Let’s not take advantage of food crisis to gain mileage

Attendants at Tuskys Supermarket, Bandari branch, Mombasa pack of maize flour on the shelves on May 20, 2017. The flour is retailing at Sh90 from Sh150 after the government intervened to cushion Kenyans from the high food price. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In terms of eating habits the culture of the majority of Kenyans is such that whatever else we eat, a maize product called “ugali” is quite immediate to most of us.
  • If one wants to be a leader in the future, please do not think about making enormous amounts of money for the next elections and establishing control over people.
  • All the men and women in our political class can afford maize meal no matter how much it costs.

We all know the basic human needs to be food, shelter and clothing.

I sometimes like to prioritise them and think food to be on top.

If one has no clothing or shelter they may just survive if their bodies are well fed with the food that their cultural environment has accepted as the way to feed.

Food is certainly critical to human existence whichever way one looks at it. Of course society often uses food to demarcate boundaries between social classes.

In that regard, arguments about the lack of maize and the involvement of millers and government is essentially about the common citizen.

EATING HABITS

In terms of eating habits the culture of the majority of Kenyans is such that whatever else we eat, a maize product called “ugali” is quite immediate to most of us.

This is a reality that must not be ignored by either government officers or even those in the opposition because after all they are hopefully talking about the same country and people.

We have in the past heard a lot about intrigues and corruption in government with regard to maize trade but it is important that we learn to separate issues.

For those in government, it is time we accept we now have come of age as a nation.

If one wants to be a leader in the future, please do not think about making enormous amounts of money for the next elections and establishing control over people.

POLITICAL AGENDA

Think about Kenyans and you’ll be fine. If you are in the opposition, kindly do not use the misfortune of innocent Kenyans to propel your political agenda. Try and be constructive.

Food — particularly staple food — because of its basic nature can be a dangerous political tool.

Those who have read history know in the build up to the French revolution there was a food issue.

The last reason why the French citizens were quite ready to rise up against the King was that bread which was their staple food was not available.

They were therefore — not surprisingly — quite easy to be manipulated by the political types.

LACK OF BREAD

The wife of King Louis XVI was shocked to see so many common Frenchmen coming to attack “their” Palace.

She asked her aides what the problem was. They told her it was about lack of bread and she suggested that the citizens be given cake.

All the men and women in our political class can afford maize meal no matter how much it costs.

For ordinary Kenyans, it’s not about Mexico or “Blue economy” – ships waiting in the high seas with cargo.

They want affordable “unga” and whoever is responsible must see to it that they get it.

Writer is Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi [email protected]