When Kenyans can expect lower unga prices - CS Mithika Linturi

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has announced plans to reduce the price of maize flour in Kenya by March 1, 2023.

Currently retailing for over Sh200, the government hopes to lower the price in an effort to ease the burden on consumers and fulfill a campaign pledge by President William Ruto to lower the cost of living.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, December 3, Linturi committed to seeing the price of maize flour reduced in the coming months.

President William Ruto and Agriculture Mithika Linturi Deputy President William Ruto and Meru Senator Mithika Linturi Pulse Live Kenya

He explained that the importation of maize, which had been directed by the government in December 2022, was aimed at fulfilling Ruto's campaign promise to lower the cost of living for Kenyans.

"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," Linturi stated.

In addition to maize flour, Linturi indicated that the prices of other food commodities, such as rice, will also be reduced in the future.

However, he did not disclose the exact extent to which these prices will be affected. Despite this lack of clarity, Linturi urged Kenyans to invest in agriculture as a way to reduce the cost of living.

"I want to encourage Kenyans to plant something, no matter how small the land is," he said.

"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 added.

The high cost of food prices in Kenya has been a source of frustration for many, with some criticizing Ruto's administration for failing to fulfill campaign promises despite being in office for over 100 days.

Mithika Linturi appears before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments on October 21, 2022. Pulse Live Kenya

In response to this criticism and the shortages in the market, the government has approved the importation of duty-free maize and sugar.

A Gazette notice dated December 23, 2022 stated that "600,000 metric tonnes of milled rice may be imported into the country duty-free" in order to address the impending food crisis in the country.