Hundreds of elderly and vulnerable people are facing hunger in Kiriari in Manyatta Constituency in Embu County on Saturday turned up food donations from a well-wisher.
The food donations by Bishop Joseph Wega attracted hundreds of elders across the constituency who paraded at his Transcontinental Christian Church Ministries (TCCM) in Kiriari market to get a share of the foodstuffs.
The elders, most of whom are in their 80s said that they have been suffering from hunger and health challenges subjecting them to untold suffering.
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The over 500 women and men who claim to have been going hungry and surviving with one meal a day benefited from wheat, maize flour and beans among other items.
They also received a free body check-up from doctors who had been mobilized by the bishop.
"This urban life is not easy for us the aged. The many people you have seen gather here is a clear indication of how we are suffering, we have always been forfeiting meals despite suffering from health complications," one of the elderly identified as Mary Ndwiga said.
She stated that the majority of the people living in the area have been mistaken as stable since there is coffee and tea farming in the area, saying that the aged cannot engage in farming.
Bishop Wega said many of the elders and the vulnerable who came for the food donations had to be supported as they cannot walk on their own saying there is a need to come up with programs to support them.
He also said the Ksh2,000 that the government has been giving these elders as a monthly stipend was not enough since they use almost everything for medication.
"These elders are in dire need of care. You give them Ksh2,000 today, and tomorrow they take it to the hospital for medication. It's high time the government considers programs that will help these people," Wega said.
Further, he faulted the government for failing to ensure community health promoters who are attending locals in villages have a doctor who can attend to patients who have serious issues that need doctor's attention.
"When you subject an elderly person to tests and you tell them that they have either blood pressure or other issues and you don't give them medicine what do you tell them, isn't this subjecting them to stress since they have no money to go to the hospital?" Wega questioned.
Ephadus Njiru, who is the Senior Chief of the Runguru location lauded the bishop for remembering the elders saying it was a good initiative that should be emulated by all.
He noted that he will continue working closely with other leaders of goodwill to ensure the elderly people do not suffer.
