Hide if you want to distribute relief food.....

Source: World Vision Zambia

Many years ago when I used to work as a Government reporter, we used to accompany the long serving Cabinet Minister Katana Ngala and MP for Ganze for relief distribution efforts in the Constituency of the then Kilifi District.

Hon. Katana was not particularly known to keep time. He was the kind of a guy who would slot a meeting for 2.00.p.m. but would not appear until the sun was setting in the west. What particularly touched were the very many helpless women and children who would wait for eons on end for the hallowed Minister. They would have to brave sweltering heat and dust as they waited for “Mubomu” (The Leader).

Many women with strapped little frail children in their backs hid under scanty brush and would only come to life when the perennially late Minister would put two two-kilogram “Gorogoros” of maize into their baskets.

It used to be heart wrenching moment witnessing frail old women and sometimes men open their bags expectantly for the Minister to put something into it. The well fed Government fat cat would ensure that every “kiondo” ended up with something. It was good for his political mileage and for his re-election campaign, although later in life it worked against him.

I recall this story because lately, I have seen pictures in the social media of well-fed government fat cats distributing relief food to hunger stricken residents of now Kilifi County.

From parliamentarians to MCAs they are competing on who will distribute the most food. Some of them are actually pushing the “Facebook live” button so that we can see their benevolence. The brief to their handlers is that they must get as much publicity on the new social media front at least if they are not covered by the mainstream media. That way, their Facebook and Instagram pages are littered with different angles of relief food distribution as they do “service to humanity”.

The question that lingers in my mind is, is there honour in the distribution of relief food? Is there pride in handing over a two kilogramme packet of flour to a drought stricken citizen? What happens when they finish the food? What is there to take photographs about?

The leaders taking selfies while distributing relief food should be ashamed of themselves. They should actually be hiding. Relief food distribution is so short term and reactive and reflects failure on the part of leaders to come up with policies that ensures that citizens are fed. What happens to the citizens when the leaders hop into their fuel guzzlers to go and have several course meals? Will they wait for you to come back again? And if then when? Further, drought is not accidental and with good plans it can be taken care of. 

The government that they represent whether national of county has the responsibility to put in place long terms measures that ensure that the people are cushioned against suffering during drought seasons.

Drought should be the reason why leaders at both the County and the National Government should push for the implementation of irrigation projects work so that at all times the people are food secure.

In my mind, I am clear that without implementing food sustenance projects, we will continue witnessing “mubomus” taking selfies with hunger victims. But maybe they are not interested in addressing the situation, because if they did they would not get their votes.

Ends……