Bank Commercial Kenya

Kenyans for Kenya initiative surpasses target

The Kenyans for Kenya kitty, an initiative to raise funds for Kenyans afflicted by famine has surpassed its half a billion shillings target .

Kenya Commercial Bank Group CEO Martin Oduor Otieno said Kenyans are willing to contribute up to Shs 1B towards the course.

He spoke while flagging off the second consignment of relief food to assist those affected by drought in North Eastern Kenya.

The eight trucks loaded with 150 metric tons of fortified foods will benefit 21,000 people in Garissa, Mandera and Marsabit.

The Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary General Abbas Gullet said that nutritional and fortified food items are meant to act as supplement for children and elderly people.

The first consignment under the Kenyans for Kenya initiative flagged off last Saturday alleviated the crisis in Turkana.

Also present at the Uhuru Park ceremony was nine-year-old cancer survivor Rose Nasimiyu .

Meanwhile, Somali refugees continue entering Kenya in droves fleeing drought in their country.

Public Health minister Beth Mugo says an immunization program has been initiated for the refugees to curb disease outbreak, especially after the  UN refugee agency  UNHCR called for a rapid response to a suspected measles outbreak in Somalia refugee camps in South Eastern Ethiopia where at least 15 people have died.

UNHCR fears the outbreak could lead to high mortality and serious illness in a vulnerable refugee population whose overall health was already fragile.  

The transitional Government of Somalia has beefed up security to ease the distribution of relief food to the hunger stricken Somalis.

Al-Shabaab Islamist rebels are said to have pulled out of all positions in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

Generous giving at Kenyans for Kenya event - The Standard

Food donations including unimix, sugar, flour, and other perishable food worth Sh53,400,000, were donated in the fundraiser initiated by the media houses and the private sector.

The total donation by Friday evening had hit Sh490 million, and Kenyans were still contributing to the kitty that would assist 3.5 million famine-stricken people in northern Kenya.

Standard Media Group donated Sh10 million – Sh6.5 million in airtime and advertising space, and Sh3.5 million from staff and the company.

The Nation Media Group donated Sh15 million that included Sh10 million worth of advertising.

Royal Media Service gave Sh20 million that included Sh15 million worth of advertising on print and electronic media.

Nation Media Group CEO Linus Gitahi urged Kenyans not to apportion blame over the crisis, saying the launch of the fundraiser should be the beginning of a new culture.

"Let us all say it up to me. Let us put our hands on the deck and do all that is necessary," said Gitahi.

Safaricom gave Sh20 million, and another Sh10 million from the Safaricom Foundation.

Former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said the drought was a tragedy that should not happen again. He called for better planning.

"Let this not happen again. Not making hard decisions that we need to make can lead us back to where we are," said Joseph, who is the chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board.

Kenya Commercial Bank staff donated Sh7.5 million. Serena Hotel donated Sh3 million from staff.

Kenya Airways gave Sh10 million and will also transport donations from aboard in its cargo planes for the next two months.

The company’s Managing Director Titus Naikuni further announced that 60 per cent of their corporate social responsibility funds would go towards sinking boreholes in Turkana, among other initiatives like collecting donations through their websites.

Equity Bank Chief Executive Officer James Mwangi announced Sh20 million donation.

He said a programme the bank was running jointly with DfID had doubled the amount they were giving to 60,000 families in 13 districts from Sh2,180 per family, to Sh4,300 following the drought.

The project is worth more than Sh260 million and aimed at empowering communities.

Haco Industry donated goods worth Sh3.6 million that would be distributed to malnourished children. Centum Investment donated Sh500,000.

Others donations came from East Africa Breweries Sh10.1 million, and Deloitte Sh1 million.

Kenya Gazette

Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard)

Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard)

Kenya Gazette

Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard)