By G MURAGE
John Mututho claims five families are behind the maize shortage in the country that resulted in higher prices and branded packs by the government.
The former Agriculture committee chairman said the families, which he did not name, were identified while he was in Parliament.
“The five are manipulating the prices of flour despite Parliament passing the Monopolies Act. It’s time the Agriculture CS took action,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett said on Tuesday that the government had started a subsidy programme to provide Kenyans with cheap unga. Though temporary, the move comes as a relief to many Kenyans who have been affected by the high cost of living and skyrocketing prices of maize flour.
Mututho further termed the maize shortage artificial and accused cartels of traders and millers of hoarding to control prices.
The former Naivasha MP claimed on Wednesday that the cartels are in cahoots with the government.
He made the claim just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta said this was not the case and that he would make a major announcement.
The government has supplied supermarkets with subsidised maize flour that costs Sh90 per 2kg pack. There is also the Sh6.5 billion maize subsidy programme that will involve 20 millers and the duty free importation of milk powder and sugar.
Mututho asked the President to use state machinery and intelligence to unmask those behind the shortage.
“When I was in Parliament the same cartel was responsible for hoarding the commodity and later releasing it to the market at a high price,” he said.
The former MP, who is eyeing Nakuru governor seat, said the matter of high commodity prices was sensitive and worrying.
He revisited the issue of the Galana irrigation scheme accusing the management of running it down.
Mututho said the scheme was one of the best ideas on addressing food insecurity by the Jubilee government and that it had high potential.
He added it had the capacity for 70bags of maize per acre but that this became impossible due to mismanagement.
“I have in the past visited the scheme. It is time the management of the National Irrigation Board, which runs the scheme, improved on productivity,” said the aspirant who has also served as Nacada chairman.
Chehonye says
Galana is still under trials phase. It will take 10yrs to be fully operational.
Mkenya Mkenya says
Trial Phase Costing Millions of taxpayers money and they still fork more for subsidy. How sympathetic Kenyans are even when the same GOV put us in ICU.
Chehonye says
If it was your idea, the model farm should have been free? Or you could have planted 1m acres of any maize breed without any research?