State bans sale of maize suspected to be contaminated

Oloitokitok, Kenya: The Government has banned the sale of maize in Oloitokitok after six people suspected to have taken a meal prepared using contaminated maize died at the weekend.

Kajiado Deputy County Commissioner Hassan Harsame told The Standard officers from the Agriculture ministry are investigating the incident.

 Harsame said the deaths were reported in three separate villages and they are all said have bought the maize from the same vendor.

They had reportedly fed on a meal of maize and beans (githeri)  cooked using the maize believed to be contaminated.

“The sale of the maize has been stopped and we are trying to establish who else may have bought it to avert further deaths,” added Mr Harsame.

One of the incidents was reported in Rombo village where two casual labourers, who lived together, started complaining of stomachache after a meal of githeri and died an hour later.

“Preliminary reports indicate that the six who died plus the four who are hospitalised had fed on a maize meal,’’ said Harsame.