March 19, 2024

Mombasa Locals Raise Alarm over Relief Food

Relief food donated by the business community and well wishers in food stores within the county. Image: (Courtesy)

By The Coast Newspaper Team
Email: thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com   
A section of Mombasa county residents have faulted the distribution of relief food meant for Mombasa county residents as a mitigation to combat the spread of corona virus.
A spot-check by The COAST Newspaper indicates that the food meant for the less fortunate families has not reached the targeted families living in slum areas within the county.Ali Chogo a resident of Nguu Tatu accused both the county and national governments on claims of playing a cat and mouse game.
He asked the county government to distribute relief food to all slum areas in the county.
“It is very sad to see that despite adhering to the government directive of staying at home, we have not seen either the county or national government come to our rescue,” he said.Another local, Hamisi Abdul, a disabled from Umoja village in Bamburi says he only remembers submitting his name to the Nyumba Kumi elder almost six weeks ago.
He reveals that since then nothing has transpired as the locals are still optimistic that all will be well soon.
“I do not know whether the relief food is meant for a few people in Mombasa County. Sincerely speaking I have never seen that food,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Lubna Nassir a human rights defender claims that the food is only directed to specific households.
She wants the county government to ensure fairness in the distribution of the relief food.

Lubna Nassir in (buibui) flanked by other staff and a section of the less fortunate,Image: (Courtesy)

“To whom is this food directed to? I have been receiving phone calls from people living in different areas concerning the relief food meant for less fortunate families,” Nassir quizzed.
According to her, hundreds of needy families living in slum areas are in dire need of both material and financial aid.
The activist adds that slum areas such as Moroto in Mombasa Island, Nguu Tatu, Umoja and Loma villages in Bamburi are the worst hit areas.
She also took issue with the graffiti at in various areas within the county saying the only way to combat the spread of the virus is to put on masks and maintaining a social distance.
She instead wants the county government to distribute face masks and sanitizers to locals instead of what she claims are misuse public funds.
At the same time, Ibrahim Jey a youth activist from Mvita Sub County asked the county government to use the Mombasa county 2019 population data when distributing food to the residents.

Lubna Nassir flanked by other staff after visiting the Likoni Orphanage. Image: (Courtesy)

“I think this food is meant for just a few. This is because I have a neighbor who received the food, but personally I haven’t,” Ibrahim noted. 
The activist states that all food should be distributed to slum dwellers in Bangladesh, Nguu Tatu and Mwakirunge areas.


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