Drivers of tour firms are among many Kenyans who have been hit hard by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Covid-19 outbreak led to the closure of tourism resorts after the international airspace was shut. lack of tourists means they have no jobs.
Swaleh Karama on Saturday told the Star he has been a tour driver at the Coast for 21 years.
The father of seven is among 120 tour drivers who are now jobless.
“For the first time in history, I do not have cash to fend for my family,” Karama said.
On Thursday, the Mombasa county government distributed foodstuff for the drivers.
“We all know that tour drivers are among the people who were hard-hit by Covid-19. Therefore, today we are here to donate food packs to freelance drivers,” acting tourism chief officer Aisha Abdi said.
She was speaking during the food distribution exercise at Indiana Hotel in Mombasa.
Abdi said the county government was not only targeting those in the tourism industry but all vulnerable groups.
The county launched an emergency household relief and nutrition support project to help over 230,000 vulnerable families.
“This has been an ongoing programme targeting the vulnerable households in Mombasa county,” Abdi said.
Youth chief officer Innocent Mugabe said they have been distributing foodstuff in major slum areas of Mombasa including in Nyali, Mvita, Changamwe and Likoni constituencies.
“We have been to Mkomani, Likoni, Jomvu and next is Ziwa la Ng’ombe. So far, we have been able to reach out to over 30,000 households and the exercise is still ongoing,” Mugabe said.
Edited by P.O
