Prepare for another round of expensive Unga – Millers sound an alarm just when RUTO thought he had managed to reduce Unga prices

Friday, March 1, 2027 – Millers have sounded an alarm, warning Kenyans to prepare for the looming hike in prices of maize and wheat flour due to increased production costs.

This comes even as President William Ruto and his Deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, have been bragging that they had significantly reduced the cost of unga.

In a financial statement, the miller, which processes popular maize and wheat brands, indicated that the increase would stem from an increase in exchange rates. 

While the miller noted that the Shilling had strengthened in recent days, there were still existing risks in the exchange rate owing to fluctuations.

The company expounded that the exchange rates are likely to impact the cost of imported raw materials and shipping.

As a result, production of the flours could rise and ultimately see the prices of the commonly used household items increase.

"The US dollar exchange rate and liquidity have shown improvement. 

"However, should foreign currency exchange risk persist, it will potentially influence the costs of our imported raw materials and thus impact the overall cost of our products.

"Despite the challenges, the Group will capitalize on its strengths to drive performance enhancements across all operations," the miller cautioned.

Currently, a 2kg packet of maize flour retails between Ksh150 to Ksh205 depending on the brand.

On the other hand, a similar-sized packet of wheat flour ranges between Ksh180-Ksh200.

According to the milling company's projections, Kenyans will also spend more in hotels for various foods such as ugali, mandazi and chapati.

The Shilling has strengthened against the dollar in recent weeks.

The Kenyan DAILY POST