Relief for ‘Hasolass’ as CS Linturi Announces Dates For Reduction of Unga Prices
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi announced plans to have maize flour prices reduced by March 1, 2023.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, December 3, Linturi committed to seeing the price of maize flour – currently retailing at over Ksh200 – reduced to ease the burden on Kenyans.
He explained that the importation of maize, which had been directed by the government in December 2022, was aimed at fulfilling President William Ruto’s campaign pledge to lower the cost of living.
“I want to commit that by the end of February, the cost of unga will have gone down and that of Rice will also come down,” he stated.
Additionally, the CS intimated that other food commodities such as rice would also be reduced with time but failed to disclose the rate at which the products’ pricing would be affected.
On the other hand, Linturi urged Kenyans to invest in agriculture explaining that it was the only way of reducing the cost of living.
He stated that the insufficient supplies in the market are what pushed the state to import various commodities.
“If we were all to rely on buying food, assuming that nobody went to the farm to produce that food, we wouldn’t chew on the coins or the notes that we all have,” he asserted.
The high cost of food prices has also seen Kenyans criticise Ruto’s administration for failing to fulfil his campaign pledge despite being in office for over 100 days.
