Cotu alleges plot to raise price of maize flour
Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli addresses members at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu on May 21, 2016. Cotu has maintained that NCPB maize is fit for consumption. PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Meanwhile, farmers in the North Rift are reading mischief into reports of lack of quality maize and want investigations launched to expose the cartels “creating artificial shortages”.
A workers’ union has denounced a decision by millers not to buy maize from the National Cereals and Produce Board as a ploy by cartels to drive up the price of flour.
In a strongly worded statement, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) said the rejection of the NCPB maize was a “clear scheme by a section of unscrupulous business operatives in the country” to increase the cost of maize flour with the aim of forcing the importation of maize.
This was in response to a Nation story published Monday stating that millers had refused to buy maize from the NCPB, citing quality issues. According to the millers, the maize is “unfit for consumption because it is discoloured and prone to attack by weevils”.
The millers said the worst affected maize was from Eldoret, Moi’s Bridge and Ainabkoi.
However, Cotu maintained that the maize was okay and that the millers were looking for a way to create an artificial shortage to compel the government to import the crop.
Meanwhile, farmers in the North Rift are reading mischief into reports of lack of quality maize and want investigations launched to expose the cartels “creating artificial shortages”.
A Kenya Farmers’ Association director, Mr Kipkorir Menjo, said investigations should be carried out to establish the deficit and how to address it.
