The Kilifi county government has made another passionate appeal for food donations, saying more families are becoming vulnerable as the coronavirus pandemic persists.
At least 220,000 families face starvation due to the pandemic.
The county, which continues to receive food aid from well wishers, says should the pandemic persist, more families will be in danger of starvation.
“We are trying as a county to feed these families. But we cannot do it alone. We need corporates to come out and help like Roofings Kenya Ltd have done,” said Amina Nassor, chief officer in Governor Amason Kingi's office.
On Saturday, Roofings Kenya Ltd administrative manager Hassan Athman and chief operations officer John Mucheru presented the company’s donation of 2,000kg of maize flour and 2,000kg of wheat flour worth over Sh1 million to the Kilifi county government.
Nassor said the food will go a long way to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable families.
The chief officer said feeding a community was no small task and needed unity and cooperation.
She said the coronavirus pandemic had rendered hundreds of thousands of breadwinners jobless, thus exacerbating the food crisis in the county.
“We must come together as a community. I thank Roofings Kenya Ltd for this kind gesture and urge more corporates and individuals to come out in support of our food subsidy programme,” Nassor said.
Athman said this is the time for Kenyans to come together and help each other.
“Our unity should be stronger at moments such as these so we can show the strength of unity. Help out in whatever way you can,” he said.
The company is putting up three plants in Mazeras, Kilifi county, for galvanized wire, iron sheets and steel.
Mucheru said the firm had the interests of Kilifi residents, who form the bulk of the workforce at the plant being put up.
“We understand the measures put in place by the national government have prevented residents from earning their daily wages and meals. That is why we also felt we should chip in,” Mucheru said.
“Thanks to the company chair, Sikander Lalani, who initiated this. We are asking other companies and individuals to also help out.”
Engineer Henry Otieno, the managing director of HenPoint Kenya Limited, which has been contracted by Roofing Kenya to do three plants in Mazeras, said helping the vulnerable was a sacred duty for everyone.
“We, as HenPoint Kenya Ltd, will also be donating some food to both the Kilifi county government and the Mombasa county government next week,” Otieno said.
Kilifi county set aside about Sh220 million towards the food subsidy programme.
The county has so far had at least 15 confirmed cases of Covid-19, making it the third most affected county in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa.
Kilifi deputy governor Gideon Saburi is in court facing charges of endangering the lives of county residents among other charges after failing to self-quarantine after a trip to Germany.
He has since recovered from the disease.
Edited by Henry Makori
