AfricaPress-Kenya: The Government has directed that all philanthropic efforts to communities impacted by the coronavirus be coordinated by the Kenya Covid-19 Emergency Fund, governors and county commissioners.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the government has banned direct distribution of food and non-food donations to affected communities since they were retrogression to the measures to control spread of the respiratory virus.
The coronavirus pandemic has seen a number of philanthropic groups and corporates, who want to donate to those disadvantaged by the disease, but the State says unstructured distribution was exposing more people to the virus.
“Whereas we applaud these noble, charitable and philanthropic efforts, they have inadvertently led to breach of the social distancing guidelines as set out by the Ministry of Health, besides creating disorder,” Matiang’i said.
The new measures come a day after food distribution at Deputy County Commisioner’s office in Kibera turned into a shoving contest as residents jostled to benefit from donations by Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.The situation escalated to chaos and police officers used teargas to disperse the Kibra residents, who had turned out in their hundreds to receive the foodstuff.
A number of residents were injured.As a result, any donors or well-wishers in Nairobi will now have to channel their donation through the Kenya COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund’s offices at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Central distribution
Matiangi’s new orders will affect food donations in counties where the governors and county commissioners will be the focal point of distribution.
“These additional measures will secure the coordination, consolidation, demarcation and distribution of donations in a dignified manner to the vulnerable members of our society across the country, based on the already developed needs map, whilst ensuring that the same is rolled out in a transparent and accountable manner,” the CS said.
The CS assured that all donated food, non food items and cash will be accounted for and donors publicly acknowledged for the purposes of transparency and accountability.Any well-wisher, who issues his donation without involvement of the government, now risks falling afoul with the law.
The National Government Administration Officers have been directed to work with the Police Service to ensure that the directive is enforced.Matiangi’s orders also come as county governors are criticised for milking the coronavirus pandemic and the donations they have received for political capital.
