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Ruben Kigame to Kenyans: Don’t wait for the government to ensure your food security


Kenyans are currently grappling with runaway high cost of living in the country.

The historic high cost of fuel continues to have serious effects on the prices of various goods and services in the country.

The first commodity to hit Kenyans’ pockets was the price of a two kilogram packet of maize meal flour (ugali) that now sells for an average of Sh 215 a packet, up from the days of between Sh 90 and Sh 100. This was followed by a steep rise in the cost of cooking oil, sugar which now retails at an average price of Sh 430 for a 2kg packet- up from Sh 270; and bread where all sizes now cost Sh 10 more.

The high cost of living has been one of the pillars of the suspended opposition led demonstrations which have been demanding for President William Ruto to keep his campaign promises to lower the cost of living within the first few weeks of his presidency but is yet to do so.

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, gospel singer Reuben Kigame, a presidential aspirant in the 2022 General Election, told Kenyans to not wait for President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza government to ensure and assure them of food security during these tough times. In his message to Kenyans, he also advised them how they could go about surviving inflation.

“Fellow Kenyans, there are several easy solutions to food security that do not need government policy. Parliament does not have to sit to make you do these to be food secure: 1. If you have a piece of land that is cultivatable, consider growing some indigenous food crops, such as sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, arrow roots, ground nuts, yam, bananas, plantain, etc. Most of these are drought resistant, and they can save you from hunger, besides fetching good prices in the market.”
He went on, “2. Instead of depending on buying vegetables, check with the agricultural officers in your area for which vegetables can do well on your piece of land. Grow your own vegetables. Different types do well in different parts of the year, but you can cut down on a lot of food shortage and having to buy what you can grow.”
In conclusion, he said, “3. For those who live in the city, don’t worry. There is something you can do also. Talk to the agriculture office next to you about how to use sacks and other materials to do portable gardens. And 4, for the warm parts of our country, such as Machakos, Kitui, Kajiado, Marakwet, Turkana and Marsabit, you can consider putting up fish ponds. Talk to the Fisheries Department for fingerlings to populate the ponds. In this way, you can have good protein for the family, but you can also sell.”

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