Shoppers in Nairobi scramble for cheap unga

Kenyans have already started flocking supermarkets to stock up on maize flour after President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the reduction of the commodity from Sh200 to Sh100 for a 2kg packet. At Naivas Supermarket along Kenyatta Avenue shoppers scrambled to purchase the commodity which was selling like hot cake. Only Jembe maize flour was retailing at Sh99 with each shopper allowed to purchase a maximum of four packets. “I rushed here after a friend told me that the price of maize flour has been reduced at Naivas Supermarket. I wish I could have been able to buy a whole bale, but they are only allowing us to take four packets,” said Naomi Ngingi, one of the many shoppers who flocked the supermarket. John Kirimi, another shopper, said buying maize flour at Sh200 had put a dent in his finances but he is now glad that the prices have gone down. “I have four children, three boys and one girl from the age or six to 16 years. I've been spend a lot of money on just the one food item. Right now I am looking to stock up and make sure my family has enough to last us the whole year if possible,” he said. After the commotion that last 30 minutes at Naivas Supermarket, costumers were informed that there was no more stock of Jembe brand left. Other brands of maize flour were available although they were still retailing at Sh200 or more. “In store we had more than 100 bales of Jembe maize flour and within an hour we have already sold everything. Right now we are waiting for the other maize flour companies to send us the subsidized maize flour,” an attendant at the supermarket said. The price of maize flour shot to a record high of Sh200 for a 2kg packet, this being the highest prices of maize flour to have been witnessed in Kenya’s history. But on Wednesday, following public outcry, President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive for the price of the commodity to be reduced through the suspension of the railway development levy and Import Declaration Fee (IDF) on all imported maize.