Kenya alert over 2.3m bags of bad maize
The Government on Monday issues a national alert over 2.3 million bags of contaminated maize circulating in 29 districts in Coast and Eastern Provinces.
As a result, the Government has banned movement of the crop in the 29 districts and announced it will use a total of Sh3 billion to buy it off the market.
The affected districts are Meru Central, Imenti North, Isiolo, Tigania West, Igembe South, Buuri, Kitui, Migwani, Kibwezi, Makueni, Yatta, Machakos, Mwala, Mwingi and Kathiani.
Others are Embu West, Mbeere North, Embu East, Runyenjes, Meru South, Mara, Imenti South, Kitui West, Kathonzweni, Mutomo, Masinga and Mwala districts.
All the districts listed above are in Eastern province. Also affected are two districts in Coast province: Tana River and Bura.
The alert was announced at a Press conference addresses by the Minister for Agriculture, Dr Sally Kosgey at the Office of the President, Harambee House, Nairobi. She was Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Security Minister Prof George Saitoti, Public Health Minister Beth Mugo and head of the civil service Francis Muthaura.
The five attended the Press conference soon after emerging from a meeting with President Kibaki.
Dr Kosgey blamed to contamination of the maize on poor handling of the crop after harvesting from farms. This was worsened by the rainy weather in the affected areas.
