Former National Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair John Mututho has told off the Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) chairman Dr. Noah Wekesa over warning that Kenya is facing a crippling food shortage due to a shortage of maize.
Addressing media in Nakuru on Friday afternoon, Mututho who is also a consultant in matters agriculture said the statement is being driven by cartels who want to use maize shortage for their own interests.
Wekesa had stated that the stores in the country have nil stock since the stock that was there was sold last year with no restocking due to the fact that the market price is beyond government reach.
Sentiments that Mututho has strongly differed with.
Mututho who once served as Chairman National Assembly Committee on now says the (SFR) is misleading Kenyans.
He says he has visited several stores and they have stock of maize.
The former Naivasha MP now wants investigations carried out to make it clear on how the maize got to the stores.
“You cannot tell us that there is no maize in Kenya yet we have maize in the stores. The DCI should investigate how maize entered into the stores. Let the government come out clear and tell Kenyans what might have happened” said Mututho.
According to Mututho, Kenyans already have a lot of stress due to coronavirus pandemic and should not be added.
He has also called on the government to move with speed and ensure the flour is sold duty-free so that Kenyans can afford it.
“Let the government ensure the flour is duty-free. Kenyans should not pay more than 100 shillings since we have maize in our stores. We are not. Stupid as we look. Before we declare we have no maize we should check our stores. The stores have maize” said Mututho.