A section of Muslim Clerics and the Garissa Chambers of Commerce have joined leaders, residents condemning the hoarding of essential commodities by some business entities that have created artificial ‘shortages’.
Talking to KNA on phone, Sheikh Hassan Abdullahi of Supkem said it is wrong for the business communities to hoard essential commodities, adding that even Islam prohibits such acts.
“Hoarding of essential commodities for selfish interest is against Islamic laws and Kenyan laws. Please if you as the business community are doing this desist from this practice,” Sheikh Abdullahi said.
He called on investigative agencies to rein in on such business people, apprehend and prosecute them in accordance with the law of the land.
The Chief Executive Officer for Chambers of Commerce Abdiwahid Ahmed said movement of goods and services has led to severe shortage due to damage on roads caused by floods.
“Major supply routes of goods and services have been extensively damaged and nothing is moving into and out of Garissa. This is also a contributing factor to the shortage of essential commodities,” Ahmed said.
“We cannot make a blanket condemnation of the businesses community. However, there could be a few bad ones and the law keepers should deal with them,” he added.
He also said panic buying by customers has also occasioned the severe shortage of goods currently witnessed in the county.
“It’s both illegal and inhuman to hoard commodities at the time of crisis, businesses should be humane because this will last for a few days,” he said.
On Wednesday Garissa Governor Nathif Jamah warned rogue traders taking advantage of the current floods to hoard essential commodities that their licenses would be revoked.
Jamah said that his office had received several complaints from area residents that some traders are holding back essential commodities to create an artificial shortage to later inflate their prices and make a ‘kill’ because the major supply routes to region have been closed.
By Jacob Songok
