Gov't warns millers as maize flour shortage bites

A spotcheck by Citizen TV established that  shelves remained empty at most retail stores..The few stores which had stocks sold the commodity at over 200 shillings ...   

 "Ile nimepata ya bei kidogo ni 130 hiyo walikuwa wanasema ni ya mia sasa wanatuuzia 130 na pia hiyo kupata ni ngumu, mara ya mwisho kupata ilikuwa last week ya mwisho nilinunua juzi na ilikuwa 205," Juliana Mutangale, a resident of Kasarani said on Sunday. 

Retailers attribute the shortage to laxity by millers to supply the stocks as directed.

"Me nilikuwa nimekujia Soko sasa vile imekosa imebidi nichukue hostess ju siwezi lala njaa na unga ingine iko," Sam Omukaka, a resident of Nairobi told Citizen TV.  

The situation is replicated across the country

"Tunatembea kwa maduka tukienda mbali tukitafuta hiyo unga ya mia hatupati tunaomba serikali mtuelekeza mahali unga iko tukule ugali," a resident of Bungoma said. 

"Serikali itie maanani iongee na kila kampuni ambayo inauza unga ya mahindi iteremshe kila kampuni sio kampuni moja," a resident of Makueni told Citizen TV. 

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya acknowledged the crisis and warned of a crackdown on millers starting monday

"Tumeteremsha bei lakini kuna millers ambao wanaficha na tumeanza assessment kule wanaficha kesho mtaskia, kunao tunawalipa washukishe lakini wanaficha ficha na tunajua ni wapi kwaq hivyo tutawachukulia hatua ndio kwa kila duka bei iwe ni shilingi mia moja vile tumekubaliana kwa sababu serikali imesema hivyo," Agriculture CS, Peter Munya said on Sunday. 

The government announced that it had set aside 8 billion shillings for the Unga subsidy program which is expected to run for a period of four weeks to cushion Kenyans from the high food prices