Agricultural Cabinet Secretary, Peter Munya, has challenged Kenyans to find alternative foods to maize which is processed to make maize flour.
Speaking during an interview on NTV, CS Munya noted that since the price of maize flour is skyrocketing, Kenyans should seek alternative grains such as millet, sorghum and arrow roots which are indigenous, more affordable and healthy.
He noted that there are a variety of meals that Kenyans can turn to and avoid overreliance on maize. He, however, maintained that the government is working to find cheaper maize from neighbouring countries.
"Kenyans farm a lot of different types of food. We have a variety of foods here. In instances such as this where we are having a shortage, we can turn to other indigenous foods. We can embrace things such as millet and sorghum.
"I am not saying we won't solve this problem, but we can also learn something that we have a variety and we can also look into them," CS Munya explained.
Munya noted that the Ksh2 that was subsidised on maize flour is a temporary situation as the government engages its Zambian counterpart to allow importers source the commodity from the South African country.
"We are looking for maize from other countries and we issued a Gazette Notice to this effect. We have been experiencing drought, the Horn of Africa has been hit by drought and this is not something that is man-made."
"We have seen wars and conflicts as well as Covid-19 which disrupted the logistics of importing food. This should not be turned into a political matter, this is the moment to show leadership," he added.
Prices of maize flour went down by Ksh2 following the government's directive on the lifting of levies announced by Munya on Tuesday, June 28.
United Grain Millers Association (UGMA) chairperson, Ken Nyaga, on Thursday, June 30, explained that the waiver of levies was not enough to see the prices lowered significantly.
He explained that the millers were charged levies amounting to Ksh100 for a 90 kg bag of maize hence the insignificant change in price.
Currently, a 2kg packet of maize flour goes for at least Ksh200.
