Africa-Press – Kenya. Hundreds of Mavoko residents in Machakos County have benefited from the government’s ongoing relief food distribution program in the country.
Athi River deputy county commissioner Patrick Mwangi said they included the sick, jobless, and elderly among other vulnerable residents, especially from Athi River town’s informal settlements.
“We have distributed 400 bags of beans of 50kgs each amounting 20tonnes and 160 bags of rice of 50kgs each that’s eight tonnes,” Mwangi said.
The food was from the national government special program under the Ministry of East Africa Community and Regional Development.
Each beneficiary received 2kgs of beans and rice of the same quantity.
Mwangi spoke during the relief food distribution at his office premises in Athi River on Friday.
He said vulnerable residents from all seven locations and eleven sub-locations of the subcounty will benefit from the donations.
The administrator said they had initially budgeted for over 7, 000 beneficiaries but had to reduce the figure through targeted groups due low availability of the relief food.
“We have ensured that all villages are reached targeting vulnerable populace within the society. They include elderly, sick people who take drugs daily, orphans and vulnerable children alongside those living with disabilities,” Mwangi said.
He told the residents not to lose hope since there were hopes that the government might consider the subcounty for more relief food donations.
Mwangi urged the public to cooperate with the subcounty’s committee in charge of relief food distribution for the program’s smooth execution.
“Let them accept the little they have received. There are lots of poor people in the informal settlements within Athi River who are unable to get jobs and fend for themselves,” he said.
Rebeca Kamene, a single mother and one of the beneficiaries thanked the government for the relief food donation.
Kamene acknowledged that she together with her two children among other vulnerable residents spent nights without food due to poverty and hard economic times.
She, however, urged the government to help them secure jobs because the food was little and once off.
“I’m happy the government has given us food. The problem is that the food is little. We urge the government to bring us more ratios and also get us jobs,” Kamene said.
Kamene said she would eat the food for two days before going to bed hungry again.
Athi River MCA Jeremiah Kaloi lauded the government for including Machakos County among vulnerable counties hence the distribution of relief food.
Kaloi said there was the notion that those living in towns like Athi River, Kyumbi, and Machakos among others within Nairobi’s metropolis were financially endowed and hence not vulnerable. A perception the county legislator dispelled.
“Many times Athi River is perceived to be not needy for relief food. I urge the government to consider residents of this town any time relief food is distributed in the country,” Kaloi said.
Kaloi said the town was full of a vulnerable populace who don’t have sources of livelihood.
He said there were lots of elderly, orphans, jobless and the sick living mostly in the town’s informal settlements.
Kaloi said some sub-counties like Masinga, Mwala, Machakos, Kangundo and Matungulu were better off since they had rural setups with farms to cultivate and grow crops and keep livestock for livelihoods.
“Let’s feed our people. If they are full, they will have the energy to job seek and engage in menial jobs in the multiple industries around,” Kaloi said.
He said the youth will be engaged in Machakos County government’s ‘Boresha Mtaa na Mama Project’.
“All the informal settlements will be cleaned by the youth through this project, a scheduled initiative of Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti,” Kaloi said.
For More News And Analysis About Kenya Follow Africa-Press
