President William Ruto extends his support and comfort to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja after he becomes emotional during a speech.
The two leaders were present at the launch of the Nairobi School Feeding Programme at Roysambu Primary School in Nairobi. It was during Sakaja's address that he displayed his vulnerable side and broke down, struggling to find the right words to express his emotions.
"Your excellency, sorry," Sakaja uttered as he wiped away tears from his eyes, trying to compose himself. After regaining his composure, he added, "Your excellency, it's the pain of these children."
President Ruto empathized with the governor, assuring him that he understands and shares his sentiments. Ruto expressed his commitment to eradicating hunger in the country, emphasizing that it is a priority for his administration.
"To my friend Arthur Sakaja Johnson, I want you to know that I feel what you feel," Ruto stated. "During the campaigns, I emphasized that we must eliminate the shame of hunger in our republic. We need to be intentional, deliberate, and have a plan to achieve it."
The President further revealed that the government has comprehensive plans to address food security and combat hunger, with a focus on increasing food production. Ruto pledged to enhance the school feeding programme, ensuring that children receive nutritious meals.
Under Sakaja's 'Dishi na County' programme, public school children and those in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) within Nairobi will have access to free meals by using only Ksh5 in the 2023-24 financial year. The governor has allocated a budget of Ksh1.2 billion annually to support the initiative.
To facilitate the programme, groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of central kitchens were conducted in ten subcounties on Monday. The construction is expected to be completed in approximately 10 weeks, with the first meal scheduled to be served on the first day of the third term of the current school year.
The ten subcounties where central kitchens will be established include Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysambu, Ruaraka, and Westlands.
