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Kiambu residents sell household items to buy food, pay rent


A number of families in Witeithie estate in Juja sub-county, Kiambu County have been forced to sell their household items to buy food and settle their rent arrears as Covid-19 continues to hurt the economy.

Residents said they were unable to put food on the table because of lack of jobs occasioned by the pandemic and called on the government to come to their aid.

To make matters worse, landlords have also not made things easier and are on their necks over delayed rent payments.

They have been selling their household items which include beds, mattresses, chairs, tables and electronics like radios and TV sets to second-hand items’ vendors on the estate at throwaway prices.

Joseph Kimata, a resident of Juja told NTV that people there need help because of the cessation of movement that was effected by the national government that cut them off from their only source of livelihood.

“I sold my bed last week so that I could add the little that I had to pay my rent as the landlord was threatening to kick me out,” another resident, Monica Wangui said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on March 27, ordered for the cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi to contain the spread of coronavirus.

This order has been extended each month ever since, leaving countless families in dire need of aid just to cover their basic needs.

The residents appealed to the Kiambu government and well-wishers to help them cope with the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed 105 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 3,094 with Kiambu recording five cases.