The Sh20 billion cheap cooking oil lie

A supermarket attendant helps a customer shop for cooking oil in a supermarket. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

The cooking oil that was imported by the State with the aim of bringing down the cost of the essential commodity could end up being more costly for the taxpayer.

It has emerged that edible oil, which was imported at a cost of Sh20 billion, has to be reprocessed at an additional cost, casting doubt as to whether it will have any impact in bringing down the cost of the commodity that has remained out of reach for many Kenyans.