Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called out leaders claiming the school feeding programme dubbed ‘Dishi na County’ is not working.
This comes after the governor and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino engaged in an exchange of words over the feeding programme.
According to Babu, the initiative launched in August has not been beneficial to Nairobi school children.
Instead, he said the programme is causing disruptions in school schedules due to delays in food delivery caused by transport issues, labelling it as nothing short of a scandal.
“Each school should have well well-equipped kitchen and staff. Sakajas 10 kitchens cannot feed hundreds of thousands of learners in Nairobi. The ratio of kitchens to kids is ridiculous,” Babu said.
In his response on Monday, Sakaja termed the statements as political propaganda.
“A few people are against our feeding programme for nefarious reasons. Resorting to propaganda won’t work. Using children for politics won’t work,” Sakaja said.
“Sadly, opportunistic premature 2027 aspirants, are so hellbent that this shouldn’t work that they are even considering harming our children.
“Let me tell them; Watoi Wadishi, Washibe, Wasome, Wanone. Lazima iWork”
According to Sakaja, the first phase of schools onboarded has been getting their hot meals daily and on time.
He said that he has communicated to all head teachers to continue with their arrangements until the county communicates once the next phase begins.
“Already 80,000 children are enjoying meals at Sh5 on the phased implementation,” Sakaja said.
He assured parents who had already loaded money onto the 'Tap to Eat' platform that children would be provided with food.
The governor said the second stage will reach more than 190,000 children a day, and the final stage to commence subsequently reaching the targeted 250,000 children.