“The chair will verify their authenticity at a later moment and communicate to this House.” The Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim said.

The Presidential Press Service has since issued a rebuttal. It made it clear that the First Lady has never traded in Maize.

"The First Lady has never engaged in any acts that may compromise the public good and has the options of seeking redress against the wild and unfounded allegations of Hon Namwamba."The PPS statement said.

Heated debates and accusations marked the proceedings as the Parliamentary Accounts committee Chairperson-Boniface Khalwale tabled documents that he purported implicated the Minister for Agriculture-William Ruto in the maize scandal that has rocked the famine stricken nation.

As the accusations were hurled against the Minister on the floor of the house-He denied them and maintained his innocence.

The PAC chair said the Minister and his Personal Assistant influenced the allocation of maize to two millers-whom he described as 'briefcase millers. He named the two firms as Eliana and Nasada claiming that they belonged to two Members of Parliament.

The maize saga has been on the air since it emerged that the tax payer had lost close to two billion shillings in dubious maize deals between the government officials-middle men-and 'briefcase millers.' This led to the minister to sack the top managers of the National Cereal and Produce Board that acts as the 'National Store.'

Shortage

NCPB is supposed to buy the maize from the farmers and hold it in reserve until it is needed-especially in cases like famine. Then it sells it at affordable rates to Kenyans. But in this case, it was sold to 'millers' and middle men-who in turn exported the maize to Southern Sudan thereby creating an artificial maize shortage.

It emerged that cartels were up making a fortune through exporting the maize to Southern Sudan where they would sell a bag for ksh 6,000.The same bag in Kenya-bought for ksh 1750.The twist though, it that the maize is meant for the people of Kenya.

Kenya right now is facing famine-price of maize and maize floor have skyrocketed making it hard for most Kenyans to be able to afford it. So far-the Red Cross Head-Abbas Gullet has confirmed some deaths in the country from hunger. Strange thing though, is that maize is being exported to Sudan-yet Kenyans are dying of hunger.

"Maize is not a contraband product and it is traded freely. There is no wrong for an individual to purchase maize from NCPB. The only problem would be if the maize was not paid for. There is not a single bag that was picked that was not paid for.” The Agriculture Minister said while defending himself.


These accusations against the First Lady come after the President distanced himself from the statements made by the First Lady-accusing the security forces of laxity. The President made a statement showing his solidarity for the security minister.