Ugali cooks on a charcoal jiko. The price of 2kg packet of maize flour is retailing as high as Sh125 in some shops in Makongeni, Thika. [Photo: Facebook/Soko Ugali]A section of Makongeni residents has called on government intervention to regulate flour prices after it emerged that some traders are selling a 2kg-maize flour packet as high as Sh125.A spot check in many Makongeni shops shows that many retailers are selling a 2kg maize flour packet between Sh115 and Sh125."This is totally unacceptable that the same flour that we were buying at Sh90 the other day has hiked by over Sh30. What has changed between December and now. A construction worker like me who earns Sh500 a day, what am I supposed to do and I've got other responsibilities?" Peter Mwaura, a construction worker said on Wednesday.Food joint operators who sell ugali have also been forced to reduce the size of 'ugali' they were selling when the flour was at Sh90."Customers are coming in and when you serve them they complain that the ugali is too small but we tell them that the 'unga' price is too high to continue serving them as before. We are in business," Stella Wamaitha, a hotelier said.This comes in after small-scale farmers predicted that maize flour prices would soar to a new high of Sh200 per 2kg packet by the end of March, something Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has dismissed saying that the country has adequate maize stocks to feed the nation until the next harvest.The CS also dismissed reports that millers are facing challenges in buying maize noting that they are buying maize locally at Sh3,000 per bag and topping up with imports from neighbouring countries.Is there a newsworthy accident, incident or event happening in Kiambu that you want Hivisasa to cover? Tell us what is happening by joining this group and have it published.

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