According to an explosive tweet by Sam Terriz, a Kenya Kwanza insider, the maize meal subsidy program, touted as a benevolent initiative under the Uhuru-Raila handshake government, has emerged as a meticulously orchestrated conspiracy led by the then Agriculture CS Peter Munya. Promising affordable maize flour for Kenyans, it instead unfolded as an institutionalized cartel scheme, raising concerns about the misuse of taxpayer funds.
In July 2022, the treasury reportedly earmarked Kshs 8 billion for the maize meal subsidy program, intending to span four weeks. Peter Munya, the Agriculture CS, set the stage by introducing a narrative of contaminated maize stock, citing aflatoxin without providing specific details. He quickly advocated for maize imports, attributing elevated aflatoxin levels to adverse weather conditions affecting maize drying. This narrative prompted skepticism about the credibility of the contamination claims.
Munya’s subsequent announcement of importing four million bags of maize through millers added another layer to the controversy. He portrayed this as a solution to the alleged aflatoxin contamination, proposing the destruction of millions of bags, ostensibly unfit for consumption. However, the National Cereals and Produce Board contradicted Munya’s claim, revealing that only 69,000 bags were declared unfit, exposing the orchestrated nature of Munya’s plan to exploit funds.
Assurances of subsidized maize flour were coupled with specific government-set prices. Munya claimed the establishment of a multi-agency task force and oversight committee, although evidence of such coordination was lacking. Chaos ensued among millers as they were ordered to register with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), and contracts reportedly signed with 70 millers turned out to be a calculated deception, resulting in financial losses for the millers.
The oversight committee, chaired by Dr. F.O. Owino, was never formalized, leaving a supervision void. The non-functional hotline for the program raised suspicions of deliberate misinformation. Targeted prices of Ksh 100 per 2kg Unga were maintained for just one day, after which flour prices skyrocketed to Ksh 230 for a 2kg packet, suggesting potential profiteering.
Discrepancies in reported program expenditures, ranging from Ksh 7.26 billion to Ksh 6.4 billion, fueled concerns about financial transparency. The Parliamentary committee discovered that the initial Ksh 4 billion paid to millers could not be accounted for. Munya’s cartels later claimed over Ksh 2.9 billion as pending bills in a move that further exposed financial irregularities.
As the intricate web of deceit unravels, calls for a thorough investigation into Peter Munya’s actions and Uhuru’s role in this alleged conspiracy have intensified. Kenyans are demanding accountability and transparency, particularly in matters affecting their well-being. The maize subsidy scandal raises significant questions about the integrity of government initiatives and the need for stringent measures to prevent such abuses of public trust in the future.