Deputy President William Ruto addressing residents of Malava in Kakamega on Wednesday. [Photo/ DPPS]
Anyone found selling the government subsidised maize flour over and above the Sh90 price tag will be prosecuted Deputy President William Ruto has said.
There have been claims some traders sell the flour (two kilogram packet) at between Sh120 and Sh140.On Friday last week, residents of Kajiado raised alarm over the issue alleging retail traders were selling the two-kg maize flour packet at Sh130.In Turkana, residents said besides the product’s shortage, traders were selling it at Sh140.Implicated traders say they cannot sell the product at Sh90 because they have to cover transport expenses they incur ferrying the commodity for several kilometres to their business premises.“Soon this problem will be solved. There is going to be plenty of maize flour in the market. Government has imported more maize. But traders selling flour above Sh90 will not be spared. Anyone found will be arrested and prosecuted,” Ruto said in Malava, Kakamega on Wednesday.He spoke three days after court in Machakos freed a woman said to have been arrested selling the subsidised maize flour at Sh130.The woman (name concealed) argued she buys the flour ten kilometres away from her business and selling it at Sh90 would amount to a loss.Three other traders, a day later, were released by a court in Turkana over the same accusations.Millers are currently under strict instructions from the government to process maize flour and tag the Sh90 price.The Sh90 maize flour price tag was three weeks ago published on a government gazette.