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Sakaja sheds tears in front of Ruto 'over sorry state of Nairobi public schools'
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was on Tuesday moved to tears in the presence of President William Ruto as he struggled to describe the sorry state of public schools in the county.
Speaking in Roysambu Primary School during the groundbreaking ceremony for the school feeding kitchen, the governor accused past governments of neglecting public schools in Nairobi.
The former Nairobi Senator said the previous administrations in Nairobi, including the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services, which was supported by the previous national government, spent a total of Sh3 billion on bursaries.
"In 10 years, Nairobi County gave out bursaries worth Sh3 billion and in six months, Your Excellency, we have given out bursaries worth one billion and 25 million shillings for withdrawal," Mr Sakaja said.
President William Ruto with some of the children on Tuesday.
He continued: "Unapata shule Sunday ni kanisa, Monday ni shule, jioni kuna kesha the next day there's a youth meeting because we haven't given the infrastructure...successive governments have done bad things to Nairobi children, we have to do something."
A handkerchief and a shoulder
At this point, the governor paused for a minute as he could not hold back his tears with some of his handlers offering him a handkerchief and a shoulder.
The governor reiterated that his programme had to work because of the situation the children were going through.
"It has to work. These children deserve what your children have and what my children have," he charged.
Mr Sakaja's government has begun building 10 kitchens across the county, and the assembly has expressed its support.
In the proposed budget for the 2023/24 financial year, Mr Sakaja's feeding programme has been allocated Sh1 billion.
"In the next financial year, I'm asking my MCAs to pass the budget so that we can build the other six kitchens and subsidise the meal in August," added Mr Sakaja.
The governor also said that the programme has been supported by partners who have paid Sh15, and the county pays Sh25 daily for the children to get meals.
