In the wake of a recent biting shortage of maize flour in the country, the government rolled out a subsidy programme, seeking not only to make the staple available but also check its pricing in the retail market. It is generally accepted that such subsidies should be targeted at the most vulnerable in the society, who suffer the most severe consequences of such shortages.
The Sh6 billion maize flour subsidy that the government recently rolled out in response to the maize shortage should not be an exception. But alas! It is the relatively well-fed middle class and the rich who are trooping to the large urban supermarkets seeking the stuff. It may as well be that the government was aiming to feed this outspoken class than relieve the pain of the poor majority.
