The Laikipia Woman Representative, Catherine Waruguru has asked the Ministry of Devolution and Planning to dsiburse relief food to cushion Kenyans affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing floods.
While regretting that most Kenyans were forced to go for days without food, the legislator said that the National government ought to have released foodstuff to citizens instead of watching them suffer starvation.
Waruguru said sources of livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic with Kenyans experiencing a total decline in daily incomes hence making more households vulnerable and in dire need of help.
“Am calling upon the Ministry of Devolution and Planning to immediately release relief food to cushion Kenyans who are suffering loses due to the disease and others going without food due to floods situation across the country,” said Waruguru.
Speaking while distributing food aid to residents of the sprawling Kia-Maina slums in the outskirts of Nyahururu town on Saturday, the legislator called on the government to also consider subsidising the price of staple maize flour.
This, she said will ease inflationary pressure and help cushion Kenyans against the hard economic period occasioned by the pandemic.
“I am calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta to say something, we want him to consider reducing the price of a 2-kg packet of maize flour from the current high price to support Kenyans,” she said.
A spot-check at major outlets in Nyahururu town revealed that a packet of a 2-kg maize flour was retailing between Sh.130 to Sh.150.
On his part, the Laikipia West Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Patrick Muli advised residents to follow government guidelines on coronavirus noting that they were all geared towards keeping the disease at bay.
He regretted that despite warnings that no alcohol should be sold in the bars, some of the operators were still doing businesses at the back doors.
“I want to warn those few individuals who have turned to brewing chang’aa and selling it in the villages that their days are numbered. Am also appealing to members of the public to provide police with information of such happenings to help arrest the culprits,” warned Muli.
Residents who benefit from the distribution welcomed the move calling on the government to issue relief food.
They regretted since the disease outbreak business was not as usual as they are forced to go without food.
By Jesse Mwitwa
