Nairobi posho mills take a hit after Uhuru’s directive on unga prices

Although the directive has put smiles on the faces of many households in Kenya, posho mill operators in Nairobi are not all smiles.

“The business has suddenly experienced a sudden drop in the number of customers looking to buy and mill maize because prices in the shops have gone down,” Gregory Kamau who works as a miller in Nairobi’s Eastlands area told Wananchi Reporting.

That a two-kilogram tin of maize (gorogoro) costs upwards of Ksh 140, plus an additional Ksh 30 for milling here in the capital, seems to have kept many families away from the posho mill, at least for now.

Lydia Mwende who runs a cereals shop in Kayole estate told Wananchi that her maize stock has not been moving from the shelves ever since the directive to lower prices of maize flour was made.

“I have a sack full of maize that I bought at a relatively high price just one week ago. I cannot lower the prices because I am not going to benefit from government money given to millers,” said Mwende who fears she is going to lose money.

Adding: “I may be forced to eat it (the maize) in the house because no one will spend Ksh150 on a tin of maize today, when they can grab a packet from the supermarket at Ksh100,” she adds, noting that other cereal products she sells have not been affected.

In places outside Nairobi, a two-kilogram tin of maize retails at Ksh 140, with the shops still selling a two-kilogram packet of maize flour at Ksh 220.

“I am just from the shops, and one gorogoro of maize costs Sh140, plus Ksh 15 for milling, which is still very expensive,” Mama Prisca Akelo told Wananchi Reporting from Migori county, noting that they are yet to benefit from President Uhuru’s directive.

According to Mr. Kamau, most families visit the posho mill looking to mill flour for porridge, and not ugali like was the case one week ago – before president Uhuru’s pronouncement.

Wananchi Reporting has learned that most families rushed to the supermarkets to stock maize floor a day after the prices were lowered – something that forced some supermarkets to ration sales.