Residents of Likoni, in Mombasa, may be forced to lead an ordinary lifestyle without the consumption of tomatoes as the product has now become scarce.
The residents, who are visibly prepared for 'normal' life, believe that the shortage is only seasonal and expect the product to be back soon.
One trader in the area, Carol Mwele, operates a grocery store within the ferry region says they have been experiencing the problem for almost a month now. She says the shortage is not only affecting her but her customers as well. She claims that her profits have dropped sharply as she has nothing to sell.Worst still, the new prices they have set for the scarce product has scared away customers.
The same story was shared by Mwanaisha Hassan, a tomato seller within the ferry area. She says they are now not getting the product from their suppliers, which she says could be due to the scarcity. She is, however, optimistic that things will normalise soon and business will be back to normal.
To the consumers, life will have to go on as usual. One customer claimed that since the shortage began, she has been able to cut on unnecessary expenditures.