The Governor of Mtwara Region, Colonel Ahmed Abbas, has asked government officials in Nanyumbu District to take legal action against leaders and officials of villages accused of stealing subsidized maize, which the government has sent to this district for citizens who are facing food shortages.

Mtwara Regional Head, Colonel Ahmed Abbas

Abbas gave the instructions immediately after visiting one of the corn storage warehouses in Mangaka, Nanyumbu District.

The leaders are accused of obtaining 13 tons of corn by registering the names of the citizens and taking the corn and later going to sell it to the citizens at a high price.

"The emphasis is on those who committed this crime, make sure they are taken into action and brought before the law enforcement agencies, so that everyone gets the justice they deserve," he said.

The Head of Nanyumbu District, Mariam Chaurembo has said that the chairpersons and leaders of six villages collected money and registered the names of the citizens and obtained the maize to sell to traders at a high price.

He said that the district government started a search and arrested the leaders and chairmen of six villages and some citizens who are accused of obtaining subsidized corn by fraud and brought to the law enforcement agencies.

He said that the region received more than 1,000 tons of subsidized maize from the central government, which is currently being sold to the public at 789 shillings, while the street price is 1,500 shillings to Shs 2,000 per kilo.