Sakaja to establish secretariat to oversee schools Dishi na County project

City Hall will establish a board and a secretariat to ensure that Nairobi's Dishi na County school feeding programme operates efficiently and effectively.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced on Tuesday that his administration is implementing necessary governance structures to properly manage the project, which is now 14 months old

This aims to enhance governance and allow Kenyans of goodwill to contribute towards its sustainability.

Speaking during the Global School Meals Coalition ministerial meeting in Nairobi, the county boss said there has been interest from parents and citizens willing to donate for children's meals. 

"Nairobians are now asking how they can pay by M-Pesa to support one child or five children," Sakaja said.

The governor noted that the programme has had a great impact, resulting in a 34 per cent increase in school enrolment.

The effectiveness of the programme is being evaluated by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which are conducting a three-year study on its impact.

Sakaja also celebrated a milestone of 30 million meals served within the program's first 14 months, providing nourishment to over 310,000 students across 230 public schools in 17 sub-counties.

He pointed out the transformative effects of the programme, particularly for students in informal settlements.

"Dishi Na County aims to reach even more schools and has already provided over 30 million meals at an affordable cost of just five shillings," Sakaja added.

President William Ruto, present at the event, commended Nairobi County's efforts, pointing out the critical role of school feeding programmes in Kenya's education strategy.

"I am very proud of what Nairobi County is doing in feeding our learners. Food for Education has done a remarkable job to provide for them," Ruto said.

During the 2022 pre-election campaigns, President William Ruto endorsed a proposal to implement a school feeding programme in all public primary schools countrywide.

A school feeding programme had already been rolled out in Dagoretti South, Nairobi.

Endorsing the idea, Ruto earlier said the Kenya Kwanza government will implement the project in schools across the country.

In Nairobi, Sakaja, in his first budget for 2023-24, allocated Sh1.2 billion towards the feeding programme. 

The Dishi na County Programme, launched in June 2023, began with the establishment of ten central kitchens, with the first meals served on August 28, 2023.

Ten central kitchens are located in Dagoretti North, Embakasi Central, Embakasi South, Kasarani, Kibra, Makadara, Starehe, Roysambu, Ruaraka, and Westlands sub-counties.

The kitchens are stationed in Baba Dogo Primary School, Bidii Primary School, Kwa Njenga Primary, Farasi Lane Primary, Muthangari Primary, Kayole One Primary, Njiru Primary, Toi Primary, Roysambu Primary, and Racecourse Primary.

By January 2024, the second phase had seen an additional ten kitchens operational, catering to 184,000 children from 106 public schools daily.

The initiative has since expanded, now feeding 310,000 pupils, with numbers expected to rise further in the third term.

"This initiative has significantly reduced dropout rates by ensuring that children receive at least one nutritious meal per day," Sakaja said.

Seven more kitchens are under construction located in Dandora 1 Primary School (Embakasi East), Donholm Primary School (Embakasi North), Mutuini Primary School (Dagoretti South), Uhuru Gardens Primary School (Langata), Ndururuno Primary School (Starehe), Umoja 1 Primary School (Embakasi West), and Zawadi Primary School (Kamkunji).