Days after assuming office, Kenya’s president William Ruto promised to lower Unga prices which have gone up beyond reach for the majority of Kenyans.
For instance, a 2kg packet of Unga is now retailing at KSh 230, KSh 120 higher than at the time former president Uhuru took over the office five years ago.
To arrest the skyrocketing unga prices, the Kenya Kwanza government has announced plans to import 10 million bags of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) maize.
Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on Thursday, November 17, said that he will today Friday, November 18, give a node to import duty-free maize that is expected to last for the next six months.
“Until we are satisfied that we have enough maize in this country, our staple food, tomorrow (Friday, November 18) I am signing a gazette notice to allow for the importation of up to 10 million bags of maize, duty-free for the next six months until we achieve food security,” Kuria said.
The move comes just days after the Head of State on October 3, lifted the ban on the growing and importation of GMO maize that was imposed by late President Mwai Kibaki in 2012 over health concerns.
However, Kuria who was speaking at the Strathmore Business School during a Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise forum said there was no harm in bringing in GMO maize as Kenyans were in any case dying from so many causes.
Kuria said because there were so many things competing for death in the country, the new regime deliberately decided to add GMOs to the list
“We have two deliberate steps. One is that we have so many things that can kill us… Living in this country you are a candidate for death,” former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said.
