Maize Imports Archives - Daily Trends

Activist Okiya Omtatah is once again in court to sue the National Government over importation of maize.

According to the vocal human rights activist, the maize set to be imported does not meet the East African Community Standard.

In his application filed on Friday under urgency on behalf of the Strategic Rood Reserve Trust Fund, Omtatah claims the importation will endanger the lives of members of the public who consume maize products either directly or indirectly.

Omtatah notes that the importation of the maize had been objected by the Fund and was aggrieved that, vide Gazette Notice of April 17,2020, which was published on April 20, 2020, Treasury CS Ukur Yatani authorised the importation of substandard dry maize at a concessional import duty rate of 14 per cent for white maize and 10 per cent for yellow maize.

He further states that whereas the Gazette notice allows the importation of maize whose aflatoxin levels don’t exceed 10ppm (parts per million) the East African Community Standard sets a maximum limit of 10 ppb (parts per billion) as safe for human and animal consumption.

He states that the East African Community Standard is recognized and endorsed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

The activist argues that the unlawful importation of the maize violates the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, including the rights to life (Article 26); human dignity (Article 28); a clean and healthy environment (Article 42).

Omtatah says that the fund reasonably suspects that the lowering of standards contrary to the law to allow for the importation of substandard maize is deliberate and tailor-made to serve vested interests.

He says that unless the stay is granted, substandard maize will be imported and the lives of millions of Kenyans will be put in danger, and the Constitution and the law will continue to be violated and threatened as stated.

Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri is set to appear before Parliament today (Wednesday) to explain why he is pushing for maize importation when all indications suggest the country has enough stock.

The MPs claim Kiunjuri’s importation plans are suspect and are meant to enrich maize cartels at the expense of millions of farmers across the country.

Millers are on the verge of running out of maize as the dispute between the ministry, the Strategic Food Reserve, millers and the National Cereals and Produce Board persists.

About 50 of the country’s 200 millers have closed because of the maize shortage, according to the United Grain Millers Association.

The shortage has increased prices for a bag of maize and also added to flour and feed costs.

Kenya is currently facing a shortfall in domestic maize supply forcing it to import the commodity which is the dominant staple food for the majority of Kenyans.

The country consumes between 1.5 and 1.7 million bags of maize in a month.

The legislators say that there is no justification for the imports and that the argument of an impending shortage is a lie.

Through the agriculture committee, the MPs told Mwangi Kiunjuri to drop the push because the hard times are over.

The committee cited statistics from the Strategic Grain Reserve which shows the country can do without the maize importation.

Committee chairman Adan Haji (Mandera South) said the opening stock at the NCPB in May before the government began to sell to millers was 4.2 million bags of maize.

Of this, 1.7 million bags were sanctioned to be sold to millers in order to reduce the price of maize flour on the shelves.

“That leaves 2.5 million bags which are in stock, there is a cabinet memo that is awaiting approval of a further 1.7 million to be released to millers this month, which means in July the millers are covered, there is no reason to see prices hiked,” Haji said.

He added, “We are left with August, and if you look at the ministry’s own statistics, we are talking of 1.5 to 1.7 million bags per month required by all millers in the country, we just need another 1.7 million bags to cover us in August. We are now waiting for harvests.”

MPs Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Florence Mutua (Busia MP), Justus Murunga (Matungu), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango) and Daniel Tuitoek (Magotio) who sit in the committee read mischief in the planned importation.

“Someone somewhere is raising alarm for no reason. This is a clever way to invite cartels and businesspeople to import maize,” Wangwe who is also the vice-chair of the committee said.

Mutua questioned the necessity of the importing expensive maize when local farmers were offered a lower price.

“Why does he want to import maize at Sh5,000 and they cannot buy local maize at Sh3,200? We know it is cartels who want to do the importation,” Mutua said.

The MPs are expected to tell Kiujuri off of the importation plans.

“In South, Rift maize is starting to get ready, we want to ask the CS to stop the process of importation of maize,” Tuitoek said.

The MPs’ views are in line with the position taken by Strategic Food Reserve Trust Fund – a state agency domiciled in Kiunjuri’s docket – which has differed with the CS over the matter.

The Fund’s chairperson Noah Wekesa has maintained that the maize in the reserves, together with those from expected harvests will be enough for the country.

Maize Imports

Okiya Omtatah Moves to Court to Sue Government, Again

CS Kiunjuri in hot soup over maize imports