Opinion: Put aside political interests and tame cost of living

Basic foodstuff prices have risen beyond the reach of most Kenyans PHOTO:COURTESY

Basic foodstuff prices have risen beyond the reach of most Kenyans. Many are devastated by the unprecedented rise in prices that have pushed a two-kilogram packet of maize flour to Sh180, a bunch of sukuma wiki Sh30, a kilogram of tomatoes Sh139, two kilograms of sugar Sh185 and a kilogram of potatoes to Sh139.

This has forced the Government to move to solve the problem by introducing a supplementary budget as the National Assembly resumes sittings today. It is not yet clear what the Government intends to do even as this turns into a campaign rhetoric.

Early April, the Government allowed duty-free importation of white maize from Mexico and removed valued added tax (VAT) on all inputs used in the manufacture of maize flour and wheat flour. It also released one million bags of maize, which it sold to millers at a price of Sh3,000 instead of Sh4,500.

The Government expected these measures to considerably bring down the cost of maize flour from Sh153 to Sh115 in less than seven days. Four weeks later, a two-kilogram packet of maize flour has dramatically jumped to Sh180 despite National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich's warning to millers that he would withdraw the incentive should the latter refuse to pass the benefits to the consumers.

To date, they have not. Should the Government take the same route again, what is the assurance that this time round millers will pass on the benefits to the consumers?
 

Has the Government established the real cause of these shortages? Are they market-driven or artificially created by such fraudulent acts as hoarding, collusion or speculation?
 

Moreover, in the supplementary budget, money will certainly be re-allocated from certain areas to address the rising food prices "at least in the next three months", as National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said.

The solution should not be politicised. Addressing this issue should go beyond the "next three months". It should be comprehensive and address the underlying problem of these perennial shortages which recur during election times.