Most Kenyans need not be told that the prices of basic foodstuff have gone up; this’ all evident from the supermarket shelves or that small village kiosk - foodstuff now cost double or even triple their prices a few months ago. What everybody would gladly wish to hear from the government is how it intents to cushion the people from this galloping inflation.
This problem that has become a global concern is mainly attributed to both natural and anthropogenic reasons. First, there is a global high demand for foodstuffs against the dwindling supply of the same. Secondly, climate change which manifests in form of long droughts has made growing of food very hard if not impossible – drought has hit this region with a vengeance leading to food scarcity and consequently starvation of many to death.
A few months ago a 2kg packet of maize flour was going at 70 shillings but now you’ll have to part with a cool 150 shillings. This means even where there’s food it costs an arm and a leg for to many – few people can afford it. This is a sure recipe for political unrest and hence the need for government intervention.
The government needs to suspend all grandiose projects and use the money to set up safety – nets to cushion the poorest of the consumers. It really has little choice in a situation which cannot right itself.
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