Kenya: Ukranian Envoy to Kenya Says Russia to Blame for Increased Food Prices

Nairobi — Ukrainian Ambassador to Kenya Pravednyk Andrii Ivanovych says Russia is to blame for the increased food prices in the country, saying the conflict has negatively affected crop production.

Speaking to Capital in the morning on Thursday, Ambassador Ivanovych noted that Ukraine, which is a main contributor of grain basket to most countries including Kenya, and their workers are unable to work due to the conflict, leading to increased food prices.

He noted that Kenya is a large importer of wheat from Ukraine.

“We provide food security to a number of countries around the world, in Africa including Kenya and definitely there will be negative implications since the ongoing hostilities will not allow Ukrainian agricultural workers to work as during peaceful times but it’s Russia to blame because they started the full invasion,” he stated.

The ambassador however noted that Ukraine is committed to ensuring that they get a good harvest in the coming season so as to minimize the negative effects, despite the ongoing conflict.

He said they will ensure they have at least the same crop they had in 2021, so as to avert the situation.

” I would like to assure Kenyans that we are doing everything possible to start the sowing campaign on time, and we are doing what we can to get a good crop. We will not allow people from other countries to face these negative implications,” he stated.

Last month Kenya reviewed its fuel prices up by Sh5 in what is likely to further push up the country’s cost of living.

Under the new prices, Super Petrol and Diesel will retail at Sh134.72 and Sh115.60 per litre respectively. Kerosene will remain unchanged at Sh103.54.

It is the first increase since November 2021, in what sources said is linked to the crisis between Ukraine and Russia.

At the same time, Kenyans took to social media to protest the rising cost of food and groceries.

Under the hashtag, Lower Food Prices, the netizens decried the increase in prices of basic food commodities such as sifted maize flour, bread, vegetables and fruits.