By Peter Ochieng

Over the past weeks, Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Information, and Communication Technology (ICT) Eliud Owalo has been traversing various parts of the Luo Nyanza region distributing food to famine-hit families.

The CS has led the food donation exercise in Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay and Migori Counties. He was in Migori County last weekend, attracting a backlash from some quarters.

Kileleshwa Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Robert Onyango Alai in a post on his social media pages seemingly mocked the CS, wondering how the food donation exercise is connected to matters of ICT.

“Tell me how these gorogoros (tins) are connected to ICT?” Owalo has been shown in photos shared online holding a 2kg tin, which he uses to distribute food to locals.

Alai said it is either the CS doesn’t know his roles at the ICT Ministry, or the appointing authority – President William Ruto did not brief him well.

“When you appoint people and they don’t know their roles or you didn’t brief them on the administrations focus, you have such. I wish Owalo was opening ICT hubs and conferences. ICT minds can’t get around this mess.”

Alai’s post attracted a host of reactions from Kenyans, some supporting him, with a big chunk supporting the CS. Those in support of the CS said ICT hubs will not serve any benefit to hungry people.

“How do you browse when hungry?” wrote Gabriel Steven in support of the CS.

“Having a blogger who doesn’t understand what it means by government food donations,” added Dickson Sitienei.

Rutoh Elias wrote, “In fact, we have been wondering too,” in support of Alai.

Various Cabinet Secretaries and top-ranking government officials have been leading food donation exercises in various parts of the Country, so as to reach out to over 4 million Kenyans hit by famine due to failed rains.

The national drought mitigation steering committee chaired by Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, had as of last week collected over Sh500 million to buy food for affected Kenyans.