The High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the legality of Nairobi County Government’s school feeding programme dubbed ‘Dishi Na County’.
The ruling was made by Justice Chacha Mwita earlier today, charging that the programme has massively benefitted school children.
“It was for the welfare of the children that the programme was initiated. We can’t halt it. We will be running away from the issues affecting the children,” Mwita said in the judgement against the petition filed by politician Janet Ouko.
Ouko, formerly the County Executive Committee Members (CECM) for Education, argued that the programme lacked the necessary public participation and suggested that the funds could have been better utilised to build classrooms.
Nairobi Health and Nutrition CECM Suzanne Silantoi, commenting on the High Court verdict, said the programme is aimed at keeping learners in school as they have been neglected far too long.
“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,” she said.
Silantoi said that more than 200,000 pupils have benefitted daily since the inception of the programme at a cost of just Ksh5.
Launched last year by Governor Johnson Sakaja, the Dishi na County feeding programme began with a sum of 10 kitchens across Nairobi, and the first meal was served on August 28, 2023.
The programme is a partnership between Nairobi County and Food4Education, a non-profit organization that also operates in other counties, including Murang’a and Mombasa.
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By Vostine Ratemo
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