Win for Sakaja as Court Rules on School Feeding Program

The High Court has dismissed a case challenging Nairobi County’s school feeding program dubbed Dishi na County by the city’s governor Johnson Sakaja.

In a ruling delivered by the High Court on 21st June, 2024, Justice Chacha Mwita dismissed the case challenging the Nairobi school feeding program, Dishi na County on the basis of its relevance for the welfare of hundreds of thousands of school-going children.

”It was for the welfare of the children that the program was initiated. We can’t halt it. We will be running away from the issues affecting the children,” Mwita stated.

Court Ruling on School Feeding Program

The case was filed by Tunza Mtoto Coalition Executive Director Jane Ouko, who stated that the programme did not go through thorough public participation and that the funds used could have been channeled into building classrooms.

In its defense, the county through its lawyer downplayed the allegations stating that all legal procedures were followed before the project’s official launch in 2023.

Also Read: Governor Sakaja Explains Why He Wept During Launch of School Feeding Programme

The County Government has since welcomed the ruling terming it a validation of the efforts to boost learning in the county.

Nairobi’s County executive committee member for Health and nutrition Suzanne Silantoi termed the ruling as a boost to the county’s efforts in elevating the education sector.

“This ruling is so significant for the children of Nairobi because the courts have validated the efforts of Nairobi County in putting in an investment in the children of Nairobi who had been forgotten for a very long time,” affirmed Silantoi.

Also Read: Activist Threatens to Sue Sakaja Over the School Feeding Programme

Sakaja ‘s Dishi na County Program

Likewise, she backed the ruling stating that one in four children previously missed school due to hunger, before the advent of the program.

Previously, the petitioner in the case had stated that Nairobi only has 205 public primary schools and at least 3,000 non-formal schools are highly concentrated in Kibra, Mathare, Mukuru, Kibagare, Kiambiu, Maili Saba and Kawangware.

Moreover, the former CEC further urged the governor to use the funds to build eight schools each year spending only Ksh100 million on each, instead of using the Sh1.2 billion on food.

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