NAIROBI, Kenya — Members of the National Assembly have raised alarm over a Sh6.6 billion funding gap threatening the sustainability of the school feeding programme targeting learners in nomadic and marginalised communities.
The concern emerged during a sitting of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on Thursday, April 2, where the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) disclosed that its current allocation falls far below operational needs.
NACONEK Chief Executive Officer Harun Yussuf told lawmakers the programme requires Sh8.3 billion annually but has received only Sh1.7 billion in the current financial year, leaving a significant shortfall that has already affected service delivery.
“We have a serious gap in the school feeding programme. The cost of feeding a child is Sh22 per day for about 51 days, requiring approximately Sh8.3 billion, but we have only been allocated Sh1.7 billion,” Yussuf said while responding to Auditor-General queries for the 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 financial years.
He warned that the funding constraints have forced the council to scale down meal provisions, with schools now relying mainly on porridge as a temporary measure while engagements with the National Treasury continue.
Beyond food provision, the council is also grappling with inadequate infrastructure, particularly the absence of proper kitchens in schools serving nomadic populations. Yussuf noted that many communities benefiting from the programme lack the capacity to construct safe cooking facilities.
“It is the responsibility of government to establish kitchens at school level, but we do not have the budget for that. We have only piloted clean energy cooking in six schools and are expanding to 14 more, but funding remains inadequate,” he added.
Lawmakers acknowledged the unique socio-economic challenges in these regions and called for targeted intervention to sustain enrolment and retention.
Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei warned that shifting the burden of building kitchens to impoverished communities would undermine attendance.
“These are very poor communities. If you ask parents in such areas to build modern kitchens, children will drop out of school. We must support them to ensure learners can eat in a clean and safe environment,” she said.
Sotik MP Julius Sigei supported the call for increased support, arguing that historically marginalised populations require deliberate government investment.
“These are people who have been neglected for a long time. We must enhance resources to uplift them while ensuring safety standards are not compromised,” he said.
However, Lunga Lunga MP Chiforomodo Mangale Munga cautioned against lowering standards due to budget constraints, insisting that learners in nomadic regions deserve facilities comparable to those in other parts of the country.
“We should not compromise quality. These are Kenyan children and must have access to clean, modern kitchens. The council should seek more resources to meet these standards,” he said.
Committee chairperson and Kasipul MP Boyd Ong’ondo Were assured NACONEK that Parliament would pursue recommendations to address both funding and operational challenges.
“This matter is before the committee, and we will make recommendations to ensure you receive adequate funding to resolve these challenges,” he noted.
During a February 24 meeting, Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen, who chairs the Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation, cautioned state departments against stretching limited resources.
“You cannot spend what’s not available nor stretch beyond the limits. You can’t say you have a shortage of resources when you keep bringing new projects,” he said.
Legislators argued that scarce funds should prioritise completing ongoing initiatives, a position that now reinforces calls to fully finance critical social programmes such as school feeding in marginalised regions.
