CS Moses Kuria: Government identify 500,000 shops to sell five basic items at cheaper prices

 

The government of Kenya Kwanza has begun fulfilling its pledge to reduce the cost of living by identifying certain stores that would sell rice, cooking oil, sugar, wheat, and beans at reduced costs. This step was taken in order to fulfil the promise made by the previous administration.

Moses Kuria, who serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Trade, said that the campaign aimed to reach 500,000 stores throughout the nation.

According to Kuria, the move gave preference to businesses located in areas with lower incomes.

As a result of the government's projections that the cost of essential food products would reduce by thirty percent, the plan is scheduled to operate for a whole year.

It was recommended to the farmers that they make the most of the programme by taking advantage of the cheaper basic supplies as well as the subsidised fertilisers.

Kuria claims that the government intends to achieve self-sufficiency by the time the programme is completed.

In an effort to make these commodities more accessible, the Kenyan government, in collaboration with the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), has obtained financing from both domestic and foreign financial institutions.

The Cabinet Secretary did not, however, disclose the criteria that his Ministry employed in mapping out the stores or the names of the shops that were being targeted.

The importation of 150,000 metric tonnes of rice, 125,000 metric tonnes of cooking oil or fat, 200,000 metric tonnes of sugar, 25,000 metric tonnes of wheat, and 80,000 metric tonnes of beans was given the green light by the Treasury on February 20, 2023, as part of a duty-free programme that had been announced the previous day.

The government of Ukraine provided the country with an extra donation of wheat amounting to 25,000 metric tonnes.

According to the notes made by the tax authority, "The authorization is in compliance with the terms of Section 114(2) of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004 and the provisions of paragraph 20 of Part B of the Fifth Schedule to the Act."

Just the five articles that are stated, together with the gift, are eligible for duty-free importation under the terms of the agreement. 

Every other product that is not included on the authorised list will be subject to the charges that are applicable under the East African Community Common External Tariff.