Maize is the staple food for most houses in Kenya thus if if it ever threatened lives it could affect so many Kenyans and that why CS Kinjuri toured NCPB stores across the country to ascertain the state of produce at the facilities following a senate directive.
Speaking at the facility in Kisumu yesterday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said a technical team comprising officers from Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Ministry of Health, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and crops department is already at the facility to investigate the cause of maize discolouration there.
“The discolouration does not necessarily mean that the maize is contaminated. Once the team is done with the investigations we shall be able to know the cause and whether it is fit for human consumption or not,” said Kiunjuri.
Over 300, 000 bags of maize at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Kisumu is discoloured raising concerns over its safety for human consumption.
Kiunjuri said the discolouration could have been occasioned by keeping the grain in silos for long adding that a comprehensive report on the matter shall be released after one week.
During the tour the CS also said the team will also investigate other challenges facing NCPB silos and come up with the way forward.
One of the challenges is inadequate storage facilities since part of the stores and warehouses have been leased out.“We are now forced to transport part of the maize here to other storage facilities yet this facility has a capacity of 900, 000 bags against the 600, 000 it received last year,” said the CS.
The government, he added, was in the process of paying Sh 2.6 billion owed to sugarcane farmers in a bid to revive the sector.
“The factories set to benefit are currently being audited to ensure that only legitimate farmers are paid. No ghost farmers shall be paid and we also want the factories to clear with farmers who owe them before we release the funds,” added Kinjuri.
President Kenyatta announced the waiver on October 20 in Kakamega during Mashujaa day celebrations.
In addition, a 15 member task force to oversee the clearance of the Sh 2.6 billion farmers’ debt has already been gazzetted.
Do you believe that the maize could still be fit for consumption?