Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has reiterated that the country has no maize shortage, therefore no need for importation.
Speaking at his farm in Opoda, Siaya County on Saturday, Raila said the shortage is artificial.
The ODM leader claimed that some government officials may be colluding with cartels to plot the importation of maize for his selfish gains.
"I am convinced that something is amiss and that the country may be getting dragged into the routine of artificial, ministry-made grain shortages to allow importation by a cartel in and out of government while consumers and farmers suffer,” he said.
He noted that farmers will soon be harvesting maize and importation means they will be negatively affected at the end of the day. Odinga said he has consulted different stakeholders in the maize sector and is convinced there is an ill-motive behind the planned importation of the cash crop. “Our farmers are likely to harvest in August and that means that by September, we will determine whether we have sufficient maize,” he said as quoted by Standard. Raila said farmers have enough produce and it is senseless to import the same at a high cost. Farmers from maize growing areas have been pushing for the retirement of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjiri from the office for abuse of power.