Muhoroni parliamentary aspirant Robert Nyasuna, the brother of Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, has responded to claims surrounding the recovery of government relief food at his late father’s home, insisting the supplies were never intended for personal use.
Nyasuna admitted that he diverted a trailer carrying relief food to his family compound instead of following the official government distribution process. However, he maintained that the food was meant for residents facing food shortages and not for private benefit.
The controversy emerged after police recovered a large consignment of relief supplies from the family home and arrested a delivery driver and a storekeeper in connection with the incident.
According to authorities, the recovered food included 300 bags of rice weighing 50 kilograms each, 250 bags of beans weighing 50 kilograms each, and 20 bags of 25-kilogram bags of fortified porridge (uji) mix.
Addressing the matter on Wednesday, July 22, Nyasuna acknowledged that he failed to follow the required distribution procedures but denied any intention to misuse public resources.
He explained that he had coordinated with a government office responsible for distributing relief food to drought-affected and vulnerable regions, including parts of the Mt. Kenya region. Under the established process, he said, such consignments are first delivered to the District Commissioner’s office, where a disaster management committee identifies the beneficiaries.
Nyasuna claimed that the first trailer he secured remained at the commissioner’s office for nearly two months because officials argued that, as a parliamentary aspirant, he was not allowed to distribute the food directly to residents.
According to him, the lengthy delay prompted him to change his approach when the second consignment arrived.
He said he temporarily stored the food at his home with the intention of distributing it the following day to the intended beneficiaries.
“I made a mistake by taking the trailer home before distribution. I did not want another prolonged delay. But I cannot possibly consume an entire trailer of rice,” Nyasuna said.
The parliamentary hopeful insisted that his only mistake was failing to adhere to the prescribed distribution procedure and argued that his actions should not be interpreted as theft.
Nyasuna also criticised some local leaders, claiming they had shown little initiative in sourcing relief food for residents despite widespread hunger. He alleged that the criticism directed at him was motivated more by politics than concern for vulnerable families.
He further revealed that he has already received a third trailer of relief food but is now hesitant to distribute it because of the ongoing controversy and fear of attracting further criticism.
Nyasuna argued that leaders should focus on ensuring needy families receive assistance instead of attacking those trying to secure relief supplies. He added that the current political environment has made it easier for leaders from the region to access national government support and encouraged others to pursue similar opportunities for the benefit of their constituents.
The incident has sparked public debate over the handling of government relief food and whether established distribution procedures were properly followed, even when the intended beneficiaries are communities experiencing food shortages.