Cheptais DC promises govt relief food as Chwele, Kimilili residents keep off Madaraka Day celebrations

Cheptais Dc Mr. Omar Haji Salat during Madaraka Day celebrations. [Photo/Protus Simiyu/WestFm] BUNGOMA COUNTY: Cheptais District Commissioner Omar Haji Salat has assured residents hit by hunger that the government will provide relief food to them for the next six months. Mr. Salat revealed that his office has already received 300 bags 90 kgs each of dry maize while waiting for another 100 bags of beans as relief food from the government. The DC said only homesteads hit by hunger and are unable to afford will benefit from the relief food warning those who are well off to remain honest and allow genuine people to benefit. Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations held at the district headquarters, Salat said boarding schools will also benefit from the relief food. He told the school heads to convert the relief food into bursary for children from humble backgrounds. Salat said incidents of Malaria and Typhoid have been reported in the district for the last one month saying the government has provided two containers of treated mosquito nets to be distributed to all homesteads as from next week. ‘’The department of public health will distribute nets next week and we appeal to Wananchi to use them for the intended purpose in order to deal with the Malaria pandemic,’’ he warned. The DC told the Chiefs and their assistants to remain alert and impound Lorries ferrying green maize from the region while urging farmers to avoid selling their produce while still on farms at a throw away prices. ‘’These people buy maize from here at cheaper prices and later bring back to sell to you at higher prices……we should look for probable ways to stop this,’’ he challenged them. The DC urged the residents to store their produce without unnecessary misuse to ensure the district remains food secure owing to fertile soils and climatical conditions prevailing. On matters pertaining to bodaboda operators, Salat warned the police to stop harassing them as they play an important role in the transport sector. The DC said he will call for a public baraza soon in order to solve a row between the police and bodaboda operators and also look for best ways how the operators can acquire licenses and insurance cover in order to be on the safe side of the law. The administrator called on the inhabitants of the mountain to desist from excessive drinking rather focus on development matters for the sake of their families and generations to come. He appealed to parents to invest heavily in the education of their children as the best legacy ever without minding about the farms which are becoming scarce every day. The few Kimilili residents who turned up for Madaraka Day celebrations. [Photo/Eric Lumbasi/WestFm] Elsewhere, as Kenya celebrated 48 years of self rule, celebrations in Kimilili and Chwele witnessed low turnout as most locals kept off the celebrations. In the two centres, police officers and scouts and girl guides were the majority as the few locals who turned up kept low profiles even as the regional leaders came out to lead the celebrations. In Kimilili, the Amtala Stadium was almost empty but the District commissioner Joseph Lewa led the few who were present in observing the day. Mr. Lewa urged the locals to work with security officers in a bid to address cases of insecurity within the area. “I urge you to report any form of insecurity to the police as soon as possible so that we immediately react on the matter before it gets out of hand. You should not fear giving us information since we are here to protect you and you will not be identified by anyone,” he urged. In Chwele, the turnout was as poor as Kimilili as few residents turned out for the celebrations at Busakala High school. The low turnout was attributed to the rising cost of living as most people opted to work on their farms and businesses. The celebrations were even made more dull when the clouds threatened to burst making a section of those in attendance to leave early like Council chairman Mr. Meshack Simiyu. True patriots: These children in Chwele seemed to pass a clear message on the joy of celebrating Madaraka Day, a day in rememberence of the day Kenya attained self rule in 1963. [Photo/Daniel Saenyi/WestFm] Most of the day’s celebrations were characterized by complaints from the leaders and residents over the harsh times despite the area being recognized as one with great potential to attract both local and foreign investors in various sectors including agriculture. The town has many upcoming factories but they are being brought down by corruption. For instance, the coffee factory that was there was closed down because of bad leadership but they hope to revive it. As much as Chwele has a lot of resources the residents complain of hunger despite the bumper harvest last year. They even asked for relief food from the government to save them from starvation. The Bungoma Central District Commissioner Mr. Kassim Bosso declined to ask the government for the food saying the government prioritizes the people legible to receive the aid. “I can’t ask the government for relief food because it would be ironical and the government won’t give it anyway. Chwele has been blessed with a lot of rain and plenty of food so you should stop sell your food away at cheap price early and complain letter. You should all keep your harvest and not sell it out because you just end up complaining.” Said Mr. Kassim. In Kimilili, Mr. Lewa called upon motorcycle riders to get licenses and insurance for their motorbikes and not to operate past eleven in the evening in the name of earning an extra shilling as they will be arrested. He also called upon the bar owners to observe the rules set for the time to operate. The District commissioner said that local brew will only be accepted after passing through the necessary tests by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and packaged for human consumption otherwise it is still illegal to consume. Residents on the other hand led by Karrim Issa, the region’s Youth leader said it was saddening to see youth suffer for lack of employment yet the Ministry of Youth was allocated funds to assist the youth grow economically and financially. “We have formed groups and presented proposals to the Ministry yet it has not approved them. We would like the government to be fair while allocating the funds to us,” he said. On his hand Kimilili County Council Mayor Emmanuel Makhapila raised alarm over the escalating maize price of one hundred and thirty per gorogoro. “It disheartens to note that being an agricultural rich region we are having food shortage yet we produce the products in our farms. Middlemen buy from us at a cheaper price, store the maize, and later come back to resell to us at a higher price,” he said. Makhapila proposed that the government should build a government store in Kimilili to curb the problem since their neighboring towns of Bungoma and Webuye have one. The District Medical Officer Mutoro Wambasi cautioned residents against consuming rotten maize that was discovered to be sold to residents at the market place since they could contract cancer of the liver which is a deadly disease. Reported by: Protus Simiyu (Cheptais), Eric Lumbasi (Kimilili) and Daniel Saenyi (Chwele).