Murang’a county government has received maize flour worth Sh780,000 from Capwell Industries which produces Soko Ugali.
Company’s CEO Rajan Shah said the donation is part of Corporate Social Responsibility activities it has been undertaking since the coronavirus outbreak.
He said the company knew the pandemic would affect Kenyans’ health and livelihood, and that many would require assistance.
Many small scale businesses have been affected by the partial lockdown and their earnings disrupted.
“We have full-fledged CSR activities that we consistently carry out and we thought this was a time of need and we needed to step forward,” Shah said.
The company started donating foodstuffs to needy families within the Nairobi Metropolis before expanding to other counties that were badly affected.
About 10 other counties were selected.
He said the company donated 550 bales of maize flour and that similar exercises would be carried out in the other counties.
The CEO lauded Governor Mwangi Wa Iria for his extensive food issuance programme which he said exemplified good leadership.
“His policies in agriculture are something that we would like to partner with as a company after coronavirus to sustain the income of farmers,” Shah said.
He expressed hope that the pandemic will be contained fast enough but reiterated that it may affect the country for a long time and will require Kenyans to change their way of living.
Wa Iria said hunger is one of the main effects of the disease as many are no longer able to make a living.
“People are hungry not because there is a drought but because of the slumped economy,” the governor said.
He lauded those who have supported the county government in its bid to protect residents from coronavirus infections and cushion them from the impact of the disease.
The county government has issued foodstuffs to the clergy, matatu operators and bar workers, and plans to reach out to a total of 30,000 families.
Wa Iria praised Capwell Industries for the donation saying it will be distributed to needy families.
The governor said a public-private partnership is for the growth of the economy now, underscoring the need for the government to balance between taxation and allowing private businesses to thrive.
“The public sector is in regulation and production through the masses while the private sector is in processing. That relationship is vital for a thriving economy,” he said.
“We need to make sure counties create an enabling business environment to help private businesses thrive because that also boosts the county,” he added.
Wa Iria also appealed to farmers not to sell their farm produce after harvesting.
He said his administration issued maize seeds to over 250,000 farmers in March and that the food is due for harvesting in a few months.
“We do not know how long the pandemic will last and that is why I am insisting that they store their foods to stop relying on relief aid,” he said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
