We Don’t Have Maize To Give You – Zambia To Kenya

Zambia has no maize to export to Kenya this season because it is also facing an acute shortage of produce according to Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, contradicting Kenya’s Agricultural CS Mithika Linturi who said maize was coming from Zambia.

Mithika Linturi, who traveled to Zambia, came back and said that Kenya was contracting Zambian farmers to grow maize exclusively for the Kenyan market as the government seeks to lower the cost of the staple, with the first consignment under the agreement expected in August.

But it seems there was no such agreement if the sentiments of the Zambian Minister are something to go by.  “I think we all know that there has been a shortage of maize, especially in border areas near Tanzania, Congo, and Malawi. In the most immediate response, the government decided that we allow importation to supplement whatever we have so that shortages can be alleviated,” said Dr. Musokotwane.

Related Content: Government Is Set To Provide Cheap Maize And Rice From April

The government of Kenya has been giving contradicting statements on where the country stands in terms of food security. Millers have raised concerns over the continued acute shortage of maize that have been pushing the price of maize flour up each passing day.

At some point, the Ministry of Agriculture gave Kenyan farmers who were hoarding maize at least 7 days to sell their maize or risk going at a loss after the “landing of duty-free” maize. But the duty-free maize has remained in press statements and rhetorics.

Kenyans are still paying higher prices for a 2-kilogram packet of maize flour despite promises by the government that it was working towards bringing the prices down. President William Ruto had promised to lower the price of a 2-kilogram packet of maize flour to 100 shillings within 100 days of assuming office.

Related Content: A 90-kilogram Bag Of Maize Hits Ksh 6,000