Kenya's Government Slashes Maize Price By 50% To Curb Rising Food Prices

Kenya’s government has slashed the cost of maize flour, a popular staple. Willy Bett, Kenya’s agriculture secretary, said that the price of sifted maize flour, will fall nearly 44 percent from 160 Kenyan shillings to 90 Kenyan shillings per two-kilogram packet.

“A two-kg packet of maize flour will retail at 90 Kenya shillings starting from tomorrow on Wednesday," he said, adding that the change is just a temporary intervention until the country’s food stocks normalize.

In recent days Kenyans have heavily criticized President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government for sharp rises in the cost of living, especially the price of food, in the East African country, where four in 10 Kenyans live below the poverty line, earning less than $1 a day. 

The government has lifted all duties on maize imports in a bid to attract investors to help feed Kenya, where over 3 million are facing starvation due to a drought.