Accusations
East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza has condemned attacks leveled at the free shoes distribution in Kitui South, which was conducted by Zero Barefoot Campaign and championed by President William Ruto’s daughter, Charlene Ruto.
She said that it was a great honour for Ms Charlene to volunteer shoes assistance to the children of Kitui South and no leader worth their salt should unduly attack the initiative.
The CS added that it was wrong for a leader or anyone to spread falsehoods that the shoes were of poor quality saying such allegations are reckless, unfair, misguided, a mockery to the first family and absolutely unacceptable in a civilised society.
Speaking Thursday when she visited several schools at the end of the three days exercise which kicked off on Monday this week, CS Malonza challenged local leaders, organizations and economically able parents to emulate Charlene and spread similar charity to the needy pupils across the county.
“Everyone of us can copy Charlene and buy a pair of shoes for a neighbour’s barefoot child to give them hope and dignity”, she urged. She further disclosed that the Ewaso Ng’iro North Authority which has a shoe factory would give an additional 2000 shoes to pupils in primary schools in Kitui South in support of the exercise.
Alongside the donation of shoes to the needy pupils in the area, the CS said that Charlene had vowed to help bee keepers in Kitui County with the provision of bee hives and technical support.
The exercise, which kicked off on Monday at Itumba Primary School, also involved the distribution of sanitary towels to pupils and food aid to the local community in Kitui south. During her trail Malonza said the Government has delivered multiple projects in Kitui County towards improvement of livelihoods, enhancement of resilience and adaptation to persistent droughts in the county and the larger Lower Eastern Region.
She listed key development projects earmarked to be funded in the county, including the injection of Sh250 million for completion of Umaa Dam in Kitui Central sub county, Sh80 billion for Thwake Dam and the Sh1 Billion for extension of water from Kiambere Dam to Kyuso Sub County.
Others are the Sh1.5 Billion extension of water supply from Kindaruma Dam to Mwingi West and the construction of the Sh487 Billion High Grand Falls Dam, the largest dam in Africa that straddles Kitui and Tharaka Nithi Counties.