Residents of Kiambu on Tuesday received food donations worth Sh392,000 from police officers in the county.
At least 520 needy families from 12 subcounties received maize and wheat flour, beans, rice, cooking oil, rice and soap.
In Kwamathore village, Lari subcounty, residents said they were terrified when they saw police officers entering their homes. Some thought the police had come to arrest them.
“We thought they were looking for suspects, or they were investigating a case or tracing someone who could have signs of the coronavirus," Simon Mburu said.
Beneficiary Lillian Wangechi thanked Gituamba chief Peter Ndonga for helping police identify vulnerable residents as the effects of Covid-19 has left peasant farmers poorer.
“We cannot go far, casual jobs are scarce and feeding our families has become a problem. On the other hand, we have elderly parents here who depend on us, life is hard. It is a blessing from God to receive this kind of donation,” she said.
Richard Ndung’u, another beneficiary, said he will pray that the police be blessed.
Chief Ndonga led Lari OCS Festus Okoth in distributing the food to Gituamba location. Okoth later partnered with other chiefs to distribute the donations at Gitithia and Lari Scheme locations.
Kiambu county police commander Ali Nunow said police officers from the 12 subcounties contributed money to buy the food after they realised the number of families sleeping hungry was on the rise.
He thanked the officers for responding to the initiative to assist the needy.
Edited by A.N