Only hours after the government banned uncoordinated direct distribution of food and non-food donations on Saturday, Nairobi governor Sonko resumed distribution of food.
Sonko was seen distributing food and non-food items to residents of Machakos county, even as the individual distribution was banned after chaos witnessed in Kibra.
On Saturday, the governor showed up in Machakos with a container filled with foodstuff, masks and sanitisers and distributed them to locals at the shopping centre in his home town, Mua Hills.
“Earlier today (Saturday), our team donated foodstuffs, masks and sanitisers to our neighbours in Mua Hills shopping centre,”tweeted the governror.
Residents were seen queuing wearing masks while others were seen carrying the goodies home.
On Saturday, the government banned uncoordinated direct distribution of food and non-food items after chaos erupted at the Kibra District Office during distribution of donations from ODM party leader Raila Odinga leaving scores injured on Friday.
Desperate residents, who had gathered at the Kibra District Office tried to force their way in to access the donations and in the process broke social distancing rules.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i directed any donors and well-wishers who would like to contribute to the coronavirus response actions to channel or coordinate their contributions through the Kenya Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund.
He said the government had noted the many initiatives by private individuals, associations and interest groups, organising to mobilise funds, food and non-food items and distributing these to vulnerable communities across the country.
Last week, Sonko took to social media and claimed that he had been banned from distributing food to the needy living in slums.
Through the Sonko Rescue Team, Sonko had been distributing foodstuff, sanitisers and face masks to people living in different parts of the city county.
The governor said his humanitarian actions had been halted indefinitely but did not indicate issued the said orders.
On March 13, 2020, when the first coronavirus case was reported in Kenya, the government banned all public gatherings.
Human rights groups have been calling on the government to direct its focus on Kenyans living in the slums as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
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