Bungoma residents raise alarm over high price of maize imported from Uganda

Written by Daniel Saenyi

As Kenyans continue to feel the pinch of the high cost of living occasioned by the increase in prices of oil, allegations have emerged that businessmen and traders in the country are importing duty free maize from the neighbouring countries and selling it at high price to Kenyans.

As much as the maize is tax free, Kenyans are experiencing an increase in the maize prices daily. Previously, the price for 2 Kilograms of maize was Sh20 and now it has sky rocketed to Sh120 major towns in the country.

This has been largely attributed to the to the increase in fuel prices and this has led to higher cost of living all over the country and across the globe as a whole.

In Bungoma County, locals are complaining of the expensive lifestyles they are forced to lead due to the high cost of essential commodities and are accusing the government for hoarding maize.

They fear that this is an indication of lack of unity in implementing the new Constitution between the two principals which has cast doubt among the populace of Bungoma fearing that there will not be peace between the two principals and that it could be a path to total disunity across the country.

The Bungoma residents allege that maize is being imported from Uganda at a cheap prize but it is being sold to locals at an exorbitant price.

The Chairman of the parliamentary committee on Agriculture John Mututho attributed the looming maize shortage in the country to hoarding of the commodity by millers. He said there is enough maize in the country as a result of the bumper harvest witnessed last year.

On May 13, maize millers warned that the country was to experience a shortage in maize flour within 10 days, unless the government removes duty on imports of maize and farmers release the stocks they still hold.

Mr. John Mututho

Already the government has removed 50 percent import duty on maize and 10 percent on wheat sparking protest from wheat farmers who say the low prices amidst rising fuel prices has left them making losses. This has caused them to hoard the wheat hoping that the fuel prices will go down for them to make at least a profit from their sales.

There is need for the government to seek urgent measures that will ensure that the country has strategic reserves of fuel and food stock that can serve the country for at least 90 days. Such a move will greatly assist in stabilizing prices and cushion consumers from waking up to 'shock prices' as happens presently.

The fact that a vast majority of Kenyans rely on fuel is indisputable. But its price is still high. This will poke hole into the pockets of many Kenyans who are already struggling to survive.

Legality of this year’s Budget questioned by mps

Written by Daniel Saenyi

The assistant minister for Finance Oburu Odinga, Finance Minister uhuru Kenyatta and the Planning and Vision 2030 Minister Wycliffe Oparanya.

TRANS NZOIA COUNTY: As Kenyans count down to this year’s budget day to be read by minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta, questions are being raised by some members of parliament as to whether the budget to be read shall conform with the requirements of the new constitution.

Two members of parliament Ababu Namwamba of Budalangi and John Mbadi of Gwasi told journalists in Kitale town that the finance minister had failed to adhere to the requirement in the new constitution whereby he was supposed to table his budget estimates before the parliament two months before reading the budget.

The MPs said that this year’s budget should be read in accordance with the new constitution promulgated on August 27th last year shortly before the budget making process commenced in September hence there is no exception that it is done under the old laws.

The legislators vowed to stop the finance minister from reading the budget till requirements of the country’s new laws are adhered to.

Chairman Namwamba addressing residents of Kitale at the municipal grounds.

“We are firmly convinced that what the minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta is attempting to deal with the budget unconstitutionally is something we will reject, condemn and fight to the hilt. We will not allow him to violating provisions related to the budget,” noted Namwamba.

They hinted that the new constitution removed the powers of making the budget from the executive and the treasury to the parliament and thus the laws must be followed to the letter.

“The minister if he attempts to bring that budget in parliament on 8th of this month, we will not allow him because he will be doing it illegally,” said Gwasi MP Mbadi.

The MP further noted that the new constitution has no provisions of the budget reading ceremony and thus the minister the minister should ensure that the whole process is done according to the new laws lest the budget will be objected by a citizen who may go to court to reject it arguing that the budget is supposed to be with parliament for at least two months.

At the same time Namwamba who had led a team of the parliamentary select committee on the cost of living to collect views from residents of Kitale further noted that ministers and other people holding public offices should be precluded from political party leadership and thus concerned should go ahead and relinquish the positions because that is the requirement of the new laws passed by Kenyans last year.

However, the MP noted that the law does not touch on party leaders because the positions are not in the constitutions of the political parties and thus the leaders can still hold their positions.

The legislators cautioned the finance minister to stop concentrating too much on the 2012 politics and not sparing him time to concentrate on important matters that touch on the lives of ordinary Kenyans.

What Bungoma expects from the Budget

There are many expectations from the populace of Bungoma, many hoping to see reduced prices on nearly everything most especially fuel.

The high cost of living that has emerged recently due to the sky rocketing fuel prices has led to a lot of hostility towards the government from Bungoma citizens. Everyone is waiting for 2012 elections so they get a chance to make a change in Kenya’s leadership.

Bungoma citizens are hoping for a relief pocket wise after the budget but may just be up for or a rude shock in the current economic crisis. Mr. Ernest Akana, a construction worker in Bungoma says he hopefully expects reduced prices in fuel, food, and cooking oil. He also expects reduced taxes for all civil servants so they can have an ease of life.

“In the upcoming budget, I want the finance minister to reduce the price of fat, fuel and food prices. I also want the government to reduce the salaries for ministers to bring relief to the tax payer because these leaders are not performing anyway. The salaries of each civil servant should be equivalent to the work they do because prominent people get millions for just sitting on the office and punching numbers while I suffer in the hot sun for Sh. 10,000 a month,” Said Mr. Akana.

Most people are looking forward the time of easy lifestyles due to reduced cost of living soon after the budget is read. Most people are thinking of how their life can be made easy but most are forgetting the underprivileged in the country. Mr. Wamtete Sifuna, a construction worker, despite the challenges he faces in life daily, his expectation from the Budget is for the government to take into consideration the orphans and the abandoned children in the society.

“My appeal to the Finance Minister is that when he is preparing the Budget for 2011/2012, he should not leave out the homeless children. He should spare a considerable share of the value to cater for the well being of all those children staying in homes for they are helpless without our help. Another thing is that the Budget should address the high medical costs; the medical bills should be lowered so that the poor can also be able to access medical care,” said Mr. Sifuna.

As much as many people want to see reduced prices on commodities, other people argue that they don’t see the sense of the Budget unless the government gives an explanation of how it has spend most of the public funds.

Mr. Ken Biketi, an accountant at a law firm said that all he wants is the government to explain how money has been disappearing without a trace. Mr. Biketi proposes that the government should set up a control price for fuel to stop the fluctuations, he added that the government should also make sure they address the salary increments and implement them because teachers are complaining of the 20per cent increment the still haven’t received.