Mombasa,
Friday, March 15 2024
KNA by Mauta Jackie
A heated controversy is brewing among Muslim leaders over the distribution of government food aid for vulnerable families in Mombasa, during the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
The Government is distributing assorted foods to 16 counties, to alleviate insufficiency among vulnerable families.Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), in a joint press briefing with the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), decried being side-lined from the distribution, despite being the distributors for the last six years.
Over the years, they stated they have established networks and thus are better placed to do the distribution.This year’s distribution, they alleged, took a twist when the government handed the distribution role to two Mombasa politicians, allied to the ruling Party.
SUPKEM Mombasa Chairman, Athman Akbar, raised concerns about the abrupt diversion of responsibility.
“The respect that was given to Muslim leaders in the past is no longer there. Why is the food being given to politicians that belong to a certain political party? ,We would not complain if the food was given to all leaders,” lamented Akbar.
The leaders said efforts to find an amicable solution with the County Commissioner, Mohamed Nur, hit a snag after they were informed the decision was an order from a Cabinet Secretary.CIPK Organizing Secretary, Sheikh Mahmoud Abdillahi, echoed Akbar’s sentiments. He emphasized the anomaly of the situation.
He said the politicians will play politics with the food.“In the other counties the food aid has already been distributed to the organisations and they have distributed it to Muslims in their regions. We want the food aid distribution to be returned to the organisations and not politicians.We want the residents to know that this food is not from the politicians, but the government,” he said.
He added that in other counties, the government has entrusted SUPKEM and CIPK officials to distribute the food to Muslims.
However, County Commissioner, Mohamed Nur, clarified that food distribution in all the six Sub-counties in the Coastal City, is spearheaded by Deputy County Commissioners, not politicians, as alluded to by the clerics.
Courtesy; KNA
