Kenya MPs start push for price controls

• If enacted, Bill will protect Kenyans from cartels that manipulate the forces of demand and supply to suit their profits.

The price of essential commodities may soon be controlled, if Kenya legislators have their way.

MPs have overwhelmingly supported a Bill that seeks to cushion the common man from skyrocketing prices of crucial commodities.

They include items such as maize and flour, wheat and flour, cooking fat/oil, sugar, paraffin, diesel and petrol.

The Price Control (Essential Goods) Bill, 2009 seeks to compel the Minister for Finance to control the prices of these goods and if enacted into law, will protect Kenyans from exploitative and unscrupulous business cartels that manipulate the forces of demand and supply to suit their profits.

Initiated by Mathira MP Ephraim Maina (Safina), the Bill received overwhelming support from MPs who argued that it was necessary for the common man in today’s high cost of living.

Seconding the Bill, Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda, ODM) said prices have drastically risen since December 2002 when Mwai Kibaki was elected president.

He said that a 2kg packet of maize flour currently retails at Sh95 from about Sh34 then and a 2kg packet of wheat flour is priced Sh110 from Sh58.

Mr Gumbo added that a 2kg of cooking fat had risen from Sh133 to Sh300, a 2kg packet of rice from Sh120 to Sh320, a 2kg packet of sugar from Sh75 to Sh180, a litre of petrol from S48 to Sh85, paraffin from Sh23 to Sh65 and diesel from Sh38 to Sh74 per litre.

“The prices of goods most used by the common man have increased the most,” the MP said.

Government whip Jakoyo Midiwo, in support, said Parliament must do more.

“The list should include more goods and we should, in fact, ask Kenyans to tell us which items they want prices controlled,” he said.

He warned that the government may be risking a revolution in the wake of the escalating prices of important commodities.

Noting that there was opposition from Treasury and the Central Bank of Kenya, he said MPs would side with Kenyans and the authorities should be alerted.

Mr John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM) said the government should move fast to regulate food prices to avoid a situation of food riots.

“We should come up with policies to result in stable prices that are reasonably affordable to the common man,” he said.