Kenya: Supermarkets ration Sh100 maize flour purchases

Supermarkets have capped the number of packets of maize flour that customers can purchase in the wake of panic buying witnessed on Thursday as the price of the staple dropped to Sh100 as directed by the government under a short-term subsidy programme. The uncertainty over the future has seen Kenyans buy large quantities of flour for stocking in anticipation that the government might not renew the four-week subsidy after the elections. Willy Kimani, chief commercial officer at Naivas Supermarkets, said the retailer would cut the number of packets that one can be allowed to purchase to four. “Yes, we are (limiting) to a maximum of four pieces,” Mr Kimani told the Business Daily. Announcing the subsidy on Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta did not give a date when the programme would end. However, the strategy statement seen by the Business Daily earlier indicated that the scheme would last for only four weeks. Mr Kenyatta announced in Nairobi this week after meeting with the ...