Cabinet Secretary Handover Donations to cushion vulnerable households in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties

Cabinet Secretary, Prof Margaret Kobia on Thursday 9th, July handed over food and non-food items to COVID-19 Response Committees in Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties to cushion vulnerable households during this period.

Addressing residents while  accompanied by the respective county commissioners, Prof. Kobia noted that the impact of Covid-19 global pandemic is affecting every part of our society and a partnership approach is needed to respond to the emerging challenges.

She lauded partners from the County Government, the National Government, the private sector, and NGOs for providing donations to cushion the vulnerable households from the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cabinet Secretary commended Maendeleo ya Wanawake for providing the national network that will ensure the donations reach the most vulnerable women in our society.

“National Government has put in place various interventions to combat Covid-19 pandemic and the National Emergency Response Committee has been coordinating efforts to mitigate the pandemic together with other state and non-state actors,” said Prof. Kobia.

She appealed to the communities in FGM hotspot Counties to support H.E the President’s call to end FGM in Kenya by 2022. She urged for expedited prosecution of the perpetrators of GBV who continue to violate the rights of innocent girls and women.

On her part, Principal Secretary, Mrs. Mary Kimonye called on all public servants to continue discharging their mandate while strictly observing the laid down protocols on combating the Covid-19 global pandemic.
She said in the post-Covid paradigm, public service delivery is going digital which opens up opportunities for youth to serve.

Maendeleo ya Wanawake National Chairperson, Mrs. Rahab Mwikali challenged parents to pay keen attention to their responsibilities now that children are squarely under their care.

She called on religious leaders to teach right morals to repair the broken social moral fabric which has led to unprecedented teenage pregnancies.
Mwikali nostalgically recalled that Tharaka Nithi County was the first one to introduce alternative rite of passage to FGM in the 1990s. She challenged county leaders to upscale the rite and use it to achieve H.E the President’s commitment of End FGM by 2022.

The items handed over included kits, buckets, masks, bar soaps, lessos, rice, beans and fortified health foods. Donors included UNFPA, WEF, UWEZO Fund, Kenya Pipeline Company and Ministry of Devolution and ASALS.

The Cabinet Secretary also presided over the issuance of Affirmative Action Fund cheques from the Women Enterprise Fund worth Kshs.34.15 million to 135 women groups and Uwezo fund worth Kshs. 19.19 million to 238 groups in Meru County. In Tharaka Nithi County Women Enterprise Fund disbursed cheques worth Kshs. 11.45 million to 38 women groups and UWEZO Fund disbursed Ksh 5.9 million to 93 groups to cushion women businesses and their families during this time of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Other leaders present included Tharaka Nithi Governor, Muthomi Njuki, UNFPA Country Representative, Dr. Ademola Olajide, and Bishop Silas Mugambi among other local leaders.

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