News
State of emergency as hunger looms
Posted Friday, January 9 2009 at 22:26
As a result, most parts of the country are already experiencing food and water shortages, he said.
Of the 10 million Kenyans facing starvation, some three million live in arid and semi-arid areas, two million of them are poor and affected by the HIV and Aids, while some three million live in slums and the outskirts of towns.
He added that some 150,000 internal refugees are also affected by the food shortage.
The minister, was accompanied by Livestock assistant Minister Aden Duale, permanent secretaries Patrick Khaemba and Romano Kiome.
He said that the Government had made provisions for Kenyans to buy repackaged 20kg and 10kg bags of maize from selected centres across the country.
This, he said, would reach Kenyans faster than the maize flour which the Government had contacted factories to mill.
He said the packages would be sold at Sh400 and Sh200 for the 20 kg and 10kg bags respectively.
To boost crop production this year, Mr Ruto said plans had been made for farmers to buy fertilizer at Sh3,000 for the next planting season.
He said the fertilizer was already available in some parts of the country.
The Government’s move to license the private sector to import maize duty-free has in the past hit a snag when those shortlisted failed to turn up for a scheduled meeting at Kilimo House.
The shortlisted companies, most of them millers, including Mombasa Millers, Kisumu Millers and Unga Ltd, had earlier engaged the Government in a heated debate on the rationale of them paying for the bid to import while the National Cereals and Produce Board would import and the maize at subsidised rates.
Boycotted meeting
The two groups then agreed to meet the following day to iron out the outstanding issues, a meeting they boycotted.
A total of 17 companies had been shortlisted to bid for 11 rights to import maize.
Each right guarantees the importer to bring into the country 25,000 tonnes of maize and only two rights were allowed to each of them.
This meant that a total of 275,000 tonnes were to be imported.
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Submitted by bogoroPosted January 11, 2009 04:08 AM
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Submitted by dirrty
Be afraid Nation!Be Very Afraid! Poghisio might exercise his powers during the state of emergency and close down all media outlets for causing unnecessary alarm as per the new media bill!!!Politicians..........
Posted January 11, 2009 03:37 AM -
Submitted by mpakakwetu
Until all Kenyans start voting for a leader for his work not for the 50shs he got or for his name we have a problem.Education/knowledge is the best thing a human being can possess.Our leaders are not going anywhere.We are also corrupt taking advantage of our position.That's also heartless,or not?.A man for himself!The maize will be imported by the politicians' companies who will make profit at our expense on top of a tax free salary.Our living standards will keep on deteriorating as we wait for the rain to fall.
Posted January 11, 2009 12:50 AM -
Submitted by charlzk
wasn't it the other day we were selling acres of our most fertile land to Qatar now whoosh by magic wht has happened now?? wht fools they are in goverment!!!
Posted January 10, 2009 09:04 PM -
Submitted by paulo1981
it is such a pity of magnanimous extent that a country whose government cannot afford to feed her populace can afford huge salaries to herself (MPs) and their extravagant lifestyles!
Posted January 10, 2009 08:17 PM
RSS
The case of Malawi,They are now coming out of brink.Because the president saw the people of Malawi are dying he did give fertilizer and maize planting on credit and now they are smiling no matter all of them have not done it.Kenya the soil is so exhausted and they think we are going to be a healthy nation in future.I doubt!