Unga prices higher than quoted by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed

The drop in prices of maize flour is yet to be effected by various retailers, Citizen Digital has established.

This comes amid reports on the drop in prices of unga by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.

Taking to Twitter, the State House Spokesperson claimed that the prices have dropped to Ksh.159 and Ksh.160 depending on millers.

"Unga prices have started going down just as President @WilliamsRuto had assured Kenyans over the weekend. Prices have dropped to Ksh159 and Ksh 160, depending on the millers. When the President assumed office last year, a 2kg packet was retailing at approximately Ksh230," he tweeted.

A spot check by Citizen Digital across various supermarkets and retail shops however paints a different picture.

In Naivas and Quickmart supermarkets, a two-kilogram bag of maize meal ranged from Ksh.189 to Ksh.231.

Ndovu is retailing at Ksh.189, Mama at Ksh.198, Soko at Ksh.207, Dola and Jogoo at Ksh.208; and Hostess at Ksh.231 at the said outlets.

Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Dennis Itumbi, also quoted the same unga prices. 

He credited the drop to 'brain power' by President William Ruto.

Kenyans on Twitter aired their views following the news, with former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando tweeting: "Credit due, if this is true in all shops across the country, it is some good news for now, though, hii ni kidogo sana in promises list."

"But given the salad of fake promises associated with UDA, skeptics will undoubtedly doubt it until verified by independent consumer monitors," he added.

"Hiding jogoo prices?" another one tweeted. "Only in supermarkets. Residential retail outlets (shops), prices are still 200/- per 2kg packet & 100/- for a 1 kg one," Hiram Njau, a social media user, noted.

As the accounts by the State House spokesperson continue to stir debate, Kenyans are waiting with bated breath for the government to reduce the prices of basic commodities including fuel, electricity, among other utilities.