If you don't see the bodies...
“So far, the government does not have an official report of a Kenyan that has died as a result of the hunger, We are asking anybody who has information of a confirmed death due to starvation to let us know; the government needs that information because it is very wrong for a Kenyan to die or starve whereas there is food in the country, Currently the government does not lack food to feed the hungry; we have set aside Sh10.5 billion shillings to feed Kenyans” Show us the Kenyans that have died of hunger and not just natural causes”
These are the words that shocked and angered the nation and even though they were uttered about two weeks ago at a weekly address to the nation they are continually being replayed on both radio and television stations, being used as a reference point for the government’s lack of preparedness, hopeless infrastructure and planning for a problem that was months even years in the making.
As the government and most especially it’s spin doctor Alfred Mutua continued (or seemed to) lie on their ears and eyes Kenyans both in the corporate sector and from all walks of life decided to take matters into their own hands join together and help those continually starving and emaciated, tear jerking shockingly sad Kenyans to the north of the country who have suffered an interminably long and seemingly unending drought.
The Kenyans for Kenya initiative was started less than a fortnight ago by Safaricom Foundation and the Kenya Commercial Bank together with the Media Owners Association.
“These are our people and it is our problem. We have to come together as country and help our brothers and sisters faced with hunger,” explained Safaricom chief executive officer Mr Bob Collymore at the launch. The initiative has long since reached and surpassed its initial 500 million shilling goal and the first two trucks of food have been distributed to the areas badly in need.
But even in the midst of such good will and out pouring of unity and love there are some unscrupulous members of society that saw a ripe opportunity to steal and hopefully make a profit for themselves with multiple cases of theft both at the district levels and in transit! Do we really have absolutely no shame as to steal from the dying?
I find myself at once both elated at the efforts of all Kenyans in opening both our hearts and wallets, and disgusted and reviled at the thought that we could have the nerve and greed to steal from the emaciated, near skeletal figures of those living under the burning, unrelenting sun of Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera and Turkana, who continue to exist side by side with their dead livestock.
So for those who still refuse see the bodies of dying and the dead wake up and smell the very strong coffee!
These are the words that shocked and angered the nation and even though they were uttered about two weeks ago at a weekly address to the nation they are continually being replayed on both radio and television stations, being used as a reference point for the government’s lack of preparedness, hopeless infrastructure and planning for a problem that was months even years in the making.
As the government and most especially it’s spin doctor Alfred Mutua continued (or seemed to) lie on their ears and eyes Kenyans both in the corporate sector and from all walks of life decided to take matters into their own hands join together and help those continually starving and emaciated, tear jerking shockingly sad Kenyans to the north of the country who have suffered an interminably long and seemingly unending drought.
The Kenyans for Kenya initiative was started less than a fortnight ago by Safaricom Foundation and the Kenya Commercial Bank together with the Media Owners Association.
“These are our people and it is our problem. We have to come together as country and help our brothers and sisters faced with hunger,” explained Safaricom chief executive officer Mr Bob Collymore at the launch. The initiative has long since reached and surpassed its initial 500 million shilling goal and the first two trucks of food have been distributed to the areas badly in need.
But even in the midst of such good will and out pouring of unity and love there are some unscrupulous members of society that saw a ripe opportunity to steal and hopefully make a profit for themselves with multiple cases of theft both at the district levels and in transit! Do we really have absolutely no shame as to steal from the dying?
I find myself at once both elated at the efforts of all Kenyans in opening both our hearts and wallets, and disgusted and reviled at the thought that we could have the nerve and greed to steal from the emaciated, near skeletal figures of those living under the burning, unrelenting sun of Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera and Turkana, who continue to exist side by side with their dead livestock.
So for those who still refuse see the bodies of dying and the dead wake up and smell the very strong coffee!
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