Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has urged Kenyans to try and eat other types of foods and other diet foods as an alternative to maize.
Speaking in Nakuru on the official opening of Agricultural Show, Munya reiterated that the government has suspended levies and taxes imposed on imported maize in a bid to lower its price.
“Kenyans should not depend on maize alone. There are other food items to eat and Kenyans are farming them,” he said.
According to the CS, eating a variety of food items can make people healthy and strong.
“For us to be healthy, we need to eat different types of foods. I am not saying maize is bad. Look at a difficult situation like now. If you are using one type of food, you will have problems,” he said.
The CS further said the government is in talks with Uganda and Zambia to import maize to bridge the biting shortage between now and October.
“The gazette notice may be out today, however, we have started to search for maize from neighboring countries with Maize since we have been in drought almost all of Africa due to lack of rain and Kenya has lacked enough rain for almost three years now,” he stated.
According to Munya, the condition is not caused by anyone but situations such as COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukraine war.
He, however, insisted that the Ksh2 subsidy on maize flour will help for now.
“The Sh2 is small, and we are on the process of getting more maize which we have already found a place, but I can’t mention it now, we have negotiated with neighboring countries as Uganda, Zambia and that will bring more benefit than the levy we are trying to reduce,” he stated.
He also cautioned politicians to stop using the maize shortage to further their interests.
“You find very senior people in government talking all over without offering any solution,” he said.
