Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced that the price of maize flour would significantly drop in the coming week.
DP Gachagua said that millers had confirmed to President William Ruto that the price of the staple meal would decrease to Sh159 for 2Kg packet from Tuesday.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday evening, the deputy president told viewers that the government had received a consignment of maize to plug in the shortage.
He praised President Ruto’s decision to address the cost of maize flour without using taxpayers' money to pay subsidies to millers.
“I want to ask the opposition to give President Ruto time. We have been in office for only seven months only and we have tried. The price of gas, cooking oil and maize flour has come down, and will continue to decrease,” he said.
Gachagua’s remarks followed the head of state’s assurance that Kenyans would buy maize flour at cheaper prices in the coming week.
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On Friday, April 14, President Ruto made a promise to Kenyans that the cost of maize flour will decrease as maize starts arriving in Mombasa.
He explained that this is a temporary solution while the government works towards increasing local maize production by subsidizing farm inputs like fertilizer.
The subsidized fertilizer was distributed to farmers in March, and five million registered farmers have already received it to prepare for the season.
On Saturday, April 15, a vessel transporting 48,000 tons of white maize arrived at the Port of Mombasa, as part of the government's efforts to address the high cost of food in the country.
According to Bernard Osero, the Corporate Affairs Manager of the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the ship, named MV Stellina, docked at berth 5 to offload the maize. Osero mentioned that the maize was ordered by different millers.
President Ruto said that the government also expects another shipment in the coming week.