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WATCH: Audience shouts as DP Gachagua announces new Unga prices


Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua found himself on the receiving end of chants of disapproval as he gave his Labour Day 2023 speech during the celebrations that were held at the Uhuru Gardens on May 1, 2023.

As he praised President William Ruto for his measures to lower the cost of living, he brought up the price of maize meal flour which has been at the center of conflict between the opposition and the government; as well as demonstrators who have been demanding for the lowering of the cost of living as President Ruto had promised during his campaigns.

“Your Excellency, you inherited the economy of this country at a difficult time when the economy of this nation was in a very difficult place. And Your Excellency we want to thank you for the great efforts that you have put to restore the Kenyan economy and we are glad that there are signs of recovery. Your Excellency, through your prudent management and well thought out interventions, you have successfully brought down the cost of unga from an all-time high of Sh 230 to slightly above Sh 150. Your Excellency…” began DP Gachagua.

It was at this point that some in the audience began shouting forcing DP Gachagua to respond to them.

“…It is true. It is in between Sh 150 and Sh 170 depending on where you buy, and we will continue with him,” said DP Gachagua amid poses in his speech and uproar swept through the audience.

This will be the second time the Kenya Kwanza Government announced that they had lowered the cost of a 2 kilogram packet of maize meal flour that cooks Kenya’s staple food, Ugali. The first time around, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed had to go on the defensive after announcing the prices had gone down in mid April 2023 only for him to be proved wrong.

Nairobi News earlier reported that President Ruto, in his Labor Day speech after DP Gachagua spoke, said that the price of Unga had reduced and ranged between Sh 158 and Sh 230, and Kenyans were at will to buy any Unga that they wanted.

“I have seen you people saying ‘not yet, not yet’. I want to tell you this. The price was Sh 230. If  you go to the shelf right now at Quickmart or Naivas, you will find there are packets for Sh 200, for Sh 180, for Sh 170 and for Sh 158. You are the one to decide on which one you will buy. If you want to buy the one for Sh 200, buy it. If you want for Sh 158, buy it. It is your decision. This is a democracy and you can do what you want to do. I will continue working hard because there are some millers who want to play with us but I will go toe to toe with them until we make sure every citizen has a right to access food that is quality, that is enough for their families,” added President Ruto.

Nation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt1I-iFXO0c

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