An incensed crowd met President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto in Kilifi as residents expressed dismay over the shortage of subsidised maize flour.
The leaders received hostile replies to their party slogan ‘Tuko Pamoja’ as residents instead chanted ‘unga’ in response. They were holding a public rally at Karisa Maitha grounds on Thursday.
Ruto urged the crowd to calm down, but they continued to respond with ‘unga’ each time a speaker on the podium shouted ‘Jubilee’.
Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro was shouted down by the crowd as he attempted to address them.
“The government has responded to the crisis by making sure maize flour is sold at Sh90 only,” he said.
But the members of the crows disputed this, saying the subsidised flour is not currently available in the shops and they are still buying flour for Sh160.
“The bosses are here and they will give a directive where traders are not complying with the requirement,” Mung’aro added.
A spot check in supermarkets in Kilifi shows that buyers are only allowed to take one packet.
In many instances, the subsidised flour is available for less than an hour before they are all bought out.
Despite loud chants, Uhuru and Ruto did not address the crowd on the matter. Instead, they defended the government’s development record.
