anataka kufanya afanye maandamano ya kuenda shambani kulima hivo ndo tutapunguza gharama ya chakula,” he added.

The latest comes barely a day after the government through Kello Harsama – the Principal Secretary of the State Department for crop development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, announced that the State was reducing unga prices.

In a statement, Harsama stated that the prices would reduce significantly by next week.

“Today, held a meeting with members of the United Grain Millers Association. Noted that by next week, prices of maize and unga will reduce significantly,” Harsama tweeted.