Kilifi, KENYA: Religious leaders in Kilifi County have called upon leaders to ensure that the subsidized maize flour is made available in rural areas.
Since the emergency shortage of maize flour due to the rise in prices, rural areas have since expressed their agony of not getting the commodity .
The flour under the government’s flour subsidy program is yet to hit several stores in rural areas of Bamba, Ganze, Magarini and Kaloleni.
Chairman of the Kilifi South Pastors Fellowship Lawrence Chai on Tuesday said that it’s time the government moved with speed to ensure the availability of the cheap flour to Kenyans outside the towns, where the food is also available in small quantities.
“We all know that several months ago, residents of Bamba, Ganze, Magarini and some parts of Kaloleni were suffering acute food shortage due to drought,” Chai said.
“Now the same areas are yet to get the sh. 90 worth flour as announced by the government. These are the areas for special consideration,” added the Bishop.
He also called for the investigation of the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett for lying to Kenyans that the country had some food stored in its strategic reserves knowing there was none.
“If the government can lie to its people that it has enough food in their reserves and then later hurry up an import of the same, then there is a problem which the agriculture CS must come out clear and explain the puzzle of the issue,” said Bishop Chai.
Sheikh Ali Hussein, the Chairman of the Kilifi Interfaith Religious Leaders Network thanked the government for the speed response to the problem.
In an interview with Baraka fm, Sheikh Hussein said opposition politicians must not use the maize and flour issue as a political debate, but instead work with the government to ensure success with an aim of saving Kenyans from the pangs of hunger.
“I know the issue has been highly politicized but I want to tell our politicians that it is not time to politicize this matter but look at the best possible ways of ending the high inflation rate among Kenyans at the moment,” said Sheikh Hussein.
In Bamba town, Ganze, Kilifi County, most shoppers are yet to get the GOK branded flour a week after the government announced its presence in the market.
“I have not seen the flour. We have been informed that it is still on the way and perhaps because of the rains it might reach this town late,” said Juma Kitsao who runs a shop in Bamba town.
A resident, Samuel Katana said he was also still waiting for the cheap flour.
“We have heard about it in the news but it is yet to be delivered in Ganze. We are waiting. We were informed by shop owners that its delivery might be between Tuesday and Wednesday. We are still waiting,” he said.
