Kenyans Are Moving To Uganda Just To Buy Milk And Sugar

The high cost of living in kenya is pushing Kenyans to do the expected.According to The Standard newspaper, hundreds of Kenyans crossed over to the neighboring country to buy Milk, Maize flour and sugar as price continue to skyrocket.Retail shops in Uganda are selling 1 kilogramme of sugar at Sh150 compared to local supermarkets in Busia where it goes at Sh200.According to manager of a mini-supermarket located less than two kilometers on the Ugandan side, Kenyans cross over to the supermarket in hundreds trying to get the commodity."Most of our customers for the last one week have been coming from Kenya. They don't buy in bulk but in small quantities, certainly for family use," he said.Sugar prices have reached a new high with the two-kilogramme packet now retailing at Sh330, which together with expensive milk is set to make breakfast costly especially for low-income people.The increased cost will complicate matters for the households who are grappling with high cost of living following a sharp increase in prices of basic commodities that pushed inflation to 11.48 per cent."The problem we are experiencing now cannot be blamed on the national government alone but the county governments as well because the essence of devolution was to bring resources near the people and ensure they benefit but that is not happening in most parts of this country," said Busia Traders Association chairman Stephen Obala.Kenya is a sugar deficit country and is allowed to import duty free sugar from Comesa, with an annual quota of 350,000 tonnes. The prices of milk have also increased significantly in recent months, with the long life brand selling at over Sh70 while the fresh one is retailing at Sh65 for a half litre packet.The price of a 2kg packet of maize flour remains high despite a marginal decline to an average of Sh130 currently.