High Court declines to stop Nairobi County school feeding programme
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja speaks outside the Milimani law courts on July 27, 2023.
The High Court has declined to stop Nairobi City County’s Sh1.2 billon primary school feeding programme initiated by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
On Thursday, Justice Mugure Thande said that although the constitutionality of the ‘Dishi Na County’ programme has been challenged, the best interest of the child should prevail. She said the constitutionality of the programme can be interrogated at the petition hearing.
She added that the courts should expedite the petition challenging the programme.
The petition was filed by Janet Ouko, the executive director of the Tunza Mtoto Coalition lobby group. She had asked for the suspension of the programme.
Through lawyer Maureen Nasimiyu, Ms Ouko says the school feeding programme should be under the national government and not the county government.
The county government opposed the suspension of the programme, arguing that the move could deny more than 250,000 learners the opportunity to enjoy a meal a day while in school.
Recently, Governor Sakaja and Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu signed a partnership deal, which saw the Ministry transferring the feeding programme to the county government.
